Decorate for Fall for Free

As summer winds down, it seems that we start to dread the chill winds of fall and winter, even though the thermometer is proving that it is still the summer season.

But the kids are back to school and many of us are taking advantage of the extra time during the day to regain possession of the house, lawn and garden and put everything to rights. Before tossing anything into the trash headed to the landfill, consider its use to bring warmth to the house by means of changing the decor with homemade crafts.

Recycled materials from closets and gardens are ideal for bringing warmth and coziness into room décor. Country, primitive and rustic styles make good use of previously used materials. Worn clothing can be cut into quilting squares for pillows, wall hangings, curtains and blankets. Nothing invites relaxation like the site of a quilt draped over a chair, sofa or bed.

The stack of crafts the kids assembled during rainy summer afternoons can be incorporated into rooms as works of art. Frame those old pictures, display the clay sculptures and painted rocks and create a welcoming display in the guest bedroom, or even on the stairway wall.

Bring the outdoors in to create a rustic look in the home. Cut and dry flowers to display during the winter months. Cut back the grapevine and create wreaths. They’re not just for Christmas display and not just for walls. Hang them from any hook or finial. Decorate them with the dried flowers and you have country charm for any room in the house.

Tie flower stems together with twine, dry them and use them as an aromatic homemade fire starter this winter.

If the fence or gate needs replacing, use the boards to create rustic shelving or picture frames. Larger pieces can be used as headboards for the bed.

Large planter pots can be cleaned and used by the entry to hold the umbrellas that will need a handy place to live during autumn showers. The picnic basket is the perfect place to store and display dried flowers and pine cones. Both will also serve as charming organizers for extra gloves, mittens, hats and scarves during the winter months. Double duty means the containers will be available for their original use when winter is over.

There is no limit to what you can do if you remember to use it well, use it up, and then find another use for it.

Symptoms of Scarlet Fever

While you don’t hear of scarlet fever much anymore, the recent outbreak of a new strain of the disease in Hong Kong and mainland China has many parents doing their research on the contagious disease that affects mostly children.

Scarlet fever is carried in the nasal fluids and in the mouth and can easily spread by coughing or sneezing. It shows up as a rash of tiny red bumps, usually starting on the stomach or chest area. The rash may spread over the body and resemble sunburn, but will feel sandpaper rough.

The rash from scarlet fever will last from two to seven days and appear redder in skin creases of the groin area, elbows and arm pits. The skin on fingertips and toes will peel after the rash is gone.

Other symptoms that accompany the rash are pale areas around the lips while the face is flushed. Fevers of 101 degrees F or higher and a red, sore throat with possible patches of yellow or white. The tongue may also take on the look of a strawberry, with the normal bumps looking bigger than normal. The tongue often will have a whitish coating.

Body aches, headache and nausea are less common symptoms of scarlet fever.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, if a child is suspected of having scarlet fever, take them for medical attention immediately and keep the child away from gatherings of people that they could spread the disease to. The current outbreak in Hong Kong and China shows a resistance to the antibiotics that are usually used to treat the disease. The sore throat will make the child uncomfortable, so ask the doctor what you can give the child to sooth the pain.

Other things that you can do to comfort a child who has scarlet fever is feed them warm soups or cold foods like popsicles to ease the sore throat. Remember that plenty of liquids are needed to keep the child from becoming dehydrated and make sure that the little patient gets plenty of rest. 

Help your Container Plants Beat the Heat

Now that summer is here, the kids are out of school and you are probably busy during the day with fun activities with the kids. A lot of moms escape the heat by taking the family to the beach or pool during the day, and there are always the kids’ activities and errands to run. The garden, however, can’t escape the intense sunlight and drying heat of summer. When mom gets home, she no doubt finds that her container plants have wilted during the long, bright day even if she has watered them in the morning.

Container plants always dry out a lot quicker than garden plants. Plants can spring back quickly from a short term shortage of water, but sometimes they become so stressed that they can die from just a single hot afternoon without a drink. Make sure that you are welcomed back home from your day trip by lush container plants with a quick little trick.

Before you leave for the day, fill resealable freezer or sandwich bags half full with water. If you live in a windy area, put a couple of small rocks or gravel into the bag to give it enough weight to stay in the container when it is empty. Using a pin or needle, prick a few small holes into the bottom of the bag and place it in the container, as close to the center as possible without crushing the plants. In a large container with a lot of room, use the gallon size bags. If that is too big, use several of the sandwich size.

The water will slowly dribble in to the planting medium during the day and keep it from drying out as you tend to your business. When you come home after your day of trying to beat the heat, you won’t have to rush to try to revive the wilting container plants that greeted you when you pulled into the driveway.

Use the time to relax with an ice cold refreshing drink before you finish unloading the car. Hopefully you can enjoy the rest of your day at a slower pace.

Where Does your Gas Money Come From?

Every time you put gas in your vehicle, it seems to be costing you a lot more money. Gas prices are going up so fast that some of us have gotten the brainset that it’s just another costly nuisance and there is nothing we can do about it except keep digging into our wallet and paying for it.

Let’s face it. We have kids and we have lives. We can’t just exist within walking distance. We need to shop, get the kids to school, maybe even get to work. Then, there are the extra curricular activities, community responsibilities, social contacts to keep up with.

Moms spend a lot of time behind the wheel and that seems to be costing us more money every day.Where is the money coming from? Families with kids most often aren’t blessed with a lot of disposable income. There is always a purchase to be made. The kids always feel that they need something. We always feel that our kids need something. Then, there are our own needs.

Do you dig into the food budget to cover that rising gas expense? Are you canceling your entertainment night? Have you quit renting movies?  Is your emergency fund being drained? The extra money for gas has to be coming from somewhere.

A little trick that might help you reduce the amount of money you expend every week might let you give your budget a break. Maybe the miles you put on your car aren’t really smart miles. Figure out how to determine what can be changed in your driving habits that will save you money by reading Does the Cost of Gas Make you Green?

Sometimes we need to use every trick in the book just to help us manage.

Your Gardening Buddy

Are the kids keeping you too busy to attend to your garden? It seems like they always know the least convenient times to demand attention. Muddy hands aren't the best for taking care of the needs of the children, but mom needs some time to relax, too. Gardening is a soothing process that rewards you with beauty or even produce.

Get your kids involved in gardening so that you have longer periods of time to attend to the plants while still spending quality time with your family. You may be thinking that this would be one way to get help with the weeding, but the kids need to do more than that to keep their interest in gardening high.

On hot days, let the kids water the garden and don't pay attention to the fact that they are getting wet in the process. This is a reward that they will even do some drudge work for.

If you have room, give them each a small plot to plant and take care of. Most kids enjoy watching their own garden grow just as much as adult gardeners do. If you don't have the room or the kids are too young, introduce them to container garden. Even a single flower or green bean plant in a pot can keep their interest high as you attend to your own lawn tasks.

Buy some clay pots and acrylic craft paints and let the kids decorate the pots on a rainy afternoon. If you don't think the kids are patient enough to stay interested until plant seeds germinate, take them to the nursery to choose their own plants, or dig one up from your own garden to share.

Gifts for Moms 'Mommy Friends'

Is one of the moms doing more than her fair share? Has she covered your duties as classroom volunteer or picked up your child to host play dates at her home with regularity? 

A busy mom appreciates the other mothers who step up, fill in and don't seem to keep score. A token of appreciation from you would probably be appreciated, and few mothers would take offense at receiving an herb garden in a planter. You can give a living herb garden, or make up a kit if you have a friend with a green thumb.

There are a lot of attractive herb garden containers to choose from. A plain container in a basket, a personally decorated planter (especially if it can be decorated by grandkids), or my favorite, the strawberry planter, all make good container gardens for herbs.

If you’re making an herb garden kit, be sure to add enough sterile potting soil mix to fill the container. Put it in a plastic baggie and wrap it up in burlap. To make the soil look all earthy and natural, decorate it by tying it off with raffia.

Add packets of quality seeds, and don’t forget a marker for each kind of herb included. Darling markers can be purchased at most dollar stores if you don’t want to make your own.

Add enough gravel to cover the bottom of the planting container. Wrap it up in burlap and tie with raffia like you did with the potting soil. Make sure you mark what it is. Tuck the gravel kit into a small watering can and stick it in the container.

To finish off the herb garden kit, add a soil scoop, snipers, fertilizer and gloves.

If you’re planning to meet your helpful mom friend, go ahead and plant the seeds now so you can present mom with a living herb garden as a gift. You might want to make two. Use one for a gift and keep one for your own kitchen. Use it as a quick and easy source for cooking herbs and teas, scented greenery for the window sill, or with a little creativity with plant container decoration, the tiny herb garden will make a beautiful centerpiece for the kitchen table.

Dealing with Negative People

Don’t you just love it when people come into your home and immediately start giving you helpful hints on how things could be made easier for you as you’re struggling with keeping the kids entertained and out of the way while trying to make your guests comfortable?

Sometimes it a family member who just seems to look for something to comment on at every opportunity. We all know people who don’t seem to notice the things that they like, only the things that could be improved on.

It would be nice if we could just walk away or refuse them entry into our homes. But sometimes we just have to make the best of the situation because these people are an important part of our lives and we do cherish them, even with that little flaw in their personality.

Don’t let these little comments stress you out. There is always the chance that the comment was not meant as a judgment.  If you allow yourself to become defensive you’ll just enable the conversation to continue and it may escalate into a big verbal disagreement with hard feelings on both sides. Instead, try to steer the conversation away with the following tricks.

Ask them to help you with something. Send them on a search for a misplaced item that one of the kids is clamoring for or ask if they would start a pot of coffee.

Smile at them and ask if they’d like refreshment.

Find another task that needs your immediate attention and remove yourself from the conversation. Maybe the baby needs to be changed or food has to be retrieved from the freezer.

If, instead of commenting, the person asks you a question that you don’t want to answer, remember that all questions don’t have to be addressed. Stay in control. Be bold and ask them why they are asking you that.

If the person seems like they really are making a judgment about the way you do things, minimize the fuss and let them know that your way seems to be working right now, but if you have problems in the future you’ll remember to bring them up. You can also compliment the person by letting them know that you recognize the thought that they have given the situation.

Remember that it’s your home and your family. Your instincts as a mom usually serve you best. If you are really doing something wrong, your gut will let you know as soon as someone brings it to your attention, and you’ll take the time to listen. But in the meantime, don’t let negatives from others interfere in your home and family.

Stay Safe when the Lights go Off

No matter where you live, weather just happens. Heavy rains that keep the kids inside for hours at a time turns the home into a jail of frustrated and bored kids. If the heavy rains trigger floods or power outages, the anxiety level is raised even more.

Thunderstorms, blizzards, tornados and earthquakes, gales and hurricanes are all conditions that can raise havoc in any area of the country. As mom’s anxiety level rises, so does that of the kids. All mom can do is make sure that emergency supplies have been put aside in case the worse happens and concentrate on making her family feel safe.

Power outages accompany many extreme weather occurrences. Sometimes they just happen on their own. If you experience a power failure, you still have to keep the kids warm and fed. Don’t forget it’s up to you to keep them safe.

Power Generators

Portable power generators are kept by many families who experience frequent outages. They have their dangers as well as their benefits.

The exhaust fumes of a power generator can become deadly if inhaled. They have high levels of carbon monoxide. Even if your basement, shed, garage or crawlspace is ventilated, don’t be tempted to use them in those areas.

The portable generator should be placed outside in dry areas, well away from windows, vents or doors that would let the carbon monoxide enter the home and quickly overwhelm the occupants.

Remember than generators sold for home use are generally not weatherproofed. If they are used on wet conditions they can cause shock or electrocution. Wait until the rain stops before you use an unprotected generator.

If the generator is in use and you or the kids start to feel dizzy, weak or sick, get out side to fresh air right away. Carbon monoxide acts quickly and people can be incapacitated almost immediately.

Make sure that smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms are installed in the home and that they have batteries and are working.

For the families who don’t have a power generator and are using charcoal grills to prepare meals, please remember that burning charcoal also produces deadly levels of carbon monoxide. Keep the grill outside. Never take the chance of using them inside of the home or other enclosed space.

Organize all those Art Masterpieces

As the school year winds down the teachers will be returning the projects they've made in class throughout the year. You know that art projects will soon be making their way from the classroom to the home. Although some of these beautiful examples of artistic talent will immediately gain prominent display on the refrigerator or family communications cork board, there are just too many pieces of creativity to be displayed.

Packing them away in boxes just invites damage, a thought the proud parent of an artist can't bear to contemplate.

Idea

Save the cardboard tubes from paper towel, aluminum foil and plastic wraps used in the kitchen. Roll up the childhood memory and tuck it in the tube. Label the tube with the child’s name, date and the subject matter and the treasured can be stored without worry of accidental damage. Decorating the tubes can be a fun rainy day activity for the kids.

Sooner or later the accumulation of drawings makes it necessary to be a bit more discriminatory when determining what to choose to save and take up valuable household storage. Even the artwork that is not chosen to be vaulted away forever can be given new life.

Idea

Consider giving the drawings another use as wrapping paper for small gifts.Not only will the kids get a lesson in recycling,  grandmothers and other close relatives may find just as much enjoyment from the artful wrapping as they do of the gift inside.

And, speaking of school art projects, many art programs are always in need of material remnants, buttons, scraps of wrapping paper and ribbon for art projects. Before tossing the scraps that have accumulated in your work basket, speak to the kindergarten teacher to see if there is a use for them at the local school. If not, contact activity directors at nursing centers and senior groups.

Like everything else, even school art projects fit into the category of use it up, then find another use for it.

Natural Ways to Ease Colic Pain

I usually don't like to recommend herbal remedies for children. It has nothing to do with the safety of the herb. I hesitate because I don't want my suggestion of a remedy to cause a parent to diagnose the condition and possibly mask symptoms that prevent the child from receiving professional care. 

I only offer the following information because Pediatrics reviewed 15 clinical trials on infantile colic and recently released the results of the study. They have determined what we already knew. Herbs can help ease the symptoms of colic.

Fennel extract seems to be the most effective herbal remedy for the baby showing symptoms of colic. Fennel seeds are a natural aid to digestion. They help to expel gas as they relax the muscle lining of the digestive tract.

German chamomile and lemon balm also showed effectiveness is the clinical trials. These herbs are often recommended for teas to give a calming effect to the drinker.

A tea made with a combination of fennel, balm mint, licorice and chamomile was also studied for their effects on infants and found effective.

After a sleepless night spent trying to sooth a crying baby, both mom and her child could benefit from the soothing tea. Mom can brew a double batch and enjoy her cup, diluting some and letting it cool before letting the baby join her relaxing tea moment.

There were no recommendations made during the study of the strength of the concoction for the colicky infant. Like all herbal remedies, introduce the new herbal remedy in small doses to make sure that the substance is well tolerated.

Let the herbal tea cool before giving it the baby.

Herbal remedies are never meant to substitute for medical care or treatments that are suggested by your health team. They are offered as a temporary way to ease the occasional problem. If the problem persists, call the doctor.

All written content ©2011 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.

No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies

The kids are bored. It’s too hot to play outside. They want a snack. They’re not interested in anything you have in the cupboard. They want cookies, but the cookie jar is empty.

You just want to put your feet up and relax in front of the fan because the sun is blazing through the window and there is no breeze outside. It’s summer and it’s just too hot. But, you’re a mom who knows her kids are uncomfortable.

Wouldn’t it be great if you and your family could gather in the kitchen and make a great treat without turning on the oven?

Sounds like a great day for some no bake cookies. How about a nutritious cookie that only has 4 ingredients that you more than likely already have in your cupboard?

·         ½ cup of peanut butter
·         ¼ cup of honey
·         ½ teaspoon of vanilla
·         2 to 3 cups of crispy rice cereal

Mix the first 3 ingredients together in a bowl. Slowly mix in the crispy cereal until the mixture is stiff enough to roll into a ball and hold its shape.

Send the kids upstairs to wash their hands while you lay wax paper on the table. Let them roll the mixture into balls and place them on the wax paper.

Place the cookies in the refrigerator while you clean up the dishes and the kids wash their hands again. By the time everything is nice and tidy, the no bake peanut butter cookies will be ready for everyone to enjoy.

TIP: It’s a lot easier to roll the balls with moist hands. Explain the difference between dripping wet hands and moist hands.

Rummage and Repurpose

Just because a piece of furniture is sold for a certain purpose doesn’t mean you have to use it that way. One of the best deals I ever found was a layette constructed of wood.  It stood out from the other items at a garage sale I just happened to drive by. Always on the lookout for a bargain, I pulled over.

The beautiful piece didn’t have a pad, and as the woman who was holding the rummage sale came over the first thing she did was apologize and offer me a discount. I didn’t show my surprise, and I was surprised. I thought it was a dresser and was looking for something for my bedroom. The piece was priced at $50.00.

I commented that it seemed like an unusual size and wondered if a replacement pad would be easy to find. The woman said that she had never found a replacement pad for it, and that was why she was selling it. She also pointed out a scratch on the side that I hadn’t noticed and offered it to me for $25. I smiled and accepted.

I used the layette for several years in my bedroom. It had 3 rows of nice sized drawers. I especially liked the 4-1/2 inch lip on the back and sides. They kept all of the odds and ends that end up on the top of a bedroom dresser from falling down behind the piece.

Repurpose

A few years later I found another great deal on a chest of drawers at a rummage sale and the layette was transferred to my entry way. I hung a mirror over it, placed a colorful bowl on it to hold my car keys, and it was a convenient place to drop my mail and purse when I came home. The drawers offered me additional storage space in an area that would otherwise be wasted.

From the entry, the piece was moved to the dining area to serve as a side board. I installed a shelf above it and filled it with greenery, candlesticks and at one time it even showed off pieces of my salt and pepper shaker collections.

Repurpose Again

I don’t have the piece anymore. I gave it to a friend when I moved. She had just decided to provide day care for her new grandbaby while mom went back to work. The layette is back to serving its original purpose. By the way, she had no problem finding a replacement mat for the piece.

Herbal Tea for Colic? Science Says Yes

I usually don't like to recommend herbal remedies for children. It has nothing to do with the safety of the herb. I hesitate because I don't want my suggestion of a remedy to cause a parent to diagnose the condition and possibly mask symptoms that prevent the child from receiving professional care. 

I only offer the following information because Pediatrics reviewed 15 clinical trials on infantile colic and recently released the results of the study. They have determined what we already knew. Herbs can help ease the symptoms of colic.

Fennel extract seems to be the most effective herbal remedy for the baby showing symptoms of colic. Fennel seeds are a natural aid to digestion. They help to expel gas as they relax the muscle lining of the digestive tract.

German chamomile and lemon balm also showed effectiveness is the clinical trials. These herbs are often recommended for teas to give a calming effect to the drinker.

A tea made with a combination of fennel, balm mint, licorice and chamomile was also studied for their effects on infants and found effective.

After a sleepless night spent trying to sooth a crying baby, both mom and her child could benefit from the soothing tea. Mom can brew a double batch and enjoy her cup, diluting some and letting it cool before letting the baby join her relaxing tea moment.

There were no recommendations made during the study of the strength of the concoction for the colicky infant. Like all herbal remedies, introduce the new herbal remedy in small doses to make sure that the substance is well tolerated.

Let the herbal tea cool before giving it the baby.

Herbal remedies are never meant to substitute for medical care or treatments that are suggested by your health team. They are offered as a temporary way to ease the occasional problem. If the problem persists, call the doctor.

Whim or Interest? Committing to an Activity

I like to encourage kids and adults to try out new things. You never know what you have a knack for until you’ve actually tried it and worked on it long enough to see if you can be successful with it. No one is an expert at something on the first attempt, after all.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve joined a gym. The first few weeks I looked forward to the new experience and took a bit of pride in my goal of losing weight and becoming fit. Then, the trips to the gym suddenly got inconvenient. There was always something else I had to do. Soon, the gym bag was in the back of the closet.

This has happened with book clubs, ceramic classes, and even continuous learning classes. But, I told myself, I’m a big girl and can make my own decision on what is a right fit for me and my schedule.

As a mom, I tend to look at the situation a bit differently when a child decides that they want to drop out of an activity. I think that kids should finish what they start. I feel that it helps with their self discipline. It’s one of those parenting “Do as I say, not as I do” type of things.

Now that I thing about it, I’m not being fair at all. How successful can I be at encouraging someone to try something new if I attach a rule that they have to stick it out even if they don’t like it?

Kids often come up with ideas for new things they want to try all on their own. Most of them cost the parents a lot of money and time spent driving them to the activity. Many times the child wants to try the activity because they saw it on the TV, heard about it at school, or several of their friends are involved.

If you face the same dilemma, talk it over with your child. Listen as they explain their reason for wanting to join the activity. Discuss the schedule and cost with the child. Explain that if they add the new activity to their schedule, it may cause a conflict with other things. If you both agree that the new experience is worth trying, define a trial period. Let the child know that you expect him to commit to the new activity until the end of the trial and at that time you will discuss it again to see if they should continue with the activity.

If the child wants to quit the activity before the end of the trial period, try to find out why? Is it just that he doesn’t feel successful? Is there a personality conflict with other members or leaders of the group? Did he just get tired of it?

Sometime there is a good reason for kids to drop an activity. Sometimes the only reason is that they’ve found something else they want to try. But as a mom you know you can’t keep investing time on money on a passing whim. Use your own judgment as to whether you’ll allow the child to drop out before the trial period ends.

You’re the mom, he’s your child. You are the best person to make the decision.