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Winter months can be particularly harsh on skin -- with the bitter temperatures and moisture-sapping winds -- this is especially true for the tender skin of your toddler. Stepping up your tot’s skin-care regimen and actively taking steps to protect her, can go a long way in preventing painful and irritating winter skin conditions such as wind burn.
When you have too many ripe grapes or bananas to eat, one way to save them for later is to freeze them. Find out how to properly freeze grapes and bananas with help from a certified raw food chef and detox specialist in this free video clip.
Filling a glass jar for decoration requires you to use one of a number of different materials, like potpourri. Fill a glass jar for decoration with help from a florist, interior decorator and party planner in this free video clip.
You can make a wide variety of delicious grain-free snack bars right at home using nuts and other ingredients. Make grain-free snack bars with nuts and dried fruits with help from a certified health coach in this free video clip.
You'd be surprised by just how many crafts made with white plastic medicine bottles there really are. Learn about crafts made with white plastic medicine bottles with help from a longtime crafts expert in this free video clip.
Decoupaging a glass jar with scrapbook paper is a great way to put your own personalized stamp on the item. Get ideas for how to decoupage a glass jar with scrapbook paper with help from a graphic designer and illustrator in this free video clip.
Garden fresh chiles can be a great ingredient to add to salsa to give it a little extra kick. Learn about salsa made with garden fresh chiles with help from an experienced chef in this free video clip.
Not all types of fruit go well with all types of cheese. Learn to pair cheese and fruit with help from the founder of The Cheese Store in Beverly Hills in this free video clip.
Most everyone knows that vegetables are tasty, healthful additions to the dinner plate. Veggies are generally high in essential vitamins and other nutrients that keep the body functioning well. Fresh vegetables, however, can be expensive and are perishable items. One trick to keep from wasting leftovers is to freeze them. This method safely preserves many types of veggies so that you can enjoy them at a later time.
Protecting foods from freezer burn doesn't have to be the most difficult thing you try to do in a day. Learn about a simple, efficient method for protecting foods from freezer burn with help from a chef and culinary instructor in this free video clip.
Children and adults who would like to study insects more closely without physically touching them can do so by capturing them with a simple vacuum. Made out of a plastic bottle and tubing, this vacuum can quickly and gently capture insects and hold them for a short amount of time. After they have been examined for a few hours, they should be released into their natural environment.
Upcycling takes materials headed for the trash or the recycling bin and gives them a fresh life as home décor accents and centerpieces. Plastic bottles pose a serious environmental problem with only about 20 percent of these items making it to a recycling center, according to Green Upgrader. Making homemade lighting pieces, such as chandeliers, is a funky and artistic way to use those leftover bottles and only requires a few craft staples to complete the look.
Estimated to be possibly twice as large as France, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, according to an April 2009 article in "The Telegraph," is a “waterfill” in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre made mostly of plastic products. A gyre is a place where four different currents converge, circulating clockwise. The article estimates that nonbiodegradable plastic floating in the world's oceans kills over one million seabirds and 100,000 marine animals annually. Discarded plastic products also crowd landfills and litter the environment. Reusing plastic bottles in concrete aggregate is one way to prevent the problem from becoming worse.
The Kenmore appliance model 58642 is a side-by-side refrigerator. Whether this unit is newly installed in the home or is being used regularly, problems with the freezer working properly sometimes crop up. When this happens there is no need to call a professional. Troubleshoot the appliance to identify the problem and plot a course to rectify it.
Your refrigerator's crisper drawer is ideal for storing most vegetables, including potatoes. However, if you plan to fry the potatoes, the refrigerator isn't the best storage place because the starch in the potatoes converts to sugar in the cool temperatures. As a result, the sugar carmelizes during the frying process and French fries or hash browns turn a shade of muddy brown instead of the usual appetizing, rich golden color. Refrigeration doesn't alter the shade of boiled or baked potatoes, and in fact, the increased sugar content may give the potatoes a sweeter flavor.
Vacuum sealing is a popular method of food preservation that greatly extends storage times. Vacuum sealing also can protect non-food items such as manufactured goods, important papers and backpacking supplies from environmental damage. Vacuum packaging once was the domain of commercial processors, but in recent years machines for household use have come on the market.
Transform your old gallon jars into attractive ones. If you have old glass gallon jars, you can create a few crafts to put the old jars to good use while showing off your creativity. Showcase the crafts in your home or give them away as gifts. All you need are a few supplies and ideas to get started turning your old jars into masterpieces your friends will envy.
Vacuum sealing is a food preservation method that extracts air from a container. There are commercial-grade vacuum sealers and those for home use available at most department stores. You can vacuum seal a casserole to save as leftovers and enjoy it again as if it had just been brought out of the oven.
There are piles of plastic bottles cluttering landfills and recycle bins everywhere. Instead of adding to the heap, there are many ways to upcycle these bottles. If you own a small pet like a hamster or a gerbil, you can add some interesting features to your little friend's habitat using plastic bottles.
Nothing's worse that storing food to use later in the week, only to discover that it's already spoiled a few days later. Vacuum sealed bags are an efficient way to defeat this problem, and to store food for maximum freshness. While most vacuum seal bags are made of a transparent plastic, Mylar is a denser material that can prolong food life even, but it's notoriously difficult to vacuum seal due to it's smooth exterior. Using a bit of ingenuity, you can manipulate the material for a successful vacuum seal every time.
Although dried fruit is more commonly thought of as a snack, it is also a great craft supply. Dried fruit is a great way to accent Christmas tree decorations and make them look more festive. Many people think you need an expensive fruit dehydrator to dry fruit. However, if you have an oven or live in an area with a sunny climate, you do not need special devices. Try your hand at drying your favorite fruits—cranberries, holly berries and other red fruit are very festive looking and will retain their red hue if dried properly.
Rope is easy to find, inexpensive material that can turn a dull, drab item into a fresh nautical accent for any area. It can be used by children and adults alike to create unique and eye-catching gifts and accessories. Rope is easily handled and shaped and can be used both indoors and outdoors.
Kribensis easily form pair bonds and spawn readily if you provide the proper conditions for them. These cichlids prefer to spawn in caves, and may refuse to do so without one. They are private and shy when it comes to personal matters and like to remain hidden during reproductive activity. Many home aquarists give their kribensis an old clay flower pots for spawning, which the fish typically find acceptable. If you’re a little fussier about appearances, make your own spawning cave. Use an empty glass jar and customize it to complement your aquarium decor on the cheap.
Waterfalls are places in rivers or streams where the water falls vertically, instead of horizontally. They are major tourist attractions. Some of them, such as Niagara Falls, are also used help to generate electricity. Children can use a plastic container to build their own version of Niagara Falls. To make a waterfall with a plastic bottle, cut one side of it out. Place the bottle onto a holder, and decorate the project with materials such as rocks.
Buoyancy and pressure are fundamental scientific concepts with which every student should be familiar. Learning about them via textbooks alone can prove dull and uninspiring. Educators should consider making use of experiments to make these concepts more interactive for students. These experiments can be cheap and simple, using items found in a classroom or kitchen.
Craft resin allows you to fully encase and protect an item in a plastic-like substance. Craft resin is made of two liquid parts. A chemical reaction occurs when the liquids are mixed, creating a clear, hard final product. The liquids are not combined until the last minute, because they set up quickly and it is impossible to reverse the process once it has begun. Crafting resin is not difficult to work with, but the directions should be followed precisely for best results.
Looking out on a frozen tropical landscape is devastating. All the plants you've so lovingly nurtured look dead and brown. But don't be hasty about trimming those plants back, especially not banana plants. The dead leaves on a cold-damaged banana actually help insulate the plant against further freezing weather. Once the danger of frost has passed, you can begin to trim those dead, hanging leaves and discover whether your banana plant has survived the cold.
Drosophila is a genus of flies commonly referred to as fruit flies or vinegar flies. Drosophila are small, slow flies that are attracted to fermenting organic matter in kitchens. The flies often arrive with fruits and vegetables and can reproduce rapidly, making it difficult to control the pests once they are in your home. However, even when Drosophila populations are high and seemingly uncontrollable in your home, they are simple to capture and kill with a homemade trap.
The Chinese Lantern Festival, held the 15th day of the first lunar month in China, celebrates the beauty of traditional Chinese lanterns. The traditional lanterns that appear in the festival are constructed of paper and bamboo. The paper softens the light coming from the flame or bulb inside, but the same softening can be achieved by reusing a plastic bottle; this has the added benefit of helping the environment.
You have heard of recycling, but now you can try your hand at 'upcycling'. This is the art of taking items that are destined for the landfill and creating beautiful works of art from them. These vignette lanterns are easy to make and stunning once you have them hung up. They are perfect for a banister or railing, a dull corner or a picnic under a tree. You can make them with everyday household items and save some old jars from the landfill.
While some states offer deposit and return incentives to get people to recycle, Pennsylvania isn't one of them. One benefit of this system is that Pennsylvania residents don't need to pay additional money upfront for their plastic bottle purchases. Another benefit is that Pennsylvania residents can still return their plastic bottles and collect both cash payments and reward incentives.
From French fries to big, succulent russets you bake and smother with sour cream, potatoes are a favorite side dish. They’re easy to grow in the home garden. If you live in one of the warmer regions of the American Southwest, you’ll have the greatest success when you plant them in fall and grow during the cooler months. The early season varieties of seed potatoes also increase your chances of harvesting a good crop. Some of these varieties are Irish Cobbler, Caribe and Red Norland.
Weevils enter bags of rice through small openings. A weevil infestation can occur in your home, or it may have happened before you even brought the bag of rice home from the store. Weevils are small and rarely noticed until they’ve reached adult size. They eat the rice and lay eggs inside the grains. If left unchecked, the bugs may destroy the entire bag of rice. An easy, safe procedure will kill weevils and protect your rice.
When keeping bulk packages of plastic bottles in a warehouse setting there are several considerations that should be taken into account to make sure the bottles remain steady, stable, and dry. Packaging, weight distribution, and level storage are all considerations.
If you opened up your pantry right now, you would probably find an assortment of spices in glass jars. But beyond the obvious uses for these small glass spice jars, there are some creative and practical ways to repurpose these containers. Whether you are looking to better organize your kitchen cabinets, store candy or create a unique party favor, glass spice jars are a helpful tool in resolving your storage solution concerns.
Crafters enjoy creating unique patterns and designs with decoupage. Traditionally done on wooden furniture or other non-ceramic household goods, modern finishing materials have made it possible to apply decoupage designs to vases and candle jars. Glass candle jars can either be decoupaged on the outside or on the inside prior to pouring the wax. Both methods use the same materials and produce an attractive result, creating the illusion that the paper or fabric pattern was incorporated into the manufacturing process.
Properly cleaning glass jars involves removing dirt, food and other contaminants as well as rinsing the jars completely. Absolutely clean glass jars are essential for food storage and canning. Rinse the jars thoroughly so you don’t transfer liquid dish soap residue to the future contents of the jar. You'll need very hot water, so locate your rubber gloves and get to scrubbing.
Glass jars are a versatile item that people use for many different craft items, including as wedding centerpieces. The possibilities are endless when it comes to decorating glass jars to make centerpieces. You can customize the jars in numerous ways, with any color desired and for any theme you choose. For wedding centerpieces, choose colors that match your wedding colors, be creative and start decorating.
Decorations with a touch of sea-related paraphernalia evoke a sense of oceanic environments and bring a refreshing touch to indoor rooms. Combine this decorative effect with a practical accessory in the form of a sand-and-seashell-adorned jar for your bathroom or entertaining rooms. Use this handy jar on its own, or as part of a larger sea-related decorating scheme.
Vertical gardens allow you to grow more plants in a smaller space. You can create a vertical garden in an existing garden bed, along the wall of your house or an outbuilding, or on an apartment balcony or patio. Save money and help the environment by recycling used 2-liter bottles into planters for the vertical garden. These bottles provide enough room to grow a single small or dwarf vegetable or ornamental plant variety.
Container gardens provide solutions for would-be gardeners who don’t have enough space to plant in the ground. Adding clean, empty plastic bottles to the bottom of a large planting container reduces the need to use excess potting soil and does not affect plant growth or health, according to the University of Florida IFAS Extension. Several types of plants grow well in containers with plastic bottles as long a few basic requirements are met.
Many people consider artificial additives in foods when shopping for themselves, but similar harmful chemicals are often included in what you feed your pets as well. If you are concerned about your cat’s exposure to artificial additives and preservatives, pursue natural treat brands that assist your pet’s health while rewarding good behavior.
Sometimes you want to tightly seal a lid to its container, such as when you're canning foods. The vacuum seal created inside the contain as the contents cool down after being heated in the water bath or pressure cooker prevents spoilage and allows for long-term storage. The same thing can happen when you cover a cooking pan with a tight-fitting lid, then turn down the heat. When the lid inadvertently seals to the pan, it creates a problem, but breaking this seal should be a simple matter.
Freeze-drying is a specialized form of taxidermy that involves placing a specimen into a freeze-dry machine until all of the moisture in it is removed. While it is not a method that is frequently used, especially for larger specimens, it is a method that is proven beneficial for very small specimens such as small fish. For these small fish, freeze-drying can be the most successful way to preserve your mount.
For such a seemingly hardy vegetable, potatoes require pretty specific storing conditions to retain their best flavor and nutrition. There are some general rules of thumb, such as the ideal temperature for storage. However, some other storage details depend on how long you intend to store them and how you will eventually cook the potatoes.
On their own, Mentos candy and soda pop are sweet treats for kids of all ages. Together, they are explosive. The carbonation in pop and the coating of the Mentos create a geyser shooting from a plastic bottle -- and sometimes it even achieves liftoff as a rocket. Nucleation is a physical, not chemical, reaction, and it occurs when the captive carbon dioxide bubbles have something to latch onto and foam up. You can make your own Mento Launcher on a school playground, either as a biology experiment or just for fun.
Homegrown potatoes produce an ample harvest, so it's vital to have a storage location ready for them. Not all potato varieties store well. If you want potatoes for long-term storage, choose thick-skinned yellow and white types. Red potatoes and other thin-skinned varieties, often harvested as new potatoes, have a short storage life and are best grown for immediate use.
Fiberfill stuffing is fiber that has been combed and fluffed to form a soft ball, kind of like a ball of cotton. It is usually made from polyester and other recycled materials. Fiberfill stuffing is inexpensive to make, and its insulating and filler properties make it ideal for different projects and purposes.
Freezing sliced bananas is an easy way to preserve the fruit to use in later recipes. Frozen bananas are also a tasty and healthy treat. Using firm bananas for freezing is the best way to maintain quality, and it is important to quick-freeze them first. Putting ripe bananas in a bag and immediately tossing them in the freezer causes the fruit to freeze at different rates, creates a breeding ground for bacteria and deteriorates the fruit's quality.
Silverfish are small, slender, wingless insects with two long antennas at their head and three long "bristles" at the back of the body. They are usually about a half-inch long. Silverfish are scaly, which gives them a shiny, metallic look. Silverfish prefer dark, damp and cool places to live and breed. While not dangerous, they can be destructive, feeding on crumbs, dead insects, book glue and paper. Fortunately, there are effective means of control available for these unwanted pests.
