October 18, 2006 | ThriftyFun

I Have Been Coughing Since I Moved Into a New ApartmentI have moved into an apartment that has made me cough continuously. Is there a way to tell if the carpet has been cleaned? It smells in the apartment.

Gift Basket IdeasI want to make some gift baskets (not gift in a jars, I have lots of recipes for them) Any ideas? What have others used?

Flower Pot NativitySome years ago I made a nativity which was in a flowerpot and had Mary, Joseph and Jesus made out of wooden spoons. Would anyone have the pattern for it.

Cute Little Dress PatternsWe just found out we are going to have another granddaughter in March 2007! I am looking for sewing patterns for cute little dresses. Can anyone help?

Recipes for Ceramic Cookie MoldsI need recipes to use in ceramic cookie molds. I recently got a bunch of them at a yard sale but have no idea what kind of recipe to use!

Texas Tom's Italian Steak Sauce RecipeI am looking for the recipe for Texas Tom's Italian Steak Sauce recipe. Please reply with a recipe if you have it.

Old Fashioned Sweet Potato CakeDoes anyone have a recipe for an old fashioned sweet potato cake with a cream cheese frosting that is not made from a box cake mix?

Refurbishing Cooking PotsI have some silver pots and as a result from cooking they got dark and worn. How do I bring them back to life?

Makeshift Coffee FilterIs there anything I can use to sub for a coffee filter?

Bat RepellentsHow do I deter bats from flying in my enclosed balcony and depositing guano all over tiles which sets like glue and is almost impossible to remove?

Courthouse Employees Christmas Parade FloatI need an idea for a float for a Christmas parade. The courthouse employees ride on the float.

White Out Stain on a Wood FloorI dropped "white out" on my wood floor,i n front of my desk. It made quite a bad spill. I'm afraid my efforts to clean up only made matters worse further spreading the stain.

Motorola Verizon Razr V3m ReviewsDoes anyone have any positive or negative experiences with the Verizon Razr? Should I buy it?

Sealy Posturepedic Midnight Haze Ultra Plush BoxTop Mattress ReviewsI am shopping for mattresses and tried all different types. This was the most comfortable one I found that suited me but a king size set is nearly $3000. I'm so tired of tossing and turning and need a good comfortable bed but would sure would like to know if anyone has this mattress.

Homemade HP SauceDoes any have recipes for homemade HP Sauce?

Baby Einstein Party IdeasMy son is turning one and I am having a Baby Einstein party. Problem is there's not much out there with that theme. Any suggestions as far as games and decorations?

Does anyone have the recipe for pumpkin roll?Does anyone have the recipe for pumpkin roll?

Candy Stains on Blue JeansI requested a suggestion for getting candy stains out of blue jeans after they have been washed and dried but no one seemed to know. I saw where people were getting various stains out of clothing with 'Mean Green' or a similar cleaning product and guess what?

Uses for Wire HangersI have lots (over 90) wire clothes hangars. What can I do with them? I don't want to make crafts with them, Goodwill won't take them and the school Sculpture class doesn't want them. I hate to throw them away.

Itching on The Bottom Of My FeetWhat causes itchy, scaling skin on the bottom of your feet? I've had this for 3 years, and only on 1 foot.

Half Century Celebration IdeasDoes anyone have any fun and amusing ideas for my half century celebrations, which are taking place in an Indian restaurant. The age and interest range is about as far ranging as you can imagine.

Poll: Does your employer offer health insurance?Today's poll asks: Does your employer offer health insurance?

Collage "Teach Me" Book For KidsThese books can be made on any subject and your kids can help make them. Cut out pictures from magazines about your subject: colors, numbers, animals, etc. Great for preschoolers.

Envelopes From Recycled PaperWhether I'm at work or at home, I try to limit the amount of paper I use by utilizing electronic media as much as possible. The problem is, I'm a stationary junkie.

Thickening for GravyIf your gravy is too runny and thin, mix equal parts flour and cornstarch together and sprinkle it into gravy to thicken it. Sprinkle it in a little at a time and stir, it should thicken up in no time.

Grease Spills In The OvenIf grease or oil spills in your oven, quickly toss some salt on the stain. Once the oven has cooled off and the salt has dried, brush it out of your oven. Most of the stain should be gone.

Silverware WindchimesUse old silver silverware for the best "sounds", and usually they are more ornamental than what you find in a dollar store or such.

Whipping Cream TipsYou can whip cream faster by chilling the bowl and beaters in the fridge before whipping. A few drops of lemon juice will help the cream stiffen.

Noah's Ark and Animals from Clay PotsHere is a cute Noah's Ark and animals made from 5 inch and 1 inch clay pots.

Writing Notes in a Recipe BookNotes in the Recipe Book. When I try a new recipe, I put the date beside the recipe in the book. I also add a short note such as "great," "add more salt," "family loved it" etc. so that I can be reminded the next time I use it if it was a success.

Plastic Produce BagsI save the plastic bags that my produce comes in and use them to line a large coffee can when I am cooking.

Friendship Soup Mix IIRecipe for Friendship Soup Mix II. Carefully remove macaroni from top of jar and set aside. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, brown beef; drain.

Cinnamon Pancake MixCombine all ingredients and put in a quart container, shake down if necessary. Store in a cool, dry place up to 6 months. Decorate and attach the following written on a gift card...

"Salcano Duo" - Volcano Salmon Cakes"Salcano Duo" - Volcano Salmon Cakes. Great protein meal/snack for active bodies! Great togetherness for those rare and cherished moments with children that turn out well, especially at this time of the year.

Cleaning Your Bed LinensDon't forget to clean your bed linen at least once a month. Everyone sweats, whether it's through their head which will release oils, or their feet or any where else and this will leave odors.

Black & White Theme Party IdeasBlack & White Party Theme ideas. Let me tell you about a real different black and white idea from back when we were "all together".

Easy, Pretty Girl's Costume from Old DressWhen I was a little girl my mother made a simple but pretty costume with the taffeta skirt of one of her old dresses.

Curly Fry Tortilla CasseroleFry hamburger and onion. Mix mushroom soup, chicken soup, sour cream, tortillas, pizza sauce or salsa and shredded cheese. Mix in with hamburger and put in large roaster.

Honey Butter FudgeRecipe for Honey Butter Fudge. Combine 1 1/2 cups water and boil to about 240 degrees F. Add slowly to stiffly beaten egg whites. Beat till stiff.

Taco Crescent BakeRecipe for Taco Crescent Bake. Unroll crescent dough into a rectangle; press onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup chips; set aside.

Toffee Mocha CakeRecipe for Toffee Mocha Cake. In a mixing bowl cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk or sour milk. Dissolve coffee in hot water. Add to batter.

Buying Slightly Damaged AntiquesIf you watch the Antiques Road Show, etc. on TV you will see that things with some slight damage go way down in value, so you might be able to acquire a slightly used version of something you would like at a price range you could afford and then fix it up.

Old Fashioned Bread and Butter PicklesPlace 25 large cucumbers in cold water until crisp, then wipe dry and slice. Add 12 onions, sliced, and 1/2 cup of salt. Let stand for 1 hour. Do not drain.

In Memory of Taffy (Sheltie)In Memory of Taffy (Sheltie) Photo. We lost Taffy when she was 13 years old from a rare muscle disease. She will always live in our hearts, though. I still get teary eyed when I talk about her. She was a Sheltie. We got Taffy from a breeder when she was 6 weeks old.

Rhubarb Custard BarsRecipe for Rhubarb Custard Bars. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.