DIY

Last post on DIY

2010-01-15T22:51:00.000-08:00

This is going to be the last post on this blog. For awhile, anyway. Not that we have done all the DIY we can do, but I am finding it hard to keep up 2 Blogs when the content is about the same. So I invite everyone who comes here to sneak on over to Rob's World, and hopefully you will find simular topics that you like. I will keep this blog up for those who want to reference items. It's been fun sharing my junk with you all.

How to make Peanut Butter Pine Cone Bird Feeders

2009-12-02T16:47:00.001-08:00

One of the best parts of cooler weather in the winter is Bird Feeding! Here, "Mommy points" Blog shows how to make Pine Cone Bird Feeders out of peanut Butter, Birdseed and an old pine cone! One of the comments says if your kid has nut allergys use shortening!

How to make a Lighted Bottle Decoration

2009-12-02T15:11:00.000-08:00

These are super easy to make all you need is

a small string of mini LED lights (I used a small string of Battery operated LED's)LED's dont not get hot!

36" of ribbon

a Glass Drill bit

First step, drill a 3/8" hole in the bottom of the bottle, then string the LED lights through it.
then pull the lightd out the mouth of the bottle, and wrap ribbon around the string of lights
Then push the ribbon and the lights back in
There you have a unique bottle ornament. This looks good with frosted wine bottles. Also can be done with glass blocks, forget the ribbon, just put the lights in the block after drilling the hole, then hot glue the ribbon on like a christmas package.
HINT: It drills so much easier if you have a drill press. If you don't just be very careful with your power drill.

This post is part of Trash to Treasure Tuesday on ReInvented blog

2009-12-02T15:09:00.000-08:00

I discovered another BLog for the DIY'er- Reinvented She has lots of great Idea's and giveaways- so arm yourself with a hot glue gun and get busy!

Another Man's Treasure Now Open

2009-11-15T22:05:00.000-08:00

I opnened my own store on Etsy. Called "Another Man's Treasure". I hope y'all will stop on an take a look around.

I plan on featuring Up-Cycled items, a few crafts and some bling.

LOL - retirement-here I come!!!

How to make Gift Card Envelopes and Holders

2009-11-04T15:20:00.000-08:00

Are you like me and gift cards are part of your christmas? Well, why not make your gift cards special and have a hint of homemade gifts- make your own gift card envelopes and holders. One way I do this is take apart a small envelope, carefully - dissect it at the glued seams, and when it is apart you have a template! Just trace this onto some old paper (I use pages from those damn Christmas catalogs that are sent to me. Or you could get fancy and use these templates to make really nice holders

Gift Card envelope template

Tool box gift card holder

Artists Trading card/Credit card size Gift Card Envelope Template

Different Envelope Templates

Cool thing is you can make a gift card very personal- and have some hand made in it as well. Or you can make a cd envelope and give cd's with a personal selection of music on it. Or photgraphs on CD.

Make a Soap Stand

2009-10-24T22:58:00.000-07:00

I saw a soap stand on Ikea Hacker- made from a heavy candle stick and a pie plate- Not wanting to waste what could be a perfectly good Pie Tin (In hopes of pie for later) I started scavenging the thrift store up the street- Here is what I came up with: I found a great small round metal platter and a brass candle stick. I simply super glued the candle stick to the metal platter and spray painted in my mom's bathroom colors! (Or what I perceive them to be). Next step is to find some handmade soaps for the tray. This could be a perfect gift for aunt or a friend or someone who likes baths with fancy soaps I guess.

How to make your own dog food

2009-10-22T21:16:00.000-07:00

I so miss the Natural Pet Food pantry, but they won't make the dog food and put it in my own containers. So I got my creative freak on, searched the internet and came up with this version of my own Dog stew. I used hamburger rather than chicken because I had 2 pounds of ground round in the freezer. Had tomatoes too. And yes, I added a good doggy multivitamin/mineral to romeo's portion. I must admit to trying a bowl myself minus the supplement- although I maybe I should have added it to mine as well- I always wanted a shiny coat! I made enough to freeze for the rest of the week! Might have to try making my own Cat food next.

Doggy Stew- Rob's Version
2 pounds hamburger,browned ( the original recipe calls for 1 cup of boiled chicken
½ cup cooked brown rice
½ cup boiled mixed vegetables ( I used carrots and peas)
~~1 can of chopped tomatoes or 1 cup of chopped tomatoes (my own addition- my dog loves tomatoes)~~ Red Icculus made a comment that he thought tomatoes- or rather the acid in them causes kidney stones in dogs. I don't know, but both my dog and cat love tomatoes- So ask your vetrinarian or use them at your own risk. This recipe is great with or without them!
3 to 4 Tbsp unsalted chicken broth

Stir together and serve at room temperature. A good doggy multivitamin/mineral supplement (I use Missing Link)may be added for good measure. Be sure to store unused portions in a covered container in the refrigerator and discard remains after 3 days. Or just freeze and thaw.
Find more recipes for dog food at Suite 101

How to Make a Season Extending Cover for your Garden

2009-10-20T19:19:00.000-07:00

I figured this out by trial and error. Mostly Error. I have a canopy frame that I want to make a greenhouse out of, but there is where the error comes in. I also have a book on self-watering garden that has something similar to these.

1st take some 1/2" PVCor CVPC, 10 foot lengths- 2each
then fold them over as in the pic, anchoring them to your raised beds or find some spikes that they will fit in. I prefer anchoring buy getting 1/2 " pipe hangers, and securing them to the sides of my raised beds. You might want to wrap the top of the pvc with duct tape to keep them from sliding-

Get a giant clear plastic bag and slip it over the frame. You should be able to find big plastic bags at most hoome imporvement stores.

Remember to anchor down the bag. Youcan use bricks, rocks. I used my trusty staple gun, and cut a slit to open for access and ventilation. I keep the slit closed with some spring clamps.

Give a personalized clock for Christmas

2009-10-06T12:03:00.000-07:00

Very easy to do. Take a clock (the one I used is "TAJMA" clock from IKEA) and basically you use the clock as a frame! Remove the clear plastic cover by releasing the tabs on the back of the clock, carefully remove the hands, take off the clock face. Then I printed this logo on some glossy photo paper, used the old face as a template, trace the circle size on your picture, cut carefully, punched a small hole in the center, put my pic in and put the hands back on and put the cover back on. This clock is for the coffee shop I frequent every morning. A cool Christmas gift or any time gift... my car club even had me make some up for Car Show awards one year! The winners got a picture of their car on the clock! If you are like me you have some of these plastic bodied clocks lying around- so here is a re-use/recycle for you. too!

Make your own Instant Oatmeal!

2009-09-25T17:33:00.000-07:00

Instant Oatmeal is expensive- so I suggest you make your own- here, from the Cheap Like Me blog is a recipe to make your own instant Oatmeal- super cheap, super tasty!

Cheap Like Me Instant Oatmeal
6 cups rolled oats, divided use
1/2-1 cup light brown sugar (or to taste)
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
Generous pinch table salt
1 cup powdered milk (optional)
Process 2 cups oats to a powder, then set aside in a bowl large enough to hold all 6 cups. Combine 4 cups of oats with remaining ingredients except powdered milk and process in two batches with two or three 1-second pulses, just so oats are slightly broken. Add to bowl with powdered oats. Add powdered milk. Stir or shake it up.
(Rob's Note; I don't add the powdered milk to the recipe: I use real milk when it is made- just a personal preference)
To serve, place about 1/2 to 1 cup of oatmeal in a bowl and stir in enough boiling water to get the consistency you desire (it may need a minute to thicken). Add any fruit, nuts, maple syrup or other flavorings you want.

Make A bed for Your Pup or Kitty

2009-09-19T01:33:00.000-07:00

I was perusing the internet tonight and found this great site Savvy Houskeeping with a lot of cool ideas for reuse, among them this neat bed for a kitty or a small to medium pooch. Looks like it would be super easy to make.

How to make a Bucket Drip Irrigation System

2009-09-07T18:34:00.000-07:00

I search all over the Interweb thingy for simple instructions on making a bucket drip irrigation system. A little late in the season I know but I think the following is good info. Simple instructions on making a Bucket Drip Irrigation System: I am thinking about adapting a system to my Vertical garden using these principles.
Bucket Drip Irrigation

For more information or to see where this came from, click here

HOW TO SAVE TOMATO SEEDS

2009-08-26T00:39:00.000-07:00

Picture- Marie Iannotti

I thought you just dried them and that was it- Turns out there's a bit more to it -here, Marie Iannotti shows step by step how to save tomato seeds

How to make Your own Organic Potting Soil

2009-08-16T23:00:00.001-07:00

My friend Red-Icculus of Red-Icculus Blog has a sure fire organic potting soil recipe. Take a peak at RED-ICCULUS' POTTING SOIL RECIPE.

Make a Bar Table out of a Stop Sign

2009-08-06T11:51:00.001-07:00

I was trying to think of an idea for some plumbing pipe... and I was going to do a table with a tray and do mosaic tile... but then I was looking around the garage and it came to me! A stop sign! So I simply mounted it to a piece of plywood and mounted that to a flange fitting
and mounted that to the pole- I have a bar height table for the porch! Now if you do this remember to get your stop sign legally- they do sell them. Don't take one of the corner of the street! Bad Junkers! Of course I need to fo the bar stools next Hmmm.... there are some "road closed signs down the street! (Okay I won't do that)

Rolling BBQ! How to make a BBQ out of an old Wheel

2009-08-02T09:55:00.001-07:00

Ever wonder what to do with those old truck wheels? You know the ones sitting in your yard? Well here is one thing I made- A bbq! Here are the steps:

Find an old pick up wheel (I got mine on Free-Cycle), Pick up a package of Ikea Capita legs- the 8" legs would have been better ( I had the 6" legs sitting around). Then take the leg mounts and put them on the deep side of the truck wheel, screw the legs through the other side, pick up agrill top (mine is for a weber grill- 18") or take one off an old bbq, Use some hardware cloth (fencing) Inside the deep end for an ash catcher. And you are done! Happy BBQ'ing!

Note: You might want to add some small C-Clamps to keep the grill centered orwhat I did is put some nuts and bolts through the top of the grill to act as a stopper!

DIY COLD FRAME

2009-07-31T09:23:00.000-07:00

Why do all the cool ideas come after spring, when I should be all planted and rested? Here is a cool Cold Frame hacked from some Ikea Gorm Shelving and using some styrofoam, found on Ikea Hacker. A person could save styrofoam- but I never think of saving it. Hats off to Lorene and her DIY COLD FRAME

Easy to make Vertical Garden

2009-07-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

Found this on instructables. Some folks are so creative! Especially at instructables. Why pay a fortune for a vertical garden- this version is much cheaper and keeps the cats out! Vertical Garden instructions

How to dehydrate Banana Chips

2009-07-29T16:14:00.000-07:00

Whether you use an oven or a dehydrater here is a DIY vid that shows how to make delicious nutritious Banana Chips:

Home "Tweet" Home

2009-07-29T02:01:00.000-07:00

Well never say I don't follow through! On Junk Market Style, I had put up a couple of pics of planters I made from License plates, and threatened to make a birdhouse- here it is, One birdhouse made from three license plates- I bought a metal bender and used some pop rivets to attach the pieces together

How to make frozen Yogurt pops

2009-07-18T18:18:00.000-07:00

Photo by Jehrev

I was looking around the blogs and Lifehacker had How to make your own frozen yogurt pops. And it came from family education.com. Whether or not you make your own yogurt, it is an easy recipe. And just in time for those hot summer days.

A new Chair - from the dumpster

2009-07-12T00:05:00.000-07:00

I found this chair next to a dumpster- I wish I had taken a before pic so you could see how ugly the orange naugahyde was- normally I don't mind naugahyde but really it was fugly.

Anyway a remnant of upholstery cloth, staples and some new upholstery tacks and it is as good as new!

How to ReUse Clamshell Containers to start seeds!

2009-07-11T15:09:00.000-07:00

Photo by My Urban Garden

I enjoy the Patio Farmers Guild website and blog. Written by an intelligent Patio Farmer, she shows how to grow things in containers on her Patio (thus the name). Anyway, I toured her website and joined the guild immediately, Since I basically do the same here. Well today I looked at the Guild website, and there was an article submitted by My Urban Garden, a Patio Farmer Guild member, on how she re-uses plastic clamshells to start plants- Now I am not saying go out to Trader Joes and O-D on berries in plastic clamshells, But I am saying That if you have some this is a good re-use for them. I am going to try it tonight when I get home!

Planter made from junk

2009-07-04T20:51:00.000-07:00

I made a planter out of two old license plates. I like the look:
My cars will live on in one form or another!

Self-Watering Planters- an update to EarthTainers™

2009-06-27T11:30:00.000-07:00

This is an update on How to make an EarthTainer™, or self watering Planters (SWP's) after the official SWP'S or EarthTainer™, is the version I make from 5 and 3 gallon buckets

Amazing what you can find on the internet. Here is a self watering container for gardening found at TomatoFest. I have seen similar containers in the stores for $35-$50. It only costs between $18-$25 to make one of these yourself- and here they are giving away the secret for free!
How to make an EarthTainer™ planter as seen at TomatoFest.com
Video 1
Video 2
Video 3
And the printed instructions
All that Gary from TomatoFest and Ray, the EarthTainer™ Inventor ask is that you make a voluntary contribution to the Feed The Children organization http://www.feedthechildren.org/
UPDATE: I made an EarthTainer™ out of two five gallon buckets- Those are FREE! I simply followed the same design principle and voila! My first EarthTainer™ I promise I will post a pic in the near future!

Photo Update: my EarthTainer with garlic scapes!

A few have commented on my SWP's, and a few more have sent me emails asking how to make them. Well luckily I had one more Pepper to transplant so I needed to make one. The actual idea comes from Gary Ibsen's Tomatofest website, where they are called EarthTainers™. He and his friend Ray,(the original inventor of the EarthTainer™) ask that if you use their design that you simply make a donation to Feed the Children. Since I basically use the same directions- no problem. I just wanted a free or cheaper way of making the SWP's instead of buying roughneck totes to make them. Cheap Veggie Gardner should appreciate this ~~stinginess~~ thriftiness.
Anyway if you don't want to look at the videos, here is how I make SWP's
First I get 2 buckets in this case a 5 gallon and a 3 gallon bucket. You can get these from restaurant type places- just ask! (Thanks Wah Kue Café!)

Then in one bucket cut a hole big enough for a plastic planter or a tomato can to fit in this case I am using a galvanized steel planter I had laying around. If you have access to hole saws this is easy. Or use a jig saw. A jab saw or drywall saw will work as well, This time I used a jigsaw.

Then make a hole towards the side of the same bucket big enough to fit a piece of PVC Tubing through.

Then drill some holes in your tomato can or planter.

Most buckets will fit together leaving about 2" of room between the two buckets- I don't have to worry here as I am using a 3 gallon and a 5 gallon This is good as the bucket will have some room between the upper bucket –or planter and the 2nd bucket or “reservoir”. If it doesn’t HAve this lip or the top bucket goes all the way down simply insert a brick or a couple of rocks in the bottom bucket to raise the top bucket.

That done, drill a hole in the bottom bucket, taking note where the top bucket’s bottom is. Drill the hole just below the bottom of the top bucket. Put the PVC tubing in the hole you made for it.

. . Now fill it with about two cups of soil into your tomato can/planter, fill with water.
Fill the rest of the top bucket with soil and make sure to water a bit between layers of soil or compost. Until it is full and wet. Some times I rip up old t-shirts and make a “wick” throughout the planter. But I have seen no evidence yet in the planters I have done this to that it is any better than letting the soil “wick” the planters. Then plant your plant or seeds in it. When watering fill the bottom bucket through the PVC tube until water comes out the drain hole you drilled. You now have a Self watering planter! Very nice if your forget for a day to water or you go out of town for a weekend. Saves on water as well. If you like you can cut the lid to the bucket, leaving only a ring, then take a garbage bag or you can use a plastic shopping bag put over the bucket and snap your ring on- works as a mulch cover!

How to make Italian and French Sodas

2009-06-25T17:57:00.000-07:00

This is from The Wisegeek Website:

"Customers at gourmet coffee shops may notice a cold beverage option called an
Italian soda, also known as a creamosa or French soda in different parts of the
world. An Italian soda is a refreshing combination of flavored syrup and club
soda or seltzer water mixed in a cup of ice. The addition of half-and-half or
milk turns an Italian soda into a creamosa or French soda. Some coffeehouses add
a dollop of whipped cream to an Italian soda to create a creamier texture."

First take some sparkling water or seltzer water, some ice in a glass, and about 1/2 to 1 jigger of your favorite flavored syrup
Pour the water into the glass. Leave room to add the syrup. Some like adding the syrup first. It is a matter of taste!

Add the syrup!

Add a jigger of cream or milk ( or in this case Rice milk) to make it a french soda aka a "creamosa"

How to make Your own Snocones!

2009-06-24T16:47:00.000-07:00

Summer is here and time for a refreshing treat. To me summer means street fairs, and snowcones. I recently was playing around with my Cuisin Art and crushed some ice. And I had been watching a shaved ice vendor at the Burien Farmers' Market. I put two and two together , and came up with this recipe- You don’t need and Ice crusher or any other fancy gismos. All you need is a Cuisin Art or a blender and some syrup:

About 2 cups of Ice cubes
Some type of flavored syrup

Put ice cubes into a cuisine art or blender.
Pulse for about a minute.
Until Ice is crushed smooth

Scoop ice into a martini glass or cup.
Pour syrup (about 1 jigger or one ounce) over the top. Enjoy!

Note: I used TORIANI SUGAR FREE SYRUP (raspberry flavor), I would imagine you could use any flavored syrup. But using sugar free makes it a guilt free treat!
TOMORROW- Italian and French Sodas!

How to grow Sweet potato Slips

2009-06-23T20:59:00.000-07:00

I was cruising the internet, and I came up on how to grow sweet potatoes. Now I grow potatoes in the condo but this interests me very much I am gonna have to try this. Here is the article, by Gary Nelson on B-net.com from "Flower and Garden" magazine

How to make a collapsible table

2009-06-14T22:26:00.000-07:00

Ever want a little table when you go for picnic or a concert in the park? well MarshW came up with this neat diy Collapsible Table on Instructables.com. Super easy to make, I made one. My variations: I used PVC Lattce strips instead of hardwood, except I used 1X2 pine for the crossbrace. And I made up a pvc leg Instead of doing the legs real nice like he did.

I simply ran a 10-4 bolt through a pvc threaded cap then throught the 1X2 and made sure it was long enough to go throught the table

The final result - a neat little table for car shows, picnics, concerts in the park
The best part? It all rolls up to go to the next outing!
I would say that if I make another table, I will make it entirely out of 1X2 pine, and I will follow directions on the legs or use actual furniture legs. But I am happy with my table!

One More Planter from Found Stuff

2009-06-07T14:04:00.000-07:00

Cilantro in a container made from a plumbing part

Planters from found stuff- Part III

2009-06-02T10:36:00.000-07:00

I took two of the most hideous lamps ever, took them apart, reassembled and made two planters
for patio tomatoes

Before

After

How to replace torn window screens

2009-05-29T23:16:00.000-07:00

I replaced all my torn window screens. My grandma taught me how when I was young. It is very easy to do and saves $$$ on buying replacement screens. Here is a video on how to replace window screens:

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE FROSTY PAWS

2009-05-29T21:15:00.000-07:00

GUEST POST FROM ROMEO

Hi! I'm Romeo, and I love frosty paws. Johann, the green dog, shows how his mom makes homemade frosty paws. Looks good enough for humans to eat! Now if I could get old Mr. DIY to make me some! It's hot out here this weekend!

RESPONSE FROM ROB-

Okay I made Romi some frosty paws. It is really easy, and he loves them. Instead of filling ice trays I used some yogurt cups, filled half full. Then some paper coffee cups, half full. I would imagine dixie cups ( the bathroom kind) would work as well.

Thanks, Johan's Mom!

UPDATE: Searched the local Dollar Store, (Dollar Tree)I found some cylindrical ice trays (They make tube shaped ice for water bottles, etc) That work out just perfect for this. Makes a nice shaped frozen puppy treat!

How (and when) to plant Garlic

2009-05-28T20:25:00.000-07:00

How to Plant Garlic

How to plant Tomatoes in a pot

2009-05-28T20:17:00.000-07:00

I was perusing the interweb thingy and found a video explaining how to plant tomatoes in pots:

Growing tomatoes in pots

Planters from found stuff part II

2009-05-21T01:25:00.000-07:00

This potato basket makes a great planter for my coral belles and a hosta to grow in. JUst lined it with a coco-fibre mat and filled with potting soil and the plants!

Trellis

2009-05-21T01:21:00.000-07:00

I needed another trellis in the garden for my Aunt Shirley Squash to grow up on. I had these plastic border fence pieces I bought at a yard sale some time ago, so I stuck them onto two steel fencing posts and have a trellis that is right at home with the trellis next to it!

Kreativ Blogger? ME????

2009-05-20T15:51:00.000-07:00

Well what a nice surpirse. My junk guru's bestowed upon me a "Kreativ Blogger" award!

I must do each of the following:

1.) List 7 things that you love

2.) Link back to the blog that awarded this to you

3.) Choose 7 blogs to pass the award on to

4.) Comment at each of those blogs to let them know you've given them an award

7 things I love:

1- Cheesesteaks from Hey Paison!

2- MY dog Romeo and cat Sammy

3-Waking up to a warm and sunny day

4- Coffee, More coffee. And coffee. Did I mention coffee?

5- Cigarettes. Yes I know- they are bad for me but I do have to admit (cough. hack, hack) I love them

6- Days off from work (or as I call it "retirement practice")

7- Creating new things out of old trash!

7 Blogs to pass this on to:

1- Cheap vegetable gardener- he is so cheap, he can feel the buffalo on a nickel bite through his pockets! But he is also able to find cheaper solutions to veggie gardens. A bit of geek, is he. But I kid!

2- Chile Chews- chile is born creative. Her recipes alone are to die for. And ask her for a piece of candied lemon rind!

3- Farmer's Daughter- Abbie is the kind of girl mom would have wanted me to marry. A fresh clean Farmer's Daughter turned school teacher. And a great cook. (Ever notice I gravitate to eating blogs? Might explain why I got so fat!)

4- Seattle Soup Line- another food type blog. Local to seattle, but the recipes are divine!

5- The Crunchy Chicken- She has to be creative, living in Ballard! Another "crunchy" cook

6- DP's Nashville vegetable and fruit Garden- DP and her cat Luka are new to square foot gardening- But no longer rookies! Fun to see what she is growing now!

7- Seattle Free School- Not a traditional blog site, but then they are not a traditional school! Everything is free free free. You get to learn from creative people in no stress enviorment. THey help teach people to be creative!

Planters from found stuff part 1

2009-05-03T23:25:00.000-07:00

This planter is made out of a coffee Carafe, with a stainless steel bottom so I was able to drill some drain holes. As you see it creates"Ambiance" out on the deck with my morning coffee.

How to make your own frozen Mashed potato cubes

2009-04-23T15:25:00.000-07:00

I love the frozen mashed potato cubes found at Trader Joe’s, Better than potato flakes, they are so convenient- just take out 8 cubes for two servings, But they are so expensive, I was thinking how to do my own and after searching the internet Here is what I came up with:

Mashed potato cubes (Just like Trader Joe’s, minus the plastic bag!)

Make mashed potatoes according to your recipe. Mine is new potatoes or Yukon golds or fingerlings a little milk and a little butter. Cut the potatoes to about 1” cubes and boil until tender (a fork easily goes in them and they slip off quickly). Then take a Masher some milk or crème and mash them- Skins and all- Add the butter while mashing.
Option 1A - Take a pastry bag, when the mashed potatoes cool, and put a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Make little dot’s of mashed potato on the cookie sheet
Option 1B – same as above but if you don’t have a pastry bag simply use a melon baller or a spoon and scoop them out onto the cookie sheet.

Option 2- My Frigidaire came with a great set of small cube sized ice trays. Well the damn thing has an Ice Maker built in so- I stole the Ice Trays from it and filled them with Mash Potatoes and stuck them in the freezer.

When fully frozen, take them and put into a container and keep in the freezer until ready for use.

To prepare them, simply take 4 cubes of mashed potato per serving, put in a bowl, you may want to add a teaspoon of water per serving and microwave for 30 seconds and stir them. 2-4 servings might require more time

How to make seed balls

2009-04-17T01:23:00.000-07:00

Picture: heavy petal blog

I recently hosted a giveaway on Rob's World. I gave away seed ballz a great product made by disabled adults. I recently found out how to make seed balls. This is great for guerilla gardening. You simply throw a few seed balls on a vacant lot. And PRESTO! A flower filled meadow. They are also great for regular gardening- Birds don't eat the seeds- they grow great! Thanks to Andrea at Heavy Petal Blog for this great post!

How CVG Makes his own Topsy Turvy planters

2009-04-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

CVG's topsy turvey planter

My friend, Cheap Vegetable Gardner makes some amazing things on the cheap. In this post he shows how to make your own upside down tomato planters out of a 2 litre soda bottle. It's great to have such smart, creative friends!

UPDATE: My upside down tomato planters:

Yet another Mint Tin Project

2009-04-08T22:34:00.001-07:00

I love this altoids Mint tin I bought years ago- Nice to finally have a use for it. I put a clock works in it that fit just right- now it is a clock for my bathroom!

How to repurpose an oil lamp

2009-03-29T00:15:00.000-07:00

I made an electric lamp out of an old oil lamp I bought a few years ago.

I bought a swag lamp kit and ran it down through the arm of the oil lamp and put the scket where the wick should be

Domo Arigato Mr Roboto

2009-03-28T23:24:00.000-07:00

Everneed a helping hand in the kitchen, Well make a robot. This is Mr. Roboto. He is made from a Trader Joe's mint tin. And some bolts and nuts, a couple of unistrut clamps and a toy airplane for flashing eyes. And his job is to hold recipe cards.

HOW TO MAKE A MINT TIN FRAME

2009-03-24T21:32:00.000-07:00

First you need a mint tin- this one held some green tea mints from Trader Joe's- I peeled the stickers off - then wiped down with WD-40 to remove the glue. The cool thing about this tin is there is a plastic window already built in it- so place a picture in the window (hint if you print a pic on regular paper your can make faint lines by rubbing the back side againts the "frame" of the window then cut and edge the picturec in the window. I put a magnet on the back to put it on the fridge.

Trash To Treasure- How to make your own Solig Lanterns

2009-03-17T11:35:00.000-07:00

I was in Ikea yesterday- they had their summer stuff out- I walked by some neat little battery powered lanterns- The Solig Lantern , which looked like my mom's old tupperware tumblers with a light in them. Well when I got home from work, I got my creative freak on. I made two versions- 1 in the lantern holders I previously got from Ikea as-is, 1 without. For the lantern I used a Crystal Light container. These are a problem for me- I cant drink regular OJ in the morning (due to the diabetes) and I love OJ so I have to drink this powdered "Tang" rip-off unless I juice my own. But what to do with the packaging? It is #5 Poly Propylene, the only place I know that recycles it is Whole Foods of which there is not one near me, or i can send them in to Recycline- Both part of their Take 5 program-I looked at the tubes of #5PP and thought those look just like the solig lanterns. So I took a battery powered tea light put one input the lid back on and POW- a Solig lantern! I love the muted look the tea light gives. For the ones with no fancy lantern holder I will take some hefty wire (probably an old coat hanger) and make a hanger for them- just drill through the top, add a loop made from a hanger and done! Note the one in the holder loses it's #5PP Lid- I will take that and make a fridge magnet photo frame. I get a neat lantern for the porch, get a re-use on the #5PP Containers and didn't have to buy a thing- I have the tea lights (available at Michael's and JoAnn's- I got a pack of 28 at costco with 56 extra batteries for like $8)I Certainly have the wire hangers (one of my favorate things to make tools and such out of)! So the way I look at it I got my "Solig Lanterns" for nothing

Battery Powered Tea lights are so cool

Ikea's Solig Lanterns

How to make a Potato Condo

2009-03-11T15:33:00.000-07:00

Easy to make! Mine is 3' X 3', First I took some old 2X4's and cut to 3' lengths, then tooks some 1X6" fencing boards and cut them to 3' lengths, Screwed them to the 2X4's and then I stapled some landscape fabric to the backside.You can use old rugs or sheets or even cardboard-you don't need to use landscape fabric- I jut happened to have a roll laying around! Flip it over and fill with dirt and your potato starts. As the potatoes grow, add more side boards and dirt, the nice thing is when harvest time comes simply unscrew and remove the boards and easy harvesting! Here is a hint- try using hex head sheet metal screws instead of drywall screws on the boards for easier removal!I will update with photos in the coming months so you can see the progress!

Industrial Style Light Fixture

2009-03-09T23:58:00.000-07:00

Here is a pic of a light fixture I made- it is a squirrel cage fan from a heater. You never know what you might find in a junk yard!

How to make a rebar Bender

2009-03-09T21:23:00.001-07:00

I made my Rebar Bender out of a half inch floor flange, four 1/4 20thread, 1-1/2" long blots, eight nuts, 4 flat washers and 4 lock washers. On the backside of the flange I inserted a 1/2 inch 90 degree elbow (so my vice could hold on to the flange). I then went on to bend a piece of 3/8" Rebar- Guess what? The damn thing works! I made a Shepards hook on it.

Hint- you should keep a couple of pieces of pipe- I used 3/4 inch and 1/2 inch steel pipe, to use to bend the rebar, 16" and 24" inches long, respectfully. Just slip a piece of pipe onto the rebar, slip the piece of rebar you want to bend and go to it! Not perfect but it works!

Result: A Shepard's hook to hang things from!

Another variation on the Lamp Birdbath

2009-03-08T00:15:00.000-08:00

This is another lamp birdbath I made for my Cousin Margo's birthday. This one is a lamp base, a ceiling fixture shade and a butterfly in the center.

How to make a commuter Mug

2009-03-05T18:34:00.000-08:00

I originally posted this at my other blog some time last year- thought the info was relevant so I am reposting the info here (you never know what I will recycle- Lumber, Bottles,blog posts!):

You need- a ball/mason jar mug.
Then you follow these directions:

Sorry about the drawings- just click on them to make them bigger!

ReUsing Golf clubs in the garden

2009-02-27T15:55:00.000-08:00

Another great Idea from The Salvage Studio:

I finally found a good use for Golf Clubs- Growing tripods for Sweet peas. Very simple to make- just take three golf clubs put together and wrap with wire. Very cool. Don't have any clubs at home? they are just a couple of dollars at the thrift stores!

Aint it the truth?

2009-02-25T21:52:00.001-08:00

Even DIY'ers need to stop and have a chuckle every now and then!

see more puppies

How to make tin can Luminarias

2009-02-25T03:06:00.001-08:00

This is so easy- Take an ordinary tin can (this one was stewed tomatoes),Clean it, draw a design on it, punch holes for the design, or use a drill with a small bit (a nail and hammer works as well-find a small log or something round to put the can on so you have a hard substance to pound on) Or fill can with water and put in freezer for a day or so so you will have a hard substance to make holes in can- the can will then not collapse!)

Add a tea light, turn out the lights and you have a luminaria made from a tin can!

This is great for lighting the walkway or patio. Or try making some for Halloween or Christmas!

Neat buys!

2009-02-25T00:43:00.001-08:00

When I go to Ikea I go in through the exit and straight to the As-Is bin, where I find great deals on Ikea Junk to buy. Today I went in and bought these to lamp holders (at least that's what I think they were) I put some jam jars on them and put some tea lights in the jars. All this for $1.50 for both lamp holders; the jars and tea lights I already had. They will look great on the patio this summer!

How to make envelopes out of catalogs!

2009-02-22T15:11:00.000-08:00

As always I look for new and cool ways to re-use things- I came upon this site from Brazil- This Recycled Life and she makes the coolest envelopes out of Catalogs!
Great for sending cards or letters in. Or maybe using envelopes made from a gardening catalog for seed envelopes? Possibilities are endless! She even puts patterns on her site so the rest of us can make this cool stuff.
She also shows how to make stars from catalogs. Very cool site! I am gonna have to add her to this site's blog list!

POST EDIT- The link to the envelope pattern appears to be broken- so here is how Martha makes envelopes and here is a video on envelope making. And here is a link to envelope making sites

RE-USING: A Table for the porch

2009-02-15T20:14:00.000-08:00

The NEED?:

A Side Table for the porch!

It was simple- I recently had to buy a new microwave and venthood- It was one of those ventable microwave over the stove- so before putting in the pile to take it to the appliance recycling at the local transfer staition, I pulled out the turntable, and removed the power cord. I reused the power cord on the new vent hood, and re-used the entire duct work in putting up the new vent hood. The turntable became a new glass top for a 15" plant stand purchased at the thrift store COST: $2.50 (it still had the original tags on it!) RESULT: a neat table to put drinks on on the porch!

How to grow Sprouts and Garden Inside

2009-02-03T23:45:00.001-08:00

Another repost from my Rob's World Blog:

Delicous radish sprouts

Since my new founded interest in sprouting, I would dearly love to try one of those fancy sprouting systems sold online, But instead I madesome new sprouting jars. The easy answer is to use a meshy fabric like cheesecloth or some nylons and wrap around the top like in the second video. But, being a guy, I don't have nylons lying around and not about to go out and buy some Big Mama nylons. These are easy to make- don't buy sprouting jars or lids. Here is how I make mine. Take an ordinary mason jar. You need to buy some type or meshor netting to use in place of the cap. I use plastic canvass, which is available at JoAnn's and I would imagine Michael's has them as well. Take a mason jar and put it on the plastic canvass lid side down-
Take a mason jar and put it on the plastic canvass lid side down- and a sharpie to mark the circle.
Then simply cut the circle out of the canvass. Now place it ontop of the mason jar and screw on the lid. There you have a sprouting jar in whatever size you need! For instructions on using your sprouting jar, go to sproutpeople or sprouting.com or best yet the cityfarmer.org.

Roger and Anna are a tad bit irritating but give good info:

Good info one making sprouting jars using cheescloth or nylons:

How to make a Bird Bath from an old lamp

2009-02-01T17:37:00.001-08:00

Just follow the nice lady in the video

Now what I did different- instead of using a Light Cover for the tray, I found a neat silver plated plate at Value Village- drilled a hole in the center. You could use a round cake pan or a pie tin- just so long as it has sides on it and it is not more than 2 inches deep! Also instead of using silicone I bought a couple of Neoprene Rubber washers from my local Ace hardware. My total cost for a new birdbath is:
Lamp from Value Village with no shade....$4.99
Silver plated Plate.........................................$1.99
Neoprene Washers........................................$o.84(tax included)
TOTAL With WA State sales tax of .08%..$8.71
Imagine a beautiful piece of yard junk that will make the bird and butterflys happy for under $10!
Another variation of the lamp bird bath here

My thanks to the ladies of the salvage studio for their inspirational video

How to make tomato paste

2009-01-29T15:35:00.000-08:00

Yeaterday, beth made the comment on my post about making catsup that the tomato paste can has BPA in it. Of course, I never knew that you could make your own tomato paste. From the fantastic PICK YOUR OWN website- here is how to make your own tomato paste- and you can freeze it rather than can it.

The Pick Your Own site is a fantastic website with canning and preservation instructions, where to find U-Pick farms,pumpkin patches, corn mazes all over the USA where to find canning supplies- a vast plethora of preservation information!

How to make Catsup

2009-01-29T02:57:00.000-08:00

THIS IS A REPRINT FROM MY ROB'S WORLD BLOG:
As accustomed as I am to not having original thoughts shut me up on this blog, today I think I will copy Fake Plastic Fish. Yesterday Beth made wonderful mustard and eliminated one more plastic condiment bottle from her clutches. Today I will make Catsup in an effort to eliminate a plastic bottle from mine!
This recipe is from the All Things Frugal site. I unashamedly stole it. First gather your ingredients:
1 Can Tomato Paste
1/4 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Cumin
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
2 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar

Mix together, cover and refrigerate. (Note the human power mixer I used whereas Beth used an electric blender). *Electric-power consuming Fake Plastique Fish? Fake plastic Fish is really an Electric Eel?

This is how much I got out one batch plus about enough to cover two weenies- Refrigerate and it should keep for a month

The taste of this is very similar to chutney I buy at Trader Joes. Very sweet and good. And while the initial expense of the spices seems far from frugal, I would imagine one could buy them in bulk for a fraction of what I paid. You should also note that keeping in the spirit of FPF, I tried not to buy too many plastic bottle spices- I chose Colman's Dry Mustard (In a tin) and used my Trader Joe's cinnamon (in a glass bottle)- Any way I can now say that i will not buy ketchup in plastic bottles again. Thanks Beth. As far as the frugal goes you use just a small amount of the spices that cost wise it should be good.

*I tease Beth unmercifully in this post. But she is one cool fish, and her campaign against plastic usage is important and sincere. Anything I can do to help reduce plastic waste is always OK by me.

Seattle Free School: where you can learn DIY yourself

2009-01-27T21:32:00.001-08:00

Great things are happening at The Seattle Free School. Right now , their blog has a few free "quick" classes on doing things, one is how to make microwave popcorn, we looked into that yesterday and let me say it is genius! Imagine no more chemically laden microwave popcorn. No more plastic wrap on the package of microwave popcorn. A bag for about 20 cents!

Seattle Free School is just that- you learn from the experiences of others. The Seattle Free School is for the community by the community. All are welcome. No money ever exchanges hands- all that is exchanged are skills, knowledge and experiences.

I have taken a couple of cool classes put on by them- one for preserving food that I grow, and a class on Sprouting. Both are excellent classes. I notice their blog has a "quick class" on making your own Laundry Soap

The Seattle Free School- free lessons for free thinking people!

How To Make your Own Microwave Popcorn

2009-01-26T18:13:00.000-08:00

I love pop corn but don't like all the chemicals and crap in the microwave popcorns- just when I thought all was lost along come Seattle Free School and How To make Microwave Popcorn Instructions on their blog!Popcorn for pennies! How cool is that?

And the neat thing, beside reducing those nasty chemicals in microwave popcorn, is you get to reduce the plastic wrapper from the microwave popcorn. And I'm guessing you can buy popping corn in bulk at some markets- reducing your waste even further!

How to make Compostable Starter Pots for your garden

2009-01-16T18:26:00.000-08:00

Want to plant a garden this year and the thought of all those plastic seed starting pots got you down? Here is a nifty how to on making your own pots from newspaper
Here is a video on creating newspaper pots or you can learn orgami and fold your own pots.

Being orgamically-challenged I think I will take the easy answer- the easy answer is taking toilet paper tubes and making your pots from. They will breakdown beautifully in soil.
Even easier is taking egg cartons and planting your starts in the egg compartments- just remember to poke a hole in the bottom of the compartment first!And make sure it is a cardboard egg container not a styrofoam one!
You can get fancy and buy a "pot maker" But I think a glass or a spice bottle works just as well as a tool for making paper pots.

How to make a Bell Cloche out of a plastic Juice Bottle

2009-01-12T22:04:00.001-08:00

I was bragging on Beth's Fake Plastic Fish Blog that I can reuse an entire juice bottle and not have any of it go in the waste stream. Well I cannot- I forgot the label is also plastic. But I can reuse a good 90% of it.

How to make the mini wreaths!

How to reuse, recycle Christmas and greeting Cards

2008-12-28T19:16:00.000-08:00

Sherri Osborn has a whole plethora of Ideas on this subject in her great family crafts blog. I made a bunch of gift tags out of this years greeting cards. I made enough to cover next years Christmas!

<-A whole lotta gift tags re-used from

Christmas Cards

Gifts for Kids to make and give

2008-12-11T18:24:00.000-08:00

How about making a calendar for christmas? About.com's Sherri Osborn has templates on her blog, and easy intructions. You could do a recipe calendar (feature different recipes each month, a birthday calendar if you com from a larger family- list everyone's birthday, anniversaries, special events throughout the year, month by month. Another gift idea for kids to give is have them draw a picture and frame it. Frames can be found at thrift stores, dollar stores etc. This makes a great gift for grandma, and it makes the child's artwork look so professional.

Another gift for kids to give is take some burlap, and a frozen orange juice container or similar size can, role the fabric over the can, glue it and glue some ribbon on the top rim and bottom rim of can. Make s a great pencil holder (I think my mom still has hers, 40 years later! Or if you know how to do t-shirt transfers, have your kid draw a I love grandma or grandpa picture, scan it into your computer, make a transfer, and make a shirt. (If you have some talent sewing, you could hem a piece of fabric so that it forms a rectangle and make a wall hanging this way. All easy inexpensive options!

One more gift for kitty!

2008-12-09T16:52:00.000-08:00

All kitty's love an elevated place to stand, nap, glare at chihuahuas. Why not revisit the post How to build a cat tree/cat condo and make your kitty a cat tree for christmas?

Kitty's Turn: Making your own Cat treats and Toys

2008-12-09T01:58:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we remembered the pooch for christmas, today lets not forget kitty cat! For treats, we can go to this site to make your own cat treats. My cat Sammy swears by the Tuna treats. And here's how to make your own cat toys.
One of the best cat toys are to take baby socks or small clean cotton socks like ankle high socks, fill with catnip and tie a knot at the end.
Finally, cats love fluffy pom poms on strings (at least my cats always have), here is a video on making pom poms your kitty would love to play with:

Make your own dog gifts

2008-12-08T14:16:00.000-08:00

Let's not forget Fido on christmas morning. Here is a list of Dog treat recipes that should more than satisfy canines at Christmas time. If you have a smaller dog, look at How to make a Dog sweater from a sock to help keep your chihuahua from chilly bones. And here are instructions to make homemade Dog Toys, and here is a ball toy to make for your pooch

How to make Your own Hot Chocolate mix-

2008-12-01T15:17:00.000-08:00

Getting ready to make Hot Cocoa Cones or Cocoa in a jar? Need a mix recipe? Here is one from that is simple easy and good And arecipe for sugar free Hot chocolate mix. Add 3 tablespoons of cinnamon for a spicy cinnamon cocoa mix.

Ande here are a couple of extra Hot Chocolate recipes:

Hot Cocoa Mix Recipe(allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS

16 ounces dry milk powder
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
DIRECTIONS
Sift together milk powder, white sugar and cocoa powder. Store in an airtight container.
To prepare, stir approximately 1 heaping tablespoons of mix into 1 cup of hot water.

SUGAR FREE HOT CHOCOLATE MIX:

INGREDIENTS

16 ounces dry milk powder
1 cup NutraSweet (Sucralose)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

DIRECTIONS
Sift together milk powder, Nutra Sweet (Sucralose) and cocoa powder. Store in an airtight container.
To prepare, stir approximately 1 heaping tablespoons of mix into 1 cup of hot water.

Making your own Gifts- Give a gift of Beef Jerky

2008-11-30T22:25:00.001-08:00

Please go to the post of Make your own Jerky! Jerky makes a great homeade present. You can give it in a mason jar. and even decorate the lid (See Hot Chocolate in a Jar). Just use quart jars for this one.

Updated- How to make Apricot Brandy- Make your own Gifts

2008-11-30T21:16:00.000-08:00

I updated the post on how to make apricot "brandy"- I have added a video that might explain better how to make fruit infused vodkas easier. The Video is from the DIY show "Creative Juice" and Creative Juice Co-host Cathie Filian.
EDIT- CHILE MAKES A POINT of wishing they didn't encourage the use of a "cheap plastic ball" to tie around the top. Most people that get that will just toss it in the trash. Why not encourage wrapping in a really nice silk hankerchief (available at your local thrift store) and tying off with a pretty ribbon. Or tie a homemade ornament around the top instead of the cheap plastic ball!

How to Brine a turkey or Chicken

2008-11-29T14:46:00.001-08:00

Been in the stores and priced a Brined Turkey this holiday? Seems like a lot of extra expense to soak your bird in salty water. Here are step by step instructions for brining your own bird this year from the good folks at What's Cooking America?

Make your own Gifts- Hot Chocolate in a jar

2008-11-28T21:42:00.000-08:00

If the Hot Chocolate Cone is not the message you want to give, or is too childish, or you don't want to give a thing of cocoa in a plastic bag, why not do the same thing in baby food jar? Don't have any baby food jars?
How about a 1/2pint sized jelly jar? The lids on mason jars are even easier to decorate: simply take a piece of cloth, slightly larger that the lid, (no more than 1/8th of an inch) glue it over the the lid and screw the lid on, glue a Hershey's kiss to the top or a small ornament, or follow these instructions for a 3-D effect. Or a neat re-use idea, use the lid of the jar to make a template, and use old Christmas cards. Just trace the outline of the lid on the card, cut the card and glue to the lid, The band should cover any imperfections with the cut. I re-used old Christmas stockings for mine. If the gift is for an aunt or grandparent, you could take a picture of the child and glue that to the lid!

Make Your own gifts-Hot Chocolate Cones

2008-11-28T21:02:00.000-08:00

I watch Ms. Oprah every now and then- My mom usually has it on. I saw how to make these hot chocolate cones- a perfect gift for children, co-workers or keep on hand as an emergency gift for unexpected guests who pop in- Easy to make, the hard part is finding the piping bags (I went to Michael's and found them, I would think JoAnn Crafts would have them as well or any gourmet shop)Anyway here are the instructions for making Hot Chocolate Cones And when done you can put them in an inexpensive mug for next to nothing if you want, and fill the mug with hersheys kisses!

Buy Handmade this Christmas

2008-11-20T18:10:00.000-08:00

This is a repeat of a post on my regular blog- I think it is important to support your local craftpeople. So browse etsy, or attend a local bazar or craft fair or support your local shops and give a middle finger to big business and Mr. Corporate money bags and buy handmade this year for Christmas. Buying handmade not only is more sustainable,and much kinder to the earth, but it helps your local craftsperson out too. It's the greener way to shop! So send some green to your everyday local artisans and craftspeople and BUY HANDMADE FOR YOUR HOLIDAY GIVING!

Buy Handmade Video from Etsy on Vimeo.

How to make a dog poo composter

2008-11-03T12:23:00.000-08:00

see more puppies

This instructional video demonstrates how to make a doggy doo doo composter. Use a septic enzyme to break things down faster. Add leaves and brush to keep it from smelling. You should not use this soil on your vegetable garden, but go ahead and fertilize the flowers and ornamentals with it. It is an eco-friendly way of getting rid of dog waste.

How to collect Seeds

2008-10-11T15:06:00.000-07:00

Vioboy has a mission. He wants everyone to save seeds, to grow great things! Here he shows how to Save Cucmber seeds and Tomato Seeds as well as Zinnia. Check out his great series on seed collecting

Yet another Rocket Stove! Rocket Stove III-

2008-10-10T20:53:00.000-07:00

Here is another version of the Rocket Stove this time using a Coffee can and Two soup cans for the fire box. Here is what the inventor, rich991980, of this version has to say about it

"This is a first attempt at building a coffee can rocket stove. There are a
number of things I plan on changing for the second version, like a smaller and
slightly taller combustion chamber, to use the full height of the can for
maximum draft."

Coffee Can Rocket Stove - A funny movie is a click away

How to make a popcorn popper from a soda can

2008-10-07T21:49:00.000-07:00

Carrying on with the emergency stove theme here is a vid on making a popcorn popper from a tin can , or to qoute the author Alan Parekh

"Learn how you can build a simplest popcorn machine made from a soda can. You can
use this in camp fire ,or on top of a candle or simply on your oven."

DIY : 1$ Popcorn Machine - video powered by Metacafe

How to make A Booze bottle lamp

2008-10-03T14:00:00.000-07:00

One of the things I am making for christmas is what I call "Booze Bottle Lamps" The lamps I am showing in this picture are going to be filled with sea shells, the other one with marbles.

I start out by drilling a hole in bottle near the bottom so the cord has somewhere to go. I use a 5/16" glass drilling bit. Then I decide if I am going to put the lamp kit in the cap or go with a cork. Either way I drill a 1/8th inch hole in the bottle cap or the cork. Then I push the cord through the hole in the bottle out the neck. Then I take the 1/8" NP thread nipple and shove through the cork or cap and tighten with nuts. Then the cord goes through the nipple and into a lamp kit. If I am using a lamp shade harp I put that on before the lamp kit, and use the cork- more body for everything to hold onto. once I get the cord through either the cork or bottle cap, the I install the lamp kit. Then I pick out a lampshade- I usually go cheap on this , finding them at thrift stores, the Ikea As-Is section or as shown in the photo, I take an old globe, cut it in half, ad some fringe and I have a great lamp shade for a desk or kids room- you just have to remember to use a CFL or other bulb that stays cool. And you get two lamp shades for every globe! You can leave the labels on the bottle or take them off. When the lamp kit is installed you can fill the bottle with small sea shells, craft marbles, buttons, gravel (Great for light plastic bottles to give them some weight) I plan on doing some beer bottles, for some friends who like that fancy shmancy micro beer. I come from an Old Milwaukee/Pabst Blue Ribbon family myself. Local beer was Rainier or Olympia when I was growing up!

How to make your own Oil lamp from an old bottle

2008-09-25T18:17:00.000-07:00

You can use pop bottles, liquor bottles -any glass bottle to make your own oil lamp- Handy to have in a power outage Just follow the instructions on this instructable on how to make an oil lamp from a bottle

More rocket stoves

2008-09-21T19:59:00.000-07:00

Here is a video on making a 16 Brick Rocket stove. This is super easy. No stove pipes or metal to mess with.

HOW to Re-Use a pizza box as a solar oven!

2008-09-17T15:55:00.000-07:00

Another great way to cook during an emergency is solar ovens. My friend Chile has a great solar oven, but if you want to make one and try it for yourself, here is a video showing how to make a solar oven from a pizza box

How to make a Rocket Stove

2008-09-17T15:37:00.001-07:00

I found a video that gives good instruction on building your own rocket stove . A rocket stove heats the air and makes a fast cooking camp stove. Great thing for camping or power outages and such, and cheap too! A great way to re-use some materials that would just go to the land fill!

POST SCRIPT NOTE: I made mine out of a popcorn tin, some old stove pipe a grate and some sand

I built a Rocket Stove out of an old Popcorn Tin, some stove pipe and some other things hanging around the house
get a hot fire going using only twigs and some end pieces of cedar shingles from the addition project

The burn box-note the resembulance to the original bat mobile from the tv series? totally unintentional.

The stove out on it's test drive. I decided to see how long it takes to boil 2 cups of water.

Success- the whistle started to blow in about 15 minutes! I see a few improvements to make but I would say it was a success. Next I will try a meal on the rocket stove but first need to find a griddle- wait I have some from the George Foreman! or best to check the thrift shops! Or Could use my cast iron skillet!

I am told you can make a rocket stove out of a large tin, like those shitty popcorn tins everyone seems to think I need at Christmas (like in this case), and instead of stove pipe, you can use tin cans for the chimney and a coffee can for the burn box. Or there is a version made from a coffee can and two tin cans for the burn box. Now I have a use for all those twigs and scrap wood from around the yard and house!

How to make fruit roll-ups

2008-08-26T15:32:00.000-07:00

Another way to preserve deliciuos fruit from the summer- here is a DIY on making fruit roll-ups from a Sonoma Garden blog

How to make an EarthTainer™

2008-08-18T19:55:00.000-07:00

Photo Update: my EarthTainer with garlic scapes!

How to make Mason Bee Houses

2008-08-15T21:25:00.000-07:00

Mason Bee houses are easy to make. Mason bees don't sting and don't make honey, but they are prolific pollinators! And native to North America. So give them a home! You can make Mason Bee homes out of old lumber, or a number of discarded materials!

Sorry about the commercials at the beginning of the first video

Mason Bee Homes

Mason Bees Come to Life

More on mason bees at You Tube

How to freeze Cauliflower

2008-08-07T14:49:00.000-07:00

Ever wondered how to keep cauliflower so you can eat eat it in the winter? Freeze it! Here is a quick DIY on freezing cauliflower

Find blanching times and freezing info for all your veggies here

How to Make Bird Feeders!

2008-07-30T17:40:00.000-07:00

Make a pop bottle bird feeder, re-using a soda pop bottle!
Here is a bottle feeder using any plastic bottle
This other website also instructs on how to make a pine cone feeder- fun for the kiddies! Or do what we did when we were kids - simply stick a stick in a sunflower head and hang!

MAKE YOUR OWN CRAFT FOAM VISOR

2008-07-30T15:46:00.000-07:00

Ever wanted a unique piece of headwear to wear at a game or event? Well make your own visor!

How to make Apricot Brandy

2008-07-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

Technally, this is fruit infused vodka, but the site calls it Brandy.I am assuming by adding sugar and increasing the sugar content is why they arew calling it "Brandy". You can use any fruit to make it! Even though I am a tea totaller, this looks good. I may make some for gifts this christmas! How to make Apricot Brandy

How to freeze berries

2008-07-23T17:15:00.001-07:00

How do you freeze berries? Summer is going strong and the berries are ripe for the picking. Here is how to freeze berries

How to make small batch jam

2008-07-18T21:18:00.000-07:00

I just made jam for the first itme. This video was very instructive and easy to understand.

How to make a potato condo

2008-07-18T11:51:00.000-07:00

A house for Mr. Potato Head? No really I have seen this on the shiba guyz blog, found instructions so now you can make your own potato condo and grow your own spuds!

How to grow watercress with or without water

2008-07-03T23:22:00.000-07:00

I have a small water feature and was interested in growing watercress- here is a how to article I found on watercress growing it with or without a water feature

How Bean Sprout makes Butter

2008-07-02T19:23:00.000-07:00

Remember Crunchy Chicken showing how to make butter in a jar?
Another butter blogger bean sprout shows you how she makes butter using a mixer