Daily Thrifty Tips - December 13, 2007

Volume Six, Number 240, December 13, 2007 (Read It Online) Today we are looking for tips for avoiding stress during the holidays. Do you have any tips to share? Please submit them here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_contest.ldml Thanks for reading, Susan Send to a Friend! Share a Tip (You could win $25!) Share a Photo (You could win $25!) Have a Question? Submit a request... Link to ThriftyFun.com View Active Topics! Edit Your Subscriptions: To edit your ThriftyFun subscriptions, click the Update Profile/Email Address link at the bottom of this newsletter. Today's newsletter contains: Today's Photos: Candy Cane Christmas Stocking Tree Plastic Canvas Crafts Precious The Dog Lace Hearts Homemade Snowflake Glass Ornaments Craft: Paper Mache Ornament Balls Craft: North Pole Ornament Today's Tips: Gift Boxes From Recycled Paper Healthy Toys Website Use a Flannel Backed Tablecloth to Protect the Table Use Magnets to Put a Curtain on a Steel Door Mark Treated Stain with Safety Pin Before Washing Mei Tai Baby Bag Link Star Centerpiece Idea Christmas Tradition: Christmas Eve Combine Gingerbread and Sugar Cookie Recipes Joke of the Day New Requests: Lead Testing Kits How Do I Freeze Snow Peas? Products for Cleaning Ceramic Tile Grout Young Child Has Started Hitting Parents and Pets Kitten Has Stopped Using Litter Box Using Ammonia to Clean Stains from Carpet Upholstery Nails Keep Bending Applesauce Christmas Ornaments Reattaching Clips To Stem of Push Button Toilet Making Can Koozies (Coolers) Permanent Marker on a Wood Floor Removing a Hard Water Scale from Fiberglass Bathtub Cleaning Fabric Paint off Kids Hands Making Oil For Infusion Lamps Instructions to Make Lighted Wine Bottle Making Cream Soap without Lye Dishwasher Not Cleaning Dishes How To Get a Vintage Look When Matting Pictures Today's Sponsor: Crafting for Fun and Money! If you are an avid crafter, capable writer and own a digital camera, you are eligible to participate. Submit your craft projects to ThriftyFun and we will pay $15 for any crafts that we publish. More Information: Click Here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_craft.ldml Today's Photos: Candy Cane Christmas Stocking Tree By Debra Frick If your house is going to be as full as mine this year and you don't have a fireplace "to hang your stockings by the chimney with care", here is a great solution. Three of my children live in Colorado with me. Between the three of them, they have 6 little boys. We soon ran out of places to hang our Christmas stockings so my husband (brave man that he is ) came up with this so we could hang all of our Christmas stockings on it. View This Craft: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf70536126.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Plastic Canvas Crafts This is a Christmas gift I made. It is napkin holder made with plastic canvas. The second picture is another plastic canvas craft I made for Christmas. It is a wall or door hanger. This one is a fairly easy project. By Pico from St. Paul, Alberta Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf28669136.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Precious The Dog Precious is 9 months old. I got her 1 month ago. She likes to run beside me on the bike. She's a bundle of fun. By jumbary from Fort Myer, FL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf92444364.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Lace Hearts Cut lace about 14 inches, then fold over and sew a seam to slip a piece of 4 inch pipe cleaner in it. Make sure the lace is gathered. Then glue 2 red hearts in the center. I bought mine at a Dollar store. By Gloria from Notre Dame, NB Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf24371167.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Homemade Snowflake Glass Ornaments These are so easy to make and look so elegant. View This Craft: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf92783061.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Craft: Paper Mache Ornament Balls Make your own special ornaments for your tree this year. These ornament balls are fun to make, a bit messy, and look absolutely beautiful when done. View This Craft: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf74989366.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Craft: North Pole Ornament Ornament made from ice cream sticks. View This Craft: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf90276102.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Contests: Tip Contest Submit a Tip or Recipe! Photo Contest Submit a tip with photo! These contests are weekly. We pick 2 tip winners and 1 photo winner at the end of each week. Each winner will win $25! My Frugal Life Submit a My Frugal Life Essay! Today's Tips: Gift Boxes From Recycled Paper Ideas to make gift boxes from recycled paper or cards! http://etsylabs.blogspot.com By Veronica from Sedalia, Missouri Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf76044421.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Healthy Toys Website Here is a great reference for all of you who are concerned about toy safety this holiday season. http://www.healthytoys.org/ It has lists of the best toys and the worst toys regarding toxicity. You can search for a specific toy or even have them test your toy. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf96491629.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Use a Flannel Backed Tablecloth to Protect the Table I don't use my large dining room table very often, but when I do, I don't like for the heat from the plates to create those hard-to-remove white spots on my table. To prevent this, I decided to use a flannel backed vinyl tablecloth underneath my regular polyester/cotton tablecloth. Since the vinyl cloth was dark blue and my regular cloth was off-white, I simply flipped the vinyl tablecloth over so that the white flannel side faced up. It didn't show through my off-white tablecloth and it prevented the plates from making white spots on my table. Source: My own idea By Momof1 from Wilkesboro, NC Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf16630091.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Use Magnets to Put a Curtain on a Steel Door It is really hard to put a curtain on a steel door, but all you have to do is put magnets in the rod holder slot and stick it on the door. By Lila A. from Cass City, MI Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf92945955.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Mark Treated Stain with Safety Pin Before Washing When treating laundry stains, I keep safety pins handy and put one where the stain is. When I pull the laundry item out of the washer, I look for the safety pin, to see if the stain came out, before I put it in the dryer. The heat in the dryer can set the stain. I want to be sure the stain came out before I put it in the dryer. This saves my clothes. By Cindy S. from Knoxville TN Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf70356809.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Mei Tai Baby Bag Link I found this how-to here: http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/asian.html There's several variations of this on the site! By melody_yesterday from Sedalia, Missouri Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf31953058.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Star Centerpiece Idea I wanted to post a table centerpiece idea: First make a 16 point star with gold wrapping paper. http://www.worldorigamiday.org/downloads/star16.pdf Put a small skinny flower vase in the center, then make gold five point stars and use pipe cleaners to glue them to and put in the vase. http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/RECMATH/Star5Exact1.HTM By Tracy from Ankeny, Iowa Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf41652933.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Christmas Tradition: Christmas Eve On Christmas Eve, my family has our two girls try to find the Christmas box Mrs. Santa left for them. It always contains a new set of pajama's. After they put on the pajamas, our family drives around town looking at Christmas lights and live nativity scenes in different neighborhoods. We've done this for 21 years and they still love this tradition that officially starts Christmas for them. By Linda from Fort Walton Beach, FL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf48488279.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Combine Gingerbread and Sugar Cookie Recipes If you somewhat like Gingerbread Cookies, but the taste is a little to sharp with spices, try making your favorite Sugar Cookie recipe and Gingerbread recipe and combine the two recipes. I tried this and the flavor is really good. I liked gingerbread cookies, but now I really enjoy them. The combining of the two recipes makes all the difference. Source: I guess I invented this recipe, because the original recipe for "Gingerbread" is just a little too sharp in flavor, and "Sugar Cookies" needed a little umph added to them By Mary from Atascadero, CA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf23323172.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Dear Webby's Joke of the Day A few years ago I went to visit my brother who was stationed in Germany. I assumed that enough Germans would speak English so that I could at least get around. But I found that many people spoke only their native tongue - including the ticket inspector on the train. He punched my ticket, then chatted cordially for a bit, making gestures like a windmill. I just nodded from time to time to show him that I was interested. When he had gone, an American woman soldier in the compartment leaned forward and asked if I spoke German. "No," I confessed. "Then that explains," she said, "why you didn't bat an eyelid when he told you that you were on the wrong train, going in the wrong direction, and that there was no scheduled stop for another hour." Read More Jokes Here: http://webby.com/humor New Requests: Lead Testing Kits About 18-20 years ago when we had the first round of Lead scare, I saw a testing kit for sale. I know someone out there knows where to buy them now. Can you tell me where to get one? IS IT MADE IN CHINA? I will tell you what I saw in the 99 cent store that reminded me of the need for one. They had some nice coffee mugs and I was going to make some 'Hot cocoa gift mugs' UNTIL I saw a sticker on a couple of them that said 'Warning, not made for food'. There were dozens of them and only a few had the warning sticker on them. I have received a few mugs as gifts over the years and now wonder how safe they were/are to use? Some people are just now starting to realize the danger of lead poisoning (my daughter said someone told her this week that "Oh,that little bit won't hurt anyone") Her answer was "I'm not taken a chance with MY granddaughter! She is looking to buy a test kit to test all of the toys and furniture she has bought over the last 4 years.Thanks for your help. Vi from Moorpark, CA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf56946881.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print How Do I Freeze Snow Peas? How do I freeze snow peas? Martine from Tasmania, Australia Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf54461058.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Products for Cleaning Ceramic Tile Grout I've put down my homemade cleaners because I can't get the grout clean on my ceramic kitchen floor tiles. Can anyone give me the name of a product I can buy that will really work? Thank you so much for any help! Pattie from Bridgton, Maine Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf98482116.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Young Child Has Started Hitting Parents and Pets My 22 month old has done a drastic personality change! The lovely little darling has been hitting us and our pets. And not just when he is angry. He beats on our cat and dog for just recreational fun and I've tried scolding and taking him away from the pet and he just keeps going back to hit more. He has also been hitting us when he is angry or when he gets overexcited during play. How do I change this. One day he hurt the cat so much that I gave him one swat on his little diapered butt and he thought it was so funny! Help! Pattie from Bridgton, Maine Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf99453021.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Kitten Has Stopped Using Litter Box My kitten is only a few months old and suddenly stopped using her litter box. My dad is giving me a week to get her to stop pooping on the floor. I need some help. Please give me some tips so I don't have to get rid of my kitten! Lillie from Phoenix, AZ Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf755637.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Using Ammonia to Clean Stains from Carpet My carpet is really dirty. It is supposed to be cream colored but it is more like brownish-cream. I have a home carpet cleaner and have used it but my carpet still looks dirty. I want to try an ammonia solution but I am not sure? I need some more suggestions to clean the whole carpet. Kapas from Idaho Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf159646.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Upholstery Nails Keep Bending I am upholstering a footstool I am now putting a small skirt on it. I am using upholstery nails and a tack hammer. The nails are bending on me, what am i doing wrong. lindasue41 from Hartley, IA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf89660187.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Applesauce Christmas Ornaments How do you make ornaments out of applesauce? Lisa from Springfield, MA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf93080983.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Reattaching Clips To Stem of Push Button Toilet I removed the lid of a push button toilet and removed it, in the process two grey clips came off the central stem. I know where the clips go but can't see how they attach can you please enlighten me of to how to reattach the clips. Paul Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf50521079.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Making Can Koozies (Coolers) Does anyone know a simple way to make koozies (can holders)? Either by sewing or crochet? Jen from Hastings,MI Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf674671.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Permanent Marker on a Wood Floor HELP! My husband is going to kill me! My 2 year old just used red permanent. marker all over our wood stairs. I've tried everything on here; Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, Toothpaste, and bug spray! I used Krud Kutter, it's taking the finish off of the stairs! Rae from Augusta, KY Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf34775072.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Removing a Hard Water Scale from Fiberglass Bathtub I have very heavy hard water scale on my fiberglass bathtub. Muriatic acid has cleaned my toilets nicely, but I don't know if it is safe for the fiberglass bathtub. I have tried every other cleaner like bleach, CLR, comet, etc.... Vicki from Round Rock, TX Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf69929227.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Cleaning Fabric Paint off Kids Hands How do you get fabric paint off of kids hands? We are making a gift for the teacher and I want to be prepared. Thanks! Kristine from Elmhurst, IL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf487698.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Making Oil For Infusion Lamps Does anyone have a recipe for fragrant infusion fuel? This is a type of a room fragrance that is released into the air using wooden reeds in a glass container that holds the fuel. Thank you. Mike Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf97319591.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Instructions to Make Lighted Wine Bottle Someone had a beautiful lighted wine bottle posted in answer to another's request of how to adhere the grapes. Does anyone remember this and have the directions for the whole project? I would love to make a few of these. Bonnie from Martinsburg Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf57713550.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Making Cream Soap without Lye Does anyone know how to make cream soap without lye? Especially whipped soap that I have seen on freshwhipped.com. Candy from Houston, TX Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf84902006.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Dishwasher Not Cleaning Dishes I have a 5 year old Kenmore dishwasher that is not cleaning well anymore. There was always a problem with whatever was in the corners of the top rack but now a lot of things are not getting clean. The holes don't appear to be plugged, the detergent is fresh, the water is hot, I have run vinegar through it. I have even rinsed the dishes even though I'm not supposed to have to do that but the dishes don't come out clean. Any solutions? Laura from Gillespie, IL Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf22807809.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print How To Get a Vintage Look When Matting Pictures I've got a project I'm working on and I need some input. What type of picture frame and mat would one use to create a Vintage Look? I used a black frame with a black mat background and was told it looked too contemporary. I don't want that, I'm after VINTAGE. Pam from Lincoln, DE Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf54102116.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Today's Sponsor: Crafting for Fun and Money! If you are an avid crafter, capable writer and own a digital camera, you are eligible to participate. Submit your craft projects to ThriftyFun and we will pay $15 for any crafts that we publish. More Information: Click Here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_craft.ldml Interactive Coupon Swap! Swap coupons with other ThriftyFun.com users. Seed Swap! Swap seeds with other ThriftyFun.com users.