MARIES GENERAL & GARDENING TIPS

ALUMINUM FOIL USES

Static Removal -- Fold foil in a ball and put in dryer with clothes, it removes static and drys clothes as usual.
Scissor Sharpening -- Fold several layers of foil, cut with scissors several times and it will sharpen your scissors
Ironing -- Fold over ironing board beneath cover and it retains the heat

PROTECT YOUR CHINA HINT

Prevent china plates from being scratched when stacked by inserting used jar rings between them.

GARDEN CLOSING TIPS

Give compost pile a good turning before winter sets in. Apply lime to lawn, as long as there is no snow. Work a trowelful of cornmeal into soil around rose bushes and hill up around base.

PUMPKIN FOR SLEEP

A taste of Pumpkin before bed, will help you sleep. Pumpkin protects the heart and boosts memory, helps with weight loss and lowers cholesterol.

LAWN MOWER STORAGE

Before putting your lawnmower away for the season, be sure to empty out all the gas. Wrap an old towel on a wire coat hanger and insert into the gas tank to wipe up the last of the gas. You'll prevent any gummy residue from forming during the winter.

PUTTING ROSES TO BED FOR THE WINTER

Water regularly through out the fall. Remove any dead or diseased canes. After frost, mulch plants with compost to joints just above the swollen point where stem joins the rootstock.

SCENTS IN THE SUN

Don't dab perfume directly onto your skin before going into sunlight as some ingredients may cause pigment spots to appear. Instead apply to hair, inside of your wrist, or on clothes it won't stain,

SHOOH FLYS AWAY

Place pennies and some water in a plastic bag and hang over patio table to shoo away flies.

HOSE HOLDER

If your hose knocks over plants in the corner of your garden as you water try this: Drive a heavy stake in each corner, drape the hose around the stakes towards outside of garden to keep the hose off plants.

COLD ICE CHEST

Prechill the interior by filling the chest with ice. Let stand for 15 minutes, then drain and cover the bottom with plenty of fresh ice cubes, or if room, put chest in freezer for awhile

PAPER TOWELS OUTSIDE

Hanging a roll of paper towels outside is a cinch. Use a wire hanger that has a narrow paper tube bottom bar. Just pull the wire out of the end of the paper tube, insert the roll of paper towels, then push the wire back into the tube.

TRYING OUT NAIL POLISH

Put a light coating of hand cream on, then wrap a piece of cellophane tape on your fingertip. Paint on the new nail colour. A great way to audition a colour and see how it looks on you.

LONGER LASTING NAIL POLISH

Dip your fingers into solution of one half cup water and two teaspoons white vinegar. Pat dry, thEn apply polish. You'll get an extra bonus with this. Vinegar softens cuticles and conditions nails.

Longer lasting nail polish Dip your fingers into solution of one half cup water and two teaspoons white vinegar.Pat dry,than apply polish,you'll get extra bonus too.Vinegar softens curicle and conditions nails. Trying out Nail Polish put a light coating of hand cream,than wrap a piece of cellophane tape on your fingertip.Paint on new nail colour,great way to audition a colour and see how it looks on you.

6 WAYS TO RELIEVE SUNBURN

1 - Apply a paste of baking soda and water and leave on until the area has cooled.
2 - Rub with cider vinegar.
3 - Rub with cool tea or cold wet tea bag.
4 - Apply calamine lotion to the burned area.
5 - Apply a paste of baking soda and milk.
6 - Apply cider vinegar, witch hazel or cold pepperment tea.

ROSES KEEP BLOOMING

Roses will keep blooming if you snip off old flower clusters from rambler roses.

EXTEND FLOWER LIFE

Extend the indoor life of cut flowers by putting them in a solution of one part water, one part clear soft drink such as: (sprite, 7up, gingerale etc.), and a few drops of clorine bleach.

PLANT BUG ELIMINATOR

Something "buggin" your plants? Experiment with your own homemade organic pest control spray. Mix together 1 TSP liquid dish soap, 1 cup vegetable oil and 1 gallon warm water. Water with watering can or sprayer.

SQUIRREL AWAY

To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle plants with cayenne pepper, the cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plants and the squirrels won't come near it.

LOW COST LEG SHAVE

Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth.

TANGLED THREADS

Bounce, prevents threads from tangling by running a threaded needle through a sheet of bounce before beginning to sew.

LAWN NEED WATERING

You can tell your lawn needs watering when your footsteps stay on the lawn. Well watered turf springs back, dry grass doesn't,

MISSING TURF

Patches of turf mysteriously torn up over night? Quite likely the work of insect-seeking raccoons or skunks. A sprinkling of moth crystals may help to persuade them to dine elsewhere.

STRAWBERRY & SWEET POTATOES HEALTH BENEFITS

Strawberries are in season now so enjoy them. They combat cancer, protect your heart, boosts memory, calmS stress. Sweet Potatoes helps save your eyesight, lifts mood, combats cancer and strengthens bones.

KEEPING PLANTS MOIST

Gardeners - To keep plants moist,use lots of organic matter in soil. Mulch your beds well with compost or whatever you have on hand such as newspapers, old carpets, stones. Apply when soil is wet. Reduce evaporation by watering in the late afternoon or early morning.

EAR WIGS

If you have a problem with earwigs, just roll up a newspaper and leave it in the area overnight. When you wake up the next day,the earwigs will be inside the paper. Put it in a plastic bag and throw it away.

CREATIVE WINDOW BOXES

For window boxes, create an impressive display by planting containers that are similar in style, made from the same material and grouped together.

CUTTING FLOWERS -- HOW AND WHEN

Cut garden flowers in the morning or early evening. Use vase large enough to provide plenty of room for all the stems, with a mouth opening that is wide enough for circulation. Always use a sharp knife to cut stems, avoid using scissors.

CANDLES

* Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer at least 3 hours prior to burning.
* Scented Candles -- Add a drop of essential oil to melting wax just next to wick. Consider cinnamon, frankensence, myrr and pine.

CHRISTMAS TREE

Add a little lemon-lime soda to the tree water to give your evergreen a lift. To water the tree without spilling, place ice cubes around tree base. If you have curious cats or dogs at home, hang tinsel out of their reach.

TWIST TIES FOR GLASSES

Whoops--Your specs slip off because the tiny screw that holds the earpiece fell out. Secure the earpiece temporarily with a twist tie. Trim the edge off the tie so you have only the centre wire. After you insert and twist, snip off the excess with scissors.

EMERGENCY CUFF LINKS

You packed a nice shirt with French cuffs for a wedding, but forgot your cuff links so here's what you do. Take a twist tie (that you never leave home without) and pull the twist tie through so twist is discreetly inside cuff.

PAM COOKING SPRAY

Pam cooking spray will dry finger nail polish

HAIR CONDITIONER

Mayonnaise will condition your hair in 15 minutes(while you are making potato salad)

MINOR BURN STINGS

Colgate or crest toothpaste will stop sting. Did you know that colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns?

DRY SKIN PROBLEMS

To soften dry skin, add 1 cup powered milk to your bath (It worked for Cleopatra). Also try adding lemon juice or vinegar to your bathwater. Soap, being highly alkaline, may make your skin feel itchy. Forgo all skin products that contain alcohol, which is drying (alcohol goes inside not out).

FROZEN LOCKS

When the weather is cold enough to freeze a padlock on a shed or garage, slip a plastic sandwich bag over the lock to avoid frozen tumblers.

PROTECT MAILING LABELS

When sending parcelS on rainy days, put clear nail polish over the address information to make sure your parcel gets to the right place.

APPLES FOR HEALTH

Apples are good for you -- protect your heart -- prevents constipation -- blocks diarrhea -- improves lung capacity -- cushions joints (not the smoking kind)

COFFEE FILTERS

Keep coffee filters in the bathroom. They make great "razor nick fixers".

REMOVING SLIVERS FROM A CHILDS HAND OR FOOT

A child has a sliver and won't let your tweezers near it. Try a blob of white glue on the sliver. When the glue dries, peel it off and the sliver might come too.

TO AVOID FALL FEVERS, EAT MODERATELY, DRINK SPARINGLY

Do not lay down on damp earth, do not overheat yourself, keep your temper even, change clothes when the weather changes (who do you change with?) Drink plenty of water, get lots of rest, eat correctly, fruit, vitamin c, veggies and grains which cleanse your system.

HAVING TROUBLES PUTTING A PILLOW BACK IN ITS COVER

Your going bonkers putting a pillow back inside its slipcover. Wrap it inside in Plastic, (a large garbage bag works well) and slide into the cover. Than gently pull the plastic out, leaving the pillow inside.

YOUR DRESSER KNOB WON'T STAY PUT

Dip the screw end of the knob into shellac or clear fingernail polish. Screw it back in. When it dries, it will be set.

DON'T SLEEP TO QUICKLY

Don't fall asleep immediately after eating. The food we intake will not be able to digest properly. This will lead to gas & infection in our intestines.

PICTURE ARRANGING

You have a great picture arrangement, but you need to repaint ---- Keep that wonderful grouping by inserting toothpicks into nail holes and paint right over top of them. Simply remove the toothpicks after the paint dries and your ready to rehang.

YOUR WICKER WOBBLES

Try moistening with water. The wicker will swell and then tighten, taking away the wobbles.

ROMAN SHADES

You love your Roman shades but hate the cords hanging down ---- Braid them together. Its safer and looks better.

RABBIT PROBLEMS

Dust a little talcum powder around plants to keep away rabbits and flea beetles.

GERANIUMS

Geraniums like to be fertilized with rinsed coffee grounds once in awhile.

TIRED HOUSEPLANTS

For houseplants that look ill, give them a bit of Geritol on a regular basis for about 3 months. It sounds crazy, but it works.

PAINTING TIPS

Rub petroleum jelly or skin cream on all Exposed skin before you start painting. The paint will wash off easier once you have finished.
Start by dusting windowsills and ledges. Wash down any really soiled walls. Be sure especially to wash off any grease marks or they will show through the paint . (WORK WORK WORK)
If you have ever painted woodwork, you'll know that paint soaks into knots more than it does elsewhere. Apply a coat of varnish over the knots before painting.
When painting a room, cut down on the smell by cutting an onion in half and place both halves in the room you're painting cut side up. Be sure to throw them away once the paint job is finished.

BUG KILLER/MOSQUITO ITCH

* If menacing bees, wasps, hornets or yellow jackets get into your home and you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.
* To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try applying soap on the area and you should experience instant relief.

APPLIANCE CORD STORAGE

Use empty toilet paper rolls to store appliance cords. It keeps them neat and you can write on the roll what appliance it belongs to.

PROTECTING YOUR CHINA

Separate your good china by putting a coffee filter between each dish. For you guys who might be reading this, remember these are not used coffee filters.

BEACH SAND REMOVAL

Keep a small bottle of baby powder in your beach bag. When your ready to leave the beach, sprinkle yourself with the powder and the sand will slide right off your skin.

UNKNOTTING A NECKLACE

Gold chain in a knot again? Dust it with a little talcum powder and than try and unknot it. If the knot is really stubborn, place a drop of baby oil on a sheet of waxed paper. Lay the knot in the oil and work it with two pins, thEn clean in ammonia or warm sudsy water.

DRIPPING FAUCET

A dripping faucet adds dollars to your water bill, so be sure to get it fixed. In the meantime, tie a string to the faucet and let it dangle into the drain. The water will run down the string without that annoying drip sound.

EASTER DINNER PLACE NAME TAGS

For place name tags at Easter, decorate Easter Eggs, put names on them and place them in decorated egg cups. For a centre piece, take a basket, put straw in the bottom and fill with chocolate eggs, fruit and spring flowers.

HANDY MEASURING GUIDE

Need a handy measuring guide? A $1 dollar bill is almost 6 inches long.

RENEW PING PONG BALLS

Give old ping pong balls new life. Drop them in boiling water.

SORE THROAT

Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

WEATHERSTRIPPING OR CAULKING

How do you know where you need weatherstripping or caulking? Clip a piece of paper tissue to a coat hanger and hold in front of windows and doors. Bring it up along all edges. If the paper flutters, that's where you need weatherstripping or caulking.

LOST POPPIES

Are you always buying poppies just to lose them. Well Anne says take the back of an earring stud and use it to hold your poppie in place.

THREADING A NEEDLE

If your finding it difficult to thread a needle (and who isn't), apply a bit of hairspray or spray starch to end of thread. Always keep a small magnet in your sewing box in case the pins spill.

STOP THE SNOOZE BUTTON

A mousetrap placed on top of your alarm clock will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button. Do you think?

TWO TOOLS

You only need two tools in life - WD40 and Duct tape. If it doesn't move and it should, use WD40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.

STOPPING A COUGH

If you have a bad cough,take a dose of laxatives than you will be afraid to cough.

EAR MITES

Elimate ear mites. All it takes is a few drops of Wesson Oil in your dog or cats ears....massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cats skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.