New York Taffy Recipe Card

Christmas Clay Decorations Toy Soldier

These are very cute and found all over during the holidays in Arizona.
I do not know who created them but True Value hardware and every one has a copy of these darling door decorations.
The little ones are cute but the large ones about 6 feet tall are spectacular.
They used 16 inch pots to create them.
Some were even decorated with real buttons and thrift found hats.Painted eyes
The plans are created to James Carey and Morris Carey

Your Checklist of materials
5 five-inch flower pots
3 cans of spray paint (red, black and blue)
Blue painters tape
Masking paper
2 wood tongue depressors (Alternative: Paint stir sticks)
Masonry adhesive, hot glue gun or Velcro connections
Gold ribbon
Sticky-back felt
Regular felt
Brass ring
Gold-colored plastic “cabochons” (or regular buttons)
Gold-colored beads and gold sequin (Alternative: Gold-colored braid or rope)
Plastic eyes
Pipe cleaner (black or red)
Red-colored yarn tassel

 
Instructions
Creating a Toy Soldier from Clay Pots

by James Carey and Morris Carey

Add to your holiday decor with a handmade 18-inch tall “toy soldier” made from flower pots, spray paint, a few pieces of felt, ribbon and a few odds and ends.
This fun decoration is a great family project and adds a festive touch every year, especially if there are youngsters around to share the experience.
You will need five 5-inch flower pots and three cans of spray paint - red, black and blue. The rest is, in large part, up to you.
Our toy soldier can easily be converted to an angel, Santa, an elf or whatever else suits your fancy.
First, the clay pots should be spray painted. Two pots are painted blue, one black, one red and one is left unpainted.
Next, add a black stripe to the rim of the unpainted pot and to one of the blue pots. Use blue painters tape and masking paper to prevent paint from getting onto any surface other than the rim. Two wood tongue depressors should be spray painted red andset aside for use later. If tongue depressors aren't available, trimmed paint stir sticks will do the trick.
Permanent assembly can be achieved by using a masonry adhesive or a hot glue gun. However, if storage is a consideration, use Velcro connections instead. This will allow partial disassembly and the placing of some of the pots inside one another.
Assembly begins by placing the blue pot with the black rim, rim-side down, on the work surface. Next, connect the bases of the two blue pots, making sure to align them. You've now created black shoes and blue trousers. Next, attach the rim of the red pot to the rim of the blue pot. Then, connect the base of the unpainted pot to the base of the red pot. Finally, add the black pot to the top, rim down.
The next step is to add red stripes to the trousers, a white stripe and a black collar to the shirt, a black belt where the trousers and shirt meet, and a gold hatband to the hat.
We used gold ribbon for the hat band, sticky-back felt for the trouser and shirt stripes and regular felt for the collar and belt.
A simple brass ring was used for a belt buckle and, although regular buttons can be used, we used a package of gold-colored plastic "cabochons." The absence of a stitching protrusion on the back made them easy to attach with a hot glue gun.
Twenty or so small, gold-colored beads strung together with a gold sequin at each end can be used for the hat decoration.
Gold-colored braid or rope is an alternative.
The arms are made from the tongue depressors (paint sticks) that were painted red earlier in the project.
Now, it's time to add white gloves. Each consists of a pair of opposing pieces made from sticky-back felt. Red cuffs can be
added in the same manner. A sequin is used at each cuff for a button. And a short piece of gold ribbon is wrapped around the
top of the arm to simulate an epaulet. Now attach the arms to the body. The face can be painted. In our case, because we're not
artistic, we used plastic eyes and a felt mouth. A short piece of black or red pipe cleaner rolled into a ball can be used for the nose.
Finally, a store-bought red-colored yarn tassel should be added to the top of the hat. Or you can purchase the yarn and make your own tassel.

Quick Fire Starters

Fire Starters


Safe and economical,
these fire starters are a must for your next camping trip.

You need:
Small Candy Mold or
Star Candy Mold
Wax or Old Candles
Saw Dust from Untreated Wood
Disposable Container and Spoon
Broken Crayons (optional)
Instructions:

Melt candles or wax in a double burner on stove top. Add broken crayons for color if desired. Mix equal amounts of saw dust with melted wax in a disposable container. Pour into candy molds. Let harden. Pop out of of molds.
Light with a wooden match to start your camp fire or cooking fire.

Fall Garden

Spring Divisions Caring for Your Flower Beds Budget Gardening: Increase Stock with Cheap or Free Garden Plants
Some perennials do best if divided in the spring, some do best if divided in the fall, and others may be divided in either fall or spring.
The following may be divided in the fall with good results. I think you will be surprised at how many perennials can be successfully divided in the fall!

Propagation by division assures the new plant will be an exact match with the original.
Division is an inexpensive way to increase your stock of a favorite plant, or to create extra plants for swapping with friends.

1 Dig up the clump, taking care to get as much of the roots as possible without damage.Most roots are in the top 12 inches of soil, and the root’s mass will usually be the diameter the plant plus 3 to 6 inches beyond the plant. For digging and transplanting, going larger than this shouldn’t be necessary.

2 Use a sharp spade to cut or cleanly break the clump into two or more pieces (divisions), each with an obvious growing point and some roots.Work on the clump quickly so the plant parts don’t dry out too much (you can cover them with a tarp or mist them occasionally if need be). Discard any unproductive portions and any shriveled or rotten parts. Leave the roots surrounded with the soil to protect the root hairs from drying out and becoming damaged.

You can pry apart fibrous-rooted perennials with your bare hands; all others require sharp, strong, clean tools that are equal to the job: a stout knife, a trowel, even two spades or gardening forks braced back-to-back.

3 Replant the new pieces.Plant some in the same spot and the others perhaps elsewhere in your yard (or share them other gardeners).

Many perennials can be left in place for at least several years before they need dividing
-- and a few such as peony and baptisia -- rarely need dividing, if ever. But if you have plants that need to be divided, see if they are listed. If so, do it this fall and both you and your plants will get a good jump on spring!

These Perennials May Be Divided in Fall
Listed Alphabetically by Botanical Name

Achillea
Aconitum
Aegopodium
Ajuga
Amsonia
Anaphalis
Anchusa
Anemone
Anthemis
Arenaria
Armeria
Artemisia
Aruncus dioicus
Asarum
Astilbe
Aubrieta
Aurinia
Baptisia
Brunnera
Campanula
Centaurea
Cerastium
Chelone
Cimicifuga
Convalleria
Corydalis
Coreopsis
Crocosmia
Dianthus
Dicentra
Disporum
Dodecatheon
Echinops
Eremurus
Erigeron
Eupatorium
Euphorbia
Filipendula
Galium
Gaura
Geranium
Geum
Helenium
Helianthus
Hemerocallis
Heuchera
Heucherella
Hosta
Houttuynia
Iris (early fall)
Kniphofia
Lamiastrum
Lamium
Liatris
Ligularia
Lilium
Linum
Liriope
Lobelia
Lycoris
Lysimachia
Monarda
Nepeta
Paeonia
Papaver
Physostegia
Platycodon
Polemonium
Polygonatum
Potentilla
Pulmonaria
Ranunculus
Rodgersia
Salvia
Saponaria
Sedum
Senecio
Sidalcea
Smilacina
Solidago
Stachys
Stokesia
Tanacetum
Thalictrum
Tiarella
Trollius
Uvularia
Veronica
Viola
Yucca

Cute Lattace Card Tutorial

Found this cute, simple Lattace card tutorial HERE

Easel Card tutorial Link

Find instructions to this and many other cards HERE

Twisted Easel

Shabby Chic Card tutorial

While surfing on the  net yesterday I came across this card and site. She has wonderful tutorials and this darling shabby card made of bits and pieces of all kinds of stuff.

 From here you can add all sorts of items ,your own photos and artwork dressed with tons of knick knacks. Go wild She did. Card Tutorial; HERE

 Check out her  her blog list of tutorials HERE

Scrapbook Layout Ideas

Found a fresh  layout blog for scrapbooking.

She has wonderful ideas and simple how to's.

Blog found HERE

For Sue and all who are fighting .

Free Plans

Free Woodworking plans link found HERE

Make your own paint

With cheap, non-toxic ingredients

So where to get the least costly, non-toxic, low-energy paint?

The answer lies in a trip to the milk-bar. A couple of litres of skim milk will form the base for enough paint to begin experimenting. The next stop is the hardware store for some builder's lime (also called slaked or hydrated lime) and plaster of Paris. Apart from some water and your choice of pigment, these are all the ingredients you will need.

There are several variations on what is usually referred to as `milk paint'. One involves mixing lime into a thick paste with a little water, then gradually adding milk until it reaches a paint-like consistency. I was told about this method by a friend of mine, Salvatore, who had used it while growing up in Italy in the 1930's and 40's. Both ingredients were widely available, and used with various pigments, milk paint is attractive and durable. I tried the recipe using bottled skim milk, though Salvatore recommends milk directly from the cow, with the cream skimmed from the top.

Sieve the lime before mixing it with the milk, and let it sit for several hours, though found that it was still quite lumpy. Straining the mixture through muslin makes it much smoother. I used the paint on old unpainted weatherboards, and got good coverage-once it dried it actually looked like paint!

An internet search revealed some other paint recipes. One that I tried consists of plaster of Paris as the main solid ingredient, mixed with a little lime and skim milk. Again, filtering through muslin cloth to remove lumps is a good idea. This paint was similar to the lime paint, but where the lime-only paint was powdery when dry, the plaster of Paris set a lot harder.

Creating colours

There are many options for colouring milk paint. For a straight white, zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are good. Calcium carbonate or chalk will make the paint more opaque. Iron oxide (rust) is easy to manufacture at home from steel wool or iron filings, and gives the paint a nice ochre colour. Many traditional paints used wild berries for colouring. Again, the muslin cloth comes in handy for removing pips. If you're concerned about being able to replicate your colours, you could compromise and buy some ready-made pigment from an art supplies shop.

Cleaning up

Besides the obvious advantage of not having to inhale pungent vapours, cleaning up these paints with water was dead simple. I didn't have to worry too much about tipping the cleaning-up water on the garden, although too much lime can be a bad thing for soil. Lime and milk paint also comes off hands and clothes much more readily than other paint. While lime is alkaline and can cause skin to dry out and feel `burnt' after prolonged contact, it is easy to dip your hands in a bucket while you paint, or wear gloves. If you get lime in your eyes flush them with cold water immediately.

Finishing the surface

One disadvantage of milk paint is that it can be marked by water. Sealing will eliminate this problem, and will make the finish generally easier to clean in `high splash' areas like the kitchen. A range of finishes can be used, including linseed oil and Danish oil. The roughness of the surface caused by particles of lime can be smoothed with steel wool or sandpaper before applying the finish.

What the ingredients do

Why milk and lime? The first reason is that they are cheap and readily available, which is why milk and lime mixes were the most commonly used paint until the mid-1800's. Most importantly, though, they have a synergistic effect that makes great paint. Milk contains a salt called casein, which reacts with calcium in lime to form calcium caseinate, a resin that binds itself with pigments in the paint and the surface the paint is applied to. Many people complain of the great difficulty in removing the bottom layer of paint on old doors and window frames-in many cases, that's well-cured milk paint. The combination also means that once cured, milk paint will no longer be alkaline.

Make your own milk paint:

Home-made paint recipes

Basic lime and milk paint

Mix in one part of lime with twelve parts of skim milk (you can measure by either weight or volume). Add pigment until desired colour is achieved.

Lime, milk and plaster of Paris paint

Ingredients:

Skim milk 1.5 cups

Lime 30 g

Plaster of Paris 240 g

Pigment

Mix skim milk with lime while stirring briskly until the lime is thoroughly dispersed.

Add plaster of Paris and pigment until desired colour is achieved

Notes:

Allow the mixture to sit for an hour or until it stops bubbling.

When painting, stir the mixture every five minutes to prevent the solid ingredients settling.

Washing up

Use water, and a little soap. Unlike commercial synthetic paints, the residue can safely be poured onto the garden, though be careful not to tip too much lime on one area.

Blank Recipe cards

OUT SPOT !

Stain Guidelines If you know what type of stain is on the cloth, the following suggestions are very helpful in removing new and sometimes older stains.

Scorch/Burn Marks Scorching permanently damages the fabric. The heat burns and weakens the fibers, and can also melt manufactured fibers, such as polyester. If the damage is slight you might be able to improve the look. Brush the area to remove any charring. If the tablecloth is washable, rub liquid detergent into the scorched area. Launder. If the stain remains, bleach with an all-fabric non-chlorine bleach.

Alcoholic Drinks, Wine Launder with detergent in the hottest water safe for the fabric. If it is a new stain, do not use soap (bar, flake, or detergents containing natural soap), since soap could make the stain permanent or at least much more difficult to remove. If it is an old stain, soak in a solution of water with one half of a scoop of powered non-chlorine bleach. Watch carefully. Soak for at least 2 hours, (more if necessary). Line dry in sun. Soak tough stains for 30 minutes in 1 quart of warm water and 1 teaspoon of enzyme presoak product. The removal of old or set-in stains may require washing with non-chlorine powdered bleach that is safe for the fabric. Always check for colorfastness first. If all the sugars from the wine or alcohol are not removed, a brown stain will appear when the fabric is heated in the dryer or is ironed, as the sugar becomes caramelized in the heat.

Tomato-based Stains Saturate the area with pretreatment laundry stain remover. Wait a couple of minutes for the product to penetrate the stain. For stubborn stains, rub with heavy-duty liquid detergent. Launder immediately. If the stain remains, soak the entire tablecloth in a diluted solution of all-fabric powered bleach. Be aware that all the colors may lighten. If the stain persists and the tablecloth is white or colorfast, soak in a diluted solution of liquid chlorine bleach and water. However, be sure to read the tablecloth label regarding the use of bleach. Bleach can damage some dyes and prints, and bleaching damage is irreversible. Also, if the stain is not removed in 15 minutes, it cannot be removed by bleaching and further bleaching will only weaken the fabric.

Blood Treat new blood stains immediately! Flush cold water through the stain and scrape off crusted material. Soak for 15 minutes in a mixture of 1 quart lukewarm water, 1/2 teaspoon liquid hand dish washing detergent, and 1 tablespoon ammonia. Use cool/lukewarm water. Rub gently from the back to loosen stain. Soak another 15 minutes in above mixture. Rinse. Soak in an enzyme product for at least 30 minutes. Soak aged stains for several hours. Launder normally. If the blood stain is not completely removed by this process, wet the stain with hydrogen peroxide and a few drops of ammonia. Caution: Do not leave this mixture on the cloth longer than 15 minutes. Rinse with cool water. If the blood stain has dried, PRE-treat the area with PRE-wash stain remover, liquid laundry detergent, or a paste of granular laundry product and water. Launder using bleach that is safe for the type of fabric.

Candle Wax Harden the wax by rubbing with ice. Remove the surface wax by carefully scraping with the dull edge of a butter knife, if that doesn't work, you can try the next suggestion. Sandwich the wax stain between folded paper towels and press down lightly on top of the towel with a warm (not hot) iron. Replace the paper towels frequently to absorb more wax and to prevent transferring the stain to new areas. Continue as long as wax is being removed.

Yellowing, Graying If it is an old stain, soak the tablecloth in a solution of water with one half of a scoop of powered non-chlorine bleach. Watch carefully. Look for signs that the dye is colorfast. Soak for at least 4 hours, (more if necessary). Line dry in the sun. Repeat the process if still yellow.

Dye Stains, Dye Transfer Soak the entire tablecloth in a diluted solution of powered non-chlorine bleach. If the stain remains and the tablecloth is colorfast, soak the entire tablecloth in a dilute solution of liquid chlorine bleach and water. Again, test for colorfastness first and watch carefully. Not recommended for tablecloths that were made prior to 1935. Check the "Dating Your Tablecloth" section for clues as to the approximate age. Caution: Chlorine bleach may change the color of the tablecloth or cause irreversible damage especially in PRE-1940s tablecloths. Therefore, it is important to check for color fastness before using. If the stain does not come out within 15 minutes of bleaching, it cannot be removed by this method and any further exposure to bleach will weaken the fabric and remove the color. I do not recommend this for general stain removal. Note: To check for color fastness to liquid chlorine bleach, mix 1 tablespoon of bleach with 1/4 cup of water. Use an eyedropper to put a drop of this solution on a hidden seam in the tablecloth. Let it stand two minutes, then blot dry. If there is no color change, it is probably safe to use the product. Powdered non-chorine bleaches have directions for colorfastness tests on their boxes. There are also a number of dye removers/strippers, which are available in drug and grocery stores. However, color removers will also take out fabric colors as well as the stain so be careful.

Mildew Mildew is a growing organism that must have warmth, darkness, and moisture to survive. Mildew actually eats cotton and linen fibers and can also attack manufactured fibers, causing permanent damage and a weakening of fibers and fabrics. To treat mildew, first carefully brush or shake off mildewed area. It is very difficult to remove and will damage the value of a vintage tablecloth. PRE-treat the stains by rubbing the areas with a heavy-duty liquid detergent. Then launder in the hottest water safe for the fabric, using bleach safe for fabric. Always check for colorfastness and for the age of the tablecloth before using any type of bleach. Let the item dry in the sun. Badly mildewed fabric may be damaged beyond repair. Old stains may respond to flushing with dry cleaning fluids. Carefully read and follow the instructions on the product label.

Rust Removing rust stains can be difficult. These stains cannot be removed with normal laundering. Do not use chlorine bleach, as chlorine bleach will make the stains permanent. Small stains may be removed with a few drops of a commercial rust remover, or by repeated applications of lemon juice and salt on the stain. Do not let the fabric dry between applications.

Coffee, Tea Saturate the stain with a pretreatment stain remover. Rub the stain with a heavy-duty liquid detergent and launder in the hottest water safe for the fabric. If it is a new stain, do not use soap (bar, flake, or detergents containing natural soap), since soap could make the stain permanent or at least more difficult to remove. If it is an old stain, soak the tablecloth in a solution of water with one half scoop powered non-chlorine bleach. Watch carefully. Soak for at least 2 hours, (more if necessary). Line dry in sun.

You can also use liquid laundry detergent and oxygen color safe bleach or non-chlorine powdered bleach. If safe for the specific fabric try this old home remedy, boil fabric in a solution of 4 teaspoons of cream of tartar per pint of water. Rinse thoroughly. Rust removers that contain hydrofluoric acid are extremely toxic, can burn the skin, and will damage the porcelain finish on appliances and sinks. Use as a last resort. I do recommend using the Carbona Rust remover products, but again, watch your cloths carefully.

Smoke/Odors Some of the older tablecloths that have been stored for many years have that "old smell" and yellowing in the creases. You will also find tablecloths that have been in a smoker's home with that "tell tale" smell. I have not had any problems removing either of these problems from my tablecloths. If the tablecloth is not seriously frayed or damaged in any other way, soak the tablecloth is a solution of tepid water and one scoop of non-chlorine powdered bleach or Oxy. Watch carefully for any signs of dyes fading. Remove immediately if you see a green or red "tinged" water. Soak overnight and place outside out all day in the sun. Repeat if necessary, but it should work in one treatment.