Daily Thrifty Tips - March 28, 2007

Making a Strawberry Fan Garnish

Here are some yummy strawberry waffles we had at a local restaurant (The Family Inn at Manchester). There was a lovely strawberry fan on top so we took a picture. These are fairly easy to make and a lovely garnish.

Take a strawberry (the larger the better), leaving the leaves on and lay it down on it's side. Cut small slices from the bottom of the berry up to nearly the top (where the leaves are - leave about 1/4 inch to hold it together). Then using gentle pressure, fan out the slices. If you make a mistake, you can simply cut off the top and use the slices.

It makes a nice garnish for the top of something like the waffles, a shortcake, fruit salad or dessert.

Susan from ThriftyFun

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Easter Egg Wreath

Using a recycled grapevine wreath from Christmas, I bought 6 packages of different types of eggs from the dollar store. I used my hot glue gun to place the eggs. It only took about 1 hour to do, and the cost was about $8.

By Ragteller from Tofield, AB

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Doors As Yard Art

Living in the country is wonderful and having a huge yard to decorate is so much fun. My husband just built an arbor from barn beams (he was given for free) and two matching interior doors from a flea market for $20.00.

We picked a spot, measured and planted the doors vertically in the ground (attach pressure treated wood to the bottom of the doors to prevent rotting). He then took the barn beams spaced evenly across the top of the doors and attached. We stained the whole arbor with a whitewash and hung a flower basket dead center from a beam.

We even gathered flat rocks to make a pathway through the arbor and placed a section of fence on each side with a coat of white wash (using scrap wood). Next, we planted brown eyed susans along the fence to complete the look. Very countrified without a lot of expense.

By Tracie from Mexico, NY

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Scout (Welsh Pony Mix)

Scout is a 10 month old Welsh pony mix. I bought two horses at an auction and noticed after a few months that the female was pregnant.

He likes playing with our other horse, Taco. He demands to be hand fed. If you put the grain in the bucket and don't feed him from your hand, he turns his back on you. He is such a funny pony.

By Jennifer from Waynesville, MO

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Look At Resale And Vintage Shops For Prom

To get a good deal when looking for your prom dress, go further afield than your local mall! Go to Resale shops where they have designer dresses for a lot less. Or look for something vintage. If you have a nice dress, you could even resell it, bringing down your costs even further in the long run.

By pamphyila from Los Angeles

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Buy Something You Can Wear Again

It's my advice to all brides that they don't buy very expensive langa for their marriage. It's better to buy a different colour langa which can be worn on other occasions also, so that, after the wedding, you don't feel that you can't wear your marriage langa on particular occasions.

By Suman from New Delhi

Editor's Note: A langa or lengha is a decorated full skirt used in traditional women's attire in India. This advice could be applied to a traditional Western wedding outfit as well.

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Use Free Luggage Tags For Marking

I always take a fistful of the free luggage tags the airlines provide (Ditto the stickers). They are wonderful for identifying all sorts of equipment; musical instrument cases, bags, and the like. My old drama teacher taught me to label everything so it wouldn't get lost, and she was right.

By pamphyila from Los Angeles

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Easy At Home Hand Massage

Give your hands a massage they will never forget! Squeeze a small amount of baby oil into your palm, a puddle of oil about the size of a dime, and then add the same amount of granulated sugar to the oil. Rub your hands together until most of the sugar is gone. Do this over a trash can or the sink. Rinse when finished in lukewarm water.

Isn't that great! :)

By Veronica from Sedalia, MO

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Product Review: Michelin Tires

Product: Michelin Tires

Manufacturer: Michelin

Michelin tires are about the best tires you can buy, my husband says. The last time he bought tires, he got the GoodYear brand, but had so much trouble with them, he took them back and the tire store swapped them for Michelins. All we had to pay for then was the road hazard warranty.

By Terri from NV

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Grow Your Own Avocado Houseplant

Here's a fun summer activity for the kids to enjoy and a rewarding way to recycle the left-over avocado seeds.

1. Wash the seed and suspend it (broad end down) over a water-filled glass using 3 toothpicks. The water should cover about an inch of the seed.


2. Place the glass in a warm location, out of direct sunlight. A mature seed will crack as roots and stem sprout in about 2 to 6 weeks.


3. When a stem grows to six or seven inches, cut it back to about three inches.


4. When the roots are thick and the stem has leafed out again, plant it in a rich humus soil, leaving the seed half exposed. Use a terra cotta pot with a 10-1/2 diameter.


5. Water the avocado plant generously, but let it dry out somewhat between watering.

By Connie from Oden, Arkansas

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Replacing My VCR

Is there a good alternative to a VCR? I have had VCR's for many years and I tape a lot of TV shows and sports to watch later. VCR's are getting hard to find. Few stores carry them and the sales people say they are out-moded. I know about TIVO, but don't all the Tivo type machines have a monthly fee? DVD recorders are very expensive and I believe you can only record once per DVD? Does anyone else have a problem finding new VCR's? There are no repair places in my area.

Joyann from Visalia, CA

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Sweating Toilet

I have a toilet that sweats and drips on my carpet. How do I get rid of the mildew smell?

Sheila from Flint, Michigan

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Remedies for an Itchy Scalp

What can I do about itchy and dry scalp? Can you advise on any products that will help?

Onesummer

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Letter From the Easter Bunny

Does anyone know of an online website that you can print a free letter from the Easter bunny?

IMAQT1962 from ILLINIOS

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Removing Ink From Your Hands

How do you get ink off your hands?

Amna from Lakeland, FL

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Creating a Cozy and Beautiful Backyard

My name is Erin, a recently married woman. As you see the pictures for my back yard, there is nothing. My husband moved into this house 7 years ago and he said he never went out to the back yard since he moved. Please help us to have a little cozy, beautiful back yard!

Thank you,
Erin from Redondo Beach, CA

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Goody Bag Gift

I need a simple craft idea (preferably paper or cardstock) to make about 200 items for a goody bag gift for adults. I really don't want bookmarks.

Pat from NC

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Wiring Lights on a Pontoon Boat

Is their anyone out their that has a pontoon boat. I have a 24' one and I need a diagram showing me how to wire lights all around. I don't know where to put the running lights and etc. I am sending this for my husband and he needs a diagram for all standard wiring on a pontoon boat. I hope this makes sense. If not e-mail me back and I will give you more info.

Thanks,
Angelheart from Abilene, TX

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Removing Nail Polish from Microfiber

Does anyone know how to remove a small area of clear nail polish from a microfiber couch?

Kathy

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Getting Rid of Ants

What can be used to get rid of ants?

Leonora from Atlanta, GA

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Prestik Stains on Walls

We have recently moved into a rented house. The previous people had used a ring of Prestik to hang decorative plates in the bathroom. When they were removed, it left a greasy mark on the wall. How can I remove these marks as I am not putting anything in their place?

Carolyn from South Africa

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Transplanting Crepe Myrtles

I am looking for information about Transplanting Crepe Myrtles and dogwoods, what is the best way?

Thank you,
Rox from Arkansas

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First Holy Communion Speech Ideas

I need a speech for my son's 1st Holy communion.

DNolanq from Barnegat, NJ

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Mr. Bear Craft

What size stocking loom is used to make the Mr. Bear? Thank you in advance. I really want to make this darling toy.

Virginia from San Diego, CA

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Name Ideas for a Cleaning Business

I need a unique and catchy Cleaning Business name.

Thanks,
Tunde from Lagos-Nigeria

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Making a Screen Door

How do I make a screen door cheaply?

Richard from Snowflake, AZ

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Easter Egg Dye Recipes

I am looking for recipes for making my own easter egg dye for my 4H group. Does anyone have any recipes to share?

Thanks,
Diane

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Removing Carbon from a Pan Bottom

How do I clean thick carbon off a thick bottom frying pan. It's old but fab, the type your gran had, but it's covered with 1/8 of an inch of thick black hard carbon. I think thats what it is!

Samantha from Kent, England

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Middle School Dance Ideas

I need some ideas for a May 4th 6th-8th grade dance theme. I don't want Cinco de Mayo. Also, what could we incorprate into the dance?

Nikki from Sacramento

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Homecoming Mums

I was wondering if anybody knew how to make homecoming mums? You all remember those crazy overpriced dangly things we wore in high school? Now it's my son's turn to buy one and I was hoping to make one to save some money. Any ideas?

Thanks!
Andjerm from DFW

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Weeding Tips

Weeding tips from the ThriftyFun community.

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Saving Money on Tea

Tips for saving money on tea from the ThriftyFun community. Post your ideas!

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