December 18th, 2008 admin
It’s cookie making time! Well. For me, anyway. I love making all kinds of cookies, cakes and candies during the holidays; let’s just say that I really get into the spirit of Christmas, Channukah, Kwanza and whatever else I’ve missed. Back to cookie making. These cutters rock because you have so many different sizes to make all sorts of goodies AND when you’re done, they store in a tiny amount of space.
Complete with a tin storage box to reduce clutter, this set of 11 round, stainless-steel cookie cutters comes in handy for all seasons. The cutters range in size from 3/4 inch high to 3-5/8 inches high, and they have rolled edges on top to protect fingers during the cutting process. They’re constructed to be long-lasting and are dishwasher-safe.
* Professional gauge pastry and cookie cutters with a plain edge.
* Set of 11 in a reusable storage tin, ranging in size from 7/8″Dia to 3-3/4″Diameter
* Stainless steel.
Get these cookie cutters now
Posted in Do it yourself - DIY - Home made, efficient, family, food and drinks, fun, gifts, good value, hobbies, kids, kitchen appliances and gadgets | No Comments »
November 22nd, 2008 admin
What is Scrapbooking
and Where Did it Come From?
Here’s a little history from wikipedia - In ancient Greece, hypomnemata were a form of notebook for recording one’s own copies of what one had heard, read, or thought that might be worth remembering. There is little evidence in the archaeological and historical record that this sort of method was undertaken anywhere else before. That one had to make one’s own hand-written copies of what someone else had written reflected the expense of hiring a scribe to do so.
With the advent of affordable paper, precursors to modern scrapbooks became available to a wider array of people. Beginning in the 15th century, commonplace books, popular in England, emerged as a way to compile information that included recipes, quotes, letters, poems and more. Each commonplace book was unique to its creator’s particular interests. Friendship albums became popular in the 16th century. These albums were used much like modern day yearbooks, where friends or patrons would enter their names, titles and short texts or illustrations at the request of the album’s owner. These albums were often created as souvenirs of European tours and would contain local memorabilia including coats of arms or works of art commissioned by local artisans. Starting in 1570, it became fashionable to incorporate colored plates depicting popular scenes such as Venetian costumes or Carnival scenes. These provided affordable options as compared to original works and, as such, these plates were not sold to commemorate or document a specific event but specifically as embellishments for albums. In 1775, James Granger published a history of England with several blank pages at the end of the book. The pages were designed to allow the book’s owner to personalize the book with his own memorabilia. The practice of leaving pages to personalize at the end of books became known as Grangerizing. Additionally, friendship albums and school yearbooks afforded girls in the 18th and 19th centuries an outlet through which to share their literary skills, and allowed girls an opportunity to document their own personalized historical record previously not readily available to them.
The advent of modern photography began with the first permanent photograph created by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in 1826. Photography became available to an ever-widening population with the invention of George Eastman’s paper photographs in the late 1880s and the mass production of the Kodak Brownie, a camera designed to be simple (and inexpensive) enough for a child, in 1900. This allowed the average person to begin to incorporate photographs into their scrapbooks.
Old scrapbooks tended to have photos mounted with photomount corners and perhaps notations of who was in a photo or where and when it was taken. They often included bits of memorabilia like newspaper clippings, letters, etc. With the availability of printed material it is likely that the content of scrapbooks shifted away from one’s own hand-writing or drawings or those of one’s family members toward commercially available printed mat ephemera, memorabilia collections and journaling. Modern scrapbooking has evolved into creating attractive displays of photos, text, journaling and memorabilia.
Modern Day Scrapbooking
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Do it yourself - DIY - Home made, baby / babies, family, fun, gifts, hobbies, kids, parents, practical, relaxing, scrapbooking, spare time | No Comments »
November 18th, 2008 admin
If you’re looking for a gift for a spouse or a friend that’s into building things and can use it for their business or is simply a fanatic that likes the best tools available, you can not go wrong with this new tool set for him or her.
And if you are of the mindset, “the sky is the limit,” then this is the gift you ‘d purchase. It’s the top of the line set, the Mercedes of tools, if you will.
What’s the big deal, you ask? It includes the following tools: Chisel and Punches, 27 Clamps, 2 Electrical Crimping Pliers, 5 Files, 12 Gear Pullers, 41 Hammers, 16 Hand Sockets, 417 Hex Keys, 85 Holesaw Set, 17 Impact Drive Tools, 24 Impact Sockets, 187 Knives, 2 Miscellaneous Tools, 23 Pliers, 63 Pry Bars, 6 Ratchets, Drive Tools, and Accessories, 58 Saws and Saw Blades, 36 Scrapers, 7 Screwdrivers, 36 Snips, 5 Tool Boxes, 6 Torque Wrenches, 3 Wrenches, 312 Features! It’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it - and with this tool set, you’re almost certain to have what you need. This set contains the tools to handle practically any if not all jobs your shop is likely to see, in both fractional and metric sizes. It includes a comprehensive assortment of sockets, ratchets, and accessories in 1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″, and 3/4″ drive, for both hand and impact use. A full complement of wrenches in a number of styles helps you tackle increasingly complex maintenance tasks. A comprehensive assortment of screwdrivers, pliers, hammers, punches and chisels, is there when you need them, and specialty items such as gear pullers, saws, scrapers, and other tools for industrial maintenance mechanics and tradesmen round out this truly Mammoth tool set.
Youll want to keep your tools safe and secure, and our industry-leading Mammoth Tool Set includes the storage cabinets necessary to do that. Two top-chest / roll-cabinet combinations are included, as well as a side cabinet and rolling three-drawer tool cart. A total of 35 drawers and over 75,000 cubic inches of storage capacity will help you organize your tools effectively. And the mobile tool cart helps bring your tools to the job, where you need them. Whatever the industry, this set will help you keep your equipment and assets working, helping you compete more effectively. Get your work done faster and more efficiently, easier, and safer with the Mammoth Tool Set from the J.H. Williams Tool Group. All other tool sets are simply too ordinary.
If not for seeing the price alone, you absolutely must check out this item:
Williams Snap On Master Set 1,390 Piece Mammoth Tool Set WSC-1390TB
Posted in Do it yourself - DIY - Home made, efficient, electronics, equipment, funny, gifts, hobbies, men, spare time, tools | No Comments »
September 6th, 2008 admin
Ok, ok, there are probably some party poopers out there who don’t like pizza. I know! That’s hard to believe and frankly, I can’t be friends with them because I will never understand them.
Anyway, it’s really fun to make pizza at home but you really require a good, solid pizza oven that will do the job like no other oven. It’s totally worth spending a little extra cash so you and your family can enjoy scrumptious pizzas from here on in.
This oven is perfect for small applications and spaces. Pizza, pretzels and bread products can be cooked directly on the baking surface. The timer can be set for up to 15 minute increments and allows for continuous use. It comes with two Corderite ceramic baking stones. This unit is designed for pre-baked crust only and is not recommended for fresh dough or pan pizza baking. In stock and ready to ship. Features: Stackable oven. Exterior and door are constructed of 20 gauge stainless steel. The interior is constructed of 18 gauge high heat aluminized steel.
Get one now
(see photo)
Related: More than 60 Recipes for Delicious Homemade Pizza
Posted in Do it yourself - DIY - Home made, efficient, electronics, equipment, family, food industry, kids, kitchen appliances and gadgets | No Comments »
August 12th, 2008 admin
These days, it doesn’t really pay to have work done on your house, unless you’re prepared to wait a long time or get very inferior quality or and worst of all, get ripped off by some greedy contractor. Forget all that and do it yourself. Most jobs are do-able by laymen like us, and if you just get some training at Home Depot or Lowes or take DIY courses or even just rent or buy DIY home improvement DVDs - you’ll probably be in a good position. And it’ll most likely save you a fortune in what you would have spent otherwise. That said, you need to have some reliable tools.
About the 4-Tool Combo Kit
The 0928-29 is the ultimate combo kit for those who demand extreme power superior performance and the longest running cordless tools. Features include the revolutionary 28 Volt Lithium-Ion battery pack exclusively from Milwaukee. The battery pack weighs less than an 18 Volt pack yet delivers two times the run-time making this ideal for all cutting drilling and driving needs! The 0724 28V 1/2 in. Hammer-Drill uses the Milwaukee built high power motor to develop an enormous 600 in/lbs of maximum torque and 0-600/0-1800 rpm. The 0724 comes standard with a 1/2 in. all-metal single-sleeve ratcheting chuck with all carbide jaws that keeps bits from falling out and drill bits from slipping! A comfortable non-slip soft-grip handle reduces vibration and fatigue. The 0724 also comes standard with the patented Clip-Lok System that attaches securely to the operator’s belt or tool bags and easily releases with one hand ideal when working from a ladder or when there is nowhere to place the tool when adjusting or positioning a work piece. Clip-Lok System keeps the drill within arms length at all times and also features an on-board bit holder which holds up to two standard Phillips bits. The 0719 28 Volt Sawzall Reciprocating Saw produces an amazing two times the runtime of 18V reciprocating saws. The variable speed trigger provides two levels of speed range: 0-2000 and 0-3000 strokes per minute. The 0719 also features a 1-1/8 in. stroke length Quik-Lok blade clamp patented gear protecting clutch and keyless shoe adjustment. The 0730 6-1/2 in. Circular Saw has the most power of any cordless circular saw enough to cut over 300 2 x 4’s on a single charge! The 0730 has a left-side blade for increased cut-line visibility 4200 rpm for extremely fast cutting 50 degree bevel capacity and all-metal blade guards. The 49-24-0185 Work Light features a high intensity Xenon bulb is Clip-Lok System compatible and delivers over 5-hours of run-time on a single battery.
Learn more about it and see photos
Posted in Do it yourself - DIY - Home made, efficient, electronics, equipment, practical, tools | No Comments »
August 8th, 2008 admin
The Professional 600 Series is KitchenAid’s most powerful Stand Mixer. I have one and absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE it. Everything will last a long, long time and there are no plastic attachments. All attachments are metal. I hate plastic!
This excellent mixer is for the serious home baker and features a 575-watt motor with heavy-duty transmission and a 6 quart bowl combined to give you the power and capacity to mix 13 dozen cookies, 8 pounds of mashed potatoes, or over 8 loaves of bread.
I didn’t make my own bread before but now I only make it at home with the Kitchen Aid and it is so incredibly easy. Much better tastewise and healthwise for you too, instead of buying premade, packaged icky bread in the market.
KitchenAid’s unique planetary mixing action provides faster, more thorough blending of ingredients all the way to the edge of the bowl, without ever rotating it. The rugged, all-metal quality construction and Commercial-style motor protection assure a long life of trouble-free, dependable and quiet operation.
Other features include a professional style bowl-lift that makes it easy to lift the bowl into the mixing position, 10-speed slide control ranges from a very fast whip to a very slow stir and a power hub for optional attachments. Included with the Stand Mixer, a burnished aluminum flat beater, PowerKnead spiral dough hook (designed to replicate hand-kneading to handle 20% more dough than previous models), a professional wire whip and pouring shield.
Find out more and get one now
Posted in Do it yourself - DIY - Home made, efficient, electronics, food and drinks, fun, health, hobbies, kitchen appliances and gadgets, plastic is poison | No Comments »
August 6th, 2008 admin
Here is a wonderful resource for people looking for very simple, easy alternatives to complex raw recipes that require too much time and expensive equipment to prepare. In Alive in 5, Raw Gourmet Meals in Five Minutes, well-known raw chef, Angela Elliott, shows beginners how to whip up delectable lasagne, spaghetti marinara, stuffed mushrooms, broccoli in cheese sauce, apple pie, decadent whipped cream and strawberries, chocolate shake, and more–all in about five minutes, with easy-to-find ingredients and just a blender or food processor. She shares her personal wellness journey and her playful enthusiasm to make the book an enjoyable and inspiring guide to delicious living.
See samples from the book
Posted in Do it yourself - DIY - Home made, books, efficient, energy booster, family, food and drinks, fun, health, kids, kitchen appliances and gadgets, parents, practical, safe products | No Comments »
August 4th, 2008 admin
With all of the contaminated foods coming to you from the supermarket… you know, the tomatoes, spinach jalapeño peppers that were (and are) making everyone ill? What is one to do? Firstly I must ask, what is going on with that? Why on earth is there e-coli and salmonella in vegetables? Secondly, forget wondering, and just avoid that altogether and grow your own veggies. It’s the most healthy way to go and the veggies taste better. You will never go back to store bought tomatoes again unless they are real organic tomatoes and other vegetables.
It’s never too late to start a garden even though we are getting ready for fall. What am I talking about, you ask? Grow food indoors. Why not? If you have a spare room, or better yet a basement, you can grow many things indoors. How?
Get a Turbo Grow Room or a 36 Plant Dual Chamber Hydroponic Grow Cabinet!
These allow you to easily grow vegetables and herbs indoors. The latter looks like a regular cabinet so you can even put it in your living room. No one would even know there are living plants inside the cabinet. Closed, that is!
Posted in Do it yourself - DIY - Home made, books, cosmetics/lotions/makeup, efficient, equipment, family, food and drinks, fun, garden, health, hobbies, hydroponics, kids, parents, safe products, summer | No Comments »
July 16th, 2008 admin
It’s summer, which means only one thing for many of you: ICE CREAM. The sad thing is, most commercial brands include unsavory ingredients like corn syrup (yes, corn syrup is BAD for you and will make you fat very quickly.), preservatives and other chemicals I can’t even pronounce. And you know what people say now, “NEVER eat anything you can’t pronounce.” Avoid all the unhealthful choices at the market and opt to make your own. That way, you know exactly what is in your ice cream and you can rest assured that the ingredients are only quality, exactly what you and your family deserve. What kind of parent would you be if you let your kid eat any ole nasty chemical laden ice cream? A crappy parent, that’s what.
Don’t worry about making your own. It’s not like you have to get out and churn some cream eight million times or something that you just don’t have time for or don’t have the energy to do. With the Cuisinart Supreme Commercial Quality Ice Cream Maker, it’s faster and easier than ever to treat friends and family to rich and creamy gourmet ice cream. The Cuisinart Supreme Commercial Quality Ice Cream Maker has a built-in compressor-freezer, so there’s no bowl to pre-freeze. That means frozen desserts are ready to enjoy sooner. Processes batch after batch of scrumptious ice cream, fruity sorbet, silky smooth frozen yogurt, and even your favorite ice summer drinks. Just add the ingredients and turn it on. No pre-chill or freezing bowls required. Fully automatic 60-minute timer. 1 1/2 quart capacity. Click here for details
Posted in Do it yourself - DIY - Home made, food and drinks, kids, kitchen appliances and gadgets, parents, safe products, summer | No Comments »