scribbles @ griffonage studios

Secrets Shared by Friends

who are they?

For your perusal...
These household tips were sent to me the other day, via one of those forwarded emails, (which some people find rather gauche, although I must admit that I secretly enjoy most of the ones I receive... camp/tasteless though some may be). In no particular order (as in the original email), I found these tips to be quite interesting and most are useful, as well. Those which are not applicable to a particular lifestyle are still rather amusing and certainly indicative of our American way of living.

So enjoy and put to use, if appropriate.

Bed Sheets
After laundering (and drying) sheets, put both sheets and one pillowcase in the other pillow case. Fold neatly in a square. Next time you change sheets, you just take the one pillow case and all the sheets and pillow case are inside. No need to look for matches. Thanks to Martha Stewart for this one.

Clean Glass Shower
To clean the glass in your shower easily, apply lemon juice to the glass with a sponge. Then, take newspaper and wipe the lemon juice off the glass. It will be clean and sparkle with no scrubbing!

Reheat Pizza
Heat up leftover pizza in a non-stick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. As seen on the cooking channel... it really works.

Easy Deviled Eggs
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal and then keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly. Cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.

Reheating Refrigerated Bread
To warm leftover breads, biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

Newspaper Weeds-Away
Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers, put layers around the plants overlapping as you go, cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic, they will not get through wet newspapers.

Broken Glass
Use a dry cotton ball to pick up little broken pieces of glass – the fibers catch ones you can't see!No More MosquitoesPlace a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.

Squirrel Away!
To keep squirrels from eatin g your plants sprinkle your plants withcayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it.

MINE!!!!!
If you purchase a new bike for your child, place their picture inside the handle bar before placing the grips on. If the bike is stolen and later recovered, remove the grip and there is your proof who owns the bike.

Flexible Vacuum
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

Reducing Static Cling
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and -- voila -- static is gone.

Measuring Cups
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill it with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry the cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.

Foggy Windshield?
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

Conditioner
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair...

Good-bye Fruit Flies
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass fill it 1/2" with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dishwashing liquid, mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

Get Rid of Ants
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it "home," and can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works well and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

Take Baby Powder to the Beach
Keep a small bottle of baby powder in your beach bag. When you're ready to leave the beach sprinkle yourself (and kids) with the powder and the sand will slide right off your skin.

And included somewhat reluctantly...

Reopening Envelope
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily.
PS: (Hmmm... this trick should be used only for 'good' purposes). ~jzb

Easier “thank yous”
When you throw a bridal/baby shower, buy a pack of thank you cards for the guest of honor. During the party, pass out the envelopes and have everyone put their address on one. When the bride/new mother sends the thank you notes, they're all addressed!
PS: I think this one is rather lame; if someone takes the time to buy a gift and then to actually show up and spend time at a baby or bridal shower (not always the most exciting of parties) it seems to me that the very least the recipient can do is remember each and every attendee personally. ~jzb

Expanding Frosting
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store (like I ever do? ~jzb), whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount (of fake food?~jzb). You also eat less sugar/calories per serving.
PS: If I am eating cake, I figure that it is time to indulge and so am unconcerned about counting calories or sugar intake. ~jzb




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have a summer project on the horizon? Let the writers and designers at Wordsmith at Griffonage Studios help to make it a great success.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~