DIY 4 Canada

How to Build an Indoor Herb Tote

2011-09-16T04:41:00.000-07:00

Indoor Herb Tote Directions

Home Hardware offers tons of how-to tips. This handy Indoor Herb Tote should be helpful,as I'm bring some of our herbs inside for the winter. Our kitchen has very little light,so I'll be able to pop it in a sunny window,then bring the herbs into the kitchen for watering,and to use for cooking.The numbers beside each item in the directions correspond to Home Hardware's parts inventory.Their tote is made from poplar with oak trim. Adjust dimensions to build to a size that best suits your needs

Herb Tote - What You'll Need

Tools

measuring tape 1048-330
clamps 1023-351 to 356
hammer 1030-308
square 1070-060
bench saw 1346-634
jig saw, or 1368-489 scroll saw 1345-042
sander 1262-369
mitre saw 1347-584
drill, or 1240-062 brad nailer (optional) 1282-946
3/4" forstner bit 1213-813
1" forstner bit 1213-831
#8 screwsettter bit 1227-540
nail punch 1039-378

Materials

1 x 6 hardwood (maple, birch, poplar, oak) (6 feet)
1" hardwood dowel 1624-451 (1 1/2 feet)
3/4" hardwood dowel 2624-449 (6 feet)
1/2" x 3/8" oak trim (optional, rip from 1 x 6) (2 feet)
wood glue 2020-182 1 1/2"
wood screws 2174-408
fine sandpaper 1230-439
hardwood buttons (for screw locations) 8295-551
wood filler 1627-378

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Sand all pieces before assembling, and if using the oak trim pieces, stain or paint before fastening them to the sides of the tote. If using screws, pre-drill with a #8 screwsetter bit, and later fill the screw holes or insert 1/4" hardwood buttons
Transfer the pattern for the end pieces to the 1 x 6 stock. Using a scroll saw or jig saw, cut out the two end pieces. Clamp the two cut ends together for a final sanding of the cut edges.
Referring to the parts list, cut the two side pieces to length. Cut the 1" dowel piece and the four, 3/4" dowel pieces to size.
Locate the holes for the floor dowels and the handle on the two end pieces, and using a 3/4" forstner bit, drill the 8 dowel holes for the floor of the tote to a depth of 1/2". Drill the 2 holes for the handle with a 1" forstner bit.
Place the 4 floor dowels and handle into the drilled holes of the end pieces, apply glue where the sides will cover the ends, then position the side pieces. Hold the pieces in place with a clamp at either end of the tote. Note that there is a 1/8" reveal between the sides and the ends.
After checking to ensure everything is square, secure the ends to the sides using 1 1/2" brad nails, screws or finishing nails.
Fasten the decorative trim pieces to the sides using wood glue.
Finish the tote with a stain or paint of your choice.

Download the Free Herb Tote Instructions From Home Hardware

Hmm.. when I look at this list of tools I’d need to have t build this, I think I might take a look at value village ans see it they might have a basket with a handle that I could pop the plants into.
What do you use for an herb tote?
YrHelper Infonut

How to make Valentine Barrettes -

2011-01-29T21:21:00.001-08:00

These Valentine hair clips are quick and easy to make, and would be a great project for Brownies, Guides, or Pathfinders.

This great how to even includes a free heart barrette template to download.

Check out how to make these valentine barrettes using

felt,
mini hair clips,
embroidery floss.

See the directions on Purl bee

New Year’s Crackers: Make Your Own

2010-12-26T06:41:00.001-08:00

Most holiday crackers sold today are stuffed with cheap toys and toss away prizes. A decent set can set you back over $50 for 8 crackers, and the gifts inside are still throw-away trinkets. Originally sold just before Christmas, party crackers have become popular for many occasions.
You can make your own crackers in a snap, and filling them with personalized messages, thoughtful gifts, and festive paper hats is easy.
Parts List:

Festive paper

Toilet paper tubes (1 per cracker)

Cracker snaps (1 per cracker)

Ribbon

Double Sided Tape, glue gun, or glue stick

Ruler

Scissors

Tissue paper (for paper hats)

Joke, quote, or riddle

Present or prize

Candy

Total Cost: Reusing items from around the house really minimizes the cost of these. Cracker snaps are about $5 (or less) at craft stores for a package of 25 or pick up cheap crackers at the dollar store (8 for $1.25 at Dollar Giant) and revamp them. Small gifts can be purchased, check your re-gifting stash, or your freebie finds, or make a small treasure.
Here’s how to make your own party crackers:

Step One: Cut your cracker paper

Cut your paper 3 times the length of the tube you are using. Don’t want to use toilet paper rolls? Make you own tubes from cereal boxes or cardboard inserts.

Tip: Be sure to use cracker snaps longer than your toilet tubes. If the snaps are too short, it’s difficult for your guests to grab a snapper end and achieve a pop.

Step Two: Roll your party cracker

Tape or glue your cracker snap into the centre of the tube.
On the wrong side of your cracker paper, place a piece of double sided tape along the outside of your center tube. If your paper is thick, you may need to use a crafting glue gun to properly seal your cracker. Press taped/glued edge of tube neatly down along the paper.
Align two more tubes on either end of the center tube with the snap neatly placed inside. These extra tubes help you roll a neat and pretty party cracker.
Glue, or stick three pieces of tape along the opposite edge of the wrapping paper. Roll the tubes, and seal it shut to the paper.

Tip: Do not tape or glue your end tubes to your cracker paper. The outside tubes are used to keep your cracker ends looking perfect, and will be removed later.

Step Three: Make a paper hat (optional)

Party crackers traditionally contain a colourful paper crown or hat. Making a paper hat is simple, you need: tissue paper, a pair of scissors, and some tape.
How to make a paper hat:

Cut a strip of tissue paper measuring 3 1/2″ x 24″ (9cm x 60cm).
Tape short edges together with double-sided tape.
Fold in half, create a solid crease.
Fold in half a second time, create a solid crease.
Fold in half a third time, crease it again.
Using scissors, cut one edge at an angle.
Open to inspect paper crown.
Repeat for each party cracker.

Step Four: Fill your crackers

First you need to close one end of your cracker to keep the goodies inside.
How to close a cracker end:

Slide out one end tube to create a small 1/4″ gap between it and the center tube.
Make a neat crease in the gap using your fingers.
Wrap a piece of ribbon or string around the gap. Tie a bow or curl the ribbon to finish.

Tip: Keep the tube in place to keep your cracker paper smooth.

Create cracker jokes or fortunes:
Cracker jokes are a big part of the fun. Most jokes are terrible groaners, but they can make for a great dinner icebreaker while giving your guests a good laugh. Find your New Year’s jokes here, print or write them out, and then cut them to a small size.

Find frugal cracker gifts:

You might include some traditional fortunetelling tokens:

A silver coin for health, wealth and happiness,

A ring for marriage,

A thimble (found by a woman) for another year of spinsterhood, and

A button (found by a man) another year of being a bachelor.

Fold a tiny origami ornament, insert a tiny toy, or add a tasty homemade treat to sweeten the deal. Other frugal gifts ideas include: re-gifting items you won’t use, quality dollar store finds (I found a camera tripod), and homemade crafts, delicious teas, toys, or games. A tiny deck of cards is fun for kids to play with after dessert is served.
Fill the open cracker end with a gift, a paper hat (crown), candy, and a joke.
This is the fun part, so use your creativity to customize each cracker for a specific guest.
Step Five: Decorate your party cracker
Close the final cracker end using the tips from Step Four. Use crafting stamps, stickers, or a width of gift wrap to add a few finishing touches to your cracker.
Carefully remove the cracker end tubes keeping your cracker snap in place.
Set your festive holiday crackers at the dinner table for decoration, and watch the frugal festive fun unfold.

This article is adapted from: How to make your own Christmas Crackers at Squakfox.com

How to make Mice and more with Hershey’s Kisses

2010-10-07T14:29:00.001-07:00

The Hershey’s site has lots of fun craft ideas to make from Hershey’s kisses!

Click Here to get instructions for these mice and other neat craft ideas!

How to Wipe Your Electronic Info

2010-10-05T07:42:00.001-07:00

Protecting you personal info is more difficult than you may think. Sending your baby for warranty replacement? Getting rid of it? You’ll want to do this first! Have you seen on TV how forensics can retrieve info from your phone or computer? You may have nothing to hide from the police, but you may not want to help someone steal your identity.
Physical vs. Virtual Destruction Not regifting your computer, and simply junking it? You could physically destroy the data. I was surprised to read that magnets or even nuking your drive won’t totally erase your info. Old-fashioned methods like pounding several nails into the hard disk drive or smashing the hard drive work better! According to Terry Fong, Tech reporter for Wallet Pop, this prevents all known methods of recovering your data. There are even specialists you can pay to physically destroy the drive for you, and certify the process. (Hey-here’s a great job for my kids!)
Heard stories of people buying refurbished drives with data intact? Think carefully before returning a drive without erasure for warranty replacement. If you can’t access the data (no power to drive, etc.),to erase it, you may want to enlist the help of a professional.
Virtual Destruction However, if you can access the data, or are reselling or gifting your computer, you need to keep the hard drive physically intact. This is where you can use software to accomplish the same job.

While some recommend a quick format. It may not be enough for a computer hard drive. While very quick, it only erases the pointers to the files on the drive. With a little bit of time, and some easy to find tools those pointers can be rebuilt. And.. voila! Your files are reconstructed.
For more complete erasure using Windows Vista or Windows 7, select the "normal" (not quick) format option. (Read on if you have a different Windows version.) This takes much longer (probably overnight), because it’s overwriting every byte of space with zeroes ('0').
Note:

To do this, you need to be running on more than one hard drive. Windows is set up with a failsafe to not allow you to format the drive Windows itself is running on. (Protection from the accidental hacker I tuck in at night.)
Windows XP and earlier Windows versions format command does not overwrite old data. This method only works with the versions mentioned above.

Alternate method if you don’t have the above versions of Windows: Reinstalling the Operating system, according to Fong, is the simplest method. You can find a comprehensive set of instructions on doing this for all versions of Windows back to 95 at cyberwalker.com. Fong also suggests : For Windows 95/98/Me, it may be simplest to reinstall the OS, and use a utility like sdelete to overwrite the free space. If you are doing a reinstall, try to choose a different file system than your current one.
Other Electronics
What do you have stored in your cell phone? In addition to the built-in memory, memory cards found in them can hold an enormous amount of data.
Most cell phones have delete functions for the data they hold. This usually involves going through separate menu options for each type: text messages, contact information, e-mail messages, etc. Some lucky phone owners will have a "delete all" function.
Remember to wipe the memory card as well!
What about USB sticks? USB sticks should be treated just like hard drives, although a single nail should do the job for you.
Read the article that inspired me: Terry Fong’s article.

Skin So Soft Unusual Uses

2010-09-15T13:07:00.001-07:00

Skin So Soft is sold as a bath oil. Here are a multitude of uses for which others use AVON Skin so Soft.

How do you use Skin So Soft?

PERSONAL USES
1. It's a bath oil and after shower moisturizer.
2. It can be used to remove makeup.
3. Great tanning oil (no sunscreen).
4. Hot oil treatment to soften cuticles.
5. Great massage oil for tired muscles.
6. Cleans off tape marks left from bandages on skin.
7. Cleans ink off the skin.
8. Insect repellent.
9. Helps relieve itching caused by dry skin.
10. Cleans oil and grease off of skin.
11. Painting something? Use SSS to remove paint from the hands. (Instead of turpentine).
12. It soothes light sunburn.
13. Rub hands with it before washing, it helps get them cleaner.
14. Rub on dry, cracked skin.... helps heal skin in 2-3 days.
15. Put 1-2 cap fills in liquid soap and use it for shaving legs and under arms. Helps razor glide and leaves skin feeling smooth.
16. Pour a little into your Foot Saver to help moisturize your feet while you relax them.
17. It removes chewing gum from hair, skin, and most nonporous surfaces.
18. Cleans permanent ink off stamps.

19. SSS Original Bath Oil works GREAT on Head Lice!!!!! Saturate head and let it set for 15 minutes. Then rinse under an outdoor faucet, but the lice were gone!!!!!!! Of course shampoo hair a couple of times to get the oil out, but the lice were gone and stayed gone!
20. It kills ants instantly.
21. Spray on skin to relieve dry itching skin. Helps skin retain it's elasticity.
22. Wash hair with shampoo and conditioner like always and after it dries.... Use about the size of a dime of SSS and rub it in your hair. It goes straight in and leaves hair as shiny as the ads on TV, not greasy at all, just soft and shiny.
23. Use bath oil towelettes -- cover windowsill with towelettes to keep ants out.
24. (LICE) Sometimes, using a bath oil, like Avon's SSS, will work to loosen the glue, which holds the nits to the hair. There is a product called Neon Nits, which when sprayed on the hair, will highlight the nits so you can see them to then snip them out with a small scissors.
25. This is to let you readers known about something that helped me for a mild case of psoriasis on my elbows. My internist recommended that I try Avon's SSS bath oil spray. I did and it eliminated the psoriasis on my elbows.
26. Bath use, fill bath with water and a little SSS, very relaxing and gets rid of dry skin.
HOUSEHOLD USES
27. Sponge it around doors, windows, and on screens to keep crawling bugs out.

28. It's a good wood cleaner and conditioner for natural wood.
29. It removes glue and gum left from price tags and labels from glass, metals, and most plastics.
30. It removes soap scum from shower doors and curtains, and bathroom and kitchen figures.
31. It removes lime and hard water deposits from fixtures, tile, shower doors and windows.
32. It's an oil lubricant for fitting pipe joints that won't slip together.
33. It cleans ink off most vinyl and painted surfaces.
34. It cleans heavy oil and grease from nonporous surfaces.
35. It takes fur off of clothing.
36. Rub on brass ornaments or figurines to help keep them from turning dark.
37. Removes crayon from appliances and most painted surfaces.
38. Wash cupboards with it mixed in your cleaning water to keep ants off and out of the cupboards.
39. Use it to discourage hornets from building their nests. After using a hornet killing spray, remove the nest and keep the area sprayed with SSS. They will not rebuild there.
40. Use it to clean leather; it will also keep it soft and supple.
41. Use it on your air conditioning screen (filter)--your incoming air will smell fresher and the filter is easier to clean.
42. Rub all over windowsills to keep ants out.
43. It cleans paintbrushes easily and leaves them soft as new.
44. It removes gum from carpets.
45. It removes scuffmarks from patent leather shoes.
46. Use it on running rails for sliding glass doors and windows.
47. It removes "ring around the collar".
48. It removes liquid nail (paneling glue).
49. Two glass bowls or glasses stuck together? Drizzle a little SSS down the sides and they'll come apart easily.
50. It removes candle wax from furniture, carpets and clothing.
51. Hummingbird Feeders: To deter bees try rubbing SSS on the feeder surface by the feeder ports.
52. Maggots too!! You squirted SSS in can and lid, then later flushed with soapy water, you shouldn't have any bugs in cans rest of summer!!!
53. It is a great furniture polish!
54. Ok, we have a new use for SSS bath oil. Put it in one of the bottle that you attach to your backyard hose and then spray down the back yard! Will cut down on ants, mosquitoes and other creepy crawlies.
55. People around the outskirts of Eureka and surrounding areas (and sometimes in town) spray it on their rose bushes to keep the deer from eating them, and at the cemeteries on the flowers they put out there for the same reason.
56. Kills spiders.
57. It cuts grease and cleans dirt from range hoods.
58. Add a capful to wash water of clothes...acts as a fabric softener and keeps the bugs off clothes.
59. Spray on orchids and other flowers for moisture and to keep bugs away.
60. Cleans baseball caps. Just spray on and rub with toothbrush.
61. SSS I used this recipe mix one part SSS and 2 parts water on my tomato plants and kept those ugly old tomato worms off. I think that adding the vinegar would be fine too and would be nice not to have to shake the spray bottle all the time. I sprayed my plants about every 2 or 3 days. Worked grand!! Too late for most this year, but file this for next.
62. SSS bath oil also does a great job cleaning cherry wood cabinets.
63. Put a little in your mopping water to help keep crawling bugs out. (Not too much or the floor gets slippery.)
64. Use to clean windows.
65. Removes crayon from most surfaces.
66. It's a great insect repellent (or you can use Bug Guard, the actual SSS repellent)
67. Screens can be lightly sprayed with Avon SSS to repel no-see-'ums and tiny gnats that otherwise might slip though the screens.
68. Another use for SSS is it will kill those pesky earwigs. Spray it on & they don't return to life.
69. Also if you ever make candles, use clear wax and melt put SSS in it and harden works great for out side in the summer.
70. As a deodorizer, spray into air and let settle, kills those nasty pet orders.
71. Kids rooms if a child wets the bed, spray the bedding and sheets before washing and will give it a fresh clean smell.
ANIMAL USES
72. It's a great insect repellent for your pet. (As recommended in "Outdoor Life" and "Field and Stream")
73. Mix 5 parts water, 1 part SSS and mist on animals. Brushing it in makes their coats gleam and keeps insects off so the animals don't fidget in the show ring.
74. Mix in your pet's bath water. It takes the fleas off of them...and in between sprays them with the same mixture as in #2 to help keep them off.
75. Rub on your hands before and after working with your pets and farm animals. It will remove the strong smells.
76. Black Fly Spray For Dogs: Use as a spray or a dip. 1 cup SSS, 1/2 cup liquid detergent and 3 gallons of water.
77. For dogs dry skin mix 1 tablespoon of SSS per gallon of water and use as an after bath rinse. Or spritz your pet's coat once per week.
78. If your dog should get tar or asphalt on the pads of their feet rub on SSS and then wipe off.
79. Flea Bath: Use a flea and tick shampoo. Rinse, rinse, rinse so no soap residue is left. Follow with final rinse of 2 gallons of water mixed with flea dip and 1 capful of SSS. The SSS helps replace the oils lost in bathing and has the added benefit of repelling insects.
80. Flea Repellent: Avon's SSS Bath Oil. 1-1/2 ounces per gallon of water; used as a sponge-on dip (or as a spritz) has been tested and proven to have significant, but not complete, flea-repellent activity for a 6-day period. It should help those dry coats, too.
81. Does anyone use the Avon SSS bath oil on his or her chows? I have begun using it on Chancey and it has done wonders for her skin. Like, many chows, she has very dry and flaky skin, especially for being black. Since I started using that product, her dandruff and itchiness has improved tremendously and her hair has become shiny and smooth. It also serves as a great flea and tick protector. I use it about twice a month and I just spray it on her. I really like it.
82. I use the following on my horses and on my dogs when necessary. 1-cup Avon SSS bath oil 1-cup white vinegar 1-cup (or more) water 5 cc of essential oil of citronella (from the health food store NOT the type you burn to keep insects away that is available in a drug store) Mix in a spray bottle. Straight SSS works well for mosquito’s too but really makes your dog greasy.
83. (Barns) Use of an inexpensive fly control spray or a diluted mix of Avon SSS in water can be sprayed on barn walls and floor to discourage insects from hanging around or to eliminate them before putting in the new bedding. As time permits, and if you can keep your goats out of the barn for a few hours - let the barn stand and air out before re-filling with bedding.
84. Rub on your hands before and after working with pets and farm animals, takes away pet odor.
85. Avon's SSS bath oil massaged directly into the skin of your Rottweiler acts not only as a successful repellant and makes their dogs smell good but helps prevent drying and itchy skin.
86. A natural way to help cats with flea problems and flea allergies is to rub Skin So Soft into the skin. Once a bug, always a bug. Fleas don't like it either! Spread the word!
87. Cats: SSS IS SAFE FOR FUR LICKING -------The SSS plus is safe as long as it is the one without sunscreen.
88. Don't overuse the SSS. I just use the lotion, and rub it into the skin, not more than every few days. My cat's sensitive and we're being careful. Common sense is the rule. Sprinkling Yeast on the cat food helps, too. My cat's fur is medium-length; he's part Persian, and he's doing fine, no ill effects from the SSS. You can check with your vet to be sure if it's okay...
USES FOR HORSES
89. SSS can be used as a hoof polish. This will put a nice shine to the hoof without drying it. The farrier's wife will appreciate this one!
90. SSS can be used as a muzzle, eye, and ear enhancer. Generally we used baby oil but it was so messy. I tried SSS and it works great and still helps keep bugs away.
91. I have a show mare that has allergies and also gets dry skin very easily so I started giving her baths in SSS. What I do is bathe her like normal and then I put a capful of SSS in a 5-gallon bucket of warm water and sponge this all over her. Her hair coat dries silky soft and she quits itching. Works for her.
92. The bug guard towelettes we had last summer work great on the horse’s ears and around their eyes.
93. When I have to band (braid) their manes I use the Techniques Oil Sheen. It seems to help hold the braids a lot better and they don't try to rub them out.
94. The dry end serum works great in their tails as a detangler. Everything I have mentioned here I use faithfully on our show horses. The products are a heck of a lot cheaper than actual horse products. People see me using these products at the horse shows and start inquiring about them. I usually let them take my bottles and try them on their horses at the show, which usually ends up in a sale for me.
AUTOMOBILE USES
95. It removes tar spots from the car without damage to the paint.
96. Use it to clean vinyl dashboards, seats, and tops. It not only cleans, but also keeps it soft and helps to prevent any cracking.
97. After washing your car, use it as a tire dressing to keep them looking like new.
98. Put some on a small washcloth and leave in the car to help keep the air fresh and clean.
99. Wipe down vinyl surfaces inside your car. Cleans nicely and removes smoke odors left by cigarette smokers.
100. It gently cleans heavy grease and oil from skin and nonporous surfaces (great for Mechanic's Hands).
101. It removes tree sap.
102. Prior to traveling...rub SSS on headlights and grill. It makes insects and bugs easier to remove.
103. Shines vehicle tires
104. Open a towelette and use as an automotive air freshener.
Found HERE
*SSS bath oil is approved by the FDA/CDA only as a bath oil. Avon makes no claims of these uses.

AVON Bubble Bath- Tons of Bubbles and Uses

2010-09-15T12:37:00.001-07:00

AVON's Bubble Bath - Tons of Bubbles- Tons of Uses!

Laundry Detergent: Use one capful in a regular load, two for greasy work clothes. You won't need fabric softener.
Pre-treatment for Laundry: Mix 1/2 bubble bath and 1/2 water in a spray bottle. Spritz stains before tossing in the wash. Set in stains? dab on full strength, scrub stain with an old toothbrush, then wash.
Carpet Cleaning: Add 2 capfuls to large carpet shampoo machines.
Upholstery Cleaner: Put 1 capful in a 24 oz spray bottle & fill with water. Scrub with brush against nap. Let dry. Vacuum when dry.
Kitchen/Bathroom floor: No harsh chemicals for babies or pets to ingest! Add 1 capful to 2 gallons of water to mop floors. Add 1/2 capful extra for very soiled floors.
Toilet Bowl and Tanks: Reduce Stain build up- Occasionally Add a capful to tank. Won’t Harm Curious pups & No more blue Armed Plumbers!
Windshield Washer Solvent: Use when No Threat of freezing temperatures. 1 1/2 capfuls per gallon.
Mildew Remover: 1 capful to 24 oz. water. Cleans boat seats, bathtubs, showers, wall, etc.
Dishwashing Soap: Your dishes will sparkle as well as your coffee pot, glasses and cook-wear.
Pet Shampoo: As safe for Pets as it is for kids – use sensitive skin or Avon kids bubble bath.does not include soap, so not as drying as traditional pet shampoos. It is also much less irritating on your dog's sensitive skin.
Cage & Pet Paraphernalia Cleaner: Small pets & large will be glad not to have harsh chemicals.
Toddlers’ Toys:have toddlers give toys a weekly bath with Children’s Bubble Bath.
Stuffed Animals: Surface wash with AVON Bubble Bath as per upholstery cleaning directions.
Sick room odours & Stains: Use Peach full strength. USE AS PER UPHOLSTERY CLEANING ON mattresses.
INSOMNIA: A BIT OF lavender BUBBLE BATH IN A VAPOURIZER CAN SOOTH CARES OF THE DAY AWAY. (wash your pillow case & night things with Lavender too!)
Ease depression: According to Japanese researchers, breathing pink grapefruit aroma for 5 minutestriggers the release of feel good serotonin.
Stick to resolutions:the scent of lavender helps amp up will power.
Increase confidence: Breathe in berry or citrus scents to increase ambition & leadership abilities.
Vehicle Wash - Does a beautiful job on washing cars, mobile homes, RVs, and boats.
Hand washing delicates.
GREAT for ring around the collar and greasy work clothes.
Window Cleaner.1/2 cap in a bucket washes all your windows
Clean bathroom fixtures and mirrors.
Wash walls and ceilings.
Use bubbles and sponge to shampoo furniture or vehicle interiors.
leans chandeliers and light fixtures.
Cleans china, windows, etc. (all glass).
Wash your plant leaves, they will shine. Then pour into soil as a fertilizer.
Upholstery stains come out by rubbing with a damp cloth dipped in full strength bubble bath. Do not wet the sponge with water. Water may leave a stain, the bubble bath won't.
Clean your jewellery - even costume jewellery.
Splatter grease (butter too) on a good blouse? Put straight bubble bath on the spot, let sit a few minutes and wash. No spots!
Wash Venetian blinds.
Wash paneling - no rinsing, no streaks.
Clean your eyeglasses.
Put some bubble bath and a bit of water in your potpourri burner
Clean your painted or real wood cupboards
Now that you're all finished cleaning, here's the best news: You can even use it to take a nice, relaxing bubble bath! (No Ring Around the tub ring too!)

Let Avon's Bubble Bath do it all!
Sources:
Woman's World March 2010
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/64883/25_different_ways_to_clean_your_home.html?cat=46
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/381878/avon_bubble_bath_more_than_just_bubbles.html?cat=69

How to use a PC as XBox Wireless Adapter

2010-08-30T05:44:00.001-07:00

Wish you could go online with your XBox 360? Don’t have a spare $100 for the wireless adapter? Use your Laptop or PC!!
While I know nothing about XBox, I love saving money. Could someone read this over and point out any errors? I’m wondering particularly about the IP address part.
In this article, you will learn to set up ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) with your Xbox 360. Save that $100 for another game.!

What You'll Need

Internet Connection
Computer with ICS (Windows XP has this).
Wireless adapter installed on the computer. (Built into most Laptops).
Xbox 360 .
Ethernet cable.
Xbox Live.

Determine if your PC has a wireless adapter Most laptops manufactured in the past few years have a built-in wireless adapter. Wireless adapters are usually an add on for PCs .If you don't have one, Pick up a wireless adapter from Tiger Direct, or another store.
Connect the Ethernet cable Any Ethernet cable will do. The Xbox 360 automatically does a cross-over process so you don't need a special cable. Plug one end into your Xbox 360 and the other into the PC. Almost every PC has an Ethernet port. With both your PC and Xbox 360 turned on, you will see a green light on the PC connector and possibly an orange (data) flashing light. This means the connection is working.
Tell your PC what to do. Click >Start,> Control Panel> Network Connections. Right Click on Local Area Connections. Click>Properties. Scroll down the item list in the box to "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" and click it ,then click >Properties. Click “Use the following IP address” button and the boxes will clear. In the first box, type "192.168.0.1". The next box should default to "255.255.255.0". That is normal. Leave the third box empty. Almost done! Click >OK on both option boxes to go back to the network connections window. Right click >Wireless Connection and click its Properties window. Click the Advanced tab and go to the "Internet Connection Sharing" section. Check the top box, uncheck the bottom box. Then click >OK. Ta dah! We have finished setting up the PC.
Setting up the Xbox Go to the Settings blade; then “Network Settings*. Go to “Edit Settings” and set the IP addresses section to manual. Input "192.168.0.2" as the IP address. Type in as the subnet mask 255.255.255.0. Then add "192.168.0.1" in the Gateway Address box. Don't test the settings yet. For each DNS, type "192.168.0.1". Now test the settings. Everything should pass if set up correctly. Your PC should show it’s found a local area connection. Your internet on your PC should also work. If none of these work, go back and double check your settings and steps and read the original article HERE.

You are now connected to Xbox Live !

*Note: with Windows XP, another way is to simply select both your wired and wireless connections, -Right-click, and select "Bridge" . This automatically routes the connections without needing to set your IP address Using this method and a router, allows you to connect multiple Xboxes to XBox live through the router, and the laptop as well,
Windows Vista: Leave the XBox Console’s IP address as automatic,but change the DNS IP and gateway IP , otherwise the IP's will conflict Making it automatic is like giving the Xbox a secondary IP to connect to through your laptop w/o interfering and slowing down the connection. This allows you to download from XBox Live,while using your computer.

Tips

When buying a wireless adapter for a desktop computer, choose an internal one. They generally give better performance and leave a USB port free.
Your PC should be running at a fairly decent speed. If your computer is sluggish, your game might lag since your PC can't send Xbox Live information fast enough.
When connecting the Ethernet cable to the laptop, be sure to locate the network connections folder on your laptop and bridge the two connections together, people often miss this when trying to use a laptop as an Xbox wireless adapter.

Warnings

To avoid interruptions, your PC must be on at all times while you are playing. Your PC is relaying the information from the Xbox 360 to the internet. If your PC goes to sleep, shuts down, or restarts for an automatic update, you will lose connection. Losing the connection, means you will not be able to receive game or video content from the marketplace.
Source: How To Use Your Laptop As an Xbox Wireless Adapter Aug.31,2010
You might also be interested in:

Make Your own Paper Flowers

2010-05-27T06:46:00.001-07:00

Check out this amazing DIY I found at Wedding Chicks . A super present or great accent piece to match your decor. They post detailed step by step photos. Check it out! Tons of other great free DIY instructions & downloads! Remember to tell them YrHelper Infonut sent you!

Translation Widget for Canada

2010-03-22T01:59:00.001-07:00

Copy & Pate the following html into an html widget box on your site:

<div style="width:auto;" align="center">

</div>

<sup>Powered by</sup> <img src="http://www.google.com/ig/modules/translatemypage_content/logo.gif" align="absbottom" /><br />
<small><a href="http://www.info4Canada.blogspot.com" target="_blank">↑</a> <a href="http://info4canada.blogspot.com/2010/03/translation-widget-4-canada.html" target="_blank">Grab this widget</a></small></br>

</div>

How to Get a Great Date (Widget for Your Site)

2009-09-22T15:13:00.001-07:00

Sorry this is not a dating service. Gotcha!

You peeked at this post on

Click Here for the Code.

This handy piece of code will insert the current date whenever a person looks at your post, or site. Many marketers will use it in a message to create a sense of urgency. (i.e. the price is only $ x until midnight [date] )

How to Add the Code

1. Open an HTML box or a new Windows Live Writer File.

2. Type the text you want to use around the date.

(i.e. You peeked at this post on [date] )

3. Switch to HTML or source edit mode.

4. Highlight & copy the Code.

5. Highlight the word [date] in your file & paste the code in its place.

There you are! A piece of writing that will always be up to date!

How will you use it?

Save 35% on this Great DIY with Coupon!

2009-09-12T07:06:00.001-07:00

I'm a great fan of DIY projects, especially when they easily yield professional results. This great deal just popped into my mailbox. What a great idea for a teacher gift & all the relatives. Start snapping pics to create personalized keepsakes- everything from hard cover books to DVDs and iPod shows- all at your finger tips!

My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software is NOW 25% OFF

and

MyMemoriesSuite.com just emailed me a Back to School 10% OFF Coupon Code good through September 30, 2009. Type code: B2S10OFF, when you get to the checkout page.

Get Started now on those Christmas presents. Makes a great teacher present too!

Canadian Residents: There is an additional $14.99 surcharge for orders to Canada (Yeah-I wish it were on par with the US too. Hmmm.. I wonder if it's available as a download?)

Check out all the different ways you can share your scrapbooked photos:

Make Your own Granola

2009-08-03T08:11:00.001-07:00

Searching for a Granola recipe this morning brought a pleasant surprise: I now have over 100 Swag Bucks Enter the code NEWBIE to get 5 bucks when you sign up. Leave me a message so I can help you win.

Here's the Granola Recipe I cobbled together:

Most Commercial Granola Cereal has a lot of fat. I substituted Unsweetened applesauce in mine.

Low Fat Cholesterol Busting Hi-Fibre Granola

Preheat oven to 325

Mix together:

1/4 C Apple sauce (unsweetened berry)

1/4 C Honey from dad's farm

1/2 C Fennel seeds

1/4 Homemade cinnamon sugar

1/2 C Walnuts

1/4 C Pecans

2 T Molasses

2 C Oats (large flake)

1/4 C Brown Sugar

Bake 30 Minutes. Cool. Mix in 1C. Crisp Rice Cereal. Serve with diced apples & Vanilla Yoghurt. Top with Cinnamon Sugar.

Make Money with Affiliate Links

2009-05-31T05:42:00.001-07:00

Affiliate links are links to other companies’ websites who pay you when people sign up for their services or sometimes just click on their ads.

For faster payment, set up a free PayPal account. Some companies pay by check, but most prefer an online bank such as PayPal or NetBank. Click here to find out How to: Insert Affiliate Links, Find Affiliate Links and Get Paid!

Homemade SoftScrub recipe Discovered!

2009-05-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1/2 cup borax
4 tablespoons liquid soap (They suggest Murphy's Oil Soap)
essential oils, as desired

Directions

Put borax in a container with a lid.
Add liquid soap a bit at a time.
Mix with a fork .
When mixture is consistency of frosting it is ready to use.
Add essential oils.
Keep covered so it doesn't dry out.

Scrub away!

Note: I found this on Recipezaar. As with anything on the internet- use at your own risk! I wonder if there's a place to submit recipes to have them tested for any dangerous side affects.

Add your questions & comments here!

See more Canadian deals, coupons, contests, $ & time-saving tips Check out my other blogs.

Make ca$h blogging - http://join.zenzuu.com/infonut

Easy Reusable Bags - Trash 2 Treasure

2009-05-08T15:49:00.000-07:00

Have you entered your pledge on the Olympic Torch Relay Site?
Here's mine.-

I will make and carry reusable bags and post directions on my blog DIY4Canada.blogspot.com for others to make their own bags too.

If you have a simple pattern for others to follow, drop me a comment on my blog.

Let's work together to keep plastic out of the landfills and reduce chemicals released as part of their decomposition process; organo-chlorine (highly toxic), methane, and nitrous oxide (greenhouse gases contributing to global warming).

From Tank to Tote - Easy Reusable Bag

Don't toss that too small / stained tank top - turn it into a tote!

Turn tank inside out.
Sew shirt together at the bottom (back-stitch if you don't have a sewing machine)
Turn right side out and decorate with permanent markers.

This really is a trash to treasure project. It won't take long for those nickels to add up that they're charging for bags at the grocery store.

Try this using other clothes that are headed for the scrap bin. A pair of toddler-sized coveralls could be really handy with all those extra pockets!

Add your questions & comments here!

See more Canadian deals, coupons, contests, $ & time-saving tips
Check out my other blogs.

Homemade Beauty Treatments

2009-05-06T03:38:00.000-07:00

Beinggirl : Your Body : Features: (from their UK site)

"Soothing Skin Clarifier (for minor acne flare-ups)

Mix 1/2 cup warm water with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Using a cotton ball, apply directly to blemish. Hold pressure with cotton ball for several minutes, to soften blemish. Using a cotton swab, dab honey on blemish; leave on 10 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.

Nail and Cuticle Moisturizer

Olive oil can simply be massaged into the nail and cuticle area to moisturize and nourish the nail area. This is a great trick that will make those nasty hangnails a thing of the past.

Kiwi Eye Soother

Place a thin slice of kiwi on each closed eyelid to rejuvenate eyes and eliminate dark circles. Leave on for 15 minutes."

Nestlé : Starting Your Own Herb Garden

2009-04-28T08:42:00.000-07:00

Nestlé : Starting Your Own Herb Garden: Save money by growing your own herbs in a sunny window.
"Here are a few helpful tips to get you started:
Tip 1: Make sure you have a spot in your house that receives full sunlight for at least half of the day, a south or west facing window would be best. If your growing space does not accommodate this, think about using a fluorescent lamp to supplement your herbs growing needs.
Tip 2: Choose your herbs. Make a list of the herbs you know you love and use frequently. Explore other herbs that you think you may like to have. If you’re not sure, check your supermarket shelf to give you an idea.
Tip 3: Separate your herbs based on their required growing conditions. Look at the seed packets for specific growing conditions.
Tip 4: Separate your herbs in different potting containers. These can all be added together in one decorative planter if you like. Make sure your pots provide good drainage as this is probably the most important factor for a successful herb garden. Mixing your soil with crushed stone or gravel can help improve drainage. Separating your herbs also allows you to adjust the amount of water you give each plant depending on their needs."

DIY Air Conditioning

2008-07-30T19:16:00.000-07:00

Ancient Romans had air conditioning. In the summer, they would seal all their windows and doors, but open a hole in the center of their house down into a tunnel that travelled under their house for 20 feet or so, to the outside, and opened in a shady spot. This underground tunnel contained air cooled by the earth.

To draw cold air into the house, the Romans had a black-painted, 3 foot chimney on their roof. When the sun heated the chimney, the hot air inside the chimney (and house) would rise, and pull the earth-cooled air into their home. Since air in underground caves is 65 F year-round, this process cooled their homes considerably.

You may be able to cool your home by blowing the cool air from your basement through your duct work, or by aiming a fan up you basement steps. Alternatively you can freeze water in water bottles, place them in a dish drainer (set atop a towel to absorb condensation), and direct a fan across the ice filled bottles.

If you're feeling a bit more adventurous, check out this air conditioner constructed by a student. This homemade air conditioner uses a fan, an ice water filled cooler and copper tubing. Note: you can pick up the zip ties used in this project at the dollar store to further reduce the cost of this project.

Add your questions & comments here!
See more Canadian deals, coupons, contests, $ & time-saving tips
Check out my other blogs.
Make ca$h blogging - http://join.zenzuu.com/infonut

DIY Cooling Scarf

2008-07-30T18:10:00.000-07:00

A cooling idea from the folks in "The Land Down Under". The Watersorb site shows how to use polystyrene crystals to make cooling ties, vests, and helmets. Read testimonials on their site from service people in the armed forces who have found these useful even in the hottest of climates.

Although you can purchase the crystals from Watersorb, I wondered if there might be a cheaper source. I googled a few more sites, and...yup! You can use plant crystals. According to Debbie Colgrove at About.com Sewing , the crystals work great! (Debbie uses plant crystals from a gardening store.)

Hmm... I wonder if there are any reasons I couldn't use crystals from my local dollar store?

Add your questions & comments here!
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Check out my other blogs.
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Finch Birdhouse Plans

2008-07-24T17:43:00.000-07:00

Q. Where can I find pictures or plans of finch bird houses to make?

A. Here are some links you may find helpful:

http://www.essortment.com/home/finchbirdhouse_szah.htm (no pictures, but very clear directions)

http://www.50birds.com/MPb0606-412-2.htm house finch plans

Photos of a house finch house for sale

Add your questions & comments here!
See more Canadian deals, coupons, contests, $ & time-saving tips
Check out my other blogs.
Make ca$h blogging - http://join.zenzuu.com/infonut

Dehumidifier-Cheap and Easy on Energy

2008-07-22T16:57:00.000-07:00

Whew! Hot! How are you beating the heat? Living in Southern Ontario, the humidity makes the heat unbearable. I remembered seeing a bag of something that drained the water from the air when I was a kid so I went info surfing with google.Wouldn't it be great to beat the heat and save on electricity at the same time!

Homemade Chemical Dehumidifiers

These are made using a desiccant(something that dries things out) placed in a well ventilated container and located within an enclosed area. Some desiccants include: silica gel, calcium sulfate, activated carbon, clay, and salt.

Road Salt (aka Calcium Chloride)
The most common dehumidifier is made by placing a good amount of road salt in cheese cloth or plastic strainer and suspending it above a plastic bucket. The salt draws the moisture from the air, which then runs off into the bucket. Farmers have used this for years to prevent hay rot in barns.
+ Plus + readily available components, fairly cheap set up
- Minus - salt dissolves and has to be replaced; is highly corrosive when wet-causes metal to rust and skin burns

Silica Gel
You have probably seen silica gel in tiny packs inside shoes, purses, vitamins etc. This is also available as cat litter. Silica gel can be used instead of road salt, but you don't need the bucket underneath, because it absorbs the water.
+ Plus + Can be reused. No bucket to dump out!
- Minus - Higher set up cost. (Container of silica cat litter sells for about $5.17 at No Frills).
Does use some electricity
(oven or microwave needed to dry it out again see how to use & regenerate silica gel)

Keep Cool!

Add your questions & comments here!
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DIY 4 Canada

How to Build an Indoor Herb Tote

Indoor Herb Tote Directions

Herb Tote - What You'll Need

Materials

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Download the Free Herb Tote Instructions From Home Hardware

How to make Valentine Barrettes -

New Year’s Crackers: Make Your Own

Step One: Cut your cracker paper

Step Two: Roll your party cracker

Step Three: Make a paper hat (optional)

Step Four: Fill your crackers

Find frugal cracker gifts:

This article is adapted from: How to make your own Christmas Crackers at Squakfox.com

How to make Mice and more with Hershey’s Kisses

How to Wipe Your Electronic Info

Skin So Soft Unusual Uses

Skin So Soft is sold as a bath oil. Here are a multitude of uses for which others use AVON Skin so Soft.

How do you use Skin So Soft?

AVON Bubble Bath- Tons of Bubbles and Uses

AVON's Bubble Bath - Tons of Bubbles- Tons of Uses!

How to use a PC as XBox Wireless Adapter

What You'll Need

You are now connected to Xbox Live !

Tips

Warnings

Make Your own Paper Flowers

Translation Widget for Canada

How to Get a Great Date (Widget for Your Site)

Save 35% on this Great DIY with Coupon!

Make Your own Granola

Make Money with Affiliate Links

Homemade SoftScrub recipe Discovered!

Directions

Put borax in a container with a lid.

Add liquid soap a bit at a time.

Mix with a fork .

When mixture is consistency of frosting it is ready to use.

Add essential oils.

Keep covered so it doesn't dry out.

Scrub away!

Easy Reusable Bags - Trash 2 Treasure

Homemade Beauty Treatments

Nestlé : Starting Your Own Herb Garden

DIY Air Conditioning

DIY Cooling Scarf

Finch Birdhouse Plans

Dehumidifier-Cheap and Easy on Energy