Surprising Household Cleaners

www.realsimple.com

Baking Soda as Silver-Polisher
Original purpose: Making cakes rise.
Aha! use: Polishing silver. Wash items, then place on aluminum foil in the bottom of a pot. Add a baking-soda solution (1/4 cup soda, a few teaspoons salt, 1 quart boiling water) to cover for a few seconds.
Reward: A chemical reaction that gets the black off the gravy boat.

Lemon
Original purpose: Adding zing to soups or salad dressings.

Aha! use: Removing tough food stains from light wood and plastic cutting boards. Slice a lemon in half, squeeze onto the soiled surface, rub, and let sit for 20 minutes before rinsing.

Reward: A house that smells like a lemon grove rather than chemicals .

Mesh Vegetable Bag
Original purpose: Toting home potatoes, onions, and tomatoes on the vine.
Aha! use: Scrubbing up after dinner. Cut ends open, scrunch, and add soap and water.

Reward: After a gooey mac-and-cheese cleanup, you can throw this freebie sponge away guilt-free.

Lemonade Kool-Aid
Original purpose: Quenching your thirst.
Aha! use: Cleaning lime deposits and iron stains inside the dishwasher. Pour a packet of lemonade Kool-Aid (the only flavor that works) into the detergent cup and run the (empty) dishwasher.
Reward: Citric acid in the mix wipes out stains; you don't have to.

Cooking Oil
Original purpose: A hot bath for fried foods.Aha! use: Removing adhesive from glasses. Apply cooking oil to the sticker using a paper towel or a soft cloth, rub firmly, then rinse with warm, soapy water. (If the adhesive is stubborn, use a dab of toothpaste along with the oil.)

Reward: Goo Gone be gone―one less cleaning product to buy.

Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda,my mentor

"This lifetime will never come again; it is precious and irreplaceable. To live without regret, it is crucial for us to have a concrete purpose and continually set goals and challenges for ourselves. It is equally important that we keep moving toward specific targets steadily and tenaciously, one step at a time. "
(Daisaku Ikeda)

Cupcakes

Who isn’t crazy for cupcakes?

Are you looking for inspiration to be creative and innovative ?

Check here:

http://www.countryliving.com/cooking/recipes/cupcake-decorating-ideas-0309?click=pp

Eggshells as pots for tiny plants

Delicate eggshells make precious pots for tiny plants such as hens-and-chicks, shown here.

www.bhg.com

Tap the pointed end of an egg firmly with a table knife to just break through the shell; turn it slightly and tap again to remove the "cap." Discard the contents and rinse the shell. Next, create a drainage hole by carefully pushing the point of a small knife through the bottom of the shell.

Gently remove about half the soil from around the roots of a small plant. Ease the roots and remaining soil into the shell; add a small amount of soil to cover the roots.

Play with different types of plants to feature, such as these colorful alyssum seedlings. You can also experiment with their presentation by tucking them into egg cups, Easter grass, or another springtime decoration.

Srping Crafts

http://crafts.kaboose.com

What you'll need:

· Smooth, round or oval rocks, washed and dried
· Acrylic craft paint in colors of our choice
· Black acrylic craft paint
· 2 wiggle eyes for each ladybug
· Black Sharpie marker
· Acrylic matte sealer spray
· White craft glue (Tacky Glue)

How to make it:

1. Completely wash and dry all rocks.
2. Paint rocks in desired colors, allow to dry. Apply second and third coats if needed. Lighter colors will require more coats than darker shades.
3. Paint head on using black acrylic craft paint. There is no pattern needed, simply paint about ¼ of the rock black in the “front”.
4. Use a black Sharpie to draw a straight line down the center of the rock, starting at the center of the base of the “head”.
5. Dip the end of a large paint brush, or the eraser of a pencil, in black craft paint. Dot on the spots, reloading with paint after every dot.
6. Once the paint is dry, spray the rock(s) with acrylic sealer spray. Allow sealer to dry completely.
7. Using white craft glue, attach wiggle eyes and let dry.

Tips:
· If you are doing this in a group setting such as scouts or a classroom, you may find it easier to prepare the rocks ahead of time. Wash, dry and apply a coat of Liquitex Basics Gesso to each rock. This is a craft medium (white) that works well with many projects. It will also create a base so that less coats of color paint will be required.
· Bigger rocks are easier for small hands to manipulate. They are also heavier, so be sure that there are enough adult helpers for a group of little ones.
· White and black paint can be used instead of wiggle eyes. Simply dot on white paint, allow to dry, then use a smaller tool to dot on the black.

Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda,my mentor

"It is important that we live cheerfully. With a strong spirit of optimism, we need to be able to continually direct our minds in a bright, positive and beneficial direction and help those around us do so, too. We should strive to develop a state of life where we feel a sense of joy no matter what happens". (Daisaku Ikeda)

Have a good weekend !!!!!

Spring Centerpiece

Say goodbye to Winter ....... Get ready for Spring !!!!

Get here some ideas for Spring Centerpieces.

(Better Homes and Gargens - http://www.bhg.com)

Tea Time
Vintage teacups make pretty containers for tiny flower arrangements. Fill the cups with well-soaked floral foam or use a small metal florist's frog, if necessary, to hold the flowers in place. Look in your yard or at the flower shop for small blooms, such as grape hyacinth or lily-of-the-valley, that match the scale of the cups.

Edible FlowersBefore using edible flowers as a garnish or in a salad, spray them with a gentle stream of cool water in the sink, then carefully pat them dry with paper towels. Use immediately. Never eat flowers from a florist, a nursery, or a garden shop; they may have been sprayed. The same rule applies to flowers you find

Easter Egg Vase
Start with a large-mouth clear cookie jar or canister and place a clear drinking glass in the center. Gently stack dyed, hard-cooked eggs between the glass and jar, alternating egg colors. Fill the glass with water. Cut the stems of your favorite flowers (we used roses, gerbera daisies, tulips, hyacinth, and bells of Ireland) to the desired length, and arrange them in the glass.

Candle Holder Egg Tree
Most any type of candleholder can be transformed by using it to hold beautifully colored eggs. Consider setting eggs on a silver candelabra, brass candlesticks, or even inside little votive cups. Use tacky wax to secure eggs, if necessary.

Welcome Spring
We made these affordable table linens using yellow gingham fabric. For the centerpiece, a white planter was tied with gingham and grosgrain ribbons around the top (use hot glue to secure if needed). Fill the planter with wheatgrass from a pet store and poke white silk daisies into the grass. A wooden egg painted pink and lettered with a paint pin nestles in a ribbon-wrapped ramekin full of wheatgrass to make a unique place card.

Transform Jewelry into Home Accents

http://www.bhg.com/

Easy Artwork
Enameled flower pins discovered at a flea market make a simple and graphic design statement when grouped into a triptych of shadow-box frames. Similar treatments of other like items, such as cloisonne or cameo pendants, could be equally interesting.

Beautiful Beaded Napkin Rings
Ordinary metal napkin rings morph into gem-encrusted beauties when you thread beads and crystals onto craft wire and wrap it securely around the rings. Thread more beads onto wire to make a coordinating set of wineglass charms.

Beautified Bags
Sachet bags sewn from linen, filled with lavender or balsam, and secured with vintage brooches make great party favors or hostess gifts. Or make some for yourself using a loved one's jewelry to create a sweet-smelling reminder of that person.

Show Off Old Jewels
Earrings and pins comprise striking displays on a grid of picture frames whose backs are wrapped with linen. Remove the posts and clips from the jewelry with needle-nose pliers, and secure your composition to the fabric with small drops of hot glue. Insert it in a picture frame.

Decorating your bathroom

Bored with your bathroom ????

There are a lot of simple things you can do when decorating your bathroom to give it a special touch and add vivid personality. For example, when you change the color of the towels in the bathroom, you can transform the feeling completely.Try a few candles with cool candle holders and a picture frame. Also, don't just use the disposable soap dispenser. Instead, buy a cool soap dispenser that goes along with your theme and refill the soap as needed. Matching soap dispensers and toothbrush holders always look great.

And remember, guests don't just see the living room and kitchen...they also see the bathroom, so keep it clean and clutter free.

Encouragement by Daisaku Ikeda, my mentor

"What is youth? The French philosopher Roger Garaudy suggests that while most people believe a person is born young and then ages and dies in reality, acquiring youth in the deepest sense is a very long and challenging process. The youth of which he speaks is the spiritual strength not to stagnate or grow resistant to change but to stay ever open to new possibilities. It is the power of the spirit that refuses to succumb to complacency and strives forward ."

(Daisaku Ikeda)

Happy Birthday Cakes for Kids

Are you looking for a kid birthday cakes that will make your birthday child so happy ?




Cookies-and-Cream Cupcakes
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cupcakes/cookies-and-cream-cupcakes/

Polka-Dot
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/layer-cakes/polka-dot-cake/












Flip-Flop
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/layer-cakes/flip-flop-cake/









Sunflower Cake
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/layer-cakes/sunflower-cake/






All-Star Sports Cake
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/frosting/all-star-sports-cake/

Fairy-Dust Wands
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cupcakes/fairy-dust-wands//






HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!!!

FELIZ ANIVERSARIO !!!

Durigan Wine - The Best From Brazil

Saturday night I opened my bottle of Rose wine from Brazil. My husband is a expert wine person and I was so excited to hear his opinion. I’ve been living in USA for 8 years and I never ever tasted a wine like Durigan from Curitiba city of Brazil . I use to celebrate every single and simple moment with my husband. Every occasion is especial for us when we achieve our goals. The wine tasted so good and it made me to remember my best friends in Brazil. We used to go to Pamphylia restaurant on the weekends to have Beef Strouganoff Soup and a cup of wine. Actually I don’t eat meat anymore but the Strouganoff Soup it was really delicious.

Thank to my brother Renato and my sister-in-law Gina for the wine you sent to us!Ah...my husband loved the wine !

Curitiba is nationwide known as one of the capitals with the highest life quality standards and as well as the ecological capital of Brazil. It is covered with beautiful parks you can reach using the efficient and organized transportation .For more information about Curitiba check :

http://www.curitiba-brazil.com/