Saying Good Bye
Posted by: Kathy Z on: April 20, 2011
This is the last post that you will see on this blog. I have too many irons in the fire and only have time for maintaining one blog. So, if you are a true follower of mine and want to read more of what I have to say, please visit my writing blog at The Writer’s Hut.
You will see some of the sam types of posts at The Hut that you have read and enjoyed here. I will also be posting some writing tips for new and seasoned writer. So, please know that the invitation for you to follow me on my other blog has been extended to you. I hope to see you there.
Take care. I’ll talk to you soon
Remember the name and place, it’s The Writer’s Hut.
What Planting Soils to Use?
Posted by: Kathy Z on: April 7, 2011
- In: Gardening | home making | planting | Plants
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Spring is here and I know for a fact that makes just about everyone on the East Coast very happy. We have had so much snow this season that we can’t wait to start planting, whether indoors or out.
You need to research what you need for planting. What type of plant, what type of soil, where to plant to get the most out of sunshine or shade. When you choose the right plant then you will need to invest the time and prepare the soil.
Turning the soil will improve its texture to some extent, but to improve the texture, nutrients, drainage and moisture retention you need to include suitable materials in your soil before you plant.
Lime and peat can be used to alter a soil’s acidity and alkalinity. Lime will raise the PH and help break up a heavy soil. Peat lowers the soil’s PH and improves the moisture retention which is especially useful for light soils.
Use coarse sand or gravel to loosen the soil. Make sure to use horticultural sand and gravel, builder’s material may contain contaminants that can be harmful.
Organic matter or composted bark and leaf mold improve moisture retention and drainage. Manure improves soil fertility because of its nitrogen content. Fertilization usually helps your plants bear more fruits.
So before you start to plant, know what you need to create a successful garden.
Take care. I’ll talk to you soon!
Fertilizing Plants
Posted by: Kathy Z on: April 2, 2011
- In: home making | planting | Plants
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It’s almost time to start thinking about planting your outdoor garden. Let’s get started with the planing stage.
Plants always need additional feeding, especially in a garden where the plants are close together. So, always use a fertilizer and plenty of nutrients. The correct timing for using a fertilizer is important. If you feed them late in the season you may promote a weak growth and make them vulnerable to any early frost.
Choose a fertilizer that is best for the specific needs of the plants you are feeding. The time of the year should also be taken into consideration when fertilizing plants. Keep a separate watering can to use for fertilizing.
The fertilizer you choose will depend on the needs of your plants and how often you will apply it. Granular fertilizers usually contain a balance of major nutrients. Slow release fertilizers release the nutrients into the soil according to temperature changes.
Liquid and soluble fertilizers are diluted with water and are applied to the roots most times, but can be applied to the leaves in some cases. Sticks and tablets are pushed into the soil or the soil mix after planting has taken place.
You can fertilize during an active period of plant growth as long as it is not too late in the season. You don’t want new growth at the end of the season.
Add a layer of crushed eggshells to the bottom of a planting hole to provide the plant with calcium and to improve it’s drainage. Because eggshells are alkaline, don’t use them on plants that need an acidic soil.
Take care. I’ll talk to you soon!
Goodies in a Jar
Posted by: Kathy Z on: April 1, 2011
- In: Baking | Cooking | unique gifts
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Recipes in a Jar
Today I have a craft for you that is very yummy. You can make these for yourself or give them as a hostess gift when visiting this autumn. They make great gifts. I gave them last year for Christmas using a variety of recipes. I chose two recipes today, one for White Hot Chocolate and one for Chocolate Chip cookies. Can you tell I’m a chocoholic?
For these recipes you will need a quart jar. If your jar is airtight add the ingredients directly otherwise place them into an airtight ziplock bag and attach the lid. Add a tag with directions to the neck of the jar.
Wrap the jar up with some cellophane, clear or colored, and add some curling ribbons and a bow to finish off this gift.
White Hot Chocolate
• 1 tsp. vanilla powder
• 1 tsp. dried orange peel
• 1/2 cup grated white chocolate or white chocolate chips
Combine and blend the ingredients in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container
Tag Instructions:
White Hot Chocolate Serves 2
1 and 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup White Hot Chocolate Mix
In a small saucepan, heat the milk until bubbles form around the outside.
Add the White Hot Chocolate Mix and whisk until the chocolate is melted.
Continue to whisk until the mixture is hot.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
Combine the flour, baking soda, white sugar, and the chocolate chips. Place 1/2 of the mixture in a clean quart sized glass jar, and pack firmly. Place the brown sugar on top, again packing firmly. Place the remaining flour mixture on top. Cover with a lid.
Tag Instructions:
Empty contents of jar into a large bowl. In separate bowl combine 3/4 cup of butter, 1 1/2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until creamy. Add to dry mixture. Drop by tablespoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes 2 dozen
Special Treatment
Posted by: Kathy Z on: March 31, 2011
Set aside some time each week to deal with delicate and unusual items that can’t be washed in your machine. Treat household linen with care to prolong its life. Air your bedding regularly to keep it in good condition
Add two teaspoons of sugar to rinse water to give silk body. Add a little lanolin to the rinse to protect or restore silk.
Hand wash wool and delicate fabrics. Use warm water when hand washing. Make sure that any soap you use is thoroughly dissolved. Make sure to rinse hand washed items two and three time to remove the soap. You washing machine rinses each load at least two times.
Woolens can be distorted by machine spinning. After hand washing, roll them gently in a clean towel to remove excess water and then lay them flat. You can shape them by hand if needed. You can buy mesh sweaters dryers for this job. I believe they sell them at Target and other such stores.
If it seems like you are not getting all of the soap out of your clothes, add a tablespoon of white vinegar to the final rinse cycle.
Make sure to pre-treat stains before laundering. Sometimes laundering can cause a stain to set.
You can and wash your pillows using a mild laundry detergent. Knead the pillow vigorously and make sure to rinse it several times. Wet pillows are heavy and may damage your home dryer. If you’re going to machine dry your pillow, remove all of the excess water before tumble drying and add a clean tennis shoe to the dryer to balance the load.
Using a water softening powder in your laundry load will remove any soap buildup and restore fading colors.
Take care. I’ll talk to you soon!
Time for more Freebies
Posted by: Kathy Z on: March 28, 2011
Free samples
http://www.thunderfap.com/
http://www.icravefreebies.com/
http://www.amazingfreebies.com/
Lots of things here
http://www.amazingfreebies.com/
Weekly freebies
http://www.weeklyfreebie.com/free/archives/food.shtml
Enjoy
Preparing for a Move
Posted by: Kathy Z on: March 28, 2011
A couple of weeks before you move, make a plan for packing each room and put together your packing materials. As you pack the items, toss out any clutter and label each box. Then you can place the boxes in the appropriate room in your new home.
Before you start packing, make an inventory of your possessions and keep this list for a reference. Put this list in a safe place so that you can refer to it during the move.
Make a note of the name and model numbers of all of your appliances. List like items together like silverware and dishes and note how many items are in the group.
Transport a computer in it’s original packing. If you don’t have the original packing, then ask at a computer store for a similar material and use it.
To protect delicate items such as small glass ornaments, wrap them in rolls of cotton before covering them with paper.
Wrap fragile items in bubble wrap, put them in a sturdy box and pad the sides to make sure the contents are held securely in place.
Wrap ornaments in cleaning cloths and pack them into plastic food containers with lids. Tuck extra padding around the items to hold them securely.
Cut circles of bubble wrap the same size as your dishes. Sandwich the bubble wrap between the plates as you stack them so that they don’t chip each other.
Take care. I’ll talk to you soon!
Bulletin Board
Posted by: Kathy Z on: March 27, 2011
Here a is cool bulletin board project. You can use is to hold your papers or your pictures. You can hang it up for everyone to see and the real plus is that you made it yourself
Here is what you will need to get started:
- One 1” x 12” x 36” sheet of styrofoam
- Fabric measuring 18” x 30”
- Ribbon in three contrasting
- Buttons
- A ruler
- A sharp pencil
- A serrated knife and an old candle or dental floss
- Straight pins
- Thick, white craft glue
- A low temperature glue gun and glue sticks
- Two sawtooth picture hangers
Using a ruler and pencil, score the foam sheet to create a 12” x 24” rectangle. Wax a serrated knife with and old candle. Hold the foam sheet firmly an a flat surface and cut on the scored line using the knife like a saw or you can try the dental floss. Stand the sheet on its edge and hold a 20” length of floss along the scored line. Put one hand on the top of the board and one hand on the bottom and draw the floss down through the foam sheet at the scored line.
Place the fabric right side down on a flat surface and spread a thin, even coat of white craft glue on the edges of the foam rectangle. Center the foam on the fabric and carefully wrap the fabric around the foam. Fold the corners neatly and glue and pin the fabric to the back of the foam sheet.
Cut the one of the ribbons into two, 28” lengths. Starting 3” down from each corner, glue and pin the ribbons to the back of the bulletin board and around the front forming a criss cross pattern. Repeat with the another contrasting ribbon. Cut the the third ribbon into four, 12” lengths and position them into a v-shape. Glue in place.
Cover two buttons with fabric and glue to the front of the bulletin board covering the point formed by the third ribbon. Let it dry.
Glue the two sawtooth hangers to the top two back corners and you’re ready to hang it. For additional support you can insert and glue two straight pins into the holes in the sawtooth hangers.
Green Tips
Posted by: Kathy Z on: March 26, 2011
Everyone is concerned about the economy and the Earth these days, and with good reason. It is time to start being responsible for the mess that we have made that is so distressing to Mother Earth. So, I have some tips to help us all to at least start to go a little green.
For wilted vegetables – crisp them up by soaking them in a mix of lemon and ice water.
Fabric softener sheets are designed to break up water spots so they’re great for cleaning glass shower doors.
Vinegar and baking soda clean just about everything, but don’t mix them together. When mixed together the erupt in a bubbling mess.
Oven cleaner can be used to clean stubborn stains and soap scum that has accumulated on a fiberglass shower enclosure. After rinsing, if there are any stains left, use a Magic Eraser and remove them.
To ward off ants try mixing sage and white pepper together and sprinkle it in the affected area.
As your light bulbs blow out, replace them with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) The cost more to buy, but use ¼ of the electricity and last many years longer than regular bulbs.
Basil has been know chase mosquitoes away.
Try washing your dishes by hand a couple of times a week. When you do use a dishwasher, only run it when it is full.
Start paying your bills online. It will save paper, energy and money.
To create a polish for leather boil 1 ¼ cups of linseed oil and let it cool. Add 1 ¼ cups of vinegar and apply to leather with a clean, soft cloth. Buff dry.
Want to use natural dyes? Liquify some fruits with a little hot water and then strain them to extract their natural dyes. Apply several coats to item you want to dye and seal it with a coat of varnish.
If you don’t already recycle, please start.
Take care. I’ll talk to you soon!
Bright Ideas 3
Posted by: Kathy Z on: March 25, 2011
I have another list of bright ideas for you today. I hope you’re enjoying these little quips. I know you have probably heard a lot of them before, but I think a couple of them may be brand new.
For dripless candles, place them in the freezer for a couple of hours. This really works, I tried it.
If you don’t have enough closet space to hang your skirts, wrap them in tissue paper to prevent them from creasing and store them in a drawer.
Stuff wet shoes with newspaper and let them sit overnight. This will help them keep their shape as they dry.
To clean pewter objects, rub them with cabbage leaves or immerse them into water that has been used to cook eggs. Sounds crazy, but it works.
Keep a large safety pin near your kitchen sink, maybe pinned to the back of your curtains, to use it to attach rings to your clothes while washing dishes. Rings won’t be damaged or misplaced.
Do you have a dripping faucet that is really annoying you? Tie a piece of string to the spout of the faucet and let the water drip, noiselessly, down the string and into the sink’s drain. You won’t hear a thing.
Storing paint that is leftover from a home project – put a dab of the paint on the lid to show it’s color and place a label on the front with the date and the room where you used the paint.
That is all I have for right now, but I’ll be back with more.
Take care. I’ll talk to you soon!
