Dee

European Pillow Sham Materials: discarded button-up shirt marker ruler pillow forms sewing machine Steps: On a flat surface, spread out the old shirt and draw a straight line (use a ruler) across the shirt from directly underneath the arm seams (figure A). This is the line that is to be cut. Cut straight across the line and discard the top half of the shirt. You may choose to save the buttons for use on other projects or as spares. At the base of the shirt, draw a straight line across at the shirt's most even point (figure . Cut along this line to remove the very bottom. Turn the remaining piece inside-out and neatly stitch the open seams. The shirt will be open, so simply turn the shirt right-side out, stuff in a pillow and button up. It's easy!

Make a weather-resistant shield for a cellular phone. Place the phone in the bag and cut out a hole over the mouthpiece (see photo). Pack entire outfits for a child in zippered bags before leaving on a trip. This way their outfits will always match. Include a pair of pants, a shirt, undergarments and a pair of socks in each outfit bag. Store daily pills in bags so that they are easy to carry when leaving the house. Store your holiday decorations in them. Store baby wipes to carry around easily in a purse or backpack. When packing for vacation, place toilietries that might leak--such as shampoo and nail polish remover--in plastic zipper bags to help protect the rest of your items.

Reuse food containers, such as yogurt cups, when measuring foods for recipes. For instance, a 4-ounce container is equal to 1/2 cup, a 6-ounce container is equal to 3/4 of a cup, and an 8-ounce container is equal to one cup.

Clean brushes with baby shampoo and rinse thoroughly. Lukewarm water is best.

Since we will be running this evening I think a simple meal is in order for dinner tonight. I will be making home made seeded rye bread this morning so We will have grilled ham and cheese sandwiches on seeded rye. A nice tossed salad A couple of icy diet pepsi's ( a treat) Mixed fruit

Hot-Crossed Tuna Casserole Ingredients: 2 small cans water-packed tuna, slightly drained one 10-oz. pkg. frozen baby peas, thawed 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup sliced celery 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1/4 cup finely chopped onions salt and pepper to taste 1 cup mayonnaise one 8-oz. tube crescent-roll dough sesame seeds cucumber sauce (see recipe below) Preparation: Combine tuna, peas, cheese, celery, crumbs, onion, salt, pepper and mayonnaise. Mix well and spoon into a baking dish. (Size was not provide, but it was tested in a shallow oblong dish that measured approximately 8 x 10 inches.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Separate crescent-roll dough into two rectangles. Press perforations to seal, then cut into four long, then four short strips. Place over tuna mixture in a lattice design. Brush lightly with mayonnaise and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Serve with cucumber sauce. Cucumber Sauce Ingredients: 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 seeded cucumber, finely chopped 1 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped 1 Tbs. green onions, chopped 1/4 tsp. dried dill 1/8 tsp. pepper Preparation: Mix together ingredients and serve. Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Grilled Chicken With Cherries Ingredients: 1/4 cup sherry 1/4 cup chicken stock 1 cup fresh cherries, pitted 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar 1 tsp. honey 2 Tbs. butter 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts salt and pepper to taste Preparation: In a small saucepan, combine sherry, chicken stock, cherries, vinegar and honey, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until cherries soften, about five to seven minutes. While glaze is simmering, season chicken with salt and pepper, and grill until done. To serve, spoon cherry glaze on plate, place chicken breast in the middle and drizzle with more glaze. Yield: 4 servings

Spring Rolls Spring rolls (sometimes referred to as summer rolls) are a Vietnamese specialty made with rice paper. Ingredients: rice paper warm water Napa cabbage carrots mint fully cooked meat--chicken, shrimp or pork sprig of cilantro Preparation: Before making spring rolls, place rice paper in warm water to make them pliable. Fill the damp paper with remaining ingredients, make a roll and top with a sprig of cilantro. Dipping Sauce Ingredients: 1/4 cup fish sauce 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup crushed peanuts 3/4 cup rice vinegar Preparation: Whisk together ingredients and serve with spring rolls. Egg Rolls Egg rolls are traditionally Chinese. Wrappers can usually be found at grocery stores. Ingredients: 2 cups cooked ham 1 cup water chestnuts 1 cup scallions 1 chopped green pepper 1 cup bamboo shoot 1/2 cup reconstituted black mushrooms, stems removed egg-roll wrapper eggwash oil Preparation: In a large bowl mix together ham, water chestnuts, scallions, green pepper, bamboo shoot, and mushrooms. Place the egg-roll wrapper in a diamond shape and fill with mix. Brush edges in eggwash, then roll up, making sure to fold in the sides. Fry egg rolls in about one inch of oil until they are brown.

Food Superstitions, Myths Throwing spilled salt over your left shoulder will prevent bad luck. Eating carrots supposedly improves night vision. However, a cup of spinach works better. Another food superstition is that the crust of bread will give you curly hair. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Here's another fun apple myth: Peel the apple until it breaks and toss the rind. Whatever letter it forms is supposedly the first letter of your true love's name. Black-eyed peas supposedly bring good luck and fortune. Some people even eat them every New Year's Day. Check out the recipe for them below: Ingredients: 2 pkgs. black-eyed peas, thawed 1 cup feta cheese 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes 1/2 cup scallions 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup olive oil 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard 1 Tbs. honey Preparation: Combine two packages of black-eyed peas and remaining ingredients. Mix and serve.

Keep birds away from tomatoes by hanging red Christmas tree bulbs on tomato plants just before the fruits begin to ripen. Birds will peck at the balls, then go away, leaving the later-ripening tomatoes alone.

Ginger when you were growing up did your mom ever say to you..." Just wait until you grow up and have your own children! I hope they act just like you? " That was always the standard line we got growing up . At times my daughter thought I was an ogre while her friends told her how lucky she was to have a mom like me. As she got older she realized that her friends were right!

Isn't it wonderful! Good Job " Mum! " Ever think about going back to school yourself and becoming a teacher?????

I hope you stay Horsie..... Sometimes we are so busy with life we forget to greet anyone we meet in person or on line. I know I am an offender in that sense so if I passed your post by I want to wish you a big HOWDY

Happy Moms Day to you too Snowy... I owe you 1 reply...

An Update to the Squares- Thankyou They'd... I received your squares today! Everyone cut their squares so neat and then there are mine..LOL. I need new blades for my fabric cutter.

Celentano Eggplant Parmesan- THUMBS UP ! This is one frozen food dish I would eat along with their pasta products. Take it from this Italian Celentano Products taste like my nonnas.

Whether you need more money just to make ends meet, are working towards getting out of debt, or looking for ways to increase your giving – this list of money making ideas will help. As the saying goes – “When times get tough, the tough get going.” No matter what your situation is, there are several creative ways to create some extra cash; you just have to get to it. Whether you need more money just to make ends meet, are working towards getting out of debt, or looking for ways to increase your giving – this list of money making ideas will help. 1. One of the most obvious ways to create more money is to get a second job. There are companies looking for part-time help all the time, and this can be a great way to earn more cash. Just remember to consider the extra expenses you might incur for working overtime. If that extra income is all going to eating out every night because you don’t have time to cook for yourself now, additional expenses for transportation because the new job is across town, and more taxes because you’ve moved up into a higher tax bracket… well, you get the point. Your second job will need to bring in enough money to surpass those expenses. 2. Cutting back on spending is also at the top of our list; it is usually the easiest and quickest way to create more cash. If you’ve already sized down and cut back as far as you can, I challenge you to look further. Write down all of your spending for a few weeks and undoubtedly you’ll find something else that can be cut. 3. Cancel subscriptions to newspapers and magazines, if you already paid the bill you’ll be able to get a refund for the remaining time left. 4. Stop buying those paperback novels and find something good to read at the library instead. Depending on how serious your bookstore habit is, you could save a lot of money here. 5. Coupons, coupons, coupons! When you toss those coupons out with the trash, you are throwing away cash. Look through the grocery store advertisements and match your coupons up with the sales, saving double. If your store doesn’t offer double coupon deals, try to find one that does. 6. Forget your loyalty to name brands, you can save a fortune buying the store brands and they are almost always just as good, especially if you are using the item within a recipe – no one will even notice if they aren’t. 7. Combine errands in one trip, carpool, or walk to your job and stores if possible, you’ll create money by not having to spend it on gas. When carpooling with a buddy, either take turns each week or split the gas money. 8. When you need to create more cash, spending money on expensive store-bought gifts for your family and friends, or even yourself, doesn’t make sense. My husband and I had many years where we were unable to buy each other birthday, Christmas or even anniversary presents… it wasn’t pleasant, but we survived and so did our marriage. You can’t put a price on getting through tough times together; it will make you even stronger. Make homemade gifts such as artwork, cookies and crafts. A special poem or letter can mean more than a store-bought gift any day. 9. Cancel memberships to health clubs if you have them, walking is one of the best exercises for you anyways and it’s free! If you don’t have an area near your home that is good for walking, many of the shopping malls open up early so people can walk safely and comfortable (no bad weather conditions to worry about). The stores will still be closed so there won’t be any temptation to spend money, and you can keep those club fees in the bank. 10. Make money by selling your books, videos and CDs online. Half.com is a great place for this. Some people are making a living this way by purchasing items at garage sales and store clearances, then selling them over on these online auctions. Amazon even has this Used - Buy/Sell feature now, as I’m sure many others may also. Stop thinking about it and try them out, make some money out of those items that you forgot you even had. 11. Have a garage sale or start working with the consignment stores, just make sure they are reputable and have been in business for a while. You can even buy stuff cheap at other peoples’ sales and then sell it for a little bit more at your own sale. You might even start up your own business if this is something you enjoy doing. 12. Build or make things and sell them for a profit. The list is endless – dog houses, book cases, bird houses, painted mailboxes, quilts, crocheted baby blankets, pillows, baked goods, homemade bread, plants, Christmas ornaments, toys, picture frames… you name it! If it’s something people want or need to buy, you can make it and earn that profit for yourself. 13. Offer childcare services, senior care, tutoring, sewing, typing, lawn care, housecleaning, and one of our favorites – personal shopping. 14. Have a bake sale with lemonade. I recently heard of a community organization that did this and earned $50,000 for the WTC victims. When it’s for a good cause, any effort you make can turn out to be very successful. (Any service that you can provide and make money for yourself can also be used to give money away.) 15. Give with a pure heart, not to make money or earn favor… “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38 (NIV)

you don't have to spend a lot of money to find that perfect gift for someone, just be sure to put some time and thought into it and your gift will be well received. Here's a few of my favorites... 1. Gourmet coffees with a personal coffee cup 2. A pound of pistachios 3. Child's artwork, framed 4. Journal with special inscription inside 5. Teacup with box of herbal tea 6. Deck of cards and book of card game rules 7. Homemade cocoa mix in a pretty jar 8. Collage of special photos 9. Gel pens and pretty stationary 10. Bottle of sparkling cider 11. Home baked bread, include recipe 12. Disposable camera or rolls of film 13. Basket filled with deli cheese and fruit 14. Craft supplies 15. Holiday serving bowl or platter 16. Pretty basket filled with special jams or mustards 17. Decorative napkins and napkin rings 18. Fancy chocolate bars tied with a ribbon 19. Gardening gloves with a plant or flower seeds 20. Photo album, hand decorated is even better 21. Makeup tote 22. Prepaid photo developing envelopes 23. Homemade cookie mix with instructions for baking 24. Variety of bread mixes 25. Special coffee cup filled with candy 26. Fancy magazines tied together with a pretty ribbon 27. Gourmet popcorn and flavored oil 28. Locally made barbeque or steak sauce with basting brush 29. Pancake or waffle mix and a bottle of real maple syrup 30. Movie theater gift certificates 31. Board games 32. Jar of sourwood or pure honey with biscuit mix 33. Note cards and book of stamps 34. Picture frames, buy them on sale! 35. Specialty cookbook 36. Pretty glass jar filled with candy 37. Collectible sports cards 38. Muffin mixes with muffin pan 39. Books, there are still a few for under $10 40. Set of dish towels and dish cloths 41. Nail polish kit 42. Pretty night shirt 43. Basket filled with kitchen gadgets 44. Video rental gift certificates 45. Pepper mill and fresh peppercorns 46. Handwritten copies of your favorite recipes 47. For the pets, gourmet dog biscuits or cat treats 48. Baking pans and supplies 49. Prepaid long distance phone cards 50. Small clock or radio 51. Pretty box for keepsakes 52. Colorful Post-It notepads 53. Address book 54. Christmas ornaments 55. Puzzles 56. Blank video or cassette tapes 57. Sewing supplies 58. Flashlight with batteries 59. Favorite quote embroidered on a nice handkerchief 60. Makeup brush set 61. Expensive socks, still under $10 62. Special soaps and bath puff 63. and don't forget my absolute favorite... home baked cookies! I hope you will be inspired by this list, after all, it's not the amount of money you spend for a gift that matters the most, but that you cared enough to give something special.

If you are on a tight budget, or even on an unlimited budget, you know how important it is to make the most of what you have. Getting More Miles Out of Your Car The following are some tips that will help you to get more miles out of your vehicle. * * * 1. First, consider, does your vehicle actually have the ability to run many miles without incurring costly repairs? Find out by visiting a public library to consult the frequency-of-repair information in the April magazine issue of Consumer Reports. If your vehicle has a poor repair history, consider buying a vehicle that has better ratings and fuel efficiency. If you want to extend the life of your vehicle, at the beginning of each month, have the engine oil level checked to make certain that it is at the full-level mark on the dipstick. Buying two quarts of oil that are on sale and keeping it in the trunk, will enable you to avoid getting stuck paying three times what the oil should cost. Be certain to only use the type of oil and other fluids as specified in the vehicle owner's manual. 2. Every three months (more often, however, if specified by your vehicle owner's manual) and prior to leaving for and upon returning from a trip, check (or have a service station attendant check) the tire pressure and the other fluids that include: * Transmission fluid * Brake fluid * Power steering fluid * Radiator coolant (check the clear plastic bottle) * Windshield washer fluid Why is it important to keep the fluids at their full-level marks? The fluids lubricate moving parts to reduce fiction, heat, and wear. Therefore, they are the single most important factor for extending the life of a vehicle. 3. If you drive 6,000 miles or less per year, have the engine oil and oil filter changed at the beginning of spring and near the end of fall. If you drive 10,000 or more miles per year, have the engine oil and oil filter changed every 3,000 to 3,500 miles or about every four months. An easy way to remember oil changes is to mark a new calendar at the beginning of a year with "oil change" reminders (i.e., May and November or April, July, and October). Service stations usually run specials on oil changes (i.e., $10.99 - $13.99). However, make certain that the station is reputable. Some stations have been known to skip changing the oil or to do part of the job by changing the oil but not the oil filter. To help make certain that the oil filter was in fact replaced, use a black marker to put an X on the new oil filter after an oil change. When the next oil change has been completed, the newly installed filter should not include an X. 4. Prior to winter, have a service station attendant check the antifreeze in the clear plastic coolant bottle with a hydrometer (a device that takes a sample of antifreeze and specifies how cold the temperature can become before the antifreeze freezes). The antifreeze should be able to withstand (i.e., not freeze) temperatures of at least 30 degrees "below the coldest" winter temperature. If the antifreeze is too weak, have additional antifreeze added to the coolant bottle. Purchase the type of antifreeze as specified in the vehicle owner's manual (i.e., usually a type that is suitable for "aluminum and all types of metals" that are used today's engines). It important to avoid frozen antifreeze because it can crack an engine's block which could result in possibly thousands of dollars for the repair. 5. If you drive about 6,000 miles or less per year, have the engine air filter changed once every two years. If you drive over 10,000 miles per year, have the engine air filter changed once a year in the spring. Many discount stores regularly have sales on air filters. 6. In the spring and in the fall give the vehicle a thorough wash, tar removal, and wax. When washing the vehicle in-between the seasonal waxes, use a car wash product that is safe for clear coat and waxed finishes. 7. Basic vehicle maintenance is an ongoing process. The secret to making it "easy" and keeping a vehicle "looking great" involves two components. First, maintaining regular vehicle involvement and second, only doing a little at a time. Each week throughout the year (in addition to the maintenance suggested above) take about 10-15 minutes to focus on a small aspect of the vehicle (i.e., wash the windows-week one, vacuum the carpet-week two, Armor All the dash and the door panels-week three, etc.). After about three months, one of the "small jobs" will need to be repeated. However, the vehicle will never be in rough shape. Doing a "small but thorough" job on one specific aspect of the vehicle each week, requires very little time or energy. Having a vehicle that continually "looks great" makes it worthwhile. The tips provided above are the most basic maintenance requirements that will help your vehicle to run longer. Be certain to reference the vehicle owner's manual for any additional maintenance required on your vehicle. Basic vehicle maintenance involves a minimal investment of time and money, but it will provide major benefits in vehicle performance and lower repair costs. Additionally, your vehicle will be in better condition when it becomes time to sell. Copyright 2002 by Kyle Busch

Scallops and Shrimp sauteed in a lemon butter garlic sauce Brown rice made with a hint of chicken buillion Broccoli steamed Chocolate Chip Cookies and Cantalope

Buying beef "Make sure the package is cold and has no holes or tears. Excessive liquid in a package may indicate improper storage or beef that is past its optimum shelf life." "Look for beef that is firm to the touch, not soft." "Choose beef with a bright cherry-red color, without any grayish or brown blotches. The exception is vacuum-packaged beef, which, due to a lack of oxygen, has a darker purplish-red color. When exposed to the air, it will turn to a bright red."

Left Over Low Mein 1 lb thin spaghetti or vermicelli 1 onion, cut into julienne 1 green pepper, cut into -julienne 3/4 lb mushrooms, sliced 1/2 bun. fresh broccoli, cut -into 1 flo 3 carrots, peeled and sliced -thin on 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tb peanut oil 2 c leftover ham, cut into -julienne 1 tb mrs. dash 2 tb soy sauce 3 c to 4 c leftover bbq sauce. Start spaghetti cooking first, cook according to directions. In a wok on high heat stir fry the vegetables in the peanut oil until crisp tender. Do not over cook! Add ham, drained spaghetti, seasonings, and BBQ sauce. Mix gently and heat through. Serve immediately.

Annie's Summer Salad 3 sm Eggplants; -OR- 1 lg -Eggplant 1/2 ea Green pepper 1 lg Tomato 3 lg Celery stalks 3 sm Potatoes, new 12 ea Black olives ----------------------------------DRESSING---------------------------------- 1/2 c Olive oil 3 T Red wine vinegar 2 ea Garlic cloves; minced 1 ds Pepper 1 ds Basil, dried I used vegetables on hand. Other in-season vegetables (ie. beans) could be used. Mozzarella cheese could be added. EGGPLANT & PEPPERS: Peel, slice eggplants. Place in colander and salt lightly. Let stand 1/2 hour. Preheat grill*. Grill eggplant slices and green pepper. (Eggplant should be lightly browned and outer green pepper skin charred). Place green pepper in paper bag, let stand 1/2 hour. peel green pepper under running water. Dice eggplant slices and green pepper. Place in large bowl. POTATO: Boil potatoes until tender (about 10 minutes). Cool. peel, dice and place in bowl with other vegetables. OTHER VEGETABLES: Peel, seed and chop tomato. Chop celery. Slice pitted black olives. Put tomatoes, celery and olives in bowl. Mix well. DRESSING: Mix olive oil, vinegar, garlic, pepper and basil. Pour over vegetables in bowl. Toss well. Let marinate at room temperature at least 1/2 hour and then put in fridge. Toss and stir occasionally.

Which do you ladies prefer? I like the calf lenght fashions myself.

BROTHER AND SISTER "SISTER, sister, go to bed! Go and rest your weary head." Thus the prudent brother said. "Do you want a battered hide, Or scratches to your face applied?" Thus his sister calm replied. "Sister, do not raise my wrath. I'd make you into mutton broth As easily as kill a moth" The sister raised her beaming eye And looked on him indignantly And sternly answered, "Only try!" Off to the cook he quickly ran. "Dear Cook, please lend a frying-pan To me as quickly as you can." And wherefore should I lend it you?" "The reason, Cook, is plain to view. I wish to make an Irish stew." "What meat is in that stew to go?" "My sister'll be the contents!" "Oh" "You'll lend the pan to me, Cook?" "No!" Moral: Never stew your sister.