Thursday Tips - April 1st

Today I have another two for one tip, but you can't have one without the other. :)

Most of the time I love to sew. I think I was conditioned from classes in school to cut threads after the project was completed so someone else could use the machine quicker. Then I learned this tip from Cathe (and I can't find her blog - if I find it later, I'll add a link). CUT YOUR THREADS AS YOU GO!!!!!! I can't even begin to describe how much easier it is to cut as you go. At the end of each seam, I clip and close as I can with the cutter on the machine and then I pick up the scissors and spend approximately 1.34879 seconds cutting the threads at the beginning of the seam. Then when I sew the last stitch - my garment is done. Oh, what a glorious feeling!

The second part of the tip is get a trash can of some sort and keep it handy. I use this pink tote. It folds flat and fits in my sewing cabinet drawer when not in use. It has a metal frame that crosses on each end and keeps it open. I can fit lots of excess stabilizer and backing, thread, broken needles, etc in this little jewel. I think I purchased it at Hobby Lobby for a couple of dollars (when containers were half price of course!).

Here's a bonus tip - Check out Melissa's blog at Coffee With Me for even more great tips!

Thursday Tips 3/25

Today's tip doesn't have to be for large families. :) My dryer has been giving me a hard time for about a year now so I've gotten up close and personal with the clothes line.

We installed a couple of retractable lines outside so we can pull them out and I can hang our clothes over concrete. So that's tip #1 - check out retractable lines so you don't have to wade in the soppy yard to hang out clothes. OK, maybe it's just my yard that's always wet. Hanging over the concrete keeps me from tracking mud back in or clothes getting dirty when I drop one.

Sometimes our dryer refuses to come on and I have to get something dry {like sheets from one of the bedwetters} - I have an indoor line. Another retractable line is installed in the closet, runs to the far side of the room and back in the other side of the closet.

And the last tip, hang your hang clothes on hangers and clip the hanger to the line. When everything is dry, it's a cinch to put the clothes away and when they are on hangers, they take up less room on the line.

Melissa has already posted a tip that stepped on my toes. Go check out Coffee with Me for more great tips!

Thursday Tip 3/18

Today's tip is brought to you by the Memphis tourism council {OK, not really but I'm sure if they knew about it - they'd be all over it ;) }.


What child doesn't love to visit all the great animals at the zoo. My tip pertains specifically to the Memphis area though I know there are deals like this in other areas.

Current admission rates at the Memphis Zoo are $15 for adults (ages 12 and up) and $10 for children (ages 2-11). Parking is an additional $5. For our family, admission would run $75 for a one time visit! The problem with paying $75 to visit the zoo is that I then feel the need to see it all to get my money's worth. Trying to see everything in one day with littles is exhausting. The solution - purchase a family membership for $100. Parking is free for members and a bi-monthly magazine is also mailed out that keeps us up to date. There are also other discounts (a percentage off in the gift shop, discounted birthday parties, etc). For us the best part of the membership is that we can come back as often as we like so I don't feel like I have to see everything all at once.

And that is my tip. Search for family memberships to your favorite places to visit so the visits can be kept low key (ie short) and when there is a toddler melt down - go home and come back another day.

Be sure to visit Melissa at Coffee with Me for some other great tips (I'm loving the one I got from Beck about using our Klean Kanteens on a daily basis - What a great idea!!!!)

Thursday Tips 3/11

Sorry, this week's tip has no pictures. I forgot to take some when I was using the tip myself. I'll try to do better next week. To make up for it - I'll share two.

As I mentioned last week, I love tips that help me in the kitchen. I actually enjoy cooking and baking but most nights the need for fast meals overcomes the desire for elaborate.

I buy hamburger meat in 10 lb packages and cook it all at once. I actually boil it. I dig out my huge stock pot, dump all the meat in with enough water to cover and bring to a rolling boil for about 20 minutes. I just use a spoon to break it apart as it cooks. I shut the burner off and let it cool. After I drain the water off I divide it into freezer bags/save a meal bags and freeze. Then when we want spaghetti or mushroom gravy I grab a bag and toss it in. I can fix spaghetti in the time it takes to cook the noodles. I also tend to divide the meat into 15 or so bags so it stretches a little farther.

Tip 2 - I bake my own bread. A few times a month I bake 4 or 8 loaves and freeze the extra. Before I put the loaves in the freezer, I slice the entire loaf then bag as usual. I always seemed to run out of bread and need more now. LOL If I forget to thaw a loaf a few slices can be removed from the bag and they defrost in a matter of minutes or can be popped in the toaster for instant use.

Now go visit Melissa at Coffee With Me and see what other great tips you can find!

Thursday Tip 3/4

I have a "fake" friend {'cause you know, Internet friends aren't "real" ;) } Melissa, who started a blog link-up of helpful tips. Most of the participants are moms so we're all sharing ways to hopefully make everyone's life a little easier. :)

My tip this week has to do with food preparation. As a mom of 5, meals seem to consume my day. Make a meal, serve a meal, clean-up a meal, make a meal, serve a meal, clean-up a meal, etc. Add in plan the meals, clip coupons and shop for meals and I need a full time personal assistant! So anything that makes any part of the process a little faster - sign me up! :)

I have to admit that I "stole" this tip from my sister. When spreading peanut butter on anything other than a sandwich put your Pampered Chef Easy Accent Decorator to work. Just fill it with peanut butter and press. No more messy knife and getting peanut butter all over the jar and you!

Aren't they pretty? Including the time to load the decorator, I think I made everyone peanut butter crackers in less than half the time. Let's face it, at my house even food preparation is done in bulk. ;) This also works great when making those delicious Ritz crackers filled with peanut butter and covered in almond bark.

I tested it out on apples and it works great on those as well!