Christmas Wreath from a Hula Hoop
Thats really cool. It would be difficult to find such a large wreath in the retail market at any price. Thanks for sharing.
Keeping Pond Water Clear?
Barley straw works well for keeping pond water clear. Check out Gardeners Supply Company at www.gardeners.com, and search for barley. The Barley Pad with Flotation Frame s the product size that would be appropriate for a pond your size. The Barley Ball product...
Making Healthy Spreadable Butter
Excellent suggestion. Thanks! I love butter but have been avoiding it because of health reasons and because of the inconvenience of using hard butter. I will definitely give this a try.
Leaving Fat in Chicken Broth?
I personally take as much fat off as I can since I dont want it in my body. I also personally dont like the feel of al that fat coating and congealing in my mouth and on my lips. Why dont you just try it for yourself? Take the fat off as suggested, and then...
Bubble Gum Hand Cleaner
According to a recent NYTimes article, hand sanitizer needs to be AT LEAST 60% alcohol in order to be effective at killing germs. Any less than that, and the alcohol doesnt stay on your hands long enough (it dries too quickly), and all youre doing is smearing...
You Know You're in the South When . . .
Im sorry. I cant read it. The print is too small on my screen. What does the sign say?
Keep Kids From Using Too Many Bandages
This tip is just too funny! Thanks for posting this. I never would have thought of it myself. I also love jillian357s related idea of threatening the boys with Barbie sheets if they dont proactively bring their bed linens to be washed. :-)
Getting Rid of Unwanted Items When You Live In An Apartment?
Just a comment on MamaJudes post. While giving your stuff to thrift stores wont get you any money up front, you may be able to take it as a tax deduction if you itemize on your return. Just make sure you keep a list of all the items you give (25 womens blouses...
Summer Trip Themed Centerpieces?
You could also scatter some state-issued quarters around the centerpiece (state designs facing up, of course), to continue to theme.
Dangers From Using Teflon Pans?
Teflon can break down and outgas when used over high heat, but seems to be relatively safe when used at lower temperatures. We reserve our teflon pans for making things like omelets and pancakes, which need a non-stick surface to come out properly (unless you...
Dangers From Using Teflon Pans?
Oh, and I always use nylon or wood utensils in our Teflon pans, never metal.
Cleaning a Diamond Ring?
A soft toothbrush and a tiny dab of plain old dishwashing detergent makes my diamond wedding ring look beautiful. Make sure to get the bristles into all the crevices on the bottom surfaces of the stone too, not just the top surface. If your stone is looking...
Pest Control With Horticultural Oil?
Little bumps sound more like scale than aphids. Scale are small insects like aphids, but they make themselves a little waxy covering that protects them, so you dont see the bug, just the covering. Horticultural oil is normally used by spraying the foliage or...
Baby's First Christmas Tree Decorations
I have to say, my first thought upon reading your posting was that you have waaay too much time on your hands for a new mom! ;-) Seriously, though, I really like what you did with your tree. Very creative, indeed.
The Best Apples for Baking?
Cooks Illustrated magazine (the same folks who do the Americas Test Kitchen show on TV) from several months ago recommends the following: For cooking/baking: Cortland Jonagold Empire Granny Smith Golden Delicious (will be very soft and sweet) For raw out-of...
Decorating for a Baby Shower?
Babyfood tasting competitions are fun. Cover up (or take off) the labels and re-label the jars with just A, B, C, etc. Dont forget to record what A, B, and C really are! Then have the guests taste the baby food and guess what flavors they are supposed to be...
Italian Spaghetti Sauce?
A friend of mine who is a real foodie HIGHLY recommends the pasta sauce recipe in Joy of Cooking. My friend said that their picky niece took one bite and yelled THIS IS THE BEST SAUCE I HAVE EVER HAD! :-) I cant give you page number since I dont know what version...
Different Colored Clothes Basket
Excellent idea! Where did you get a red basket? The only colors I have ever seen for sale are white, beige, green, and blue.
Throwing a Party on New Years Without a Lot of Drinking?
About the drinking issue, the easiest way is to minimize the amount of drinking is to not serve alcohol! Bring out the champagne for toasting at midnight, but otherwise just dont have any alcoholic drinks available. We have alcohol-free parties frequently, and...
Uses For Shower Curtains?
We spread them out under our babys high chair when we go to restaurants. The restaurant staff always really appreciates our efforts to keep babys mess from being ground into the carpet!
Gift Idea for Teenager
Finally, a truly original gift idea. Thanks for posting this! I needed a gift idea for a friends teenaged sons bar mitzvah (who lives in another state), and I think this will be just the ticket.
How to Cook the Perfect Turkey Breast?
I agree w/ Marnita. Brining is the key. I know this from experience, as well as from frequent testimonials from cooks who I trust, and from Cooks Illustrated magazine (the magazine of Americas Test Kitchen). If you are only using a small turkey breast, you...
Free Meals for Children at Restaurants?
Um, couldnt you just ask to have the uneaten food packed up to take home?
Tasty Dumplings
That certainly is easy, and the ingredients sound promising. Ill definitely have to give this a try! Thanks.
Chipmunks Eating Ripe Tomatoes?
One thing you could try is to set out some shallow pans of water for the chipmunks to drink. Sometimes when animals start eating our juicy veggies, its to get the water content because they are thirsty, and not because they are hungry. Its certainly worth a...
Are Wolf Hybrid Dogs Safe?
Check out http://www.wolfpark.org/wolfdogs/guidelines.html A few quotes from that page: -- Wolves and high-content wolf hybrids should never be regarded as pets. -- Children below the age or size of a typical 14 year old, including the owners, are always potentially...
Removing Hair Without Shaving or Waxing?
I think some clearer communication between you and your parents is needed here. It wont be easy, but if you can sit down with them and talk about the topic CALMLY and WITHOUT DEFENSIVENESS, it would help greatly. Try to find out exactly what it is that they...
The Cat Who, by Lilian Jackson Braun?
I have the whole series. and I do think that its best (but not essential) to read at least the first 4-5 of them in order. After that, though, I dont think it really matters.. Enjoy them!
Is Dog Poop Bad For a Vegetable Garden?
Animal poop needs to be composted before being put in the garden. Also, poop from dogs, cats, humans, and other meat eaters can host parasites that can be harmful to humans, and should not be used on or near plants that will be eaten raw. Just as an interesting...
How Much Should a German Shepherd Weight?
This depends so much on the individual dog. The standard weight may not be appropriate for your dogs because they might be smaller or larger than the standard. An easy way to gauge if the dog is overweight is to check their ribs and waist. To check the ribs...
Dakota (American Eskimo/Beagle)
Wow. Its hard to imagine a full-grown dog ever starting out at less than one ounce in size! Hes very lucky that you were willing to take such good care of him. He has such a cute face!
Skye Hunting for Dinner
Wow. Does your dog actually catch wild turkeys? Theyre awfully big! Beautiful dog. Thanks for sharing.
What Is Interpolation?
Interpolation is basically a way to guesstimate the value of something, based on what is around it. In the case of digital camera images, the camera actually sees and remembers a holey image, and then fills in the holes based on the colors around the holes...
Pet Toy Netting Under Couches
This is a marvellous idea! Thanks for sharing it. I dont have problems with dog toys too much, but the kids toys are another story! :-)
Shred Financial Papers Before Discarding
Be sure to spend the extra money to get a crosscut shredder. The shredders that only cut paper into long thin strips arent good enough because they can easily be pieced back together by a determined identity thief. Of course, if you put the shredded docs into...
Receiving Faxes By Email?
Check out http://www.efax.com . You can get a free recieve-only fax number from them, that receives faxes for you and sends them to your email address. The catch is that its probably going to be a long-distance number. Meaning that if you wanted a local store...
