For dull skin:

You can make rose water by boiling two cups of live rose petals in one liter of water. Chilled rose water lasts for up to a week and can be applied with a cotton ball and used as an astringent.

Try adding lavender to a facial steamer. Steamers are inexpensive and can be bought at many department stores. Be careful using lavender oil, which can add too much oil to your pores. Dried or fresh lavender is best.

Add fresh or dried sage and rosemary to alcohol to make an astringent. If this is too drying try witch hazel.

Add fresh rose petals to witch hazel to make an astringent.

Rub turmeric onto your cheeks to add a golden glow.

Scrub your face with dry oatmeal to remove dead skin.

Mix goats milk lotion with violet oil to make a body lotion.

Vodka and fresh mint can be used as an astringent.

Boil lettuce in water for ten minutes, drain and use as an astringent. Adds extra moisture.

Wash your face with green tea, or add two cups to your bath.

Ylang Ylang essential oil can be put onto your face with a cotton ball to give your skin an extra glow.

Make a body scrub out of sea salt and Epson salt.

Moisturize your face, heals, and elbows with coconut or almond oil.

Drink more water!

For Acne:

Add a spot of toothpaste to a pimple to relieve redness.

Boil 3 tbsp. basil leaves in 1 cup of water, use as an astringent.

Wipe your face with apple cider vinegar, cut 50/50 with water.

Mix 1/4-cup witch hazel, 2 tbsp. Aloe Vera gel, and 2 tsp. tea tree oil. Pat onto face with a cotton ball.

Use a mango facemask to unclog pores. Blend the pulp of a mango and put it onto your face; let dry, and wash off.

For Blackheads:

Add Elmer’s glue to the face, let dry and pull off. This will remove blackheads.

A lemon rubbed over the nose will help remove dirt from the pores.

For Age Spots:

Cucumber juice or puree on the face ca be used as either an astringent or a mask.

Make a facemask out of mashed chickpeas.

Rub the skin with papaya juice and wash normally.

For Wrinkles:

Make a facemask out of two tsp. apple cider vinegar and mashed banana. Let the banana dry and wash off.

Apply Miracle Whip to the face until it dries, wash off.

Simple Facemasks:

Blend 1 banana, 2tbsp. honey, 2 tbsp. sour cream.

Mix cornmeal with water until thick.

Blend ½ a peeled cucumber, 1 tbsp. plain yogurt, 1 tsp. honey, and 2-3 strawberries.

Blend an avocado with plain yogurt.

Puree 1 apricot with 2 tbsp. dry milk powder.

Applesauce and chopped fresh spearmint or mint.

Anti- Itch:

Witch hazel removes itch from burns and bites.

Dry Skin:

Rub a slice of raw potato on the skin.

Rinse your face with buttermilk.

Oily Skin:

Mix ½ cup of cooked oatmeal, 1 egg white, and ½ cup of applesauce into a facemask. Leave on for 15 mins.

Wipe your face with plain yogurt to remove excess oil.

Mild Irritations:

For minor burns add a small amount of tooth gel to the burn.

Use jojoba oil to reduce swelling.

For chapped hands apply glycerin.

Apply a banana or honey to a burn.

Tea tree oil can be used instead of Neosporin to fight infection.

Add lavender oil to a bath to sooth insect bites.

For bee or jellyfish stings use unseasoned meat tenderizer to neutralize the venom.

Sunburn:

Brewed tea in the bath will sooth sunburn as will aloe.

Dark Circles:

Cucumber slices under the eyes remove dark circles and sooth red eyes.

Carefully wipe under eyes with tomato juice.

Massage eyes with almond oil.

Apply a mix of milk and honey under your eyes and then wash off after one hour.

Drink two glasses of cranberry juice a day.

1. Berries-

• Work detergent into the spot. Soak in cold water and detergent overnight. Put more detergent in the spot. Warm wash.

2. Blood-

• Soak fabric in cold water and a cap full of ammonia.  Warm wash.
• Clean the spot with a paste of water, cornstarch, or baby powder. Warm wash.
• Leave meat tenderizer on the spot for 15- 20 mins. Warm wash.

3. Coffee-

• Rub an egg yolk into the stain. Rinse with cold water. Warm wash.
• Blot with white vinegar. Rinse with cold water. Warm wash.
• On hard surfaces or leather scrub with a soapy sponge.

4. Ink-

• Take a tbsp. of cream of tartar and a tsp. of lemon juice and put it into cold water. Soak the garment overnight.
• Spray the spot with hairspray or soak in nail polish remover. Cold wash.
• Blot with alcohol. Cold wash.
• Work ammonia and water into the stain, then rinse. Then work in vinegar. Warm wash.
• Work the stain with a mixture of dry, mild detergent, water, and vinegar. Let sit for 25- 30 mins, Rinse in cold water. Warm wash.
• For stone clean with hydrogen peroxide or bleach, be careful doing this on dark stone.

5. Grass-

• Work the stain with alcohol, if the material is thick enough to withstand it, if not just dab. Cold wash with bleach.
• Pretreat the stain with liquid soap. Cold wash.
• Rub the stain with hydrogen peroxide or vinegar. Cold wash.

6. Latex paint-

• Soak the garment in water and a mild detergent for three hours, brush with a toothbrush, and then soak again overnight.

7. Grease-

• Scrape excess grease off with a knife. Warm wash.
• Rub the stain with white chalk. Warm wash.
• Rub the stain with cornmeal or cornstarch depending on the consistency of the material. Leave on overnight. Rinse. Cold wash. Can also be done with baby powder or baking soda.
• For thicker fabrics hairspray may also work to remove oil stains.
• For stains or stone wash with mineral spirits, ammonia, or nail polish.

8. Sweat-

• For old stains dab with vinegar.
• For new stains dab with ammonia.
• Soak in baking soda and water.
• Warm wash with 4 tbsp. of salt.

9. Red Wine-

• Spray stain with white wine and blot with paper towels.
• Soak in club soda. Cold wash.
• Work with wet salt. Rinse cold.
• Stretch out stain, Work in salt. Pour boiling water over salt.

10. Rust-

• Rub with a salt and vinegar paste. Let sit for 30 mins. Wash cold.
• Soak in lemon juice. Let sit the light. Wash cold.

The Best Store Bought Stain Fighters

• Shout
• Clorox 2 Stain Fighter and Color Booster
• The Tide Stain Brush
• Spray and Wash
• Oxiclean
• Fels-Naptha (only $0.99)

1.Repaint- if you have a piece of wood furniture that no longer matches your décor, try giving it a new color. Visit your local hardware to buy a stripping agent, strip off the old paint, and get to painting. Be creative with stencils, which are very easy to use if you get the correct stencil paint.

2.Re-tee- if a favorite tee shirt isn’t working out for you anymore, try making it into something new. I would recommend a tee shirt pillow. This is a great idea for kids who have grown out of their favorite shirts. If your tee shirt isn’t a favorite, or is in bad condition try cutting it into squares and using the pieces as dust rags.

3.Reuphosleter- if your old chairs don’t match your décor anymore, try re-covering their seats. Many chair seats lift out and can be reupholstered, just pop out the staples, recover, and staple back with a staple gun. This also works for pillows, just make a pillowcase out of the material of your choice and pop in the old pillow.

4.Polish or Refinish- is your table, or another piece of wood furniture scratched? That is easily fixed with furniture polish. If scratches are too deep try stripping the piece and refinishing it.

5.Stain it- is your glass door or window boring? Making stained glass is easier than you think. Stain glass kits can be found at most craft stores and stencils make it even easier.

6. Clean- use a lemon peel and salt to clean stains off of dishes and mugs. Boil apple slices in greasy pots to remove blackened grease.

7. Remove Scratches and Scuffs- some of the biggest problems we have with our things are scratches and scuffs, but they can also be the easiest to fix. Use toothpaste to remove scratches from CD’s or a banana peel to remove scuffs from shoes. Try using a car buffer to remove scratches from your hardwood floors. Use jeweler’s rough and a soft buffing pad to remove scratches on glass, and then clean with water and ammonia.

8. Combine- take old candles that have been burned down and combine them. You can do this by heating them and then pouring them together. This can also be done with chips of soap by melting the chips and pouring them into a soap mold.

9. Reuse- scrub the labels off of jars and reuse them to store things or for crafts. Reuse things such as soap bottles by refilling them. Cut apart old Christmas cards to make gift tags. Use old dryer sheets to clean showers; they work well to remove soap scum.

10. Make a Mosaic- Use old glass bottles, vases, scratched CD’s, and est. to make a mosaic. Just smear your surface with grout and place your pieces. This can be done on tabletops, vases, and more.

To start, there are seven main varieties of beer:

Ale- a type of beer brewed from malted barley and hops, using a type of yeast that is top-fermented. This type of beer is fermented quickly to give it a full-bodied, mildly sweet, and fruity taste.

Pale ale or Bitter- is a type of beer where the malt is dried with a fuel called coke. Is crisply carbonated and varies in strength and appearance.

Stout or Port- is a dark beer made of roasted malt or barley, hops, water, and yeast. Stouts tend to be stronger beers and come in many varieties.

Irish or Dry Stout- a black ale that is very dark in color and has the flavor of coffee. Guinness stout is an example.

Imperial stout- a brew invented for Catherine II of Russia in the 1700’s, it has a high alcohol content.

Baltic port- a port with a higher alcohol content, made for the Baltic region.

Milk Stout- is a brew with a small amount of lactose added to add sweetness and body to the beer. An example is Mackeson Stout.

Oatmeal stout- is a very bitter beer in which oats are added during the brewing process. This is a rare and hard to find drink.

Chocolate stout- is named for its dark color and chocolate flavor; some of these beers are brewed with small amounts of chocolate.

Coffee stout- is a dark malt brew with the flavor of coffee; some of these beers are brewed with coffee grounds.

Oyster stout- a stout made for drinking with oysters; some of these drinks are even made with a handful of oysters in the brew.

Lager-is a beer that is brewed and stored cold. Lager is also produced with a different yeast and fermenting method than ale. Lagers tend to be light in color, mild in taste, and highly alcoholic.

Wheat beer- is made from mostly wheat and some barely. Flavor is based on brewing method and style of beer.

Hybrid beers- are beers that don’t fit into other categories, like bottom fermented and steam beers.

Lambic- is a Belgian beer that is fermented with wild yeasts; this is an aromatic, cloudy, acidic beer. It comes in pure, gueuze, marz, faro, kriek, and fruit (raspberry, blackcurrant, peach, apple, pineapple, plum, banana, apricot, strawberry, grape, lemon, blueberry, and cloudberry) varieties.

An important part of beer flavor is how it is packaged. It can be kept in the following ways:

Draught- draught beer is kept in a keg pressured with nitrogen or carbon dioxide. Nitrogen pressure allows for a frothier creamier tasting beer with a “bigger head”.

Cask- cask beers are unfiltered and not pasteurized and are fed by gravity into the glass.

Bottle- bottled beers keep some yeast, which allow for some sediment.

Cans- cans are the most inexpensive form of packaging, and are typically only for cheaper beers. Although used for cheep beers, the can is best for preventing light from ruining the beer.

Temperature also affects the flavor of beer, cold beer is considered refreshing while warm beer is considered to allow a person to better taste the flavors of a full bodied beer.

Some beer brewing nations include Germany, England, Scotland, Ireland, Belgium. the United States, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Australia, Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Canada, Japan, China, and many others.

Dogs- dogs need a lot of care, space, and time. Small and large dogs need a large area to walk around at home, as well as they need to be walked everyday. They also need to be washed and groomed. Dogs are also quite expensive; you need to pay for tags, vaccinations, food, toys, and other supplies. Dogs give their owners lots of love and make wonderful companions. They typically live for around 12 years. Research different breeds to decide which is the best for you. Also remember to adopt your new friend from a local shelter rather than buying one.

Visit www.bestfriends.org/nomorehomelesspets/puppies_arent_products.cfm for more info.

Cats- cats tend to keep to themselves and sleep a lot, but they are still very loving. They require food, water, a litter box, and a lot of love. Many people have outside cats, but it is best to keep them inside. Cats do not need as much space as dogs, so they are good for people with smaller homes; they also clean themselves. Cats live for around 15 years.  Many are available at your local shelter.

Rabbits- rabbits require an indoor or outdoor hutch; preferably outdoors since rabbits typically have a strong odor. They need to have their hutches cleaned often as well as they require careful handling. Rabbits typically live seven years. Be careful they may bite.

Rodents- rodents like fancy mice, rats, and hamsters require an indoor cage, which will need to be cleaned often. These critters may bite until they are properly trained and used to their owners. Most rodents are nocturnal.

Mice- prefer the company of another mouse of the same sex and typically live for 1-3 years. Be careful many mice have foul smelling urine, which makes for a smelly cage.

Hamsters- prefer to live on their own and typically live for 2 years.

Guinea Pigs- are very friendly and enjoy being handled. They typically live for 4 to 7 years.

Ferrets- ferrets are very friendly when they want to be, but can also inflict nasty bites. Ferrets need a lot of room to play and have a lot of energy. They have a musty smell that may be very strong. Ferrets live for around 7 years.

Birds- birds come in many different breeds, many which live for a long time. Many birds can be very expensive. Birdcages need to be cleaned often and can get a strong odor if left unattended. Birds need a lot of care, they need to be able to take short flights to stretch their wings, but care must be taken to make sure they don’t fly too far or anywhere dangerous. They also need toys and things to climb on to entertain themselves

Fish- there are many varieties of both salt water and fresh water fish available, many can be very expensive and hard to care for. The two types of fish that are easiest to care for are goldfish and beta fish.

Goldfish- there are many varieties of goldfish, they can live up to 35 years. Goldfish prefer to live with other goldfish and need to be kept at a certain temperature and their tank needs to be kept clean.

Beta Fish- Male beta fish have to be kept in a tank alone, but they are very decorative and can be kept in small tanks. These fish come in a rainbow of colors and live for 2-5 years.

Turtles- there are a wide variety of turtles available for sale, but you must be very careful. Young turtles can carry salmonella and are illegal to purchase due to the fact that they can make young children very ill. Some turtles also may snap and can cause some nasty injuries. If you do chose to purchase a turtle try a yellow belly or red-eared slider, they are a calm breed, which can be friendly. Turtles live in a tank with water in the bottom and a sunning log. They are beautiful creatures if well cared for, but they need a filter on their tank as well as regular cleanings and calcium treatments. Do not confuse a turtle with a tortoise, which can grow very large and have many lifestyle and dietary requirements.

Hermit Crabs- Hermit crabs are easy to care for and fun for kids, though they may pinch. They only require small amounts of food, a wet sponge, and a tank of sand. They also need some toys and things to climb on. Hermit crabs like to change their shells, and when their shell is empty you can paint and decorate it.

Reptiles and Amphibians- Reptiles and Amphibians such frogs, snakes, and lizards are difficult to care for. There are many different breeds of these critters, each with its own needs. Many require live food and heat lamps, as well as you may need permits to own these pets.  Although they are difficult to care for, these creatures are each beautiful and unique.

1. Photographs- photo frames have come a long way from the standard 8×10” and 4×6” rectangle, wood frames. There are different shapes, sizes, and colors available for frames. Try a collage frame, a frame that is a unique shape and holds a lot of photos. These frames can be found virtually everywhere.  They can cost anywhere between $5 and $50 dollars. Target has a very large variety of these frames at reasonable prices.

2. Iron- there are many large pieces of iron décor, that come in a variety of different shapes and sizes (though they tend to be large). These sculptures are ornate and come in a variety of finishes. These items are usually found in stores with lawn and garden departments.

3. Wall Scrolls- these pieces originated in the East and are usually very ornate. You can find them in black and white and in rich colors. They can be made of a thick paper or a thin cloth hung from a rod. Typically these scrolls reach from near the top of the wall to the bottom, but smaller one’s are available.

4. Woodcarvings- many cultures make woodcarvings, and they have meaning to a variety of people. You can find carvings that match your décor, color scheme, or interests. These carvings are made from a variety of woods, with a variety of finishes, some are even painted. You can find carvings from Bali, Africa, South America, the Middle East, Asia, Celtic designs, as well as American pieces.

5. Wall Decals- wall decals are smaller pieces of wallpaper, vinyl, or large stickers that come in a variety of shapes and colors. These decals are typically found in nurseries but can also be bought for other rooms. The new trend in decals is words and phrases written on walls (these can also be done with stencils). Visit www.uppercaseliving.com for a variety of decal options.

6. Decorative Plates- these are plates that are not made for eating, but are elaborately painted, and are made to hang on the wall. They are available in plate or platter sizes. Many of these plates are hand painted and have been common in homes for many years. Some come with mountings in the back, others fit into small metal holders that hold them up on the wall.

7. Art Work- most people think of artwork as being fairly expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. You can buy art used, from new artists, or if you are really bold you could paint some yourself to save money.

8. Posters- posters aren’t just for teens anymore; they are now available for adults. Posters can reproductions of famous art, photographs, or of old time advertisements. Some posters can even look as good as expensive art when framed. For good quality posters and great guarantee on all products visit Allposters.com.

9. Tapestries- wall tapestries are made a thin or thick material and hung from metal or wooden rods. Tapestries have been used as decor in households for thousands of years, and come in many styles, colors, and with a variety of content.

10. Wall murals- these massive pieces of art are a relatively new trend. They are posters that typically vary from 72×48in to 144×96in, though they can be found in larger sizes. You can find these at Allposters.com also.

Remember that your home is your personal space and it should be a reflection of you. So fill your home with things that interest you and what you find beautiful.

First lets start with the basic types of tea.

Black- black tea is more oxidized than the other types of tea, which gives it its color. It tends to have a deeper flavor and more caffeine than the other teas. It is believed to have good vascular benefits. Black tea is generally the tea you find in iced tea.

Green- green tea is believed by most to be the healthiest tea; it has high levels of anti-oxidants, is believed to be useful in weight loss, to strengthen bones, prevent kidney stones, help digestion, reduce heart disease and cholesterol, fight cavities, and improve cognitive function. Green tea in some mixtures can contain as much caffeine as a cup of coffee.

White- white tea is believed to have similar benefits to green to but with a milder flavor. Although white tea is believed to have more anti-viral and anti-bacterial qualities, though it does not have the amount of fluoride that green tea does.

Oolong- is classified as somewhere between green and black tea, that has its own distinct flavor.  Excellent for skin care and completion. Also aids in metabolism and digestion. Known for being a weight loss tea, more so even than green tea.

Rooibos- also called red tea, is an African tea, which is believed to have all of the same benefits as green tea but with anti-aging properties as well as pain fighting, benefits.  Red tea is a very healthy tea that is loved by some, but has a distinct sweet flavor that others do not like. It is used by many to help sooth upset stomach and is also given to children because it contains no caffeine. It is used in infants to treat stomach ailments and colic. It is also used to treat allergies, skin conditions, hay fever, headache, and insomnia. It contains copper, iron, potassium, calcium, fluoride, zinc, manganese, alpha- hydroxy, and magnesium. This tea helps figh colds and reduces the effects of allergies. It has high levels of anti-oxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

Pu-erh- pu-erh tea is proven to lower cholesterol and is believed to help with the effects of over alcohol consumption. Pu-erh tea is aged and is believed to taste better with time.

Maté- a South American tea that has a high stimulant level but without the jitters or addictive qualities of caffeine. Is used as and appetite suppressant.

Herbal Teas

Herbal teas are made by mixing different herbs with different teas to make a variety of flavor and sensory combinations.

Some tea herbs include:

Anise- mild anti-parasitic, relives digestive problems, relieves toothache, treats lice and scabies, and soothes menstrual cramps. Used in chai tea.

Barley- taste similar to coffee when brewed into a tea.

Bergamot Peel- used in some sunscreens, help protect skin.

Cinnamon-  teats tooth ache, fights bad breath, aids in type 2 diabetes treatment, treats colds, aids in digestion.

Catnip- used as a sedative and to help relax.

Cloves- a treatment for stomach upsets, vomiting and diarrhea, toothpain, digestive problems, and hiccoughs. May also help prevent premature ejaculation.

Cardamom- used to treat infections in teeth, gums, and throat, to break up kidney and gall stones, for lung congestion, and digestive diseases. Also treats stomach aches and reduces inflammation.

Cacao- Believed to lower cholesterol, has a a high level of flavonoids, and used to make chocolate. Also has good effects on the cardiovascular system.

Chamomile- used as a sedative, helps relieve insomnia, treats sore stomach and IBS. May cause blood thinning.

Chrysanthemum- aids in recovery from influenza, treats acne, treats sore throat, helps reduce fever, treats eye pain, clears the liver, reduces stress, and treats circulatory diseases.

Dandelion- a liver tonic and laxative.

Dill- used to ease upset stomach.

Echinacea-helps to prevent the common cold by boosting a person’s immune system, wards off infections.

Fennel- aids in weight loss, relieves vision problems, colic, and toothaches. Used to make gripe water and as a diuretic. Increases breast milk production. Is also believed to treat chronic cough.

Ginger- used to treat diarrhea and nausea as well as other stomach ailments.  It has also been used to treat inflammation and diabetes.

Ginseng- may enhance a persons libido, is believed to reduce stress. Has a high level of anti-oxidants.

Hibiscus- used to treat kidney problem. Has a mild flavor and is often blended with fruit. Also believed in the Middle East to increase longevity.

Jasmine- a fragrant herb that is believed to treat and prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, and relieve Anxiety. It is also believed to have anti-bacterial properties.

Lemon Balm- has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties that allow it to be effective against herpes.  Can also be used to reduced stress and as a mild sedative. This herb has a high anti-oxidant level.

Lemon Grass—has a citrus flavor and may contain cancer-fighting properties.

Licorice Root – used as an expectorant, in tooth powder, and as a mild laxative. Also believed to help with shingles and viral herpes. Also believed to lower high stress drives in men and help sooth stomach and intestine ailments such as IBS and Crohn’s disease. May also have cancer curing qualities.

Lime Blossom- believed to sooth vomiting, reduce fevers, reduce inflammation, treat intestine disorders, fight users, and help to cure liver and gallbladder disorders and cellulites.

Mint- a strong diuretic that aids in digestion. Treats stomach and chest pain and whitens teeth.

Peppermint- sooths the symptoms of IBS and other stomach ailments.

Rose Hip- high in vitamins D,C, E essential fatty acids and antioxidents. Used to treat osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Used for its extremely high vitamin C content.

Rosemary- lowers the risk of strokes and neurodegenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and Lou Gehrig’s.

Stevia- treats heartburn and enhances glucose tolerance. Also used as a sweetener.

St. John’s Wort- used to reduce stress and treat depression. May enhance drug interactions and change metabolism of certain drugs.

Thyme- an antiseptic used in mouth wash. Used to cure coughs and bronchitis, also helps prevent sore throat by reducing inflammation of the throat.

Vanilla- believed to be an aphrodisiac and a remedy for fever.

Each tea is different because is affected by its age, region, flavorings (whether it is flavored by fruit, spice, or other), and brewing method. To learn more about teas and to purchase a large variety of tea visit www.teavana.com or a Teavana store near you.

1. Buttons- Buttons are the new hit item on the craft scene. They are used for accessories, clothing, and handbag decorations.
Try adding buttons to headbands to give them some extra flair. They can go across the entire headband or in the center of bow. Use varying shapes sizes and colors to make your headband more impressive. If a full headband is too much try gluing buttons to small hair clips.

2. Prescription Bottles- Glue a magnet to the back of a prescription bottle, add a wet cotton ball and a lima bean. You now have a mini refrigerator planter. Keep your cotton wet to sprout your seed. These bottles are also good for storing small things such as buttons, change, and tooth picks.

3. Broken Clocks and Watches- If you remove the backing and mechanics from the clock you can put a picture inside behind the glass. Make a vintage frame by using an old-time alarm clock. Use an old watch to make a photo bracelet. You can also make necklaces and other jewelry out of the left over clockwork pieces a la “steam punk”.

4. Broken Necklaces- Broken chains and some necklaces with small beads can add extra flair when hung from belt loops and sown onto shirts using small rings.

5. Material Scraps- Small pieces of material can be used to make quilts and small pillows filled with potpourri.
To make potpourri pillows just put potpourri in the center of two cloth squares and sowing them together. You could also make a sachet by using a larger piece of cloth and trying it at the top with a ribbon.

6. Empty Jars- Empty jelly and other condiment jars can be used to make snow globes by gluing small figures to the lid and then adding glitter and water. These jars can also be used to hold dry soup and drink mixes.

7. Water Bottles- Use water bottles to make dry good gifts. They are smaller than jars and layers of powder look better in them. Try making layers of sugar, coco powder, and cinnamon for hot coco bottle. Decorate with ribbons and flowers.

8. Dried Flowers- Take your flowers, as they are just about to die and hang them upside down. When they are dry, remove the petals and add a small amount of potpourri liquid. Let the petals dry again. You can also add springs of lavender or thyme.

9. Broken Crayons- Melt broken crayons in a pot used exclusively for crafts, take the wax and pour it into a glass jar, layer different colors for a creative effect. While the wax is hot put a string down into it, when the wax dries clip the string into a wick.

10. Keys- Tie keys onto fishing line and make the keys into a beautiful sounding and unique looking wind chime.  Make the strings two or three different lengths to give the wind chime depth. Tie the strings to any base you like, I recommend a piece of driftwood.

Some people opt to store their photos on social networking or photo storage sites such as Facebook or Flickr. The downsides of doing this is that sometimes these sites are tricky, and if you are not sure of how the site works you may expose your pictures to more people than you may want to.  Additionally,  many of these sites may keep certain rights over your photos.

If you do choose to store your photos in the digital format, don’t just leave them on your hard drive in programs such as iPhoto.  If anything happens to your computer, any pictures on your hard drive could be lost.

The best way to store your photos digitally would be to store them on a picture CD. Picture CD’s are available at virtually all photo labs. The most common type of photo CD is the Kodak picture CD, these disks cost about $4. Many other types of these CDs are also available at lower prices, for example CVS has a CVS photo CD’s for $3.25. These disks can store up to 200 pictures, and if stored correctly can last up to 100 years. You can also buy writable disks for your computer and burn them yourself. The advantage of storing photos on CDs or DVDs is that it’s an expensive way to to create backups that can be stored in outside locations such as a bank safety deposit box.

Photos can also be stored on flash drives, which can hold many photos. Depending on the size of the flash drive, you can store hundreds or thousands of photos.

You can also keep your photos on a digital photo frame. These frames show a variety of photos in one frame. Photos in the frame are usually stored on memory cards like the one in your camera.

If you prefer hard copies of your photos, digital prints can be bought cheep in large quantities on websites such as Snapfish. Many people also like to buy photo printers, which can cost anywhere from $100 and $1000 dollars. You can also buy photo quality paper for your regular printer, these photos are not quite as high quality as those from a photo printer, but are still of acceptable quality.

Proper storage of your printed photos is very important in maintaining their quality. Photos must be kept out of direct sunlight. With any scrapbook or album you choose, you must make sure that it contains acid free paper and is made exclusively for photo storage or photo scrap booking use. Do not apply glue to your photos, or any kind of adhesive not made exclusively for photos. If you do choose to adhere your photos, you must buy a special photo adhesive, or else you could use photo corners, which would be a better choice.   Using old adhesive page photo books is not recommended, since it has been discovered that these books can damage photos.

Many photo labs and websites will allow you to make sealed photo books out of your digital photos. These books can be hard or soft cover and can cost anywhere between  $5 and $30 dollars.

If you decide to store your photos out of an album, try a photo box. Photo boxes are decorative boxes that completely seal out light and moisture to protect your photos.

If you chose to frame your photos, be sure to have them matted. Photos that are put directly into frames can stick to the glass and become damaged.

Whichever method you chose, it is important to keep your photos and digital storage media out of direct sunlight and away from moisture and heat.  Always, have a backup or a set of copies in different locations.