HomeMade Style

Mini Pumpkin Muffin Mix

2010-12-05T00:20:00.000-08:00

Make the 2010 holidays special and unique with this pumpkin recipe.

* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 4 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 1/2 cup teaspoons salt
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 cup raisins, sweetened dried cranberries, or chopped nuts (optional)
* 1 can 100% pure pumpkin

Preparation:
1. Combine all ingredients, except pumpkin, in a large bowl. Pour into 1-quart resealable plastic bag; seal. Wrap muffin mix and can of pumpkin in fabric; tie with ribbon or twine.

This makes 1 serving.

Recipe:
1. Pour muffin mix into large bowl. Cut in 1/2 cup vegetable shortening with pastry blender until mixture is fine.
2. Add 1 can pure pumpkin, 1 cup milk, and 2 large eggs.
3. Mix until just moistened.
4. Spoon into greased or paper-lined mini muffin pans, filling 2/3 full.
5. Bake in pre-heated 400F oven for 15 minutes.
6. Remove to wire racks.
7. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

This recipe makes about 5 dozen mini muffins.

Organic Meal Delivery Service Is Here

2010-07-16T22:35:00.000-07:00

Yup! You read it right. Organic... which means no preservatives, no pesticides, no chemicals, and anything artificial. Only pure organic foods and the best part is... it can now be delivered right at your doorstep anywhere within the United States.

Now that is what I call "organic home delivery" at its best.

One company that does that is Healthy Chef Creations. A Florida based company that offers meal delivery service in the United States. It's headed by Chef John Procacci, an award-winning chef who's passion is preparing organic and natural foods for many years.

The company was even featured by Newsweek as the "Tastiest of the Bunch" in 2008.

Amazingly, Healthy Chef Creations never mass produced their meals. All foods are created individually in a well sanitized, certified, and licensed kitchen so customers are assured of freshness, and high-quality meals. And guess what? They guarantee meal freshness for 9 days!

Healthy Chef Creations can deliver fresh breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert for your whole family. Their program is fully customizable which means you can have your own preferences & dietary restrictions. So if you are in a diet, Healthy Chef Creations is the diet food delivery service you need.

So if you're craving now and wanna try them out, just head on to their website or call 1-866-575-2433.

If you wanna order for the whole family, they have three different plans to choose from. The first one includes dinner and dessert. The second one includes lunch, dinner, and dessert. And the third one includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. All are made with premium organic ingredients and will be delivered to you fresh on Friday's.

You can also order individually if you want. But to do that, I think you need to register on their website.

I've seen their menus online and I can tell you... their foods looks great and tasty. Even the soups and desserts looks so delicious and yummy!

Homemade Salad Dressings

2009-09-12T08:13:00.000-07:00

I don't eat much when it comes to any vegetable salad though they taste really good especially if served with delicious salad dressing.

When you go to any store, you would find that salad dressings are not cheap to buy. So I thought of sharing you some of the most simple but delicious salad dressings that you can do in your own kitchen.

AVOCADO VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients:
• 1 avocado (whole small one or half of a large one)
• 2 tbs red wine vinegar
• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbs white wine (optional)
• 1 tbs water (or 2 if not opting for wine)
• 1 tbs lemon or lime juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Mash the avocado using a fork.
2. Add the remaining ingredients then cover and shake. Otherwise, use a hand blender or food processor to blend until smooth.
3. Place into container.

FRUIT SALAD DRESSING

Ingredients:
• 2 eggs, beaten light
• 1 Tbs. flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 orange
• 1 cup pineapple juice

Instructions:
1. Combine eggs, flour and sugar.
2. Add fruit juices and mix, cook in double boiler stirring constantly until thick.
3. Cool.
4. Store the fruit base in glass in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Note: When you are ready to add the dressing to your fruit salad, fold in one cup of whipped cream to the fruit base. This is good on chopped apple salad with walnuts and chopped celery or on any assortment of mixed fruits.

Homemade Chicken Soup

2009-06-05T05:54:00.000-07:00

In this times wherein flu viruses are a major issue around the world, this homemade chicken soup recipe that I am going to share with you can help treat or lessen the symptoms caused by a flu or cold virus.

Ingredients:
• 1 2-3kg chicken
• 1 package of chicken wings (approx 300-500gm)
• 3 large onions
• 1 large sweet potato
• 3 parsnips
• 2 turnips
• 11-12 large carrots
• 5-6 celery stems
• 1 bunch of parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Instructions:

1. Clean the chicken, place into a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil.

2. Add the chicken wings, onions, sweet potato, parsnips, turnips and carrots. Boil for about 1.5 hours.

3. Remove the fat as it accumulates on the surface.

4. Add the parsley and celery and cook for a further 45 minutes. Remove the chicken.

Note: The chicken is not used further for the soup, however, the meat can be removed from the bones and used for another meal (delicious in salads or used to make chicken burritos).

5. Puree the vegetables and broth in a food processor or pass through a sieve.

6. Salt and pepper can be added to taste at this point.

The soup can be served alone, with toast or cooked rice noodles.

Make Your Own Hand Gel Sanitizer

2009-03-01T06:09:00.000-08:00

Hand sanitizers are very common nowadays. A lot of people are using it as if its already part of their lives. Commercial hand sanitizers are expensive but here is one recipe you can use to make your very own homemade hand gel sanitizer using only ingredients you can easily found on your kitchen:

Ingredients:

• 1 bowl
• 1 cup pure aloe vera gel
• 1-2 tsp witch hazel
• 3-4 drops tea tree essential oil
• 3-4 drops peppermint essential oil

Instructions:

1. Place 1 cup of pure aloe vera gel into the bowl.

2. Slowly mix in 1-2 teaspoons of witch hazel. You do not want the consistency of the gel to become too thin.

3. Add 3-4 drops of tea tree essential oil and 3-4 drops of peppermint essential oil.

4. Slowly stir ingredients together.

NOTE: If you find the consistency to be too thin, add more aloe vera gel a teaspoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

5. Store in your desired container.

6. Done!

Use as you would any other hand sanitizer as necessary.

Homemade After Shave

2009-02-14T05:39:00.001-08:00

This one I think will become very useful for men who regularly shave.

Ingredients
• 1/4 cup witch hazel
• 1/2 cup distilled water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup dried herbs or zest

Instructions:

1. Combine ingredients in a glass jar.
2. Cover and place in a dark fairly cool place to steep.
3. Shake the jar once or twice a day.
4. Repeat this process for two to three weeks.
5. Strain out the added products, and store the after shave in a spray bottle or other bottle.

Homemade Valentine's Day Candy Hearts

2009-02-03T03:34:00.000-08:00

Let your sweethearts and love ones feel the season of hearts by making them this homemade Valentine's Day chocolate candy hearts that will surely melt their hearts out.

Ingredients:
• Red, white and cocoa colored candy melts
• Sandwich bags (zipper, not pleated)
• Scissors
• Spoon
• Wax paper
• Plate
• Wooden skewer or clean craft paint brush
• Plastic heart-shaped candy mold

Instructions:
1. Put a handful of candy melts into an open zipper sandwich bag.
2. Microwave candy in bag for 30-40 seconds or until melted.
3. Cut one corner of the bag with scissors to squeeze melted candy through.
4. Gently squeeze chocolate out of bag and into the molds.
5. Tap the side of the mold tray to knock out any air bubbles and flatten chocolate.
6. Place in refrigerator until set.
7. Pop out of molds and serve.

Homemade Lollipop

2009-01-25T23:41:00.000-08:00

A lot of children and young at hearts will surely love making their very own lollipops.

Ingredients:
• 2/3 cup Water
• 2 cups Sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
• Flavoring
• Vegetable coloring

Instructions:
1. Combine sugar and Cream of Tartar with the 2/3 cup water.
2. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
3. Boil until a temp of 290 F. is reached or until a drop of mixture will become hard when dropped into cold water.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Add flavoring and coloring.
6. Pour into greased pans or molds.
7. Insert wooden stick when the mixture is partly cooled.
8. Chill.
9. Enjoy!

Homemade Cleaner For Natural Glass

2009-01-23T19:05:00.000-08:00

This natural glass cleaner will give your windows a streak-free shine and filmyness look.

Ingredients:
• 1/2 tsp Liquid Soap
• 2 cup Water
• 1/4 cup White Vinegar
• Essential Oil

Preparation:
1. Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well.
2. Add 5-10 drops of essential oil to your preference.
3. Shake solution before each use.
4. Your done!

Remember to always shake the spray bottle when using to mixed the mixture thoroughly. This solution will not expire.

Homemade Mango Face Cream

2009-01-19T06:55:00.000-08:00

This homemade face cream is easy to make and the ingredients can be found on your kitchen.

Mango Face Cream

Ingredients:
• 3 Tablespoon Mango Butter
• 1 Tablespoon Almond Oil
• 2-3 drops essential oil of lavender, or other of choice.
• 0.5% presevative.

Preparations:
1. Melt 3 tablespoons of mango butter in a very small pot on the stove. Make sure the mango butter temperature reaches 180 degrees. (This removes the graininess from the mango butter)
2. Then remove from heat and add the 1 tablespoon of Almond Oil and a few drops of your essential oil.
3. Stir, pour into small containers like 1/4 - 1/2 clear jars , and let cool for a few hours. (If you would like it a bit thinner you can stir in about 1 teaspoon more of almond oil.)
4. Enjoy!

Note: If you are using ultra refined mango butter, there probably won't "be" any grains in it. Just heat to melting if that is the case. Also, you do not need to refrigerate this cream. It can be doubled or tripled for use as a body cream as well.

Christmas Meat Loaf Recipe

2008-12-15T07:18:00.000-08:00

Its Christmas time once more! So I've decided to present some delicious Christmas recipes that are great add up to your Noche Buena.

Ingredients:
• 6 slices of bread
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 4 pcs. eggs (slightly beaten)
• 450 g. ground pork
• 200 g. mixed vegetable
• 1/8 cup flour
• 1/4 cup celery (chopped)
• 1 cup cheese (grated)
• 1 pc. onion (chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 2 tbsp pork seasoning powder
• 1 tbsp margarine
• salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, combine milk and eggs.
2. Soak each slice of bread until soft.
3. Set aside.
4. In another large bowl, combine all the ingredients together with bread except margarine and mix well.
5. Lightly grease a 23 cm x 23 cm loaf pan with margarine.
6. Pour in the meat mixture and bake in a preheated oven of 180°C for 2 hours or until cooked.
7. Done!

NOTE: Allow to cool completely before cutting. Serve well with potato chips and salad.

2 Special Gin Cocktail Recipes

2008-11-21T22:44:00.000-08:00

Gin-glazed Salmon

Ingredients:
• 2 ounces gin
• 2 teaspoons strawberry jam
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 4 ounces guava juice
• 1 ounce lemon juice
• 1 ounce agave nectar
• 2 (6-ounce) salmon fillets

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Shake all ingredients together.
3. Brush glaze over salmon fillets.
4. Wrap fillets in aluminum foil.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily.

Note: This gin glaze also works well on pork or chicken.

Sweet Ginger Gin

Ingredients:
• 2 1/2 ounces gin
• 1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice
• 3/4 ounces liquefied honey or sugar water

Directions:
1. Shake all ingredients together in a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Strain and pour straight up or on the rocks.
3. Garnish with a lime slice.

Easy Homemade Crab Dip

2008-11-19T21:35:00.000-08:00

When I visited Singapore, I had a chance to eat from this very famous restaurant around Clarke Quay. They are famous for their large crabs! I love their crab dip. If only I could have their recipe for that.

Anyway, to make your very own delicious homemade crab dip. You will need the following ingredients:

• 300 g crabmeat, fresh
• 1/2 apple, crisp, peeled, finely diced
• 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• 7 tbsp mayonnaise, homemade
• 2 spring onions, peeled, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp lemon juice, fresh, or more (to taste)
• salt, to taste
• pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Procedures:
1. Place the crabmeat in a bowl. Stir in the spring onion, apple and coriander.
2. Add mustard and mayonnaise.
3. Season with salt, pepper and lime juice.
4. Chill for 30 minutes in the refridgerator.

It's that easy!

Just remember to always use fresh crabmeat and homemade mayonnaise for the best flavour.

Making Your Own Disinfectant

2008-11-15T01:49:00.000-08:00

Being clean to our surroundings is our first line of defense against health problems. I found here a great way to make a homemade disinfectant.

To begin with, you will need the following:

• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Water
• Plastic spray bottle
• Rags

Procedures:

1. Mix a equal amount of Hydrogen Peroxide and water (50-50) in a spray bottle.

2. Shake your bottle to allow the Hydrogen Peroxide and water mix thoroughly.

3. Your done!

To use it, just spray the disinfectant to any surface and wipe with a clean rag.

The Best Site To Learn About Online Casinos

2008-11-15T01:34:00.000-08:00

Online casinos are numbering to thousand nowadays. And getting around with them requires some good guides along the way.

Whether you would want to play Poker, Slots, Roulette, or Blackjack, etc online, it's always a good thing to sit down first and seek some help online. Casino.de in particular proves to be helpful in this field.

Casino.de is a German online casino site. It provides lots of information about online casino sites helping you to achieve confidence, proper strategy, and the best chances to win. It has all the things that you need to know and learn about Baccarat, Blackjack, Craps, Keno, Poker, Roulette, Slots, and even Video Poker.

The Gambling Tools are the ones that really caught my interest. If you are someone who is just learning the games, this is the best place to learn everything. From basic to obtaining strategies, it has all that you need to learn from one site.

Afterwards, you have the chance to try out your new acquired skills and play on a training game that runs like the normal game itself.

I've seen a lot of sites out there offering the same service as Casino.de but this one is far more different than the others. Other than very informative, Casino.de tops by providing actual test games with great graphics as if like you are playing on an actual game.

Homemade Fire Extinguisher

2008-11-12T00:34:00.000-08:00

Fire breakout can happen at your most unexpected time. And your first line of weapon to fight out the fire is by reaching out for a bucket of water. Fire extinguishers are handy but what about those who can't afford to keep one?

Here is an alternative... A homemade fire extinguisher!

To make your very own fire fighting solution. You will need the following:

• 20 lb common salt
• 10 lb sal ammoniac
• 7 gal. of water
• thin glass bottles

You think its hard to make? Guess again, below are the simple procedures:

1. Dissolve the 20 lb of common salt and 10 lb of sal ammoniac in the 7 gal. of water.

2. Pour the solution in the thin glass bottles, cork tightly and seal to prevent evaporation.

3. Your done!

Now if in case a fire broke out, just throw the solution filled bottles directly or near the flame. Or for small cases, just break off the neck of the bottle and scatter the content on the fire.

For larger fires, it is still necessary to seek a help from the fire station.

Homemade Mango Catsup

2008-11-09T00:37:00.001-08:00

Mangoes are a favorite of everyone. Now here is a way on how you can make this all time favorite tropical fruit into a delicious catsup.

You Will Need:
• 1 24-oz. jar refrigerated mango slices, drained
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. water
• 1 tsp. cornstarch

Instructions:
1. In a food processor or blender, puree mango slices. In a medium saucepan combine mango puree, brown sugar, and vinegar.

2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. In a small bowl combine water and cornstarch; stir into mango mixture.

4. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until mixture is the consistency of thin ketchup.

5. Cool. Cover and store in refrigerator for up to 3 days (mixture will thicken more during chilling).

This recipe makes approximately 2 cups.

My Family's Simple Ways To Overcome Economic Crisis

2008-11-08T08:17:00.000-08:00

The effect of the current economic crisis worldwide is very hard. Prices of commodities are increasing over time coupled with the increases in the transportation fair. Prices of services like electricity and water also relatively risen over the last few months.

It's really a tough time for now. But this can be overcome with proper spending and wise thinking. I have some of the ways me and my family are doing to cut some of our spendings.

1. Only buy cheap but quality products

Most of us always think that products made from other countries are much higher in quality. But what most of us don't know is that some of those products are only made locally. Being luxuriuos isn't always good as it gets. You are just buying the brand and not the product itself.

2. Switch to flourescent bulbs

This is very advisable as incandescent bulbs eats up more electricity than the flourescent bulbs. Its not only that its much more economical but also much more brighter than the incandescent bulbs. And of course, switch off any lights which are not necessary or not in use.

3. Conserve water

How many times I have heard or read this line over the years. When taking a shower, washing dishes, or washing car, use a bucket and a dipper to do the water supply.

4. Walk if you can

I have my own bicycle so I take if for a ride when I need to go on a short distance. I am not only saving money but I am also giving myself a good exercise.

5. Have a lunch box

When I was working, as much as possible I have my lunch with me. This is to avoid spending so much money eating out on fastfoods or restaurants.

As for my family's other spendings like for personal stuffs. We always make sure we are buying the cheapest but of course quality brands.

Let's take for example the eyeglasses of Zenni Optical which are offering the best but cheapest eyeglasses. They will really help in cutting down the eyeglass expense. Where the saved money could be used for other things.

Their products are of high quality but in a lower price. The reason for this is that, Zenni Optical only sells eyeglass products directly from their factory so there is no middleman involved that would add up in the price.

The 5 Steps To Beautiful Skin

2008-10-31T00:08:00.000-07:00

Here are 5 things that you should not forget in your skin care regimen:

1. Cleanser

This is the basic and a must in your skin caring habits. This is to get rid of all traces of dirt and grimes. Please note that if you are wearing a make-up, be sure to use a make-up remover first before cleansing your face.

2. Toner

You can use this to remove traces of oil, make-up, and dirt. Toners are also commonly known as a lotion or softener.

3. Infusion

This is a liquid meant to give the skin a burst of hydration to prep it so as to allow the skin to fully absorb the serum and moisturiser that follow.

4. Serum

A treatment lotion containing active ingredients like antioxidants and vitamins that are used to nourish and repair your skin. You can choose from a wide variety of serums available. From anti-ageing to pore refining. These are also commonly known as essence.

5. Moisturiser

These are cream that primarily hydrates your skin as well as locks in moisture on the surface of your skin. Many also know this as emulsion.

Truth is, there is no limit on the number of products you can put on your face but experts warn that indiscriminate use of several products may lead to temporary or worst permanent side effects like redness, irritation, or flaking.

Homemade Oyster Sauce

2008-10-24T00:24:00.000-07:00

Here is a recipe to make your own oyster sauce:

Ingredients:
• 1/2 lb. shucked oysters with liquid
• 1 tbsp. water
• 1 tsp salt
• light soy sauce
• 1/2 tbsp. dark soy sauce

Instructions:
1. Drain oysters and reserve the liquid. Mince oysters and place in a saucepan.
2. Add water and reserved liquid and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 10 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, add salt and cool completely.
5. Force the mixture through a fine sieve into sauce pan.
6. Measure the liquid, adding 2 tbsp. light soy sauce to each 1/2 cup.
7. Add dark soy sauce and bring to boil.
8. Reduce heat and simmer gently for about 7 minutes.

Cool to room temperature and pour into a sterilized jar. Seal and store in the refrigerator. This sauce can be kept for several weeks.

NOTE: Do not use smoke oyster or any other flavored preparation.

Making Homemade Fertilizer Using Seaweeds

2008-10-17T18:29:00.000-07:00

Commercial fertilizers are a pain in the pocket for farmers nowadays. This is one of the main reason why some agricultural products are so expensive for consumers.

Here is a recipe for a homemade fertilizer using not chemicals but "seaweeds". Great for those living near the ocean as this salt water plant is very abundant and most of all, it's free.

What You Need:
• Seaweeds
• A topless barrel
• Water

Instructions:
1. Wash your seaweeds with fresh water thoroughly to remove the salt deposits. Or, a more easier way but I know effectively only when its rainy season is that let the seaweeds sit in the rain for a few days.

2. When you are sure that there are no more salt deposits present, put the seaweeds on a large topless barrel together with equal amount of fresh water.

3. Let the mixture sit for about eight weeks. Do not forget to stir thoroughly every two or three days.

4. After eight weeks, your seaweed fertilizer is done and ready to apply to your crops.

Easy Homemade Vegetable Juices

2008-10-15T18:39:00.000-07:00

Here are some healthy vegetable juice recipes that you can make in the comfort of your own kitchen:

Carrot, Cucumber, Celery and Apple Juice
Ingredients:
• 4 carrots
• 1 apple
• 1 celery stick
• 1/4 a cucumber
• 1/2 a lemon

Instructions:
1. Wash the ingredients.
2. Cut the ends off the carrots and celery and core the apple.
3. Cut all the ingredients into smaller pieces and juice.
4. Mix well and serve chilled.

Carrot and Apple Juice
Ingredients:
• 8 carrots
• 2 apples
• pinch of ginger

Instructions:
1. Wash the carrots and apples.
2. Core the apples and remove the ends from the carrots.
3. Cut into slices and process in the juicer.
4. Add a pinch of ginger and serve chilled.

Hot Tomato and Carrot Juice
Ingredients:
• 10 oz (300 g) of tomatoes
• 6 oz (175 g) of carrots
• 3 1/2 oz (100 g) of celery
• 1 clove of garlic
• pinch of ginger

Instructions:
1. Wash the tomatoes, carrots and celery.
2. Remove the ends from the carrots and celery.
3. Juice these ingredients together with the clove of garlic and add the ginger.
4. Stir well and serve with ice.

Homemade No Cook Cat Food

2008-07-15T17:10:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick recipe for No Cook Homemade Cat Food:

Ingredients:
• Raw Ground Meat of your choice (no pork or rabbit, please!)

• Any combination of healthy vegetables, such as cauliflower, broccoli, leafy greens, red or green cabbage, zucchini, beets, etc. Never use onion, tomato, eggplant, potato or spinach.

• If you have a coffee grinder, keep the eggshells from your morning omelet and whir them up into a fine powder. It adds calcium.

Instructions:

1. Mix one pound (or any fraction) of raw ground meat with one cup (or any fraction) of water.

2. Add four tablespoons of eggshell powder, if you have it.

3. Chop the vegetables as finely as possible.

4. Mix the meat and vegetables in an approximate ratio of two to one.

5. Add hot water until it is stew-like. If your cat takes vitamins, add them last.

6. Let the cat eat it up. Meow!!! Meow!!! (Says "Thank you")

Homemade Dry Skin Moisturizer

2008-05-03T17:42:00.000-07:00

Here is a great recipe to make your own skin moisturizer:

Ingredients:
• 4 ounces shea butter
• 2 ounces organic olive oil
• 2 teaspoons organic vitamin E oil, 5000 IU
• 1 teaspoon active royal jelly (refrigerated section of health food stores)
• 6 drops organic lavender essential oil

Instructions:
1. Mix all ingredients on high until smooth and creamy.
2. Store refrigerated in an airtight container. It is necessary to make small amounts of this at a time and keep refrigerated because of the active royal jelly.

This is an awesome ingredient for its healing properties and well worth the
effort.

Homemade Weed Killer

2008-04-22T23:57:00.000-07:00

Having problem about weeds in your garden or any place around your house? Here's a homemade recipe to answer your need:

Ingredients:
• 1 gallon of white vinegar
• 1 cup of table salt
• 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap

Instructions:
1. Mix thoroughly until the salt dissolves, pour into a hand-held spray bottle and spray the solution directly on the target weeds.

Note: For weeds growing out of cracks in driveways and sidewalks, some people pour salt directly on the weeds. Other people pour straight vinegar directly on weeds. Still others add a few drops of liquid dish soap to the recipe to help the solution stick to the weeds. The important thing to know about this homemade recipe is that is non-selective. Just like any weed killer, use it sparingly and with caution. Non-selective means it will kill or damage any plants or grass that come into contact with it. Also, try to avoid spraying it directly on the soil. Vinegar breaks down the soil structure and kills beneficial microorganisms. In areas where this is applied, the vinegar can render the soil sterile for several years. Other organic methods of weed control include hand-pulling, boiling water or torching.

FACT: Since salt can really ruin your garden soil. Here is another recipe that don't use salt:

Ingredients:
• 1 cup of vinegar
• 1/2 cup of regular dish soap (not dishwasher detergent)
• Fill the rest of the bottle up with water.

Instructions:
1. Shake well before each use.
2. Spray mixture directly on the weed itself; if weed is out in the yard, be careful not to spray the grass! The vinegar is what kills the weeds, but the dish soap holds the vinegar in place so it stays on the plant instead of running off.

Get Rid of Mosquitos: The Homemade Style

2008-04-16T17:59:00.000-07:00

Authorities say that during this time of summer, Dengue fever is on its high. This is because water catch basins such as canals are on a still making it favorable for mosquitos to reproduce more. The heat also helps the mosquito eggs mature faster.

Here are some homemade ways to help protect yourself and your love ones against these blood sucking insects:

Mosquito Bites
• Apply lime juice diluted with water on bites with cotton ball.

Mosquito Control
• Dispose of unwanted tin cans and tires.
• Clean clogged roof gutters and drain flat roofs.
• Flush sump-pump pits weekly.
• Stock ornamental pools with fish.
• Change water in birdbaths, fountains, and troughs twice a week.
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools; when not regularly used, they should be emptied.
• Turn over unused wading pools and other containers that tend to collect rainwater.
• Cover containers tightly with window screen or plastic when storing rainwater for garden use during drought periods.

Plant Against Mosquitos
• The castor bean plant. Seeds available from any nursery. Plant in pots within the house; replant outdoors. Decorative and they grow like weeds!

Mosquito Bite Repellant
• Four parts glycerine, 4 parts alcohol, 1 part eucalyptus oil. Or make a solution of equal parts of isopropyl alcohol and methyl phthalate.

Homemade Spa & Beauty Treatments

2008-04-11T08:52:00.000-07:00

Are you seeking some spa treatment without spending too much? These easy yet luxurious treatments will allow you to pamper yourself for pennies!

HAIR TREATMENTS

For Dry Hair:
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1 tsp. coconut oil

Combine egg, honey and oil. Massage into hair. Leave on 20 minutes, shampoo and rinse thoroughly.

For Oily Hair:
• 2 parts lemon juice
• 1 part water

Dip comb in mixture and comb through hair.

For Fly-Away Hair:
• 1 can beer, room temperature

Pour beer into a spray bottle. Spray on hair before blow drying or rinse in beer after shampooing.

For Color Treated Hair:
• 2 oz. mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar

Combine mayo and vinegar. Apply to hair. Leave on for one hour.

HERBAL SHAMPOO

Ingredients:
• 4 Tbsp. fresh chopped herbs or 2 Tbsp. dried herbs
• 1/2 c. spring water
• 1 c. baby shampoo

Simmer the herbs in spring water for 15 minutes. Strain and cool. Add the baby shampoo. Place in bottle.

HOMEMADE BATH CRYSTALS

Ingredients:
• 5 lb. Epsom salts
• 10 drops perfume
• 1 Tbsp. glycerin
• food coloring

Combine all ingredients. In a decorative jar, this makes a great gift.

My Success Story With PayPerPost

2008-03-16T17:45:00.000-07:00

As part of my goal to earn extra income online, I joined PayPerPost about three months ago. It's a get paid to blog website that offers bloggers an extra income by reviewing a particular product or website and posting it into their blog.

At first, my blog was rejected due to some issue but after resolving the issue, it finally got accepted.

My Beginning

During the first few months of my blogging addiction, I am already noticing the banners and icon advertisements of other blogs about PayPerPost but I repeatedly ignored them. To my curiosity, I joined and at first, I thought that this is just another money making program available in the internet and that it would be possible to make an income out of it.

After trying out making some posts, I proved myself wrong. PayPerPost provided me since then with more review opportunities compare to other similar paid posting program.

Features I Like

Aside from paying you with real money, one great thing about PayPerPost is that they approved your post very quick. Just like yesterday, I finished two reviews and today I received a confirmation from PayPerPost that my posts are approved.

A Good Blessing

Now, I could say that joining PayPerPost is one of the great blessing for me since I began my journey into gaining success online. My earnings from this website have enabled me to buy my own hosting and own my domain names for my other blogs. Right now, I am saving some of my earnings for my future.

Home Alternative To Shoe Polish

2008-03-15T22:44:00.000-07:00

Here is a great homemade tip to shine your shoes without using any of those shoe polish products that you buy in stores.

• For a spur-of-the-moment job, rub leather shoes with the inside of a banana peel; then clean and buff with a paper towel or napkin.
• To remove dirt and salt - Use a slightly damp cloth, then rub shoes with olive oil or Vaseline
• Leather care - rub with olive oil to reduce drying and cracking

Pink Tea Refresher

2008-03-14T09:43:00.000-07:00

I found this tea recipe very nice. Try this at home and you'll surely love especially for those tea lovers.

Ingredients:
• 3 cups boiling water
• 1 tea bag, family size
• 1 cup cranberry juice cocktail
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions:
1. Pour the hot water over the tea bag in a teapot.
2. Brew for 4 minutes.
3. Remove the tea bag.
4. Pour into pitcher; stir in sugar and cranberry juice cocktail.
5. Add lemon juice.
6. Pour over ice in tall glasses.

This recipe makes 6 servings. Enjoy!

Hope For People With Bad Credit History

2008-03-12T07:59:00.000-07:00

Are you someone with bad credit cards? It's an indication that you have a bad credit. We'll you are not alone in fact millions of people also have this kind of bad rating. It's a fact but its true, having a bad credit history can limit you from achieving your personal or family dream. It can cause you not to be approved on your credit card applications, home loans, auto loans, or personal loans.

Don't loose hope because there are still some companies that offers credit for everyone regardless of their bad credit history. These companies more of like still giving a chance for consumers with not so good credit rating.

BadCreditOffers.com is a website that offers free resource dedicated to help people with bad credit history to find the best credit offers other companies cannot provide especially for those with bad credit rating. They continuously monitor the credit marketplace to bring you all the best offers available. Whether it's a credit card, a home loan, an auto loan, or personal loan that you want, BadCreditOffers.com can help you find the right company to suite your financial needs.

In addition to their helpful features, on their website you will also find tools to review credit repair and debt consolidation services. You can get also from them your credit report and score online from a trusted provider.

Making Spicy No-Salt Seasonings

2008-03-12T07:54:00.000-07:00

Mix up a blend of your favorite dried herbs and spices to shake on foods instead of salt. Some possibilities include basil, bay leaf, chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, curry powder, dry mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, paprika, parsley, pepper, and thyme.

For a spicy treat, try some of this mixture on meat, chicken, or fish before cooking.

1/4 cup paprika
2 tablespoons oregano
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Insure Yourself Against Every Eventuality

2008-03-11T19:20:00.000-07:00

Do you have an insurance? Nowadays, nothing comes in without insurance. Insurance is the cornerstone of our lives and the social and economic fabric of our society.

The principle of insurance is that the losses of the few are borne by the contributions of many. Insurance protects individuals, businesses and governments against risk.

Insurance for vehicle

If you own a car or any type of vehicle, the law requires you to buy an insurance for it. Whatever commercial vehicle you need insurance for, whether it's a bike, van or a fleet of vehicles, it is crucial that you get the best insurance cover to suit both your budget and your requirements.

Courier Insurance is vital cover for motorcycles, dispatch riders, and vans of all sizes. A lot of insurance companies today like courier insurance companies are now online to reach out conveniently to their customers and help them speed up their insurance related inquiries. Another great thing is that they now offer free online quotes for your business, and more.

Insurance for home

If you have a mortgage, your lender will usually make it a condition of the loan that you have adequate insurance for your home in order to protect itself.

Other than that, most insurance is optional.

If you insure yourself against every eventuality, it will probably cost more than you earn. Plan carefully and only take out what you really believe you will need and most of all, take advice from an insurance expert for your guidance.

Homemade Post-It Note

2008-03-10T09:21:00.000-07:00

Here is a great alternative to the post-it items you regularly buy on any store. Very much useful on offices and even in your home. Inexpensive and most of all... it's very easy to make.

Materials Needed:

• 5 to 10 sheets of white or colored paper
• 1 One glue stick
• 1 paper cutting device

Instructions:

1. Take about five sheets of paper in a neat stack and cut them in half vertically, so you make ten narrow and long half-pieces of paper.

2. Take one strip of paper and set it aside. On each other strip of paper, rub the glue stick in a line along one of the long edges. Then, stack them up again with the sticky strip on the same edge of the paper and the non-sticky sheet on the bottom of the stack (so you have a bottom). Press down a bit so the sheets stick together when you make the stack.

3. Cut the stack of ten half-sheets of paper into three equal pieces. If you want, peel the bottom sheet (with no sticky line) off of two of these small pads and stack these pieces on top of one another with the glue-edges on the same side. Press down.

You’re done! You now have a stack of 60 homemade Post-It notes.

Homemade Hair Body Wax

2008-03-07T17:01:00.001-08:00

The name body wax is right, this recipe can be used as a leg and eyebrow wax, upper lip wax. You could also use it on your arms.

Honey Based Body Wax

Ingredients:
• 7oz of honey
• 7oz of sugar
• Freshly sqeezed juice of 1/2 lemon

You will also need:
a pan and tablespoon, preferably wooden spoon and
cloth strips which you can make out of an old shirt (cotton) or simply buy them at the pharmacy store.

Preparation:
1. Start out by caramelazing sugar. Set the temperature on medium high.
2. Stir sugar until it starts bubbling.
3. The color you are looking for is gold, that will indicate the sugar is ready and melted.
4. Proceed by adding honey and lemon juice, stirring the whole time.
5. When the mix is melted, drop the mass on a clean cotton towel.
6. Knead the mass until it becomes golden yellow.

This is where it becomes tricky. This body wax mix tends to harden quickly and you need to do something to keep it soft so you can mold it and apply on the skin. Unless you don't mind, you could use some saliva. It has enzymes that will break the honey and sugar and keep it moist and soft. Another option, is to prepare a small bowl and fill it up with hot water. Don't use it too hot, you might burn yourself, only hot enough so that you can use it. Then....

7. Spread the mix on your legs, place the cotton strip over it (make sure it adheres), count to 3 and pull!
8. Always pull in the opposite direction of hair growth. This way, you will pull out the hair together with its root, which is the point of waxing.
9. Use short strokes until you get used to doing it, then you can start using long strokes.
10. To wash off the stickiness, simply rinse your legs with warm water.
Some women get so good in doing this, that they actually make strips out of this mass and have no need to use the cotton strips. For beginners, follow the above instructions.

If you prefer to make the mix so it is more liquid and that you can spread using a wooden stick, add more water while it is still melting. Make sure that the consistency is not too thick nor too liquid, it should be similar to pancake batter.

As mentioned, it might take you some time to get a hold of it, and it might happen that the mix hardens while you are still waxing. No problem! Either dip your fingers in hot water you already prepared and mold it until it softens, or return it to the stove and cook until it melts again.

On to the next body wax that unlike the first one, uses beeswax but doesn't require as much preparation.

Homemade Fruit Juice Recipes #1

2008-03-02T17:01:00.000-08:00

Lemon-Lime Ginger Ale
• handful of grapes
• 1 apple, cored and sliced
• 1/2 inch fresh ginger (less if you find the taste too strong)
• 1/2 lime
• 1/4 lemon
• sparkling mineral water

Remove the grapes from the stem. Juice the apple and ginger together, then juice the rest of the fruit. Pour the juice in a large glass and fill to the top with sparkling water and serve with ice.

Sparkling Tropical Fruit Juice
• 1 kiwi, peeled
• 1 orange, peeled and sectioned
• 1/2 mango, peeled and sliced
• sparkling mineral water

Process the fruit in a juicer. Pour the juice in a large glass and fill to the top with sparkling water and serve.

Homemade Mouth Wash Recipes

2008-02-26T18:37:00.000-08:00

The following homemade mouthwashes will help you to eliminate bad breath and promote overall mouth and gum health.

Homemade Rosemary-Mint Mouthwash

Ingredients:
• 2 1/2 cups distilled or mineral water
• 1 tsp fresh mint leaves
• 1 tsp rosemary leaves
• 1 tsp anise seeds

1. Boil the water, add herbs and seeds, infuse for 20 minutes.
2. Cool, strain and use as a gargle/mouthwash.
3. If you wish to make up a larger quantity, double or triple the recipe then add 1 tsp of tincture of myrrh as a natural preservative.

Homemade Spearmint Mouthwash

Ingredients:
• 6 ounces water
• 2 ounces vodka
• 4 teaspoons liquid glycerine
• 1 teaspoon aloe vera gel
• 10-15 drops Spearmint essential oil

1. Boil water and vodka, add glycerine and aloe vera gel.
2. Remove from the heat, let cool slightly.
3. Add spearmint oil, shake well.
4. Pour into bottle, cap tightly.

Homemade Fruit Teeth Cleaners

• Rub a lemon rind on your teeth to remove brown stains. Rinse your mouth thoroughly afterward.
• Clean your teeth with a fresh strawberry. Rub it over and between your teeth.

Homemade Remedy For Hair Loss

2008-02-21T18:07:00.001-08:00

Losing your hair nowadays? Well, let the following home remedy help you with it without using those expensive hair loss treatment and medicines:

1. Massage with olive oil before going to bed at night and next morning, wash off the hair gently.

2. Take some leaves of henna and boil them into mustard oil. Massage of this prepared oil is very effective to treat hair loss.

3. Ground well seeds of black pepper and lime to make a paste. It is useful for the treatment of patchy baldness.

4. Wash hair regularly with cold and clean water. After washing the hair rub the scalp with fingertips well. It is a simple way and beneficial remedy against hair loss.

5. Take a few drops of coconut milk and massage of this milk into the roots of hair all portion of the scalp.

7. If one wants to grow hair, trim the hair every one-month.

8. Avoid sharp clips, tight rubber bands and spiky brushes.

9. Never brush the hair when it is wet.

10. Do not over comb the hair.

Homemade Blackheads Treatment

2008-02-21T17:53:00.000-08:00

A lot of people especially the teens have this problem on removing their blackheads. Below are some homemade tips to treat your blackheads:

1. Warm a little honey and apply on the trouble spots. Wash it after ten to fifteen minutes.

2. Take one teaspoon of fresh coriander leaf juice with half teaspoon of turmeric powder. Use this treatment overnight and wash it off in the morning. Repeat this for a week.

3. Apply grated potatoes to treat blackheads.

4. Take lime juice, almond oil and glycerime in equal proportion and make a lotion and apply it on face. It is an excellent method to remove blackheads as well as spots on the face.

5. Take two teaspoons soda bicarbonate. Add this to three to four cups of boiled water. Steam a towel in this and place the towel on face. Repeat this around five to six times a day. Make a paste by mixing one teaspoon curd and one teaspoon of rice flour. Rub this paste on the area of blackheads and on getting dry, wash it off with cold water.

6. Take one teaspoon of lime juice and mix it with one teaspoon of finely powdered cinnamon. Apply it at bed time and wash it off in the morning.

7. Beat white part of an egg. Add one teaspoon of honey and with a cotton swab, apply it on face. Keep it around half an hour and then rinse with warm water.

8. Take some oatmeal in little boiling water. Cool it and add some lemon juice and mix it well. Apply it on the face.

9. Make a paste of ground radish seeds with water and apply it on face to remove blackheads.

These are very natural and doesn't need chemicals that can harm your delicate skin.

What You Could Do With A Concrete Garage

2008-02-20T19:00:00.000-08:00

Having your own garage at home has many uses. It is not only can be used to safely house your car but also can be used to store many things. For me, if I have that space for a garage, I would like to turn it into a place for my dream business... a computer cafe.

One great company I found that can help building a good quality garage is Lidget Concrete Garages. This company has over 30 years of garage experiences and have built a reputation of unsurpassed quality attractively designed buildings like concrete garages. Their concrete garage are competitive in terms of price.

Produced at their modern factory using the latest technology, delivered to your home and erected on the same day by their own qualified fitters... not as with some companies - delivered one week and fitted the next.

Starting my very own computer cafe have been a long time dream for me since I've been very much hooked with computers. Renting for a space can be expensive considering that the power consumption of this business is also high. That is why, it is very economical if this computer cafe can be built in my very own garage since I don't have my own car for it to house.

One more thing is that Lidget Concrete Garages build your garage at their factory and they only need to fit it in your space once delivered. This avoids the hassle of paying for contractor and buying the needed construction materials.

Homemade Body Salt Scrub

2008-02-20T18:36:00.000-08:00

Know the secret of Cleopatra's beauty. Here is a fancy salt scrub that you can make at home. You can exfoliate your body at home and get that same glowing effect as going to the spa.

Ingredients:
• 1 cup of iodized salt or sugar
• 1/2 cup of sweet almond grapeseed or neutrogena body oil
• 5 drops of essential oil of your choice
Like:
rosemary = stimulating
lavander = relaxing
lemongrass = refreshing

Directions:
1. Wash your body with warm water.

2. Put generous amount of exfoliating salt scrub to your ams, legs, neck (any desired area) in circular motion.

3. Rinse.

4. Apply your favorite body wash. A good recommendation are Dove or Palmolive anti-stress body wash. Rinse again.

4. Towel yourself dry. Apply your favorite moisturizer or body oil.

Your skin will instantly feel softer. See and feel your skin glow!

Advantage Of Moving In A Suburb Area

2008-02-20T18:21:00.000-08:00

This morning, I read about this news from MoneyMagic that a growing number of people are now moving out of London and into more suburban areas like Sussex and parts of Surrey in search for a more quality way of life. Main reason for this is that people are taking advantage of the cheaper house prices in these areas which means cheaper mortgages and they are thinking that moving to these areas is what's best and economical nowadays.

According to Savills, a global estate agent, statistics reveal that commuter levels into the capital are rising as they move out of the center. Well, this is very much realistic considering the fact that people have to travel an extra minute from these suburban areas back into the capital to work or do what they need to do.

Having a home outside of the city like London can really adds up an improvement in your quality of life. Not only that, you also find an extra kind of peacefulness without the hassles of the city life. Properties from outside of a main city are more cheaper which enables people to buy a more beautiful bigger house, more open surroundings and a more sense of privacy.

Statistics also reveal that ...."for every extra minute travel, that knocks £1,000 off the average house price. It is £1,000 cheaper but you have to travel for an extra minute for this, effectively." Well my opinion to this is that, it is a good trade-off.

Why think of the extra minute that you have to travel when this will give you the opportunity to buy a more bigger property, right?

Mixing Your Own Homemade Root Beer

2008-02-19T18:10:00.001-08:00

Personally, I like the taste of root beer. Sometimes I order root beer at any fastfood I eat into instead of the traditional soda drinks. Here is a great recipe on making a homemade root beer. Cheers!

Ingredients:
• 1 (3 oz.) bottle root beer extract
• 4 lbs. sugar
• 4 gallons water

Instructions:
1. Combine sugar, root beer extract and 1 gallon warm water in 5 gallon tall cooler. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
2. Add 3 pounds block dry ice; this will cause mixture to bubble; add 2 gallons water and have lid ready to put on container. DO NOT put it on tight.
3. Let bubble for about 1/2 hour and add rest of water.
4. Root beer will bubble about 2 hours. When bubbling has stopped, root beer is ready to drink.
5. Put in gallon plastic jugs and cap.

Will keep in refrigerator for some time.

Homemade Carpet Cleaners

2008-02-16T18:20:00.000-08:00

Cleaning carpets usually takes a vaccum cleaner, right? But that only remove dusts and other small particles in you carpet. One better way to clean your carpet is by using some homemade methods that not only keeps your carpet clean but also keep you pocket full.

Here are some homemade carpet cleaners that you I found:

1. For deoderizing: Sprinkle baking soda or cornstarch on carpet, using about 1 cup per medium sized room. Vacuum after 30 minutes.

2. For deoderizing: Mix two parts cornmeal with one part borax; sprinkle liberally, leave for one hour, then vacuum.

3. To soak up big spills: dump cornmeal on the spill; after 5-15 minutes, sweep into a dustpan, then vacuum.

4. To clean spots: Put 1/4 cup liquid soap or detergent in the blender with 1/3 cup water. Blend until foamy. Use this to clean spots on the carpet, then rinse with vinegar.

Online Casino Links Is Here To Help You

2008-02-16T18:13:00.000-08:00

Here's another online casino site I just found. The name is Onlinecasinolinks.com. To date, this website is the web's most popular online casino site listing nearly 100 of the best online casinos on the internet nowadays. Onlinecasinolinks.com have written detailed reviews of the most important factors in playing on online casinos such as game experience, trust score, bonuses offered, and many more.

The Features

One of the great features of Onlinecasinolinks.com showcases the best online casinos, best online casinos voted by players, casinos with best bonus offers, and casinos that are most voted in the internet. Owners of this site have researched and written detailed reviews to ensure that you are playing at the best and most trusted online casino.

If you are living in the US, you can select from their list of online casinos accepting US players, best US online casinos voted by players, or you might want to play where the bonuses are the best of the web.

One I found more great about Onlinecasinolinks.com is their INFO section where they have provided online casino FAQ's for every players use. If you are new in online casino gaming, this site has a beginners guide to teach you how to gamble online. They also have very useful gambling tips to help you enjoy your playing experiences.

Come and visit their site now and know more how they can help you.

Making Homemade Sugar Syrup

2008-02-16T17:42:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups Water
• 3 tbsp Milk
• 4 cups sugar

Preparation:

1. Mix half of the water with the milk and divide this mixture into five equal portions.

2. Dissolve the sugar in the remaining water in a pan and bring it to boil.

3. Now lower the heat to moderate. After this first boiling add one of the five reserved mixtures to the boiling sugar and mix well.

4. Discard any scum from the top.

5. Boil up again and add the second portion. Discard the scum again and repeat the process with next two portions.

6. Use the fifth portion to clean down the sides of the pan. Now the clear syrup is ready to use in most sweets.

7. The next stage is one string syrup. To achieve this, keep boiling the syrup until a drop of syrup leaves one string between your thumb and finger. Continue to boil for two, three or four strings.

Online Casino List Reviews For You

2008-02-14T18:21:00.000-08:00

Have you ever played casino online? For those who haven't know, online casinos are gaining its ground on the internet. With lots of casinos now online, more and more player are getting hooked about it.

A website I know can help you with regards to choosing the best online casino. Because you know, there are thousands of online casinos now exists on the internet and some of them are scams!

Online Casino List.com reviews the best online casinos worldwide from literally thousands of them. The site owners have played on them so you are sure you are getting the most reliable reviews. A team of 20 editors are reviewing these casinos and rating them in terms of welcome bonuses offered, payout time, graphics, game play, speed, security and many more.

Their findings have resulted to the most impressive guides where you can see the most important features and information needed to start playing online with the best welcome bonus on offer. The detailed online casino reviews will give you a feel of our experience at each casino.

Online Casino List.com have a list of online casinos which are accepting US players, best online casinos by player votes, maximum bonus, and most voted for US online casinos. One more great thing about this website is that, they offer some gambling tips for all players.

New to online casino gaming? Online Casino List.com has a beginner's guide where you can learn everything you need to know to be able to enjoy your gaming experience.

Come and visit their website and see what they can offer more for you.

Best Valentine's Day Gadget Gifts

2008-02-08T18:09:00.000-08:00

This article was submitted by Andrew Eisner

Retrevo recommends the best gadgets gifts for Valentine's Day including GPS, MP3 Players, Digital Cameras, and more.

This year, why not say “I love you,” with something that lasts longer than a dozen roses? The right gadget can score points with your favorite sweetheart and be the one Valentine’s Day gift that keeps on giving.

The iGifts Have It

Apple MacBook Air

For the ultimate gadget gift you could get that special someone in your life one of the sexiest laptops on the market; the recently announced, Apple Macbook Air. This super svelte laptop is so thin it fits inside a manila envelope yet it still boasts a full size keyboard and 13.3 inch LED backlight display. It may not be available for Valentine's Day but you can preorder it now for $1799.

iPhone, iPod, iPod Touch

Apple iPhone	Apple iPod Touch
Apple iPod Shuffle	Apple iPod Classic

Take your pick of Apple gadgets and score major points with your special gadget lover. You might consider an 8GB iPhone or a 16GB iPod touch for $399. The iPod touch which has everything the iPhone has minus the phone service.

There are many recently redesigned iPods to choose from including ones with different colors and capacities. Watching videos on iPods is very popular with videos becoming more widely available for download especially with Apple’s recent launch of an online movie rental business.

Apple iPod shuffles are smaller than ever and come in many colors. They cost $79 and hold 1GB worth of files which is about 240 songs. The iPod nano comes in colors, displays photos, plays videos or audio files, and costs $149 for a 4GB version and $199 for an 8GB one that will hold 2000 songs.

The iPod classic comes in black or white, has a big 2.5-inch color display. You can buy one with 80GB of storage for $249 or 160GB for $349. The iPod touch 8GB version sells for $299 and the 16GB version $399.

Buying red gadgets can help support the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa. Apple offers a red iPod and Motorola has a red Razr that are both associated with the charity. Microsoft has a red Zune but it appears to be geared for Valentine's Day not for Bono's fund.

Free Engravings

For a special touch, you can get a free engraving on an iPod or iTouch when you buy it from Apple's online store.

Microsoft's Red Zune

Microsoft continues to improve their Zune MP3 player and even offers features not found on iPods like WiFi connectivity which lets you trade songs with other Zune users, surf the web, or use other online interactive features. For Valentine's Day they are offering a Red, 80GB Zune and free engraving with one of 20 special valentine designs or a personal text message. You can buy this or other similar Zunes for around $249.

GPS

The right GPS PND (personal navigation device) might just help find the way to your special friend's heart. GPS devices continue to get better and cheaper every day. For Valentine's Day gifts, we recommend looking at a portable unit that fits in a pocketbook or even one of the sports versions that you wear on your wrist.

Garmin nuvi 680

TomTom Go 920T

The Garmin nuvi 680 could be a very expensive Valentines Day present but for under $600 you can give someone a highly rated, versatile GPS , that has a large 4.3 inch color display and is still small enough to fit in a pocketbook or briefcase.

The TomTom Go 920T is another highly rated GPS that falls in the same price range and feature group.

TomTom XL-S

Mio c230

The TomTom XL-S sells for around $350. It has a 4.3 inch widescreen display, offers text-to-speech and MapShare which allows users to update maps.

For the budget minded, the Mio c230 is a basic 3.5 inch screen GPS that features TTS (Text-to-Speech) functionality and gets high marks for performance and ease of use for well under $200.

Garmin Forerunner 205

Garmin Forerunner 405

The Garmin Forerunner 205 is a GPS device that you wear like a wristwatch. It tells you how far you ran and how long it took. Serious runners rave about this GPS device. You can buy the Garmin Forerunner 205 for around $180. If you prefer to wait, Garmin just announced a very cool wristwatch type GPS called the Forerunner 405 which is supposed to ship in the first quarter of 2008 and sell for around $300.

Photo Frames

Digital Photo Frames were a big hit this holiday season. They provide an easy and attractive way to put your digital photos on the mantle, kitchen counter, desktop, or even on a key chain. Some units play audio files as well.

Kodak EX811	Westinghouse DPF-0802
Tao 1.4 inch Digital Picture Keychain	Coby DP-151

The Kodak EX811 is an 8 inch, 800 x 480 pixel photo frame, with 128 MB of memory that will cost you around $200. You can load pictures with the built-in WiFi, through the memory card slot, or the USB connector.

The Westinghouse DPF 0802, 8 inch photo frame has a wood frame,128 MB of storage, and a high resolution 800 x 600 screen. You load up the frame from your camera’s flash memory card or a USB connection. You can buy the Westinghouse DPF 0802 for around $150.

The Tao 1.4 inch Digital Picture Keychain holds 56 photos and costs $29. It has a rechargeable battery. You load it with a USB connector. They offer a square version and a round one.

The Coby DP 151 1.5 inch Digital Photo Key Chain is a tenth of inch bigger than the others. It stores 62 pictures and is on sale at Amazon for $16. Some users are happy with it, some aren't.

Digital Cameras

A small and compact point and shoot camera might be just the right gift this Valentine’s Day.

Canon SD1000

Nikon Coolpix P5100

The Canon SD1000 fits easily in a pocket or pocket book, offers 7.1 MP and new face technology that makes taking bad pictures harder. You can buy one for under $200.

If you can afford to spend around $300 then take a look at the 12.1 MP Nikon CoolPix P5100 which has optical image stabilization to eliminate fuzzy pictures, a big 2.5 inch LCD screen, and 3.5x optical zoom.

Don't forget to check out all the latest information for GPS, Digital Cameras, Camcorders, Laptops, and more. You can also find manuals and reviews for all popular gadgets and gear.

A Kids Gift For Their Moms This Valentine

2008-02-06T17:46:00.000-08:00

Hi, Kids! Still thinking of a great valentine gift for your mom? Well think no more coz' here is my idea for you. This Valentine's Day scroll is sure to make you look twice to find out! Make this pretty keepsake as a gift from the heart for your mother, grandmother or aunt on Valentine's Day.

Materials Needed:
• Acrylic paint (red, 2 greens and gold)
• child's hands
• canvas or construction paper
• red ribbon
• gold or red marker
• makeup sponge
• paint brush

Instructions:
1. Brush red craft paint on your child's hands, one at a time, and press on the paper. Repeat with the other hand. Paint on simple leaves and stems - you don't have to be picture perfect!

2. With the makeup sponge and gold paint, sponge gold highlights around the edge of the picture.

3. Write a personal message in red or gold marker. Here, we put "I love you Mom" but you can write whatever you like, wherever there is space.

4. Let the picture dry, then roll up and tie the red ribbon around it like a scroll. Hand deliver your Valentine scroll. Later, you (or Mom) can place it in a glass frame to save forever.

Homemade Valentine Gift: Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

2008-02-03T17:56:00.000-08:00

To continue my tips for those lovers and alike out there. Here is another great homemade gift for your love ones this season of hearts:

Ingredients:
• 1 pint of perfectly ripened strawberries with stems and leaves intact
• 4 ounces of chocolate chips - dark, white, milk or even chocolate mint flavors
• microwavable bowl and microwave
• cookie sheet covered in wax paper
• Valentine sprinkles, small candies, contrasting color of melted chocolate (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper and set aside.

2. Wash strawberries and pat dry, leaving stems and leaves intact. Strawberries should be completely dry before proceeding with the recipe.

3. Melt chocolate chips in a microwavable bowl, using the Defrost setting (or 10% power). Heat for 90 seconds, then stir; repeat until the chocolate has just melted and can be stirred smoothly. (Chocolate goes from melted to burned very quickly, so monitor the procedure and remove the chocolate from the microwave as soon as melting is complete.)

4. Hold a strawberry by the stem and leaves and dip it into the melted chocolate. Withdraw the strawberry and swirl it in a tight circle to spin off excess chocolate. If desired, shake sprinkles or small candies over the wet chocolate coating.

5. Place the chocolate dipped strawberry on the wax paper and set aside to dry. A cool room temperature is preferable for drying. Repeat with the remainder of the strawberries, reheating chocolate for a short time, if necessary, to keep the coating consistency.

6. If possible, dip and serve the strawberries on the same day. Once dry, you can place each strawberry in a small paper candy cup.

Buzzfuse: A Unique Way To Market Your Content

2008-02-02T16:53:00.000-08:00

I just signed up with Buzzfuse, a content marketing system that helps bloggers or other content creators to market their content or works and help other people find them.

It's very easy to sign up with Buzzfuse and the great thing about it is that it's absolutely FREE. At first you will be asked for your email address and you need to confirm that email to be able to continue to the registration process. During the registration process, you will be asked to add your contacts to invite in your circle of friends. This way, you will instantly get your first avid readers of your content.

After your registration, you then now can add your contents, whether it's a blog article or a web page, a photo, a video or audio, or a flash media. In this process, a widget needs to be included in your chosen article to be able to publish into the Buzzfuse system.

Once you have correctly placed into your page or content. This will show up and display some informations such as number of comments and your article's score in the Buzzfuse network.

Buzzfuse is really doing the job of bringing traffic to any blogs or website. Their system is very unique. It really expands your reach and deepening your interaction with your readers or audiences. Another good thing about Buzzfuse is that you will be updated about the status of your contents because you are provided with reports that will help you understand the performance of your content in the market.

Homemade Love Potions

2008-02-02T16:51:00.000-08:00

Considering the season, I thought it would be fun to pull out some love potion recipes and let you decide if you want to try any to see for yourself. I will not be held responsible for the consequences - good, bad or otherwise. Just remember the old saying "Be careful what you wish for - you just might get it!"

All these blends can be used in diffusers, used to scent body powders, to create a scented spray, in a massage oil or as a personal scent (dilute to 1% in jojoba) and worn on pulse points.

Actual formulas are not given as part of the power of a potion lies with the creator of the blend. The oils are listed in terms of what portion of the blend they form:

• MA = major
• mi = minor
• T = trace

If there is an asterik (*) after the oil, that indicates the oil is a possible irritant and should be used with caution.

Attraction
- Patchouli (MA), Lavender (MA), Cedarwood (mi)

Secret Desires
- heliotrope (MA), Cedarwood (MA), Rose (MA), Frankincense (T)

Increased Desire
- Jasmine (MA), Vanilla (mi), Musk (mi)

Love Me
- Rose (MA), Sandalwood (MA), Jasmine (mi)

Enhance Your RomanceM
- Rose (MA), Gardenia (mi), Lavender (mi)

Arouse Your Passion
- Jasmine (MA), Rose (MA), Sandalwood (MA), Patchouli (MA), Camphor* (T)

Sensuous
- Ambergris (MA), Jasmine (mi), Musk (mi), Frankicense (T)

Binding Love
- Ylang Ylang (MA), Jasmine (MA), Champa (mi), Tuberose (mi), White Wine (mi). For this one, place a few drops of this on your lover's and your heart to bind them in your mutual love for eternity.

A Great Home For Online Casino Players

2008-02-02T15:28:00.000-08:00

Online gamblers and online casino lovers! Here is an addition to your list of online casino resource where you can find lots of useful reviews and guides to make your online casino experience a little more advance.

x-casinos.com is a site dedicated to all online casino gamblers around the world. Whether you are a veteran or a newbie, this site will help you along the way and provide you with necessary informations that are very useful on your every play.

They have a step-by-step guide on how to get you started in the online casino world and present you the rules and strategies for all popular games. In addition, x-casinos.com will guide you to find the largest bonuses and most profitable online casino games available on the internet today.

I've browsed on their website and found lots of great reviews about the best casinos in the internet. If you wish to be updated on the latest news on the online casino, x-casinos.com is the one place for you.

Valentine's Day Candy Jar

2008-02-02T15:23:00.000-08:00

Here is another beautiful Valentine's Day craft that is great to make as gift this season of hearts.

Use a small, narrow jar for this Valentine's Day gift in a jar idea - fill with layers of jelly beans, cinnamon hearts or your favorite Valentine candy, then decorate with heart shaped lollipops, heart shaped candy and tiny roses.

Materials Needed:
• narrow glass jar with tight fitting lid
• red and white jelly beans, or other appropriate Valentine candy
• red heart shaped lollipops
• 5 or 6 miniature roses
• two heart Valentine candies
• small white or red paper doily or decorative fabric
• gold braid or thin ribbon
• glue gun and glue sticks

Instructions:

1. Layer the jelly beans in the jar and secure the cap tightly.

2. Decorate the lid by attaching a red or white paper doily or a circle of decorative fabric. Secure with a rubber band, then cover the band with thin gold braid or ribbon, tied in a bow.

3. Attach two or three miniature roses to each heart shaped lollipop, using the wire stems of the flowers to secure in place at the base of each lollipop.

4. Decide on the appropriate placement on the jar for the first lollipop, and hot glue in place with a small dollop of glue under the clear cellophane wrapper. Repeat with the second lollipop, crossing it over the first as shown.

5. You may need to secure the lollipops with a small amount of glue at the cross-over point on the lollipop handles.

6. If using the heart candies, or another decoration, position above the roses, and glue in place on the cellophane sucker wrapper.

Homemade Valentine's Day Gift No. 1

2008-01-29T17:35:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is getting near. And to start our Valentine's celebration, heres a simple homemade Valentine's gift you can give to your special someone or display in your house.

Materials Needed:
• plain glass globe vase or ivy bowl
• glass votive holder to fit inside the vase
• candle to fit inside the votive
• decorative glass pebbles in red

Instructions:

1. Simply place the votive candle holder inside the glass globe and surround with red decorative glass pebbles.
2. When you light the candle, you'll find the candlelight is defused by the colored glass, casting a lovely warm reddish glow for Valentine's Day.

Make several candles as a centerpiece for your Valentine's Day dinner or leave one on the bathroom countertop as an invitation to indulge in a relaxing candlelit bath. If you place the candle on a highly polished or mirrored surface, like the one in the upper right photo, the effect of the candle is doubled in the reflection.

Variations:

If you are using an ivy bowl with a fluted edge, consider adding a red satin ribbon around the neck of the bowl and tie in a bow. Or tie a few strands of raffia around the neck of the bowl and hot glue small silk rosebuds in the center of the raffia. For gift-giving, use a fragrant rose-scented candle and attach add a small gift card.

Easy To Make Homemade Fish Food

2008-01-22T18:15:00.001-08:00

Do you have an aquarium at home? Or, someone who loves to make fish as pets? Then, this recipe will surely be very useful. Here is a homemade fish food:

Ingredients:

• 1000g. NZ Whitebait (fish)
• 2000g. Cooked Prawns (Shrimp)
• 1000g. Mussels
• 500g. Frozen (Fresh) Spinach
• 500g. Beef Liver
• 250g. Optional Extras
• 375g. Gelatine (Agar)

Preparation:

1. Blanch beef liver in boiling water to seal in blood content, otherwise it will pollute the aquarium water when thawed.
2. Prawns are prepared by removing the head and spiked tail, leaving the body shell intact.
3. In a food processor, chop and blend ingredients 1 to 6 with a small amount of water to form a smooth consistency.
4. Mix all of the above and add dissolved gelatine or agar. If you add a vitamin supplement then add it last and mix thoroughly.
5. Pack into freezer bags or containers to a thickness of about 12 mm and freeze.
6. After freezing, remove from refrigerator, cut into convenient size such as a daily feeding block and store in air-tight container in freezer.
7. The block can then be cut or grated into bite-size portions for feeding to your fishes.

Homemade Sausage Recipes

2008-01-22T00:20:00.000-08:00

Here are two recipes of the delicious sausage. Make them in the comfort of your home and enjoy its delicious taste without spending too much money.

HOMEMADE SUMMER SAUSAGE

Ingredients:
• 2 lb. lean ground beef
• 3/4 c. water
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tbsp. Morton Quick salt (meat cure)
• 1 tbsp. liquid smoke
• 1 tbsp. mustard seeds

Procedure:
1. Mix all ingredients well.
2. Form into 2 rolls and wrap in foil.
3. Refrigerate 24 hours.
4. With a fork poke holes in foil.
5. Place rolls on broiler rack.
6. Bake at 450 degrees for 1 hour.
7. Slice and serve (hot or cold).

HOMEMADE COUNTRY SAUSAGE

Ingredients:
• 5 lbs. ground hamburger
• 4 tbsp. Mortons Tender Quick Salt
• 1 tbsp. mustard seed
• 1 tbsp. black pepper
• 1 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. liquid smoke
• 2 tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Procedure:
1. Mix together and refrigerate.
2. Take out and knead once a day for three (3) days.
3. On the fourth day divide into fourths and roll out into long rolls.
4. Place onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 150 degrees for 10 (ten) hours.

Making Homemade Bird Feed

2008-01-18T23:51:00.000-08:00

For all bird lovers out there. Here's one recipe your pets will surely love and most important is that it's cheap and especially made by you.

Ingredients:
• 1 cup suet
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 3 cups corn meal
• 1/2 cup flour (preferrably whole wheat)

Procedure:
1. Melt suet in a saucepan over low heat.

2. Add peanut butter, stirring until melted and well blended.

3. Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a large bowl.

4. Allow the suet-peanut-butter blend to cool until slightly thickened, then stir it into the mixture in the bowl. Mix thoroughly.

5. Pour into muffin tins (about half full) and freeze. You can place these in suet holders. Or do not freeze and spread it on a tree trunk or onto wire mesh attached to a board.

This attracts all types of birds.

Homemade Paint and Varnish Removers

2008-01-17T19:57:00.000-08:00

Removing paints and varnish requires a lot of work. Here are some homemade recipes you can make to cheaply remove paints and varnish.

Recipe No. 1

Mix 6 tablespoons sal soda, one cup cold water and 1 cup starch. Add one quart boiling water a little at a time, stirring constantly. Apply with a brush, leave on a few minutes and wash off with warm water. Repeat if necessary.

Recipe No. 2

Mix one cup ammonia, one cup vinegar, 1 cup sal soda and one quart warm water. Allow to soak for a while, then remove with a scraper or stiff brush and warm water.

Recipe No. 3

Mix one can of Lewis Lye into 1 quart water in porcelain pan or crockery. Dissolve 4 heaping tablespoons cornstarch in 2 quarts of water. Pour lye mixture into cornstarch solution very slowly. Apply with rubber gloves.

Homemade Peanut Butter Bread

2008-01-16T22:09:00.000-08:00

Now lets try to cook something we don't usually have on our home food menu.

Ingredients:
• 1/4 c. chunky peanut butter
• 1/2 c. honey
• 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. grated carrots
• 2 bananas, mashed
• 1/4 c. low fat milk
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 3/4 c. white wheat flour

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease a 9"x5" loaf pan.
2. In a mixing bowl, blend together the peanut butter, honey, oil, eggs, carrots and bananas.
3. Add milk, spices, vanilla, salt, baking powder, baking soda and flour.
4. Blend together well.
5. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 1 1/4 hours or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool on a wire rack.

Homemade Tomato Catsup

2008-01-16T21:56:00.000-08:00

As a child, I've always loved the taste of tomato catsup. Now I will show you a recipe of this tasty tomato product.

Materials:
• 1/2 teaspoon Pepper (powdered) 1/2 quart Vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Cloves (powdered) 4 cups Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Allspice (powdered) 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon (powdered)
• Tomato according to pulp needed

(All spice and the rest of the spices are wrapped in a small cloth bag).

Directions:

1. Ripe fleshy red tomatoes are used. They are washed thoroughly, cut into halves (crosswise). The seeds are separated, the pulp is cut into convenient pieces. It is strained and the seeds are discarded.

2. The juice is mixed with the pulp. It is cooked in an enameled kettle, stirring now and then until the thin peelings have been separated and have rolled. It is then removed from the fire.

3. The whole mixture is now strained through a metal strainer, preferably copperwire strainer, or better still, a coarse bamboo basket (with small holes), and all the pulp let to pass through.

4. The pulp is measured. To every 4 quarts of the pulp the above items are added. The resulting mixture is put in a kettle (enameled), boiled, stirring constantly to avoid scorching until the right consistency for catsup is reached.

5. The mixture is then poured into bottles, sterilized and covered tightly.

Making Homemade Pepper Spray

2008-01-16T08:58:00.000-08:00

Pepper spray is an effective self-defense in times of unexpected danger but it is quiet expensive in the market. So I researched for a homemade pepper spray and here is what I found:

Ingredients:
• A small cup of Black Pepper
• Fresh curry leaves
• A cup of mineral water
• Salt & Ajinomoto
• 1/4 cups corn flour
• Recycle any small spray bottle

Instructions:
1) Crush the pepper and curry leaves in a mortar.
2) Mix a water with a corn flour.
3) Put the pepper in.
4) Add salt and ajinomoto for a flavor. Gently Stir it frequently.
5) Let it stand for about 24 hours in a refrigerator.
6)Take a recycle spray bottle and clean it very good. Put the complete pepper mix in the spray bottle.

This recipe makes for 1 bottle only.

IMPORTANT: Remember, spraying a pepper spray to an innocent victim in the face can be a crime. Therefore, I am not responsible for any liability or damages resulting from the use of this ideas to human being. An ideal use for this homemade pepper spray is to kill cockroaches and other insects.

There are a number of cases where people are being killed because of a pepper spray. And in some countries, pepper spray is classed as an offensive weapon. The sale and possession of pepper spray itself is illegal. Also you can't carry any pepper spray on an airplane or in carry-on luggage.

Making Your Homemade Hair Gel

2008-01-15T21:57:00.000-08:00

For those who can't live with a hair gel on their hair. Here is one that I think all of you including me will love to learn to make.

Ingredients:
• 1 pkg. Unflavored Gelatin
• One Cup Sugar Water

Process:

1). Combine one package Gelatin with one cup warm sugar water.

(Note: the more sugar diluted in the water, the stickier. I suggest about a teaspoon.)

2). Let sit till desired consistency is achieved.

3). Apply to hair like regular gel.

A Homemade Mayonnaise Without The Egg

2008-01-15T14:41:00.000-08:00

You want your mayonnaise to be something more healthier? Well, I found this great recipe on making mayonnaise without the egg.

Ingredients:
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional)
• dash of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup powdered skim milk
• 2 tablespoon ice water
• 3/4 cup salad oil
• 3 tablespoon lemon juice or
• 2 tablespoon wine vinegar

Directions:
1. Place deep, medium sized bowl and electric mixer beaters in refrigerator until thoroughly chilled.
2. In chilled bowl, mix together salt, mustard, paprika, sugar, pepper, powdered milk and water.
3. With electric mixer, on highest speed, add 2 tbsp oil, drop by drop. Continue to add oil, by 1/2 tbsp with beater on until 2 tbsp have been added. While continually beating, add the remaining oil by the teaspoonful.
4. Slowly beat in the lemon juice or vinegar. Continue to beat until mayonnaise is thick and smooth.
5. Store in warmest part of the refrigerator.

Try also this:
For Russian dressing beat in 1/4 cup chili sauce into one cup of the eggless mayonnaise. If you wish, an even sharper flavor, add, in addition to the chili sauce, 1 tbsp each of finely minced onion and some green pepper.

Homemade Cooking Oil No. 1 - Lemon Spice Oil

2008-01-15T00:40:00.000-08:00

Spice up your cooking or give these tasty oils to your friends as a memorable gift. They will love this and will thank you for it!

Stir this oil into cooked rice or pour it sparingly onto poached, steamed or sautéed fish.

Ingredients:
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 10 whole cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup peanut or vegetable oil

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. With a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, coarsely grind the lemon zest, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon, allspice and peppercorns with the lemon juice to form a paste.

3. In a 1-cup metal measure or very small metal bowl, stir together paste and oil. Set the measuring cup or bowl on a baking sheet and cook in lower third of oven for one hour. Cool on a rack for 30 minutes.

4. Line a small strainer with several layers of cheesecloth and strain oil into a glass jar. Covered loosely and refrigerated at all times, flavored oil keeps for one month.

Servings: Makes about 1/2 cup.

Making Homemade Bubbles

2008-01-12T01:27:00.000-08:00

Holidays are over but the fun never stops especially for children. When the weather is warm, bubbles are great for outdoor fun. Here are some bubble recipes that will surely put your children in a great fun. These bubbles can be used indoors as well.

A little precaution though, while babies love bubble play, be careful around your baby's eyes. You can try substituting the soap in these recipes with a baby shampoo or baby wash for tear-free bubbles.

Best Bubble Solution

• 1 Cup Water
• 2 Tablespoons Light Karo syrup or 2 Tablespoons Glycerin
• 4 Tablespoons Dishwashing liquid

1. Mix together and have fun!

Colored Bubbles

• 1 Cup Granulated Soap or Soap Powder
• 1 Quart Warm Water
• Liquid Food Coloring
• Plastic Straws
• Small Juice Cans

1. Dissolve soap in warm water.

2. Stir in food coloring until desired color is attained. Give each child a can about 1/3 full of mix and a plastic straw to blow the bubbles.

Fancy Bubbles

• 1 Cup Water
• 2 Tablespoon Liquid Detergent
• 1 Tablespoon Glycerine
• 1 Teaspoon Sugar

1. Mix all ingredients together until sugar dissolves. Enjoy!

Making A Homemade Thermometer

2008-01-09T08:22:00.000-08:00

I have found this great project originally created from josepino.com. A homemade thermometer which works much like the mercury thermometer.

Materials Needed:
• A plastic film can.
• A straw.
• A wire. (Do not use iron, it rusts)
• Water
• Food colorant or beverage powder (Strawberry flavor is better).
• Glue. (Hot glue works better).

Procedures:
1. First, make a hole in the cap, insert the straw in the hole (be sure the straw reach the bottom of the film can) and seal it with glue or hot glue.

2. The cap should be sealed before building the thermometer.

3. Second, put 1/4 of water in the plastic film can (about half inch of water) and add some colorant.

4. Third, put the cap. If the water doesn't rise as shows the photo, you need to seal the cap perfectly.

5. Make the wire straight and put it inside of the straw.

6. The thermometer is ready to be calibrated. Calibrating this thermometer is not easy but not impossible. First, put your thermometer floating in water and measure the temperature of the water with another thermometer. Mark the level of the thermometer. The next step is to handle your thermometer in your hands and watch how the level rises. Wait for ten minutes until the water line does not rises anymore and mark it.

The top line should be 96.7F approximately, the lower line should be as marked as the calibrated thermometer indicates (usually, close to 75F)

Homemade Cockroach Killer

2008-01-07T18:40:00.000-08:00

Cockroach are everywhere... in your home, in the streets, and other places. Here is a safe cockroach killer you can make in your home.

Ingredients:
• Borax, 16 oz
• Powdered sugar, 60 oz.
• One oz. cocoa powder
• Two oz. sodium fluoride

Preparation:
1. Mix well and sprinkle around places pests are known to frequent.
2. Keep out of reach of children and pets!

Facts About Roaches

1. Cockroaches have inhabited the earth for more than 250 million years.
2. The average roach infested home contains more than 20,000 roaches.
3. Roaches can live up to 20 days without food and 14 days without water.
4. Roaches can flatten their bodies and crawl through a crack thinner than a dime
5. Roaches eat anything--food, leather, hair, and the glue in book bindings.
6. Roaches can live off the toothpaste residue in your toothbrush.
7. Roaches can survive radiation up to 12 times greater than humans.
8. Roaches have been implicated in the spread of tuberculosis, leprosy, cholera, dysentery, and typhoid....and recently asthma.
9. Roaches are startled by the smallest of air movements and can run for cover in less than .05 seconds.
10. There are over 3,000 kinds of roaches, including the devastating Asian roach, which has migrated to the United States.
11. Roaches are cannibals and take a particular liking to each others excrement.
12. In extreme cases roaches will feed off people.
13. Roaches can transmit a wide variety of diseases and cause allergic reactions previously thought to be caused by dust.
14. Roaches can live for days without a head.

Homemade Designer Flip-flops

2008-01-05T17:10:00.000-08:00

Go personalized with your flip-flops. Here is one I found every girls especially teens can get interested on making.

Materials Needed:
• Cloth ribbon, fringe, or similar trim
• Scissors
• Flip-flops with foam soles and foam or fabric straps
• Low-temperature glue gun

Procedures:
1. Choose a trim and cut a length to fit around the outer wall of each sole with a 1/2-inch overlap. Cut separate pieces of trim for the left and right sides of the foot strap, as well (again, the pieces should overlap 1/2 inch where the ends meet in the center).

2. To attach the trim to the sole, evenly apply a line of hot glue to a 2-inch section of the foam, using the low-temperature glue gun tip to quickly spread it to a width that's slightly narrower than the ribbon. Firmly press the end of the trim onto the glued portion so that it sticks well, then smooth it toward the unglued section. Continue applying glue and attaching the trim in 2-inch increments until you've fully circled the sole.

3. Use the same method to attach the 2 pieces of strap trim. Allow the glue to dry for at least an hour before your child takes her newly decorated footwear for a walk.

The design possibilities are endless depending on what you want. Make your flip-flops unique!

Homemade Mouse Traps

2008-01-02T09:10:00.000-08:00

Here are some homemade mouse traps you can try. You will not be using any deadly chemicals with these so nothing to worry if you have kids or pets at home.

Homemade Mouse Trap #1

1. Get a toilet paper tube and crease two lines to form a flat sided tunnel.
2. Put a treat on one end of the tube: A cracker and dab of peanut butter works great.
3. Get a tall (at least 20 inches) bucket. A trash can works well.
4. Balance the tube precariously on the edge of a table or counter with the treat hanging directly over the tall sided receptacle.
5. The mouse will scurry to the treat (they like tunnels) and fall into the trap.

Homemade Mouse Trap #2

1. Set up a half to three-quarters full 5 gallon bucket (or something) with water, near where your mice or chipmunks are. Mice or chipmunks can be near your garage, your woodpile, your garden or around your house. With chipmunks you often see their burrows. Mice are mostly night time animals, chipmunks are daytime animals, so their paths don't normally cross. Make sure the amount of water will not be deeper than your pet dog or cat cannot stand in or get out of.

2. Place a ramp up to the top of the bucket and sprinkle birdseed or sunflower seeds up the ramp and into the bucket so they float on top of the water. They jump right in! This method has been used for many years, it works pretty well.

3. Make sure you float enough seeds so that they disguise the reflectivity of the water. You can also float a bunch of corks on top of the water, it masks the water and won't support them when they fall in. (The corks are an old exterminator's trick, we always have corks on our trucks, they're used for other things.)

4. To hasten the process of drowning, squirt some dish washing soap in the water. Also put just a few (THAT'S ONLY A FEW) of those seeds leading up your ramp. You want him curious, not satisfied.

5. Fish out the expired animals at least once per day and change the water every two or three days. You can bag the animals and place them in your trash. And, no, this trick will not work on adult rats, they are generally too smart to fall for this. A young and inexperienced rat might, however.

Disclosure Policy

2008-01-01T16:53:00.000-08:00

This policy is valid from 01 January 2008

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. For questions about this blog, please contact HomeMade Style.

This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.

The compensation received will never influence the content, topics or posts made in this blog. All advertising is in the form of advertisements generated by a third party ad network. Those advertisements will be identified as paid advertisements.

The owner(s) of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.

To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org

New Year Bang: Homemade Roman Candle

2007-12-31T00:57:00.000-08:00

Roman candles are impressive to watch. They are relatively difficult to make, compared to the other types of homemade fireworks, but they are well worth the trouble.

1) Buy a 1/2 inch thick model rocket body tube, and reinforce it with several layers of paper and/or masking tape. This must be done to prevent the tube from exploding. Cut the tube into about 10 inch lengths.

2) Put the tube on a sheet of wax paper, and seal one end with epoxy and the drying agent. About 1/2 of an inch is sufficient.

3) Put a hole in the tube just above the bottom layer of epoxy, and insert a desired length of water proof fuse. Make sure that the fuse fits tightly.

4) Pour about 1 inch of pyrodex or gunpowder down the open end of the tube.

5) Make a ball by powdering about two 6 inch sparklers of the desired color. Mix this powder with a small amount of flash powder and a small amount of pyrodex, to have a final ratio (by volume) of 60% sparkler material / 20% flash powder / 20% pyrodex. After mixing the powders well, add water, one drop at a time, and mixing continuously, until a damp paste is formed.

This paste should be moldable by hand, and should retain its shape when left alone. Make a ball out of the paste that just fits into the tube. Allow the ball to dry.

6) When it is dry, drop the ball down the tube. It should slide down fairly easily. Put a small wad of tissue paper in the tube, and pack it gently against the ball with a pencil.

7) When ready to use, put the candle in a hole in the ground, pointed in a safe direction, light the fuse, and run. If the device works, a colored fireball should shoot out of the tube to a height of about 30 feet. This height can be increased by adding a slightly larger powder charge in step 4, or by using a slightly longer tube.

8) If the ball does not ignite, add slightly more pyrodex in step 5.

9) The balls made for roman candles also function very well in rockets, producing an effect of falling colored fireballs.

WARNING: Take necessary precautions when doing this homemade roman candle. The author will not be liable for any damages or injuries this may incur. Do this at your own risk.

New Year Noise Maker Out of Paper Plates

2007-12-29T01:05:00.000-08:00

Fire crackers are sometimes dangerous. Here is a great New Year noise maker out of paper plates:

Materials Needed:
• 2 Paper Plates
• Crayons, Markers, or Paint
• Crepe Paper or Other Streamers
• Dried Beans
• Stapler or Tape
• Craft Stick
• Tape

Instructions:
1. Decorate the back sides of the paper plates with purple, green, and gold crayons, markers, or paint.
2. Tape or staple 1 - 2 foot long pieces of streamer around the outside edge of one of the decorated paper plates (attach them to the non-decorated side).
3. Put the paper plate with the streamers on the table, with the right side (non-decorated) up.
4. Tape a craft stick to the rim of the plate leaving out part of the stick for a handle.
5. Place the other paper plate on top of the first one, right side down. This will make a gap in the middle.
6. Start stapling the edges together, leaving an opening a few inches wide. Slide a handful of dried beans in between the paper plates.
7. Finish stapling them shut and your noise maker is complete!

Home Recipe For Leftover Holiday Ham

2007-12-24T08:15:00.000-08:00

Here are some recipes you can do with your left-over ham.

HONEY PINEAPPLE BAKED HAM

Ingredients:
• 1 (10-12 lb.) cured ham
• 1 c. pineapple juice
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 c. honey
• 1 tbsp. whole cloves
• 5 pineapple slices

Procedure:
1. Wipe ham with damp cloth.
2. Place ham in uncovered shallow roasting pan, fat side up. Then bake in a 325 degree oven, allowing about 20 minutes per pound of ham.
3. About 45 minutes before ham has finished baking, remove from oven.
4. Skin, score fat, and dot with whole cloves.
5. Combine pineapple juice, lemon juice, and honey. Heat to the boiling point.
6. Remove from heat immediately and pour over the ham.
7. Return ham to oven and bake approximately 45 minutes or until interior temperature is 170 degrees.

To serve: Garnish with saut?ed pineapple slices and fresh mint.

BAKED HAM WITH PEPSI COLA SAUCE

Ingredients:
SAUCE
• 12 oz. Pepsi Cola
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. mustard
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• Dash Tabasco sauce
• 1 mashed clove garlic

Procedure:
1. Mix together. 1/2 semi boneless or boneless ham, can also be used for canned ham.
2. Ham scored and studded with cloves, bake in moderate oven 325 degrees for 1 hour.
3. Baste with sauce. Baste with sauce very 15 minutes.
4. When serving, use sauce over sliced ham.

No Bake Christmas Cookies - Part 2

2007-12-20T18:07:00.000-08:00

Here is the second part of my Christmas special featuring no bake Christmas cookies. Below are three recipes that show how you can use white chocolate chips for some easy and delicious no-bake, crowd-pleasing delights that will bring joy – and good taste -- to your holidays.

Holiday Buttons

Ingredients:
• 1 one-pound bag pretzel rounds
• 2, 12-ounce bags white chocolate chips
• Red and green M&M candies (approximately 100)

Procedure:
1. Lay pretzel rounds on wax paper.
2. In a microwave-safe dish, melt white chocolate chips in microwave at 80% power for 50 seconds at a time until just fluid (gently stir between).
3. Pour white chocolate by teaspoonfuls into center of pretzel rounds. Press one M&M candy into each pretzel center.
4. Let set for at least 20 minutes or until firm before removing from waxed paper.
5. When stored in air-tight containers, these will remain fresh for a week. They also can be frozen for later use.

Peppermint Bark

Ingredients:
• One 12-ounce package white chocolate chips
• Approximately 1 1/2 cups crushed peppermint (candy canes or peppermint candies)

Procedure:
1. In a microwave-safe dish, melt white chocolate chips in microwave at 80% power 50 seconds at a time until just fluid (only gentle stirring will be required).
2. Line the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch pan with waxed paper.
3. Spread crushed peppermints on waxed paper. Then pour melted white chocolate chips on top.
4. Chill in refrigerator until firm.
5. Break into pieces and enjoy! Peppermint bark makes a great gift wrapped in plastic wrap with a red ribbon.

White Chocolate Clusters

Ingredients:
• One 12-ounce package white chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons butter
• A 2-cup combination of the following, in any combination:
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup pretzels
- 1/2 cup chopped graham crackers
- 1/2 cup peanuts
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1/2 cup cereal such as crisped rice, Cheerios
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips or chocolate candies

Procedure:
1. In a microwave-safe dish, melt white chocolate chips with butter in microwave at 80% power 50 seconds at a time until just fluid (only gentle stirring will be required).
2. Immediately stir in remaining ingredients until coated.
3. Place by tablespoonfuls on waxed paper and let sit until firm.

Making No Bake Christmas Cookies - Part 1

2007-12-16T07:17:00.000-08:00

As part of our Christmas specials, here are two Christmas recipes that mom's and mom's alike can make without the need of an oven. Yap, no baking at all!

Christmas Wreath Cookies

Ingredients:
• 3/4 c. butter
• 1 (16 oz.) bag marshmallows
• 7 c. corn flakes
• Green food coloring
• Blue food coloring
• Red hots

Instructions:
1. Melt butter in pan.
2. Add marshmallows and stir until melted.
3. Add food coloring until mixture is a nice "holly" green.
4. Remove from heat and pour over corn flakes in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly.
5. On wax paper, form wreath-shaped cookies and decorate with red hots to look like berries.

Rolled Oat Cookies (No Bake)

Ingredients:
• 2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 c. peanut butter
• 3 c. rolled oats (quick or regular)

Instructions:
1. Combine sugar, milk, butter and salt, in a heavy 3 quart pot. Stir.
2. Bring to a full boil. Boil for 1 minute.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Add vanilla and peanut butter. Stir until smooth.
5. Add rolled oats. Mix well. Cool until mixture holds shape, slightly.
6. Drop by teaspoon onto waxed paper. Cool.

Makes about 4 dozen clusters

Make Your Own Christmas Ornament Gifts

2007-12-14T17:57:00.000-08:00

These cute ornaments are a great alternative to the traditional plate of goodies that you take to your friends, neighbors and visiting teachers.

Santa's Red Underwear

Materials:
• Red felt
• Needle and thread or sewing machine
• Candy
• Paper card
• Buttons
• Safety pin
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Instructions:

1. Cut out two pieces for the red underwear from felt. Cut hole in backside of one piece.

2. Sew together both sides with needle and thread.

3. Stuff with candy.

4. To hold candy in, safety pin a slightly larger piece of felt, than the hole you cut, to the backside.

5. Adhere buttons with hot glue.

6. Attach the following note:

We looked for a stocking,
but we couldn't find a spare.
So we ended up stuffing
Santa's red underwear.

Merry Christmas!

Tree Ornament

Materials:
• Green felt or flannel for tree
• Safety pin
• Needle and thread or sewing machine
• Candy

Instructions:

1. Cut out two pieces (a front and a back) for the tree.

2. Cut out a hole in one piece.

2. Stitch together both sides of the tree with needle and thread.

3. Stuff with candy.

4. Cut a piece that is slightly larger than the hole you cut out of the back of the tree in step #2. Safety pin it to keep candy in.

5. Attach the following note:

This year we've been busy as a bee.
But we found time to make you this tree.
It's stuffed full of candy for you to eat.

Have a very merry Christmas and enjoy your treat!

Transforming A Plain Candle Into A Beautiful Potpourri

2007-12-10T17:08:00.000-08:00

If you have an iron and some wax paper you can automatically transform any candle into a potpourri one.

This project is so simple and fun to make even children can do this activity, with some adult supervision of course.

Materials:
• Potpourri
• Plain candle (lighter colors seem to work better)
• Hammer for crushing potpourri
• Wax Paper
• Iron
• Large pot
• Large can (like a coffee can)
• Canning wax

Procedures:
1. Open bag of potpourri and find soft smaller pieces. You do NOT want large hard, three-dimensional pieces like seeds and pods.

2. Using a hammer, smash the soft smaller pieces into even smaller pieces.

3. Place the small bits of potpourri on one side of the candle. (You can spend hours placing it just so, but I find that just sort of sprinkling it on randomly gives a nice appearance and is much easier.)

4. Tear a sheet of wax paper just big enough to cover the surface of your iron.

5. Place the wax paper on top of the potpourri and place the iron (on the highest setting) on top of the wax paper. (Note, since the iron is hot, children and teens will need supervision from an adult. Be careful not to burn yourself.)

6. When you place the iron of the candle and wax paper, apply medium pressure and count to 10. If you apply too much pressure or hold the iron on the candle for too long, the candle itself will melt and leak on your work surface.

7. When you pull the iron and wax paper off the candle, the potpourri should stick to the candle surface. (If the potpourri is not sticking well to the candle you probably are using too thick and hard pieces of potpourri. Make sure you use the hammer to smash the potpourri well.)

8. Continue this process till the entire candle is covered with potpourri. (Note, some people prefer to only put potpourri on one side of the candle instead of all around it. Also, if you have dried flowers from your yard, you can use these instead of potpourri. Dried flowers might be more sensitive to the heat, so don't leave the iron on for as long.)

9. After you had "ironed" on all of your potpourri, you will dip the candle in melted wax to "seal" the potpourri into the candle. This dipping will give the candle the embedded look.

10. To do this, place water in a large pasta/sauce pan. Place a large tin can (like a coffee can) into the first pan to create a double boiler. (NOTE, YOU CANNOT MELT WAX OVER A FLAME IN A POT BY ITSELF. THIS WILL CAUSE A FIRE.)

11. Place one cake of canning wax into the tin can. Bring the pot to hot heat. As the water in the pot boils, the wax in the can will melt. When the wax inside the can gets to about 130 degrees, it should be well melted and ready for dipping.

12. Carefully holding the wick, dip the candle into the hot wax. (Caution,hot wax can really scold your skin, so be careful!) Dip the candle in the hot wax for only a couple of seconds and then promptly remove it and set it on a paper plate or more wax paper to dry. Let dry for approximately a minute. As the wax dries, it will become more and more opaque. Repeat this process until you are satisfied with the opaqueness. I usually do two to three dips.

You can finish it off by tying a piece of raffia or ribbon around it and placing it on a holder or dish.

Making Scented Bath Salts

2007-12-08T18:35:00.000-08:00

Scented bath salts are very expensive when you buy them on malls. Here is a way on how you can make your own.

Your homemade scented bath salts not also make your whole bath smell like your favorite perfume but is also ideal as gifts to your love ones especially during Mothers Day and Christmas.

Materials:
• One box of epson salt (Bath aisle in a discount store)
• Box of liquid food coloring
• Glass bottle (This could be a drink bottle)
• Curling ribbon
• Your favorite perfume
• A few bowls and spoons (A bowl and spoon for each color)
• Funnel or paper plate

Procedure:
1. Pour equal portions of epson salt into bowls. Pour enough to fill the bottle(s) you've chosen.

2. Pour a few drops of food coloring into the cereal bowls. A lot goes a long way, so just a couple drops will work.

3. Stir the food coloring thoroughly, making sure to break up any clumps.

4. If you're making a small jar, you can spoon in the epson salt easily.

5. If you're filling a large bottle, you'll probably want to use a funnel or in my case, bend a paper plate into a funnel.

6. Alternate colors or fill a bottle with all one color. You decide.

7. Once the bottles are full, put a drop of your favorite perfume in each bottle. The salt will absorb the scent and it will make your whole bath smell like your favorite perfume.

Making these scented bath salts are also great to make as backyard business.

Christmas Special: Glittery Snow Candle

2007-12-06T17:40:00.000-08:00

No Christmas celebration would be complete without the warm glow of beautiful candles. And what candle would be more fitting for the Christmas season then a glittering snow candle like what I am going to teach you below. Even if you've never made a candle before, you can easily create this whipped snow candle in less than an hour.

This is ideal for gifts for family and friends, or keep it to decorate your own house. You can even involve older children in this craft with the proper supervision. Have fun!

Ingredients:
• 1 lb of boxed wax
• 1/2 lb of wax
• Plastic Spoon
• Double Boiler/ or LG can & Pot
• Glitter
• Electric Beater
• Large Bowl
• Ice
• Wick or Twine
• Greenery (optional)
• Essential Oil (optional)

Instructions:
1. Melt 1/2 lb of wax in double boiler or create your own double boiler by putting large can inside an old pot with water. CAUTION: As with any situation when you are using flame and a flammable ingredient such as wax, please use caution and never leave it unattended. Once the wax has melted, add a little essential oil to the mix. 1 teaspoon should be plenty for half of a lb of wax.

2. Open boxed wax. The box wax comes in four small slabs. Usually when you open a box of wax, it comes out as one large chunk. Break apart the large "chunk" in half (two pieces on each side), and place both of them down. Place the wick or string long-wise across one of the chunks. Scoop some of the wax that has melted in the double boiler, spoon it on top of the wick and wax chunk.

3. Working quickly, place the other chunk of wax on top of the first and squeeze together. Make sure the wax chunks are straight and lined up correctly, otherwise the candle might not stand up. You have now essentially created a candle...you have the wax (fuel supply) and a wick (a means to burn the wax). Everything we do from here is decoration.

4. Let the "candle" dry for a few seconds before going onto the next step.

5. Using a potholder, remove the remaining wax from the double boiler. Place your wax (in the pan or can) in a large bowl. Fill the large bowl with a little bit of ice and water to help cool down the wax. Be careful not to get any water or ice inside the wax. It will ruin the project.

6. Slowly insert an electric beater into the wax. Slowly start the beaters, being careful not to splatter yourself, the cabinets, etc., with hot wax.

7. The wax will start to make suds, kind of like soapy dishwater. When it finally starts to look thick like marshmallow fluff, it's ready to use.

8. Using a plastic spoon (because I hate to do dishes, and this way I can throw it away when we're done) scoop the whipped wax and place it onto the candle. A good way to cover it is to hold onto the wick and angle the candle on its bottom edge. As you cover the candle with the whipped wax, slowly turn the candle around. You can cover the candle as thick as you want. My mother likes leaving holes in the coverage so when you light the candle the light will glow through the holes. I light a thicker coverage to look like a thick snow.

9. After you cover the candle with the whipped wax, sprinkle it with iridescent fine glitter to make the candle shimmer like freshly fallen snow. You can then add greenery to garnish your candle as you like.

Homemade Honey Glazed Ham

2007-12-04T07:58:00.000-08:00

As you can see this blog now has the feel of the coming holidays! To ramp up my holidays specials, let's start with making your very own low budgeted holiday ham.

Why buy those expensive hams from your local groceries when you can make your own honey glazed ham at home and you can also do business by selling your homemade holiday ham to your officemates, friends, or neighbors. Great way to generate additional income, right?

Well, here is the recipe. It's very simple and the ingredients are easy to find. Happy cooking!

Ingredients:

• 1 fully cooked ham
• 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
• 2-3 T. honey

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Score top of ham with sharp knife, in a crisscross pattern. Cuts should be about a 1/2-inch deep.

2. Place ham on a rack in a shallow baking pan (or just straight in the pan if you don't have a rack) and cook for about 20 minutes per pound.

3. In a separate bowl, mix sugar and honey into a paste and brush on the top and sides of ham during the last hour of baking, repeating every 20 minutes.

4. Served warm or cold.

Note: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 1 week. If you have a lot of ham leftover you might want to freeze several large slices in a freezer bag or container (I like to put up at least one serving large enough to feed our family a nice dinner). Just be sure to add a spoonful of the ham juices to the freezer bag and it will help them stay moist when reheating later.

Make Your Own Grout Cleaner

2007-11-30T08:18:00.000-08:00

Ceramic tile looks lovely, especially in kitchens and bathrooms, but when tiles becomes dirty, and when grout becomes discolored by mold and mildew, it's anything but attractive.

Here are some homemade cleaners to solve this problem.

Note: Before mixing and using the following homemade cleaner, take the necessary safety precautions by putting on safety goggles and rubber gloves, and provide adequate ventilation.

Regular-Strength Cleaner

Materials:
• 3 cups of water
• 3/4 cup of liquid chlorine bleach
• 1-quart spray bottle
• old toothbrush, or any small stiff-bristled brush

Instructions:
1. Begin by combining the bleach and water in a spray bottle.
2. Spray the diluted bleach on the grout, and allow it to soak in for several minutes.
3. Even before scrubbing, you'll notice the discoloration fading away.
4. Next, begin scrubbing until the dirt and discoloration has completely dissolved. 5. Rinse it well with clean water, and dry it with an old towel or rag.

Your grout should look as good as new!

Heavy-Duty Homemade Cleaner

Note: This heavy-duty homemade cleaner is considerably stronger than regular-strength homemade grout cleaner, and safety precautions are necessary. You'll need safety goggles and elbow-length rubber gloves. In addition, the active ingredient in this homemade grout cleaner will cause pitting when applied to porcelain or wood, so you'll need heavy-duty masking tape to protect surface edges.

Materials:
• muriatic acid
• 4 1/2 cups of water
• 2-quart plastic container with a lid
• wooden stirring stick
• old or inexpensive paint brush

Instruction:
1. Begin by adding the water to the container, and slowly stir the acid into the water.
2. Carefully apply the solution to the discolored grout, and allow it to soak in for about 45 minutes. You'll notice the grout becoming lighter in color as the solution works.
3. Lastly, with safety gear still in place, thoroughly rinse away the muriatic acid with clear water, and dry the tiles and grout with an old towel or rag.
4. Repeat the process if necessary until the color of the grout is as light as desired.

Happy Cleaning!!!

Better Homes and Gardens White Bread Recipe

2007-11-28T03:42:00.000-08:00

Here is a White Bread recipe that is easy to prepare:

Ingredients:

• 5 3/4 to 6 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 package dry active yeast
• 2 1/4 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon shortening, butter, or margarine
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Combine 2 1/2 cups flour and the yeast in a large mixing bowl. Heat and stir milk, sugar, shortening, and salt until warm (120 to 130 degrees); butter will almost melt. Add to flour mixture and beat with electric mixer on low for thirty seconds (scrape bowl constantly). Beat on high three minutes more. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can with a spoon.

2. Turn dough onto lightly floured board and knead in remaining dough until smooth and elastic dough is formed (six to eight minutes). Shape into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Turn once to grease dough surface. Cover and rise in warm place until double (approximately forty-five minutes).

3. Punch down dough and turn again onto floured surface. Divide into two even balls. Cover and let rest for ten minutes. Shape each dough half into bread loaves by patting or rolling.

4. Place dough loaves into greased bread pans (8 x 4 x 2). Cover and rise in warm place until double (about thirty to forty minutes). Bake in 375 degree oven 40 minutes or until done. Loaves can be covered with aluminum foil the last ten minutes of baking to prevent over browning if necessary.

5. Remove immediately from pans and cool on wire racks.

Homemade Gold Jewelry Cleaner

2007-11-26T07:26:00.000-08:00

Gold jewelry are dazzling and sparkling... and expensive too! But when authentic gold jewelry becomes dirty and dull, cleaning is required to restore its brilliant shine. Buying jewelry cleaner isn't necessary. Homemade gold jewelry cleaner is just as effective at cleaning and restoring the shine of beautiful gold jewelry. Below is a recipe you can make yourself.

This recipe makes a container of homemade gold jewelry cleaner comparable to cleaner sold in stores.

Materials and Ingredients:

• 1/2 quart of water
• 1/2 teaspoon of household ammonia
• 1/2 teaspoon of mild dish liquid
• soft toothbrush or another comparable brush with flexible bristles
• 1/2 quart-size container with a tight-fitting lid
• chamois cloth.

(Optionally you can place a small plastic handle basket in the container of homemade cleaner for easy removal after soaking.)

Instruction:

1. Combine the homemade solution in a container of your choice, and keep it covered when not in use. This homemade cleaner should last indefinitely when properly stored.

Cleaning Instructions:

1. Place gold items in the homemade solution, and allow it to soak momentarily.
2. Brush it lightly, and pay careful attention to crevices and openings beneath gemstones where soap and debris typically collects.
3. Rinse it in cool water, and pat it dry with a clean soft cloth.
4. Finishing cleaning by polishing gently with a chamois cloth to restore the brilliant shine and lustrous beauty.

Microwave Oven Scouring Cleaner

2007-11-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

When dry food and sauce build up on the walls of a microwave oven, not only does it look unpleasant, it is also unsanitary. But, no matter how tough the job seems, getting your microwave oven clean is easier than you think, especially when you use this homemade cleaner.

Ingredients:
• 4 tbsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp vinegar

Instructions:
1. In a bowl, combine four tablespoons of baking soda with one tablespoon of vinegar. 2. Mix together until the baking soda and vinegar form a paste.

Application:

Before you apply the homemade cleaner, put a cup of water in a microwave-safe bowl or cup. Place it in the microwave oven and heat until the water bowls. Turn off the microwave, and let the water sit for one or two minutes. The steam from the water will help to loosen the dried, caked-on food.

After removing the water, use a moist sponge or cloth to spread the paste around the inside of your microwave oven. Scrub until all the food and debris has been loosened up, then use plain water to rinse off the paste.

Homemade Silver Cleaner

2007-11-21T06:43:00.000-08:00

Cleaning silver is hard work, and store-bought silver cleaner that appears to remove tarnish doesn't always work as promised. The following is a homemade silver cleaner that works very well to remove years of tarnish and grime.

This recipe makes 2 pints of homemade silver cleaner.

Ingredients and Materials:

• 2 cups of diatomaceous earth *
• 1 teaspoon of trisodium phosphate **
• 4 tablespoons of stearic acid +
• 1 teaspoon of washing soda ++
• 3 cups of water
• quart-size double boiler
• stirring stick
• heavy-duty rubber gloves
• face mask
• 2 pint jars with lids

* Diatomaceous earth can be found at larger garden centers.
** Trisodium phosphate, more commonly referred to as TSP can be found in most retail stores that sell paint products.
+ Stearic acid is used in candle making, and it can be bought in craft stores.
++ Washing soda is available in the laundry detergent isle at your local grocery store.

Warnings:

Never place stearic acid over direct heat. It is highly flammable and should always be heated over a double boiler that has been removed from heat and flame. In addition, diatomaceous earth should not be inhaled. Always wear a face mask when working with this product. Lastly, before handling trisodium phosphate and stearic acid, always put on a pair of heavy-duty rubber gloves to avoid skin irritation.

Instructions:

1. Begin making this homemade cleaner by bringing water to a boil in a quart-size double boiler.
2. Remove the double boiler from the heat, and transfer it to a well-protected work surface.
3. Put on a pair of heavy-duty rubber gloves, and add 3 cups of water and 4 tablespoons of stearic acid to the inner pan of the double boiler.
4. Stir continuously until the stearic acid is completely melted.
5. Next, put on a face mask, and stir in the trisodium phosphate, washing soda, and diatomaceous earth until if forms a paste.
6. Transfer this homemade mixture into 2 clean jars, and allow it to cool completely before using it to clean and polish your silver.

Making Fragrant Baby Powder

2007-11-19T07:48:00.000-08:00

This post is for those mom's and mom's to be.

Ingredients:
• 1/2 pound cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon lavender essential oil

Instructions:
1. Place cornstarch in a self-sealing plastic bag and add the essential oil drop by drop.

2. Tightly close the bag and shake it to distribute the oil, breaking up any clumps through the bag. Let stand 4 days to distribute the essential oil.

3. Use with every diaper change, or as needed. Potato starch or arrowroot powder can be used instead of cornstarch.

4. Spice or salt shakers with large perforations in their lids make good powder containers.

Homemade Blackberry Brandy

2007-11-11T17:09:00.000-08:00

To make your own liqueurs is very easy but note these are non brewing recipes. They involve mixing fruit with spirits such as brandy, whisky, or gin. Remember to choose only the very sound and preferably ripe fruit so that you extract the maximum of mature juice.

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle of brandy
• 1 lb blackberries
• 2 cloves
• small pieces cinnamon
• 3 oz. sugar

Instructions:

1) Lightly crush the blackberries.
2) Put enough of the blackberries into bottles to half fill each bottle.
3) Add the cloves and the cinnamon pieces and the sugar and fill the bottle with brandy.
4) Cover tightly and leave for 3-4 months, shaking (shake every day for first 2 weeks then once a month)
5) Strain into another bottle or strain as you pour the latter will add the interest of having the fruit in the bottle as you pour.

Cheers!!!

Hangover Tip: To prevent headache after a long drinking session, drink a pint of water before going to sleep.

Fighting Dengue Goes Homemade

2007-11-04T23:19:00.000-08:00

With dengue still a problem to most countries, many methods have been developed to control the mosquito population spreading the virus. Fogging is the most popular way but truth is, they only drive away mosquitos and not killing them. Here's one way I found that would help control the problem.

This is very easy and can be done at home.

1. First you find a plastic bottle.
2. Cut the bottle half way across.
3. Now you get one part of the bottle looks like a funnel.
4. Take the funnel like part and turn it upside down.
5. Push it inside the other half.
6. Now fill it with water.
7. Spread few regi foam pieces on water. [It's for mosquitos to sit on it and lay eggs.]
8. And finally keep it in a place where you suspect as a mosquito habitat.

The function of this device is very simple. After mosquitos have laid eggs, the eggs will go through to the bottom of the bottle [since they are high in dencity] but when the eggs hatched they should[must] come to the surface to breath. But they cant find the way because the funnel like part of the bottle act as a trap.

A very clever trap indeed.

Just always remember that being clean in our surroundings is always the best way to avoid dengue and other diseases.

Making Halloween Hands Punch

2007-10-30T03:14:00.000-07:00

The Hands Punch is not gross at all. It's just a simple chilled beverage served from a ladle in a large cooking pot, as though it's a stew of some kind. It contained lots of ice and a mixture of tasty beverages - a usual party punch.

The other part of the presentation is the hand-shaped ice cubes. You can use a rubber gloves to make hand-shaped ice, and its quite nice to make.

• Obtain latex gloves (the disposable thin kind that fit tight over your hands)
• Put one on and wash your hands while wearing it. Use a dish soap. Rinse well.
• Remove the glove, pulling it inside out as you do so. You will now have a glove with the washed-side in.
• Fill the glove with water. Add a few drops of food coloring if you wish.
• Tie the bottom of the glove. This might be a little messy, so do it over the sink.
• Freeze in the freezer. Once frozen, rip the glove and peel it off the hand-shaped ice.

It's ready to use and you can now put the frozen hand ice into your favorite punch mixture.

Making Halloween Costume Part II

2007-10-25T03:19:00.000-07:00

As promised on my previous post, here's the completion of my halloween special:

Fake blood:
• 2-1/2 tablespoons water
• 60-70 drops of red food coloring
• 10-15 drops yellow food coloring
• 2-3 drops blue food coloring
• 5-1/2 tablespoons’ white corn syrup.

Mix all of the food coloring and water together. Slowly stir in the corn syrup until the mixture is thick and resembles the consistency of blood.

Fake Skin:
• 8 TBS. flour
• 5 TBS. warm water

Mix together the flour and water until it becomes a dough like mixture. Face makeup or face paint can be applied to this once it has dried.

Face Paint:
• One tsp. corn starch
• 1/2 tsp. water
• 1/2 tsp. hand lotion or face cream
• Food coloring

Mix all of the above ingredients together.

Fake Scar Tissue:
• 1 Tbsp. un flavored Gelatin
• A few drops of hot water

Mix together to make a paste. Apply to skin to resemble drooping flesh and then powder it with a thick layer of baby powder. Add color with face paint after it has been applied to the skin.

Mummy Costume:
Soak one roll of 2" gauze in diluted tea. Let dry, and then get your gauze dirty. Wearing white or skin colored clothes underneath the gauze. Wear light-colored makeup wherever your skin will show through, then make it look rotting by smudging some dark make-up around your eyes, the mouth, along your fingers, under your nails, etc. You can add some scars and a little blood. Powder everything heavily with baby powder to give a dried, dead look. Wrap each body part separately, securing ends with white or clear medical tape.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Making Halloween Costumes

2007-10-22T04:30:00.000-07:00

Halloween is approaching! And a great way to spend this time of the year is to make a homemade halloween costume. Are you planning to attend a halloween party but don't have any idea how to make your costume. We'll here are some you can make yourself:

Tired Housewife Costume

Put your hair up in rollers haphazardly, leaving a few strands of hair hanging out. Wear some light gray/green face makeup, and put on some old gaudy pajamas. Wear some black socks with a hole in them, ratty slippers and a dirty bathrobe. Put a TV Guide, a remote control, and a grocery list stained with coffee hanging out of your robe pocket. Carry a dirty spatula, and have a cigarette hanging out of your mouth, and use brown eyeshadow under your eyes to make bags.

Road Kill/Speed Bump Costume

• One set of bright yellow or white sweat clothes
• One spare tire
• Black paint
• Optional (Homemade blood) Only for the white sweat clothes/road kill costume
• Paint brush (optional)

Lay the sweat clothes flat on the ground outside. Cover the tread on the tire with black paint, and roll the tire over the sweat clothes. If using the white sweat clothes, take a paint brush and dip it into the blood and splat the white sweat clothes for the bloody effect. Allow to dry thoroughly.

Human Skeleton Costume

• One set of black sweat clothes
• One cardboard skeleton decoration
• Tape
• White gloves
• White shoes
• White and black makeup or face paint
• Scissors

Cut the cardboard skeleton decoration and tape each individual bone to the appropriate part of the body on the sweat clothes. Make up your face to look like a skeleton. Wear white gloves and shoes.

Box of Popcorn Costume

• One oblong cardboard box
• White & yellow balloons
• Red & white paint
• White sweat clothes
• One Baseball or knit cap
• Cotton balls
• Glue (White or spray glue)

Cut out holes for your legs and arms. Paint the box with vertical red & white stripes. Paint the word popcorn on the box. Let dry. Glue cotton balls to the hat to simulate popcorn. Climb in the box. Stuff it full with the popcorn balloons. For a fuller appearance you can glue the balloons together at the top of the box around you.

Static Cling Costume

• One solid white garment, sweat clothes are great
• socks
• underwear
• bras
• dryer sheets
• hair spray

Pin or tape the socks, underwear, bras, and dryer sheets to your white garment. Hair spray your hair upside down so that it stands up for that static cling look.

Cereal Killer Costume

• Several small cereal boxes
• Plastic knives
• red paint
• glue

Tape small cereal boxes to a solid colored garment, preferably black. Cut small slices in the cereal boxes and glue plastic knives into the slits. Drip red paint so that it runs from the knives coming out of the boxes.

Coming Up On My Next Post .....

Making Fake Blood, Fake Skin, Fake Scar Tissue, and Mummy Costume.

Homemade Coffee Mixes

2007-10-14T03:21:00.005-07:00

We all love coffee... I do! So here are some coffee mixes you can try in your home to make your coffee a far different than the usual.

NIGHTCAP COFFEE MIX
• 2/3 cup Non dairy coffee creamer
• 1/3 cup Instant coffee granules
• 1/3 cup Granulated sugar
• 1 tsp Ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; stir until well blended. Store in airtight container. Yields 1 1/3 cups coffee mix To serve: spoon 1 heaping tablespoon coffee mix into 8 ounces hot water. stir until well blended.

SPICED MOCHA COFFEE MIX
• 1/3 cup Instant coffee
• 1/2 cup Cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup Nonfat dry milk
• 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp Dried orange peel

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container. To serve, combine 1 Tbsp with 6 oz boiling water . Dust with shaved chocolate or cinnamon

VIENNA COFFEE MIX
• 1 cup instant coffee
• 2 cup instant cocoa (Nestle's)
• 2 cup Creamora
• 1/2 cup sugar or 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix all ingredients. Store in tightly covered jar. Add 2 teaspoons to a cup of boiling water. Top with tablespoon whipped cream.

FIRESIDE COFFEE MIX
• 2 cup instant Cocoa mix (such as Swiss Miss) containing sugar, milk and cocoa
• 2 cup Cremora
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup instant coffee
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Mix all together. Keep in an air tight container. Use 3 to 4 heaping teaspoons per cup, fill with hot water.

CAPPUCCINO COFFEE MIX
• 1/2 cup instant coffee granules
• 1/2 tsp. grated dried orange peel
• 1 cup non-dairy powdered coffee creamer
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Finely grind coffee and orange peel in a blender or food processor. Add remaining ingredients and process until well blended. Store in an airtight container. To serve: Stir 2 or more teaspoons of coffee mix into 6 ounce hot water. Yield: about 1 2/3 cups mix.

SPICED COFFEE MIX
• 1 (12 oz.) jar instant coffee
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp. ground allspice
• 1 cup granulated sugar

Combine coffee, sugar and spices in blender and blend 15 seconds or until fluffy blended. Store in airtight container. To serve, mix 1 to 2 teaspoons to 2/3 cup hot water. Makes about 50 cups.

MINTED COFFEE-COCOA MIX
• 1 1/2 cup non-dairy creamer
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup instant coffee
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• Dash of salt
• 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract

Mix all ingredients except extract. Stir to remove lumps. Add extract and mix well. Seal in airtight container. Mix 2-3 heaping teaspoons per cup of water. Heat water and then add mix.

HELOISE'S ORANGE FLAVORED COFFEE MIX
• 1/2 cup instant coffee
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup powdered milk or powdered coffee creamer
• 1/2 tsp. dried orange peel

You can substitute the appropriate amount of artificial sweetener for sugar in any of these mixes. Mix well to combine mix. To make 1 cup of coffee: Place 2 rounded teaspoons homemade coffee mix into a cup; fill with hot water. Store in an air tight container.

HELOISE'S MOCHA FLAVORED COFFEE MIX
• 1/2 cup instant coffee
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup powdered milk or powdered coffee creamer
• 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa

You can substitute the appropriate amount of artificial sweetener for sugar in any of these mixes. Mix well to combine mix. To make 1 cup of coffee: Place 2 rounded teaspoons homemade coffee mix into a cup; fill with hot water. Store in an air tight container.

HELOISE'S CINNAMON FLAVORED COFFEE MIX
• 1/2 cup instant coffee
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup powdered milk or powdered coffee creamer
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

You can substitute the appropriate amount of artificial sweetener for sugar in any of these mixes. Mix well to combine mix. To make 1 cup of coffee: Place 2 rounded teaspoons homemade coffee mix into a cup; fill with hot water. Store in an air tight container.

TOFFEE COFFEE
• 2/3 cup instant coffee
• 1 cup non dairy creamer
• 1 cup brown sugar

Put all ingredients in blender. Blend until powder. 1 to 2 teaspoons with 1 cup hot water (2 teaspoons with multi mugs). For sugar Twin use 16 teaspoons for 1 cup sugar. You may also use decaffinated coffee.

COFFEE-ALMOND COFFEE MIX
• 1 cup non-dairy powdered creamer
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup instant coffee granules
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Process creamer, sugar, coffee granules, cocoa and almond extract in a food processor until well blended. Store in an airtight container. To serve, pour 6 ounces hot water over 2 heaping teaspoons coffee mix. Stir until well blended.

SPICED COFFEE MIX
• 1 cup instant coffee granules
• 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Cinnamon sticks to garnish

Process coffee granules, grown sugar and cinnamon in a food processor until well blended. Store in an airtight container. To serve, stir 1 teaspoon coffee into 6 ounces hot water. Garnish with a cinnamon stick

INSTANT GOURMET COFFEE
• 1 cup instant coffee crystals
• 1 1/2 cups dry coffee creamer
• 1 cup dry hot chocolate mix
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (rounded)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla powder

Place coffee crystals in a blender; grind to make them fine. Mix all ingredients together and place in plastic freezer bags. When ready to use, put 2-4 Tbsp. in a mug and fill with boiling water (3 Tbsp. for an 8 oz. mug).

To make vanilla coffee: Increase vanilla powder to 2 Tbsp.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND COFFEE
• 1/2 cup instant coffee
• 1 1/2 cups non-dairy coffee creamer
• 1/2 cup chocolate flavored powdered drink mix
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. chocolate extract
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 1/4 cup toasted almonds, chopped

Combine all ingredients together. Store in airtight container. Use 2 to teaspoons per cup of boiling water.

VANILLA ALMOND COFFEE
• 1 1/2 cups non-dairy coffee creamer
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup instant coffee crystals
• 2 tbsp. vanilla powder
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract

Combine all ingredients together. Store in airtight container. Use 2-4 tablespoons per cup of boiling water.

Homemade Napkin Ring

2007-10-02T00:38:00.000-07:00

These homemade napkin rings are so easy to make even your children can do it themselves. Great to make as gifts to your love ones.

Materials Needed:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup salt
• 1 cup water
• Food coloring, or paint and glitter glue
• Mixing bowls
• Damp cloth
• Wax paper
• Cookie sheet, lightly greased

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. Mix together flour, salt, and water.

3. Let your child knead the dough on a lightly floured board for ten minutes. (Children love kneading dough, and it's great exercise for little hands.)

4. If you're coloring the dough with food coloring, divide the dough into sections, one for each color. Knead the food coloring into each part.

5. Place the different colors of dough in separate bowls. Cover each bowl with a damp cloth for eight hours.

6. Pinch off handfuls of the dough and let your child roll each handful into rounded strips on wax paper.

7. Next, help your child loop the strips into rings. You can also twist two different-colored strips around each other, or braid three together.

8. Place the rings on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake until hard (about an hour).

9. After baking, place the cookie sheet on a rack to cool.

10. Make sure the rings are completely cool before you decorate them. Your child can use acrylic or tempera paints and glitter glue. Of course, if you've used colored dough, you don't even need to paint them!

How to Make Your Own Glue

2007-09-24T08:24:00.000-07:00

Here are some tips on making your own glue:

Basic Waterproof Glue

Ingredients:
• 6 tbsp water
• 2 packets unflavored gelatin (1/2 oz.)
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 tsp glycerine

Instructions:
1. Bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin until it is dissolved.
2. Add vinegar and glycerin and stir well.
3. Let the mixture cool slightly and pour into a jar and seal tightly.

To Use: This glue is best applied while warm. Apply to surfaces using a brush. Glue will gel after a few days. To re-use, warm by placing the jar in a pan of hot water. Good for binding leather to leather, fabrics to cardboard, paper to paper.

Waterproof Glass Glue

Ingredients:
• 2 tbsp cold water
• 2 packets unflavored gelatin (1/2 oz.)
• 3 tbsp skim milk
• Oil of cloves (optional preservative)

Instructions:
1. Dissolve gelatin in cold water in a bowl.
2. Bring milk to a boil and then stir into softened gelatin.
3. Add a few drops of oil of cloves if glue is to be kept for more than a day.

To Use: While the glue is still warm, brush a thin layer on the objects to be glued. Store in an air-tight container. This glue will also gel when cooled, soften to use by placing the jar in warm water. Good for adhering glass to glass, can be used for adhering glass to other objects when in it's gelled state.

Gum Arabic Glue/Cement

Use these glues to mend broken china, dishes and crockery.

Recipe 1: Mix 3 tbsp gum arabic with 1 tbsp glycerin and 1/2 tsp water. Store in air-tight container. Will keep about 1 year.

Recipe 2: Mix just enough water to gum arabic to dissolve it, then add plaster of Paris, enough to produce a stiff paste. You can add pigment to this glue to match the color of your china if desired, or paint the surface when the cement has dried.

To Use: Apply a thin coat of the glue to each surface and fit the pieces together. Hold firmly until the glue dries - this could take an hour or so. Let the piece dry thoroughly (24 hours) before washing or using.

Homemade Rubber Band

2007-09-15T18:34:00.000-07:00

Rubber band can be used in many applications. They can be used to hold a fair lady's hair. Can also be used to hold tight many things. Can be played in many ways. Now here, we will learn to make these fancy little elastic wonders.

Materials Needed:

• Pliatex Mold Rubber (available at art supply stores)
• Vinegar

Safety Concerns:

The main concern is to make sure that neither the vinegar nor the Pliatex splash into your eyes. Wearing safety glasses is a good way to be safe.

Procedure:

1. Pour some vinegar into a paper cup.

2. Pour some pliatex into a different paper cup.

3. Dip your finger into the vinegar up to the first joint.

4. After you take your finger out, make sure you let the vinegar drip off so you don't have too much on your finger.

5. Before the vinegar dries completely dip the same finger into the pliatex molding rubber.

6. Again let the excess (mold rubber this time) drip off your finger.

7. Now put the pliatex coated finger back into the vinegar - watch what happens.

8. After your finger has been in the vinegar for about 4 seconds you can take it out, letting the excess vinegar drip off.

9. Use a sharpened pencil to poke a hole in the top of the latex on your finger. (Kids should let their parents do this).

10. Roll the latex down your finger towards your hand

11. Slide your newly made rubber band off your finger.

12. It will be a rubber band right away, but it will get better if you let it sit for a while. Make a few more while you wait and then think of ways you can test the rubber bands you make with those you can buy.

Making Your Own Cola Beverage

2007-09-08T10:43:00.000-07:00

Everybody loves cola beverages and the recipe for this is well guarded by big cola companies but here is a recipe for homemade "Cola," an open-source cola beverage that invites makers to create and modify their recipe to achieve a better beverage.

Ingredients:

All ingredients listed are in metric units.

Flavoring
• 3.50 mL orange oil
• 1.00 mL lemon oil
• 1.00 mL nutmeg oil
• 1.25 mL cassia (cinnamon) oil
• 0.25 mL coriander oil
• 0.25 mL neroli oil (similar to petitgrain, bergamot, or bitter orange oil)
• 2.75 mL lime oil
• 0.25 mL lavender oil
• 10.0 g food-grade gum arabic (thickener)
• 3.00 mL water

Concentrate
• 5 mL flavoring
• 17.5 mL 75% phosphoric acid or citric acid
• 2.28 L water
• 2.36 kg granulated white sugar
• 2.5 mL vitamin b
• 30.0 mL caramel color

Instructions:

Flavoring

1. Mix the oils together.
2. Add gum arabic and mix completely.
3. Add water and mix well. For this step, use a hand mixer or blender to thoroughly mix together.
4. The flavoring can be made in advance and stored for use later. Place in a sealed glass jar and place in the refrigerator or keep at room temperature.

(When stored, the oils and water will separate. Just mix again before use. When used, the gum arabic will keep things together.)

Concentrate

1. Mix 5 mL of flavoring with the phosphoric or citric acid.
2. Add the water and sugar and, while mixing, add caffeine if desired.

(Make sure that the caffeine is completely dissolved before moving on to the next step.)

3. Add caramel color and mix completely.

Soda

1. Mix one part of concentrate with five parts water. In other words, however much you use of the concentrate, use five times as much of water.
2. Carbonate the beverage. There are a few ways this can be accomplished:

• Carbonate the beverage yourself
• Mix soda water directly with the concentrate, as described in the previous step
• Use a soda fountain that will combine the concentrate with carbonated water at the tap

Tips

• It can be difficult to find all the different ingredients. They are not always available in supermarkets. Try looking at local specialty shops in their baking section.
• Don't confuse this homemade recipe with the the canned cola that's been distributed at trade shows and through other venues or outlets. While the recipe is the same, the process of canning soda is beyond the scope of this article.

WARNINGS!

• Caffeine can be VERY toxic in high doses. Be careful not to add too much to your mixture, and do not ingest large quantities as it may cause heart failure.
• Many of the oils needed for flavoring can irritate skin. Use caution when preparing. They can also dissolve the plastic lining of a refrigerator; store with caution.
• Gum arabic is available in two forms, art grade, and food grade. Be sure to get food grade Gum arabic, or you could have a very unpleasant toxic reaction.

Homemade Fingerprint Duster

2007-09-01T09:21:00.000-07:00

Feel like to be one of the CSI forensic experts? For the CSI fanatics out there, here's one post you should not miss.

Real-life CSI forensic experts dust fingerprints generously with aluminum powder. Ok! But since you are only a wannabee... And since aluminum powder is not that easy to find. Let's make one that is easy even a kid can make.

Here's how to make some homemade fingerprint duster yourself.

Materials:
• Starch powder
• A candle
• 2 porcelain dishes
• A knife

Procedure:

1. Put a little starch powder on a dish.

2. Light the candle (For kids please ask the help of an adult), and hold the second dish in the flame.

3. The candle flame will deposit soot on the second dish. Scrape this soot from the dish and deposit it on the starch powder. Keep doing this, until the amount of soot matches the amount of starch powder.

4. Mix the two together, and your done!

NOTE(S): When your ready to lift a print, dust it generously. Then, blow the excess away from the fingerprint.

To lock the fingerprint in place, cover it with clear tape, and stick it on a clear card.

3 Days Home Dieting Tips

2007-08-23T09:45:00.000-07:00

With the many good foods around, loosing weight is very hard to achieve.

There are lots of pills and other products out there to help you loose weight but admit that they are heavy on the budget. Exercise is an ideal way to loose weight, but it is a waste of time if you are not watchful on what you eat.

Here's a great 3 day diet plan you:

Instructions:

Drink 4 glasses of water or diet soda per day.

You can add herbs, salt, pepper, lemon, vinegar, Worcestershire, soy sauce, mustard & ketchup to your foods.

DAY 1

BREAKFAST
• Black Coffee or Tea with 1-2 packets of Sweet & Low or Equal
• 1/2 Grapefruit or Juice
• 1 Toast with 1 Tbsp. Peanut Butter

LUNCH
• 1/2 Cup of Tuna
• 1 Toast
• Black Coffee or Tea with 1-2 packets of Sweet & Low or Equal

DINNER
• 3 Oz. any lean meat or chicken
• 1 cup green beans
• 1 cup carrots
• 1 apple
• 1 cup regular vanilla ice cream

DAY 2

BREAKFAST
• black coffee or tea with 1-2 packets of Sweet & Low or Equal
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 Banana
• 1 Toast

LUNCH
• 1 cup cottage cheese or tuna
• 8 regular saltine crackers

DINNER
• 2 beef franks
• 1 cup broccoli or cabbage
• 1/2 cup carrots
• 1/2 banana
• 1/2 cup regular vanilla ice cream

DAY 3

BREAKFAST
• black coffee or tea with 1-2 packets of Sweet & Low or Equal
• 5 regular saltine crackers
• 1 oz. cheddar cheese
• 1 apple

LUNCH
• 1 boiled egg
• 1 toast
• black coffee or tea with 1-2 packets of Sweet & Low or Equal

DINNER
• 1 cup tuna
• 1 cup carrots
• 1 cup cauliflower
• 1 cup melon
• 1/2 cup regular vanilla ice cream

Happy Dieting!

Making Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO)

2007-08-17T08:55:00.000-07:00

A Coconut tree is considered "The Tree of Life". Every part of a Coconut Tree, from its roots, fruits, and leaves can be used in a variety of usage. Here is one of the many products that can be made out of its fruits alone, the natures natural health wonder "Virgin Coconut Oil".

The procedure presented here is the most natural way on how to make virgin coconut oil which does not require heating. Your will be sure that the oil you will get is the best quality and 100% pure.

Ingredients and Materials Needed:
• 3 Grated Matured Coconut with its natural water
• Cheese Cloth for squeezing the coconut
• Plastic containers
• Filters

Procedures:
1. Mix the grated coconut and its natural water together.

2. With clean hands, gently mix them together to soften the coconut.

3. Place the cheese cloth on the palm of one hand and scoop on it a handful of the coconut mixture.

4. Wrap the coconut in the cheese cloth and wring the cloth to allow the coconut cream to flow out of the cloth. Be sure the container of the cream is very clean.

5. Do the wringing 25 times until all the creamy juice is squeezed out of the coconut.

6. Repeat the procedure for the rest of the coconut.

7. When all the coconut is squeezed, set aside the coconut. It can be used for macaroons or fertilizer.

8. You are now ready to filter the coconut cream. Place filtered cream in a shallow even container and cover for 48 hours. The oil will then begin to separate from the cream mixture. Through time there will be 3 layers. The oil, a watery mixture and a creamy mixture.

9. Before the 48th hour prepare the container of the oil. It should be one with a narrow opening where a filter can be fastened.

10. On the 48th hour, gently scoop out the oil and put in the prepared container that has a filter. Do the filtering 3 times. Then close tightly. The oil will not be clear white. When seen in the sunlight, oil will have a yellowish tint. This is its natural color and this ensures that the natural nutrients are there.

11. The water part of the original mixture can be fermented to become vinegar. The creamy mixture can be cooked on a pan to let more oil out. The oil can be used for frying or for the hair.

Storage: The virgin coconut oil can be stored in room temperature. Shelf life is 2 years.