Dang my DH.... I was saving a bunch of those... and he threw them out..... he said. , DUH SORRY - I thought they were trash.... and of course... I said " WWWEEEEEEELLLLLL.... if they were trash - they would have beeeeeeen cut into little pieces so the birds would N O T get hurt by them... and of course..... if they were Real Trash..... they would have been in the TRASH CAN... not the cabinet...>>!!!! you know what he had the nerve... to say....OH I THOUGHT THE TRASH CAN WAS YOUR STORAGE PLACE !!!! OHHHHHHHHH that man.... but ya know... I gotta LUV Him!!! anyway.... KirK: the idea is FANTASTIC>>>> I appreciate the directions!!!! I can still make a come back ... from this smaaaaaaal set back!!!!! Stay Happy!!! Happy * * * ** Holidays * * * * *!!! M E R R Y + C H R I S T M A S !!!!! God Bless YA'LL!!!! susiesunshine

Hello ~ I bought ten acres in a rural are twenty five years ago, & have dealt with many of the issues on this forum. I'd like to add my comments re recyclables: If you find yourself with a lot of non-recyclable 'garbbage' it's often a sign you are eating things that are *not healthful.* These days, most *aware* non-vegetarians now realize the hazzards of corporate-produced meat ~ & the presence of heavy metals, like mercury, in seafood. So either raise some rabbits (easily done, even in the city!), or chickens for meat--or stop buying meat on styrofoam trays! Change your grocery shopping habits: take shopping bags along--filled with your own reusable plastic bags, etc. Buy in bulk when possible ~ cheaper &, if you buy organic, much healthier & more *delicious. Re-think products you buy & use in your homes: Years ago I learned that baking soda & vinegar were safe & inexpensive replacements for nearly all household cleaning products! Chemical cleaners are seldom needed & harmful to you & your environment. Baking soda will scrub a tub or sink, remove odors from the refrig, & makes an excellent substitute for toothpaste ~ & now we've learned that fluoride in toothpaste is carcinogenic, it's best avoided ~ & one more item stays out of a land fill. Nothing cleans & shines windows & glass better than vinegar & water; use wadded newspaper to shine the glass! It can't be beat. Once you begin shopping regularly at bulk/health food stores, you'll learn to take along your own jars & containers: for bulk honey, peanut butter, cooking oil, soy sauce, even shampoo & lotions, etc. Take stock of your recyclables--& one by one--try to replace items by 'bulk buy' or making at home. Years ago I noticed yogurt tubs comprised the bulk of my plastic recyclables. I've since made yogurt at home with organic milk ~ a process that takes only *minutes & requires nothing more than clean jars, a floating thermometer, & a small picnic cooler. Voila! Now, must head out to replant the strawberry bed! Just my 2 cents, LOL-- Cheers!

We have no bus service in our entire district!! Luckily the elementary and middle schools are less than a mile from our home. And they have adult crossing guards posted at every intersection along the path to the schools. But most of the time we walk with, or drive our kids to school. As far as costs for school....it is ridiculous! We pay VERY high property taxes. School supply kits for next year came out and they want $50 or so dollars per supply kit!! No thanks, for 4 kids I think I will go on my yearly scavenger hunt through the dollar store and Walmart and save money. Field trips are ridiculous priced, probably partially because we have no regular bus company. Every other week I feel like I am getting dollared to death! Last week was state testing, this week each kid brought home money requests for class parties to celebrate the end of testing. I would not give it to them, but then they do not get to eat the treats that the money is buying. And how am I going to let them be left out? Our school is doing that book creating thing too. Kids required to make a book for reading class. $20 for each book if you buy it (and of course you have to buy it or your kids are asking you why you don't want the book they made!) Then there is the constant book fairs that the kids walk through during the day and come home and want to buy books from-which we say no! WAnt to read the book that bad, then we will go to the library and check it out! Then there is also spirit wear (overpriced sweatshirts and t-shirts with the school logo) they try to sell and reward kids for wearing on school spirit days! We do not buy those. We tell them to wear school colors on spirit days. And last year they had candy bar sales at their old school. (we moved into our new home during the year so they transfered schools-thank goodness) They tried to say each family HAD to sell 1 box or donate $25!!! How in the heck can a public school try to require that! Then they sent home a box with my son and both sd's. When I called about the error they said that since my sd's were at different schools they both have to sell-one per school. And my son had to sell because he was not "really related" to sd so it was not considered same family! I sent all 3 boxes back to school and told kids to return to office saying we are not participating in candy sales. They sent home a note about the money we "owed" as part of our contribution!! That went into the recycling bin!! My contribution was school fees at the beginning of the year and all the other fundraisers we participated in.

cut out a small piece of fabric, and test it out. mine hasn't had any flaking off, the burnt part is solid. I didn't notice much of a smell, mostly when I blew the candle out :D it IS easy, lol.......all it is is wavy edged circles cut out in graduated sizes. Burn the edges, and sew them together in the center with a few stitches and a bead or a few beads, for the flower center. I'm sewing some onto black pony tail holders today...I bought 30 nice black elastic ponytail holders on a chain for $1. When I was making quilts, I had a burn chart that helped you tell whether your fabrics were all cotton or not. Burn a cut edge and depending on whether it burned or how it burned, you would be able to tell the fabric's content. I'll try to find something similar! hope this helps! kudzu copy and paste this link for fiber chart..it helps for lots of different crafts! http://www.fiber-images.com/Free_Things/Reference_Charts/free_reference_charts_fiber_content_guide.html Here is a link that might be useful: fiber content chart