Chemical Garden

1 T. ammonia
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. salt
6 charcoal briquettes
1/4 c. liquid bluing

Place briquettes in baking dish or pie pan. Mix other ingredients and pour over the briquettes. Move container to a warm location and do not disturb. Within an hour, crystal will begin to form. In a day or 2 the garden will be quite full of crystal. For a garden of colored crystal, food coloring may be dripped on the briquettes. Add 1 tablespoon ammonia each week to keep the garden growing.

Clean Bird Bath
Terry Sniegowski

To keep the algae out of the stone fountains, because birds drink and bathe in it, add a low dosage of chlorine bleach (1 tablespoon bleach to 1 gallon of water). Will clean up this problem, without harming the birds.

To Clean Copper-Bottom Pans
Terry Sniegowski

Sprinkle on salt; pour vinegar on sponge and rub pan. Rinse clean in warm water. Dry thoroughly.

Fabric Paste
Patti Eier

1 c. water
1 c. hot water
4 T. flour

Bring to a boil; remove from heat and stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar. This will adhere fabric to any type surface (chairs, lamp shades, walls, tables, etc.) and will stay on for just about ever, but will come off just as easy when removing.

How to Preserve Children
Barb Ragowski

1 lg. grassy field
2 to 3 sm. dogs
1/2 doz. children
A pinch of brook & some pebbles

Mix children and the dogs well together and put them into the field, stirring constantly. Pour the brook over the pebbles, sprinkle the field with flowers, spread over all a deep-blue sky and bake in a hot sun when thoroughly browned. Remove and set to cool in a bathtub!

Revised: August 12, 2006