Cleaning Flexible Watch BandsFor those who love their twist-o-flex watch bands, and for those who might have expandable bracelets, this is a life saver.
Refurbishing Antique Dining ChairsI have redone my antique dining chairs from caned seats to padded fabric seats without altering the cane part by cutting plywood seats that are slightly larger than the open area of the seats.
Christmas Card Photo Ideas IIWe have had so many great photo ideas submitted that we have broken this into two articles. Post your own Christmas card photo.
The Barn Swallows ReturnedLast spring, a pair of barn swallows built a nest in the corner of our porch. To help them, my husband put a piece of thin plywood up on the ledge to support the nest they were building. It was fun to watch them raise their babies.
It's Never Too Late For Planting TulipsI live in South Carolina where seasons are short, with a lot of warmth throughout the year. In January all the local stores marked down all of there tulips 90% off. These bulbs can be stored in a cool dry place until ready to plant. Here in South Carolina you are to plant tulips in Nov/Dec.
Mini Garden TourLast year, early one morning, I put together and posted a very nice tour of a few of my flowers in bloom. This tour was not planned, so don't expect anything fancy.
Take Photographs After A RainfallI was admiring the beauty of nature at Cat Island Park in Elizabethton, TN. The rain began to fall, and I waited in my car. The day was hot and muggy and humid. After the rain finished, I walked down the trail and started looking for any photo opportunities, and I was glad to find this beautiful dragonfly.
Clouds After a StormYesterday afternoon, while under a tornado watch, we had a brief storm to pass over. Just before it ended, we had pea size hail which thankfully did no damage as far as I know.
Taking Pictures Of Moonflower (Ipomoea...A lot of us are proud of our moonflower vines. We like to take pictures of them in bloom. With the blooms opening at night, we aren't always able to get the picture we would like. Some cameras take better night pictures than others. Even so, the more natural light available, the better.
Take Close Up Pictures Of Your GardenMe giving tips on photography is a bit far fetched. I know almost nothing on the subject. Still, we all had to start somewhere, and each of us might have picked up some different things along the way. My tip is 'Experiment with close up photography. You might be pleasantly surprised'.
Taking Shadow PhotosI remember as a kid being fascinated by my shadow. How long and misshapen it could be and how silly it would look when you stood different ways.
Precious Baby FeetThis year a friend of mine welcomed a new angel into our world, baby Joseph. At a month old, little Joseph had only had photos taken from cell phones and the family wanted something a bit more special.
Reflections in Still WaterThe reflections on this awesome lake near DuPont State forest are truly remarkable. In particular, I love how Jim captured the awesomeness of the reflection by cutting out most of the landscape itself in favour of showing it all through the reflection
Results of Hurricane Sandy (Martin, WV)This is what we saw when we arrived home from being out of town. We were very lucky that this just barely hit our house.
Quick Tips on Improving Web PicturesJust my personal two cents. Do you want the pictures you send in to be noticed? Every one is submitting pictures and video clips these days.
Restoring Damaged Old PhotosI am the person that restored these photos. I scanned them into my computer and used Corel Paint to do the work. It's not easy. You have to have a good graphics program and you have to play around with the different tools and features available.
Travel Soap Container As Camera CaseUse a soap container to carry your camera in. I bought one at the Dollar store for mine, it fits perfectly. It's easy to carry it around in your purse and there is less chance of breaking it.
Take Outdoor Photos On Cloudy DaysAn excellent published professional photographer once told me that it's often best to do outdoor photography on cloudy days. Colors of flowers and leaves look much more vibrant on overcast days and there are fewer shadows to deal with.
Scenery: Mossy WallI saw this moss on my way home from the store this morning and just had to take this picture. It's so green and lovely, I thought it would be perfect for St. Patrick's.
Craft: 3D Photo CutoutI have found a great new hobby, it is called photo cutouts. I have had a pile of pieces of acrylic taking up room in my garage. So the other day while I was moving the pile once again, I asked myself, "What can I do this stuff?".
Protecting your CameraProtect your camera from the rain, sand, and elements (at the beach, etc.) by putting it in a plastic bag such as a Ziploc bag.
Scarves For Pet Photo BackgroundsColorful silk scarves make excellent backgrounds for pet photos. These make the animals happy, since they like to feel of them. The colors just pop out when they are used as a background or the pet is laying on them.
Irish Spring Soap to Deter PestsIf you have trouble with wild cats, minks, or squirrels (or such pests) in your garden or flowerbeds then try grating up a bar of Irish Spring soap and sprinkle it sparingly throughout your garden and flowerbeds to keep them out.
Use Onion Bag to Package CraftsSave colored onion bag netting for small items. If the bag is open ended, simply tie a knot in one end; fill, allowing approximately 6 inch excess; and cut off remainder.
Reuse Cat Litter ContainersAfter a thorough cleaning with vinegar, Dawn, and baking soda, I had a perfectly good, stay-fresh container for my dogs' and cat's food and treats!
Save Lids for CraftsIt amazes me how many food and drink products I use on a daily basis that have lids on them. I have found ways to use them in craft projects, but they also make a great little dish for those little gluing or mod-podge moments.
Grass Stain RemoverFor a cheap grass stain remover that truly works, combine equal portions of white vinegar, liquid dish washing soap, and water. Shake well and work the solution into the spot. Let stand a few minutes and then launder as usual.
Yarn Keepers From Recycled Soda BottlesI learned this tip from my mother many years ago. Store your skeins of yarn in 2 liter soda bottles. Cut the bottom off, thread the yarn through the top, and tape the bottle back together. No more tangled yarn!
Saving Money In A JarWhen we know we are going to have to provide for a wedding or new baby that is on the way, we start saving. We take a pint canning jar and start unloading our change and any tips we get.
Cutting Down a Plastic Bottle For Craft UseTurn your bowl upside down. Place your container next to it and make sure this is the proper height you need your container. Take a pencil and roll the container around holding the pencil still in place while marking your area.
Fun with PhotoshopThis picture isn't really a picture, it's 3 different pictures that I used to create one. Rosie, the dog on the left and Ginger the dog on the right are my dogs.
Remove Water When Cleaning ToiletTo really get your loo clean, use your toilet brush/swab to remove all the water from the bowl. This way your cleanser will come in direct contact with the surface and not get watered down.
Spray The Snow Shovel With PamEver have snow stick to your shovel? Make heaving the snow from your shovel a little easier by spraying Pam cooking spray on it. The snow won't stick anymore.
Organizing Console for VanI was tired of not having a good place to store toys/books in the van, so I took an empty cat litter box, covered the words with contact paper, and attached a divided bucket to the lid with duct tape.
Organizing Center from BoxesWe made a organizing center out of boxes that Christmas presents came in. We covered them with contact paper and taped them together. Now my son has somewhere for all of his school supplies.
Shammy for Drying DogThe best thing I have found to dry off my dog after her bath, is a micro-fiber shammy used to dry off your car. They absorb so much more water than a bath towel and cuts down on using the hair dryer on her which she hates.
Baked Tortilla ChipsI love to deep fry my own corn and flour tortilla chips, but the healthier option is to bake them. All you have to do is cut the tortillas into chip size wedges and bake in a single layer at 350 degrees F, turning once, on a baking sheet until golden brown.
Stamp DispenserIt was time to organize the rolls of postage stamps I use daily! I had 3 rolls to pick from: one for personal, one for our business, and one for a non-profit I work with.
Convert Human Bandanna to Fit DogInstead of spending a fortune on doggie scarves, buy bandannas for humans and cut them diagonally. Either cut the diagonal with pinking shears or cut with regular scissors and hem.
DVD Cases for PhotosUse DVD cases as photo frames. We travel a lot; therefore, we keep all our DVD's in a little zip around case. The cases fit a 5x7 wonderfully.
Reusing Old Barn and Fence BoardsThere are a lot of different projects that one can make out of old weathered barn boards. Now I may be a little behind times here, I don't know if decorating with old barn boards is still in style and frankly I don't care.
Make Notepad from Book Fly LeavesAfter you have a garage sale, and before you donate your books to the library or the church, why not take out the fly leaves (blank pages in the front and back of most any kind of book)?
Use Plastic Baton as Water BulbMy little friend, took a half a plastic baton with the plastic top on and filled it with water and stuck it in my African violet that was doing rather poorly. The water line went down a little and then emptied.
Make Steps from Cinder BlocksI was visiting a friend who had just moved into a new home, and I saw these steps they made with cinder blocks. I thought this was great. They look so nice and orderly!
Uses for Clear Plastic ContainersI recently purchased a four pack of tomatoes. I was headed for the recycling bin when I realized the value of this little container. I can put four balls of crochet thread or yarn inside, and they have been kind enough to even put four holes in the top for me!
Use Tray for Containers in RefrigeratorI live in an older mobile with the original refrigerator. The light doesn't work and most of the slats for the shelves are broken. I have to keep the shelves pretty close together and I find that limiting in keeping things from getting shoved into the back and forgotten.
Use Coffee Filter as Camera Flash DiffuserDiffuse the flash on your camera with a coffee filter to soften the brightness. You can also try putting coffee filters over lights or lamps to lessen the harshness when taking indoor photos.
Shop in Small Animal Section for Bird Toys and TreatsIf you have parrots, which I do, I find that the toys and treats are very expensive! What I started doing, at the suggestion of my breeder, is to look in the hamster/gerbil/rodent section at Petco/Petsmart.
Organizing Rubber BandsSave the little plastic hanger that comes with a new pair of socks. Load all your stray rubber bands onto the hanger. Use one rubber band to make the hinge.
Keeping Land Hermit Crabs as PetsI have two land hermit crabs named Alex and Alisha. My daughter named them. They are excellent pets for me. On mornings in the winter when I am up early and I happen to walk near their crabitat, there they are busy as bees.
Cat Bacteria Deadly to BirdsAlways supervise your cat and bird when they are together. Cats transmit a bacterium in their bites and scratches that is almost always deadly to a bird. In birds, this is called Pasteurella Septicemia, which usually means death within 24 hours if not treated.
Disguising Wall Water DamageI came up with a quick fix that was cute and decorative for $1.00. I bought a bottle of black acrylic paint at the dollar store and with a fine tip brush, I outlined the top of the damage.
Redheaded Lizards (Broad-Headed Skinks)These pictures are of 2 red-headed (with greyish bodies) lizards that our Grand-Doggie found in north Florida when we were visiting our oldest daughter recently.
Recycled Mosaic Coffee TableI took an old closet door and a stack of plates which didn't sell at my yard sale and turned it all into a usable coffee table.
How to Wrap Cylindrical GiftsCut wrapping paper large enough to go around the gift, and about 1 and a half inches longer than the bottom and 4 inches longer than the top. Roll paper around gift and tape in place. Fold the bottom of the paper over and tape in place.
Use Baby Blankets For PetsI have been able to find baby blankets for Buddy at the 99 cent store. They are just the right size for him. In cool weather, I use them to cover his little beds and keep a couple in the car in case we need to take him to the vet.
Garden: Rubber Plant CareI have always loved rubber tree plants. I bought over the years I can't even count how many, and it never failed, they all died. They would start dropping leaves like mad till they were nothing but a spindly stick.
Use Plastic Grocery Bags for Emptying Cat LitterI've found that all the plastic bags from grocery stores, drugstores, etc. fit over the end of a standard size litter box. Just slip the handles up over one end, lift the opposite end and all the litter falls right into the bag with no mess!
Save Money By Growing VegetablesI just read a great book called Food Rules, by Michael Pollan. In the book, there is a great fact that says just investing $70.00 in to a garden can bring you a $600.00 yield in produce.
Frugal Doggy Dental CareOur Hannah is the latest in the long line of dogs that have owned us over the years, and, at nearly four, has never had to have a dental cleaning and often gets compliments (even from the vet) on her pearly whites. Our others had great teeth too.
Move Closer When Taking PhotographsRemember those photos many years ago where the subject was so far away you could barely tell who it was? Get your shot ready in your camera screen, then take a couple steps closer to your subject, making sure you still have the subject totally within the screen.
Uses for Recycled Zip Lock BagsI get my cheese sliced in these wonderful zip locks. Their unique shape got me to thinking that I can use them for other things besides food. Once they are cleaned and dried you can use for many uses.
Reuse Food Containers for Packed LunchesSave your plastic containers from store bought items to reuse at home. My husband uses butter bowls to take soups, spaghetti, etc. to work. Then throws the bowl away and has nothing to keep up with.
Playground MuralThis is a mural I did for our local playground. The wall had to be sealed first with a waterproof liquid then painted with coloured masonry paint. The simple design means that any future deterioration which may happen, can easily be (coloured in) by anyone to freshen up
Millie (Tick Hound/Triple Dapple Dachshund)Millie is 7 months. Millie is 1/2 Blue Tick Hound and 1/2 Triple Dapple Dachshund. (Quite a feat!) Own both parents. She was born in early July 09.
Tribute to the MilitaryWhile our son was serving in the Air Force during Desert Storm in Iraq, I made several tributes to him and his fellow servicemen. First and foremost was a 16x24 foot flag flowerbed of red white and purple petunias.
Valentine Chocolate BoxThis is a different way to send a special kiss. I made a new box for these Bacio chocolates (bacio means kiss in Italian).
Free Organizer Bins From Recycled ContainersMake do with the abundance of garbage we consumers produce in our own homes, using empties and scissors or a craft knife. All eight shows are FREE until decorations are added.
Craft: Grow Jar For SproutsFashion an inexpensive grow jar from a clean plastic drink bottle, netting (or plastic canvas) and a rubber band. Take a strip of plastic canvas about an inch wide and place it around the top of the bottle, after the bottle neck is removed.
Illustrated Photo BorderTake a photograph of just about anything and place it on a blank piece of paper 8x10 and then have your child add to the photograph by drawing on the paper.
Reindeer Balloon GameWe had our family Christmas party and had a couple of strange reindeer show up just after a game. For this game, you need:
Homemade Garden Hose HolderAn easy, thrifty way to wind a garden hose: I had bought many different hose reels over the years, at considerable expense, but recently came up with this idea: fill a bucket with water (in this case, it's rain water), and wrap the hose around it. That's it!
Craft Project: Recycled Crayon HolderAn easy inexpensive way to hold crayons, scissors, markers, colored pencils etc. Take the 7 water bottles, wash and remove paper labels.
Taster Turkeys For Picky EatersA couple of Thanksgivings ago, I was faced with my first big dinner for my daughter's new husband and his two kids, who were sweet, but notoriously picky eaters.
Christmas: Yearly Family PhotoAs a tradition, we have started taking a "Christmas Picture" every year for posterity. Here is ours for 2009.
Thanksgiving: Thankful CenterpieceI wanted my guests to be thankful for something this year. I wrote down several things to be thankful for and cut them out and attached them to my candle centerpiece.
Organizing Photos On Your CameraI love to take pictures, but I don't love trying to remember where one day ends and the next begins as I go to catalog my digital photos as I upload them to my computer after a long trip.
Scenery: Scottish ClootieWe visited this 'Clootie' Well when we were on holiday. A 'clootie or cloot' in Scotland is a cloth. Legend has it that if you or someone you know has an illness, you hang a cloth of theirs at the well and they should get better.
Michael Jackson CostumeWow, this was hard to do, I can't lie. This is Michael "Drackson" (as my son calls him). We used DVD videos to sketch the make of the jacket. We bought a 60's style costume and used the little black leather jacket pattern.
Reusing Leftovers From Sticker SheetsI like reusing the papers that are leftover from stickers to make patterns. Rather than tracing around the shape I wish to make my pattern, I lay a piece of paper over the top of it.
Reuse Halloween Pumpkins In Fall...After Halloween last year, I took down my scarecrow, but his pumpkin head was still fresh. I added his head to a bale of hay in the front yard for a fall decoration. My granddaughter asked, "How did the scarecrow get inside of the hay?"
Add Safety Glow Tape to Your LampshadePeel off backing from safety glow tape and decorate a lamp shade with it. Mine has a simple design. As it charges in the day, it is then ready for night, acting like a nightlight for free!
Craft: Lettered Step StoneHere is a stepping stone I designed and made last spring. Seems that stepping stones are perennial favorites on craft sites so thought this would be helpful.
Our Trip to the Pumpkin PatchIt's the season of Thanksgiving (Canada) and Halloween. The grandchildren are having a fun time trying to chose the pumpkin to eat at dinner and the one to carve into a jack-o-lantern.
Update Mailbox With Shelf PaperA simple way to redecorate your mailbox without spending a lot of money is with peel and stick "shelf paper" available almost anywhere.
Reflective Decorative Tape on Your Breaker BoxBe safe during power outages! Use some sort of reflective paint, stickers or tape on your breaker box, such as I have done in the photo.
Reusing Bakery TraysI bought some pull-apart bread last week. The tray that is on the bottom is black, but can't be recycled in this state. The center has a ring in the middle, and two other rings larger toward the edges.
Dry Your Own FlowersMake your own beautiful dried flowers. Simply hang fresh flowers in your front room on a plant hook, leave for about two or three weeks. Voila! Beautiful flowers.
Fabric Trimmed TowelsA friend of ours just recently remodeled his bathroom. I'm giving them a gift of two sets of towels to hang in their new bathroom.
Tips for Photographing DogsThree very attentive puppies, Cody, Lola, and Jake. Guess how I got this great picture? They love to play ball, so I put the ball high over my head and took the pic!
Cardboard Frame StandThis is the stand I created to replace the stand that broke on the back of a decorative plaque that I wanted to display.
Vase as a Going Away GiftMy niece and her husband just sold their home and followed their dreams to Manhattan. Knowing her space would be limited, as a going away gift I gave her a kitchy little vase and told her husband to keep it filled with the fresh flowers.
Peanut (Dachshund/Chihuahua)Peanut, also known as Mr. Peanut, is 11 years young and a Dachshund/Chihuahua mix. I adopted Peanut one year ago from the St Louis Senior Dog Project.
Recovering Outdoor CushionsMy outdoor chair cushions were sunfaded and stained but other than that were very usable. I made removable, washable slip covers for them from matching curtain fabric and a sofa throw that had been tucked in a cupboard for years and almost forgotten.
Anchor Tea Bags With a ClothespinWhile making tea, the "end papers" kept getting to close to the burner. So I used a clothespin to anchor them in place. Afterward, I opened the tea bags and put them in with the coffee grounds to put on the roses and in the garden.
"Tin" Kitchen BacksplashWe had cupboards added on and a new countertop, but the old backsplash had been tiled and we couldn't match them up. I put up the paintable wallpaper primed and painted it with silver metallic paint and then several coats of varathane.
Use a Cemetery as a Photo BackgroundPhotography is something I want to do in the near future. This is a picture of me at a cemetery. I had a tripod so it came out right. I was thinking of the old fashioned/ vintage things, and just fell in love with the clothing.
Garden: May BushesTo complement a pale retaining wall, I'm using May bushes as cascading plants along the top.
Keeping Track of Photos When TravelingMy daughter's hobby is photography. On a recent vacation out west, she used the following tip to keep track of her photos. As we entered a new state, she would do one of the following:
Clear VHS Cases For SeedlingsWhen our library decided to get rid of videos in favor of DVDs, all the old transparent plastic cases went in the waste bin. This is a cloche made from some that I rescued. Superb for plants and less for landfill!
Paint Garden Markers on RocksWe decided to use what we had in abundance to mark our garden rows last year. So we painted the veggie names on large rocks we have all around our house and yard. We simply found some flat-ish rocks and wrote the names on with a paint marker.
Garden: Gourds as BirdhousesHere is a photo of a bird house "neighborhood community" that my dad and step-mom created out of gourds they grew last year.
