Never Too Old to Learn to CrochetAs I sit under this old crocheted quilt, I am reminded of teaching my grandma how to crotchet. She was a single mom and worked all her life in the box factory making boxes to feed and raise my dad. Grandma had retired about a year earlier.
Instant Potatoes As Non-Toxic Rat BaitMost rat baits are toxic to other animals if they happen to chew or chomp on a dead rat. This is a deadly but non-toxic method to kill rats by using Instant Potato flakes or powder.
Treasure Boxes from Wine CratesI noticed my neighbor regularly discarding wooden wine crates in the alley. On one of my evening walks with my dogs, I dragged one of the crates home, and the rest is history.
How to Fix Damaged Surfaces of Wood FurnitureWood is lovely, but at times it does not age well, or exposure makes the veneer or varnish suffer needlessly.
Our Throwaway SocietyIt always amazes me how much other people throw away. I did not grow up with much, and I always took very good care of whatever I had, as I knew my parents worked very hard for it. I thought I set an excellent example for my children, until the other day.
When Are You Being Too Frugal?The definition of frugal is "Prudence in Avoiding Waste". We all should be wise and thrifty, and reuse or recycle where possible, but here are some indicators when you just might be going too far to be frugal and are simply being cheap or possibly hoarding:
Clean Hair from Vacuum Brush RollHave you ever looked underneath your vacuum brush? Or notice your vacuum isn't functioning at full capacity/strength. Or perhaps the roller is stuck and not suctioning well. If so, see if there is hair stuck like mine. Easy to fix.
Don't Waste AnythingIf you want or need to be frugal, it's not just about the "stuff" you don't buy. You also have to use everything to its maximum potential.
Fresh Pineapple Upside Down CakeIt's pineapple season! My mother bought me several pineapples at only a dollar each and I didn't know what to do with it all so I decided to throw them into this cake.
Easy Homemade Stain RemoverIf you mix 1 part Dawn dish washing liquid with 2 parts hydrogen peroxide you have the best spot remover! This is probably the only cleaner you will ever need. Either spray or pour on the spot and watch it disappear.
Shred Wax Paper to Lubricate ShredderDo you use a paper shredder for disposing of sensitive documents like I do? After a while, the blades need a little lubrication. Run a piece of waxed paper through the shredder to make it work like new again!
Juice Containers to Fill Empty Freezer SpaceWe drink cranberry juice. To fill in the empty spaces and build up the bottom of our chest freezer, I freeze water in the 64 ounce cranberry juice containers. They lay flat and fit perfectly between the dividers. This helps to keep the freezer full.
Packing Tips for MovingCall around for prices on boxes and special wrap for dishes. If you use newspaper on your kitchen dishes you will have no choice but to wash them before they are put away.
Make Frozen Lasagna Taste HomemadeThis is a tip I thought I would share since I did this over the week-end and my dinner guests loved the lasagna dinner. They all thought it was homemade! Little did they know, I purchased the Stoffers large frozen lasagna when it was on sale at my favorite store.
Trash Bag as Cape for Cutting HairBeing homebound with the Covid-19 virus for over 2 months and needing haircuts before the virus, I think our hair grew faster than ever. My husband was getting desperate for a haircut and it will be another two weeks before his hair appointment. He decided he would let me cut his hair.
Silverware Cabinet HandlesThe knobs and handles for kitchen cabinets are so expensive unless you want to settle for plain old wooden knobs. Here is how my husband and I were able to have something a little fancier with lots less money.
Light Bulb VaseThis is a project to recycle and reuse old lightbulbs. I've converted them into vases for my money plant. They look beautiful and are super easy to make.
Ammonia To Whiten ClothesI found a way to whiten and brighten my clothes without bleach or Oxyclean, which I am allergic to. I take a bucket of approximately 1/2 gallon of very warm to hot water and 1 cup of lemon ammonia.
Bubble and SqueakWe got this recipe from British friends who were camping with us one year. It is filling, healthy, and makes a great one-pot dinner for potlucks or camping. It is as easy as can be, fairly inexpensive, and uses only 4 ingredients.
Popsicle Stick Geometric SculptureThis intriguing sculpture is made out of a bunch of equilateral triangles made from popsicle sticks and hot glue. If you add LED lights or votives inside, it makes a fantastic lamp. The inspiration for this came from a set of polyhedral gamer's dice, which I think are so cool. Give this craft a try!
Chandelier MakeoverWe just moved into our house that we have been renting out for several years and I noticed a few things are outdated. I hated the 70's era chandelier over the dining room table because of the smoked glass.
Pinesol To Keep Pests AwayKeep a spray bottle of half Pinesol/half water under your sink spray outside garbage cans or anywhere you have a pest problem. Animals like rodents, opossums, raccoons, etc. don't like the smell.
Make Hats from Leftover FleeceAfter altering 3 pairs of fleece pants for my mother-in-law, I was left with 3 pairs of pant leg bottoms (about 7 inches each). I made these hats from them. The pom-poms are made from left over yarn I had.
Silverware for Butter Dish HandleUpdate a simple glass butter dish by adding a bent piece of silverware. Glue to top using a good adhesive like E-6000.
Add Carnation Instant Breakfast to CoffeeI made the Carnation with 1/2 cup of milk, then filled my big ol' mug the rest of the way with my coffee. Well, it was just delicious!
Using Old Sinks As PlantersOne way to recycle old sinks from your bathroom or kitchen is to use them in your garden to plant succulents in. These sinks make a great border around your garden and add to the look of the garden. Succulent plants don't need much water. It is easy to use the sink and they have a drainage system. Just dig a hole in the ground and place the sink and the drainage pipe in the hold.
Fruit Tree Bird Net FrameHubby and I made this frame out of 2 inch plastic irrigation piping attached to metal 'star' pickets. This size pipe fits snuggly on to the ends of the pickets, sliding easily over.
Lemon Jell-O Pound CakeI pulled out some old recipes and stared cooking more foods that are not gluten free. I don't get to enjoy them myself, but my family does.
How To Repair Frizzy American Girl Doll HairThis is an easy and inexpensive way to repair American Girl Dolls' hair using household items.
Stretching My Meager DollarsI am a single mother of two kids. The income I have comes from what little I make from my full time job, my job working in my church's nursery on Sundays, and Child Support for my oldest. I am constantly learning new ways to stretch my meager dollars.
Tex (St. Bernard/Pit Bull Mix)Tex is a 2 year old St. Bernard/Pit bull mix. This was my brother's dog and his best friend, they did everything together. My brother was a logger and Tex would ride in his truck with him.
Baked Spaghetti Pizza PieThis recipe for Baked Spaghetti Pizza Pie is an adaptation I made from other baked spaghetti recipes. Most recipes I found called for mixing the noodles and leftover spaghetti together.
DIY Eyelash AdhesiveI started making my own eyelash glue when I realized the store brand ones I was using was making my lids a bit itchy. This adhesive is made of a few simple household products and keeps your lashes on all day.
Media Case Used To Store Art SuppliesUse an old DVD case as a child's colouring case. Just decorate it and make a little pocket inside with either paper or fabric to hold pencils or markers. You can also turn one into a make-up case to hold liners, lip gloss, and mascara.
Homemade SuetI just got done making suet for the wild birds. It is cheap enough to buy, but gets even cheaper if you make your own. The following is my recipe.
Use Tin Foil To Make Your Own Sewing PatternsA friend of mine knows someone who sews "Knock offs" - Dresses that look just like those worn at the Oscars made by designers. The trick is aluminum foil. Yes! Plain old tin-foil.
Wrapping Paper and Ribbon StorageI do a lot of crafts in a small space. My collection of wrapping paper seems to grow this time of the year. I make my small area more efficient and a space saver with cup hooks, wood dowels, and plastic or metal chains.
Stretching Tight Boots and ShoesI have really big muscular calves and wide feet (thanks, Mum!), making it very hard for me to fit into shoes I fancy. I bought these suede boots and pumps online because they were dirt cheap and super cute. When they arrived, not surprisingly, I could not fit into them.
Prevent Mold on Cheese with VinegarIf you are like me and prefer to purchase a "chunk" of cheese instead of already shredded cheese, this tip is for you.
Making a Bamboo RainstickHere on the island music is an important part of our lives. There are many ways that we use bamboo to make musical instruments. One of the instruments I love to make is a rainstick.
Warning: Old Aerosols Can LeakMy husband and I were having a perfectly good evening, when we heard a strange pop. We couldn't figure it out, looked around, everything seemed okay.
Making Winter Scarf Covered WreathsThis simple and very easy DIY consists of a wreath and a winter scarf. This project is no sew, no glue. You just take your scarf and simply wrap around and tuck the ends into the pleats of your wrapped wreath. Making this project so simple!
Costume Jewelry Christmas TreeI make costume jewelry Christmas trees as gifts for family. This one on black background was given to me 30 years ago and made by my 86 year old aunt. It is one of the most loved things in my home.
Button Star OrnamentThis craft can be made using collected buttons left over from old clothes to make a star to decorate your Christmas tree. I used wire from an old transformer, so this project cost almost nothing. You can use any other color of buttons.
Snowman Made of Plastic CupsI still have two more half spheres of plastic cups which I previously turned into a chandelier. One is small and the other one is big so I got the idea of making another decoration which is a snowman.
Ring Pumpkin Using Plastic CanvasBy using strips of plastic canvas and wrapping them with yarn, you can make this unique pumpkin, too!
Christmas Tea TreeThis is a cute Christmas tea tree to make and gift to a tea lover, or as decor for the holidays. You could pair this gift with a mug filled with chocolates.
Origami Paper FlowersThese paper flowers could be used for a party decoration.
Changing The Color Of LED BulbsThe LED string lights I had were too cool for my taste and I also wanted to change to colored lights, so I colored each individual bulb with a permanent marker. It took some time to color each bulb, but I liked the end result. (I saved the snowflakes that were on the lights for another project.)
Woven T-shirt Yarn BasketWith my leftover t-shirt yarn from another project, I made this basket to hold mail. It is nice and sturdy made from the yarn.
Packing Paper Gift WrapI always have a lot of packing paper from home deliveries and thought I'd use some of it to wrap gifts for Christmas this year. The paper is very strong and also lends itself well for making 'ribbon' for gifts.
Tissue Paper Roll Face Switch ToyI got the idea from my eldest son. I found him playing with a tissue paper roll as if he was telling a story with 3 characters and changing his voice as he switched the tp roll.
Day of the Dead Milk Gallon SkullHere is an easy and fun way to make a Day of the Dead, or most commonly known as Dia De Los Muertos, decorated skull. Simply use an empty and clean milk gallon jug with the handle facing forward. Use permanent markers or paint brushes and paint. You can also glue on glitter, etc. If you want to give it a cool effect at night, place a tea light on top as shown, or cut a hole at the bottom of the jug and insert it underneath. Enjoy !
Canning Ring PumpkinDon't know what to do with those extra canning rings? I have a lot more rings than seals so when I saw this cute project idea, I knew just what to do with the extra rings.
Rolled Cherry PieThis is a favorite pie in my family, and it's very easy to make. When the cherry season arrives, I often make it and we enjoy its taste. It takes about 15 minutes to prepare, and about 40 minutes to bake.
Loghouse Hexagon Quilted Hot PadMade from scrap strips of fabric.
An Easy Way to Clean a Burnt SaucepanPlease note that I haven't tried this on a pan with a non stick coating. However, if your pan is so burnt that you'll have to throw it out, then you may decide it's worth a try.
Monastic Hut CakeI want to share with you a recipe for a cake that everyone in my family loves very much. This cake has a pyramid shape, with so-called pastry "tubes" that have sour cherry (tart cherry) filling and sweet cream outside. This cake looks impressive, is very delicious, simple, easy to assemble and can be made ahead.
Use a Drain Bucket When Washing Vegetables OutsideI use a drain pan in my kitchen quite often and I thought it would be good to have a drain bucket on hand when washing garden vegetables outside. It gets the excess water out.
Homemade GiftwrapMaking a small piece of gift wrap using brown paper and my computer printer. I needed some gift wrap for a small book, and because I'm still recovering from shoulder surgery, I didn't want to have to drive into town (7 miles round trip) to buy more.
Fanny Pack for Clothespin BagI have an old fanny pack and have discovered it has multiple uses. I have been wanting an apron clothespin bag but just haven't gotten around to making one. After using my fanny pack for dropping seed, when planting the garden, I thought about using it for a clothespin bag. Hooked around my waist, it's so easy to get the clothespins out when hanging clothes on the line. This little bag will hold well over 60 clothespins.
Bulgarian MesenitzaI have a friend who taught me how to cook the very popular Bulgarian national dish Mesenitza, it's also called Tutmanik. It is bread stuffed with cheese. This is a very tasty and cheap meal. The recipe varies, but the basic ingredients are flour, yeast, oil, milk, butter, eggs, yogurt and cheese. Bulgarian cheese is called sirenje or sirene, it can be replaced with Greek feta.
Prevent Squirrels and Rats from Climbing Up Fruit TreesAre squirrels or rats bothering your garden especially your fruit trees? Try this free solution out. It has been working for us!
Simply Stuffed BearsI am making these for a charitable donation to a local police station to give to children who may be facing a traumatic situation. They are simple to make and you can use small scraps of fabric and ribbon and a little stuffing, so they are inexpensive. Just requires your time.
Hibiscus GumpasteEverybody wants to have the best looking cake. Since it's summer season in my country, I get a few demands of tropical or summer themed cakes. Today I'm gonna show you how to make realistic hibiscus flower gumpaste, beginner level.
Ukrainian Hand Pies (Prizhky) With ApplesI want to share with you a recipe of my family's favorite meal. These Ukrainian hand pies are called pyrizhky or pirozhki or piroshky. They are made from yeast dough, stuffed with apples and fried to golden color. The pyrizhky also can have other fillings, such as mashed potatoes, cabbage, mushrooms, ground meat, jam, and others.
Sprouting BeansEveryone can do this. You only need a container with a cover. You may use many kinds of beans. I used lentils this time.
Surprise Candy CakeThis craft is not a cake. I made this one for my son's birthday last December so that I don't have to make loot bags. Indeed I was able to save half of my budget. Anyway, I am sharing this to give you a gift idea for Valentine's Day. It's a DIY surprise candy cake.
Recycled Spice Shakers for CampingRecycled spice shakers.
Sauteed Butternut Squash With OnionsThis recipe is easy to prepare and tastes great.
Square Mesh Flat to Cover VegetablesDo your vegetables get eaten before they've grown? It's happened to me so many times! Now, I use these square mesh flats over my vegetables after seeding so the birds don't get to them. After my vegetables are bigger and stronger I will remove the flats. Chances are they'll make it and no longer vulnerable.
Cranberry Apple Oat and Quinoa Breakfast BakeThis is a very filling dish. The cranberries and apples complement each other nicely. Quinoa is on sale at my supermarket, so this was economical as well. I did not use nuts and substituted powdered ginger for the crystallized ginger.
Wrist Brace SleeveI have developed tendonitis in my wrist and the doctor gave me a wrist brace to wear. It was not as comfortable as I would like so I cut an old sock off, just below the heel, made a little hole in the heel for my thumb and I had a sleeve to go over my arm under the brace. To keep the holes from stretching, I hand stitched around them and pulled the stitches up to fit my hand. The extra padding has made the biggest difference in the comfort of this wrist brace. I don't mind wearing it at all now.
Japanese Style Chocolate Roll CakeMy whole family loves this dessert because of its super soft, fluffy cake and very delicious chocolate ganache. For this dessert you need to spend money on 200 g (0.44 lb) of dark chocolate, but this is the only expensive ingredient and it is only used in the ganache. My family has a very humble life, but I think that it is very important to please our loved ones with something very tasty at least 1-2 times a year.
Dog Nail Cutters for Flower StemsI've tried all types of scissors including the ones that are for metal, cardboard, etc., those heavy duty kitchen scissors but I've never tried my stainless steel puppy nail cutters. They are absolutely hands-down the easiest. The blade doesn't slide off the stem. It gives a nice even cut, which is better for the flowers.
Handmade/Homemade GiftsChoosing the perfect gift for each person on our list means paying attention throughout the year and taking note of preferences. This is particularly true when making gifts.
Sink Strainer Catch-AllI'm trying to get away from so much processed food. I still indulge occasionally. Single servings of Stouffer's Lasagna is a favorite, and for me, comes with a little kitchen aid bonus.
Chewy Caramel Apple CookiesI love these cookies because they're kind of like a cross between caramel apples and warm apple pie. The freshly cooked cubes of apple really stand out under the gooey ribbons of caramel. My family enjoys these warm with vanilla ice cream- it tastes just like fresh apple pie a la mode (without the hard work). Give them a try!
Upcycled PaintingI like to save things to re-use and I painted a canvas and glued on things I had around the house to make a very decorative painting. If you don't have a canvas, you can use stiff cardboard or any hard surface.
Recycled Magazine ArtI made this as a gift for a friend who has a band called Black Cat Road. I used the back of a broken guitar, magazine page (black for the cat), sheet music, black shoelaces for the trim, and I attached a mini washboard, as the lead singer plays a washboard. The pages are rolled and glued using a glue stick (not the gel ones, as they are too sticky). They are cut to size and glued using Mod Podge, then the entire piece is sealed with Mod Podge, then sealed with clear spray acrylic.
Yarn Pumpkin-Shaped DecorationMany people know how to make mache pumpkins out of paper, glue and balloon. Also, some people use thread, glue and a balloon to make pumpkins, but which result in a spherical shape, and, accordingly, very vaguely resemble pumpkins. I got the idea to combine these two methods and make a pumpkin out of yarn and glue with a real pumpkin shape. It's strange that no one has come up with this idea yet. I also want to share with you an idea of how to make such a pumpkin as quickly as possible.
Plastic Bottles to Keep a Plant WateredTo help keep our garden plants watered, this year we tried burying soda bottles, with holes in them, beside the tomato, squash and cucumber plants leaving the opening exposed. To easily fill the bottles, we used a flex funnel and the garden hose. The bottles worked very well to help keep the plants watered and we will be doing it again next year. The garden has just about given out and we have removed all the bottles that are no longer used, rinsed them and put them in the recycling bin.
Paint Color Selection TipsI read on a Facebook group I belong to that it is not necessary to purchase sample-sized cans of paint, or to order the peel-and-stick 12 inch x 12 inch sheets. What the poster did was to get several cards with the paint chip colors she wanted and to tape the same color chips together.
Scrap Wood PumpkinWith fall comes decorating with pumpkins. This is a very easy, quick pumpkin to make from scrap 2 by 4's.
Curried Apple BisqueGreat recipe for the coming Fall season! Apples bring in a sweet taste to a warming soup.
Flower from Plastic BottleYou can make a beautiful flower from a simple plastic bottle. I used an iron to make this flower, not a candle flame. The hottest iron is not hot enough to melt plastic, so you won't ruin your iron or get charred edges on the petals, but it will be enough to make the flower petals curved. I also like this method because, unlike a candle flame, you cannot stain the petals with soot.
Halloween Tree SkirtI made this tree skirt for a friend who leaves her Christmas tree up all year around and decorates it for the holidays.
Crockpot Peanut DropsChocolate and peanuts in a cup. Great for gifts!
E-Z Refrigerator BeetsThis simple recipe makes great use of all the beets from the garden and provides lots of great vitamins (like IRON!) too!
Poulet au Pastis (Chicken with Anise Liqueur)Once again, here is a recipe from the south east of France. I know this one is going to be complex to make for non French, but it has two important culinary elements from my region:
Travel BagToday, I'm sharing my new craft made from scraps. Materials are easy to find at home just like old newspapers and card boards. The best thing is - it's wearable and useful.
Beads from Old JeansIf you have small pieces of old jeans left, you can make beads out of them. Denim beads go well with wood beads and leather cord. Using jeans of different colors, you will get multi-colored denim beads.
Chicken Wire To Protect Garden From AnimalsWe have a few watermelons in our garden this year. Three weeks ago, it was a disappointment to find that an animal, probably a deer, had bitten a huge gash out of one. To remedy this problem, we covered them with chicken wire and have not had any more problems.
Fix for Sticky RubberWith time, some plastic and rubber can get a sticky, gummy feel. I had an umbrella like this. I made a paste of baking soda and water, rubbed it over the affected area with my hands, rinsed and dried. It worked so well and now I don't need to replace the umbrella.
Moldovan Placinte with Three FillingsI want to share with you a recipe for a dish that I think many of you will hear for the first time, perhaps as well as about the homeland of this recipe. Placinte (in singular Placinta) is the traditional dish of Moldova (officially the Republic of Moldova). The word placinta comes from Latin placenta, which means "cake", from the Greek plakount - "flat cake". Placinte are really very tasty, especially when they are still warm.
Osso BucoOsso buco (hollowed bone) is a simple and very tasty dish of Italian cuisine. This dish originated from the Lombardy region in the 19th century (for those who don't know, that's the time when the traditional recipes in France and Italy were defined). Today it is known and appreciated not only throughout Italy, but all over the world.
