Home & Garden

Keep the kitchen cleaner and spend less time handling dishes!  When it's time to make a meal, the first step is to unload the dishwasher.  Dishes to be used for the meal go directly on the counter

Turn a Flea Market Find into a Photo Frame An old barn or farmhouse window can be remade into a unique wall hanging or mantel display. Pair the old window with family photos or holiday cards and display

Dress up your counter while keeping your gadgets safer… The crafty honchos at Tovolo have designed useful, as well as fun kitchen utensils that are able to stand upright. Each Standz tool has an ergonomic

A few years ago the heater on my waterbed decided to quit working.  Of course it was winter.  Sleeping on a queen sized ice cube is not a good way to go.  I was out of work so I went looking for solutions. 

Handle With Care—Gloveables and More! Not only are the gloves I've found fashionable, but they help protect your hands and your sleeves if you happen to be stuck in front of the sink. Wash away the blues

Holiday centerpieces can be expensive, so before Thanksgiving, Christmas or any holiday my husband takes the kids on a nature walk. Their assignment is to bring me back items that I can use as a centerpiece

I became overwhelmed with the number of toys that my kids received for Christmas from us and family members each year. So, after Thanksgiving we go through the piles of toys and pick out a couple for each child

Dress-Up Your Dining Table on a Low Budget Transform a plain table into an eye-catching one by covering it with a table runner made of holiday placemats. A simple-to-stitch table runner, draped over a floor length

Cookie Magazine reviews four of their favorite online photo card services for holiday cards.  Cookie covers: Tiny Prints, Martha Stewart for Kodak, Photoworks and CardStore.com.  The samples

I enjoy gifts from the heart and the artwork from Park Road Studios fits the bill!  If you're looking for personalized, custom artwork for your childs' room this site's for you.  I love the

This holiday season take inspiration from the produce department at your neighborhood grocery store to create beautiful and inexpensive centerpieces that will bring a festive spirit to any table!  I used a

If you are thinking about doing some home repairs or improvements yourself this is a great place to start. It has tons of all kinds of project ideas. The page is separated into categories, project locations, tasks

We wanted to add some place settings to our wedding china, but the pattern is discontinued. Also, we have a gravy boat but no other serving pieces. I found Replacements Ltd. to solve both issues. They buy and sell

Print out this free laundry stain removal guide, have it laminated at Kinkos and hang it near your washing machine. Great guide to removing over 15 common stains including cranberry sauce, red wine, blood, ink

Trying to be organized this year from the start?  Try out these Holiday checklists and planners from Real Simple & OrganizedChristmas.com! Printable Gift Worksheet : tracks who wants what &

Save time in the mornings, and save the gas you idle away while scraping your windows. I read this tip in my dollar saving newsletter. I hope it works. To prevent your car's windows/mirrors from icing up in

Are you thinking about adding a special friend to your family? Do you have questions on what the new friend will need? Not sure if you want a dog, cat, rabbit, or small animal. Choosing the right pet can be a tough

The Pottery Company is amazing. The beautiful Italian pottery is the best I've seen!  Take a look and you will not believe the craftsmanship of these very unique pieces...have fun.

While entertaining, it's always a challenge making sure each of your guests has a place to sit. Not to mention expensive to keep buying more dining chairs. Here's a tip to add flair to inexpensive, wooden

Vanilla or apple-cinnamon candles gives off tons of wonderful aroma, but what if those candles are burning too fast? This can leave you burnt-out on candle buying. Here's a trick: simply place candles in the

Are your pre teens not quite sure how to say thanks fo the great birthday or holiday gift? Check out etiquette consultant Mannersmith's Thank You Note Wizard. Fill in a few blanks, select a few polite sentences

If you’re like me, you get tons of catalogs in the mail that you never requested, and some are interesting, but most go into the recycle bin. I recycle at least two catalogs a day. But my friend sent me a

In order to cut some of the expenses surrounding the holidays, our family now spends a little extra effort towards producing our own Christmas cards.  Instead of having an expensive professional portrait taken

After you host an event or dinner party, be ready to dish out the leftovers as take-home treats for your friends and family. Stock your cupboard with takeout containers in many shapes and sizes so that you can

This turkey day, dress up your Thanksgiving place-settings with simple napkin holders. Stamp a plain tag or cardstock with a message, saying or turkey emblem. Punch holes on both sides of the card (or tag)

Share a bit of family history with your guests this Thanksgiving. Print family recipes on pretty notecards or paperstock so that your guests can take them home after the big meal. Have the cards displayed in an

I saw this at my friend's house and thought it was a great idea. She took pens, safety scissors, and all those other things that end up rattling around a kitchen drawer and put them in an empty box once

If you have a cat, chances are pretty good that you have a litterbox.  Keeping it clean and smelling fresh are always a problem.  If you only have one or two cats, use the scoopable litter.  It's

Lean Cuisine is selling beautiful insulated lunch totes for $10, and $5 goes to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. You can buy them online at http://www.leancuisine.com/Komen2007/Index.aspx.  Plus, it encourages

Pay homage to your favorite writer, and dress up your walls at the same time. Inspire creativity around your home by decorating it with Wall Words press-on letters and phrases. As of late, more and more homeowners

allow your child to help you decorate his or her room.  it's their space so it let it be their way.  paint the walls with washable paint or cover them with plain, thick white paper and let them have

it's always a good idea to let your child have a pet of some kind.  even a goldfish teaches your child responsibility and how to care for something.  when you decide to take this step do some research. 

Ditch your paper towels for microfiber cloths. The cloths are handy for cleaning glass windows and other surfaces. You can use them to wipe down wood tables and they are also a wonder for drying steel pots and bowls

As the holidays approach and we begin snapping away at all those cute little kiddies....don't forget to back up your data. I have learned from experience! I have read several stats and articles stating

Express Your Gratitude with a Toast Raise your glass this Thanksgiving while reciting one of the gratitude quotes cataloged at Bartleby.com. Or start a yearly tradition and share a passage from The Thanksgiving

My girls love to recycle! So this article on 10 easy ways to help the environment has been great! Check out the very easy list to follow - if we all do our part we can make a difference!

We have tons of kids puzzles and before we got one of these puzzle storage cases, they were everywhere. Now we have two of these and the kids know just where to put the puzzles back - and fewer lost pieces! Each

Don't buy a calendar this year. Edhelper.com is a website for teachers with a membership fee, but lots of free stuff for non-members too. Every month for years I've been printing out a calendar for my classroom

The EPA Website is another great resource for families, especially those wanting more information about local air pollution. They have an educational section for kids that allows you to download a Happy Earth Coloring

A friend participates in the Book Swim Beta, this site loans out books like NetFlix loans out movies.  For a monthly fee, you're able to get books in the mail to read and just send them

At this site, you will find more ways to decorate your ordinary candles. I make interesting candlescapes by decorating candles with scrapbooking embellishments, tacks and buttons. To insert a push-pin, brad or

If you're frantically looking for some Halloween themed snacks, crafts for the class party, or even costume ideas, check out Mahalo's Halloween page. Mahalo is "a human-powered search engine that creates

Target is the last place I would think to look for party invitations, but I was looking at their selection recently and was really impressed with the variety and quality of the invitations and thank you notes

Halloween's ghouls and goblins can frighten your pets, too. Take a few steps to ensure your beloved animal's health and safety on this spooky eve. Don't drop the candy! Chocolate contains a toxic

For creating a harvest arrangement, you should select flowers in vibrant colors, varying shapes and use natural filler flowers. First, take some time and explore the many varieties of flowers popular during the

This Suregrip bottle by InZone is totally awesome! Easy to hold, huge, absolutely does not leak no matter what, and no cover to pop off and on and totally dishwasher safe. I totally love it, and I'm getting

This website discusses the concept of "Body Burden" and challenges us to become more aware of the environmental toxins in our home and community. Do you know which toxins you have been exposed to? They

My Mom bought me a wonderful Apple Peeler-Corer  (it slices too!) at William Sonoma last year.  It is a must have for any recipe involving apples!  It's a fun way to get the kids involved

My mother told me that in order to get ladybugs out of your house without killing them, vacuum them up with a hose and then open the bag outside.  They'll fly away unharmed!  (She heard this tip on

Welcome to my first Halloween for Kids Newsletter! Enjoy these family-friendly ideas for a fun Halloween!