My Last Tightwad Tuesday
How To Put A Watermark On Your Pictures For FREE
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The easiest and FREE way to put a watermark on your online pictures for your blog is to….
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go to the Picnik website
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join ( for free)
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load picture you want and edit if you want to.
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to put on your watermark hit the Create tab on the screen and hit the text tab. Write what you want as “your” watermark and pick your text font you want. Hit apply.
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click on your watermark and drag where you want to put it on your picture. Adjust the color, size, tilt it if you want, and if you want to fade it or not.
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Hit apply.
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Save it to your computer. I put the new picture under a new name or add a .2 to save it to my computer.
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I personally then load the new pic to photobucket and resize it there.
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Here is a example of one of my pics that I have put a watermark on.
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Now to join in the fun of Tightwad Tuesday….
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Link your TWT post click on MckLinky and give exact the URL of your post. (each Tuesday that you join in on the fun)
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example of a URL …
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Canadagirl/693425/
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Now go ahead link and read and comment on all these other’s wonderful TWT’s.
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Lets save our pennies, nickles, dimes, and dollars together !
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“There are only a few big ways to save money but there are many small ways ….that all adds up.”
PS….
****This will be my last Tightwad Tuesday. It has been a great last three years sharing and learning so much from so many others who are also trying to make their dollar stretch. I have been so richly blessed and far beyond my dreams. God put it on my heart to start this up to encourage others and I am now feeling that this meme has gone its corse. Please if you want to see more tips go click on Tightwad Tuesdays catogory on my side bar. I am now hoping to finally sit down and right my ebook cookbook. After Luke my 2ds came into our lives with all his health issues and dietary needs and then to try to cook it with in our budget needs was a HUGE learning curve. I hope to dive into writing this and in the future you will get a chance to see what has been on the back burner of my brain for so many years. Thank you for being apart of this or being a wonderful reader of this. God Bless.
****Also I hope you scroll down to the previous post and participate in a wonderful and fun poem challenge.
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Tightwad Tuesday ~ More Savings On Soap
I got a email from my friend Tamara who lives near me and I had to share what she shared with me.
Hi Mary,
Not sure if you’ve covered this one on your blog or not… tho I see a recent soap mention…but thought I’d send you over what I’ve drug up and tried myself anyway…
Soap… how to reuse those little chips that are left from your bar soap.
1) If you can, stick the little leftover chip onto the new bar you are using after you’ve showered with the new bar once and it’s moist and sticky….. tho not all soaps will stick together, especially if they are different brands. If they won’t stick, you can try zapping the big bar in the microwave for 10 seconds then sticking the little bit onto it…
2) Stick the chips into the toe of an old stocking and tie it off and use it like an in-shower pre-soaped loofah. Also works great for an outside soap station at the garden hose, the pantyhose can be tied to the tap.
3) Make your own quick liquid soap if you just have a few soap chips. Put the chips into a pump bottle with water and a marble or two to help keep things mixed. Shake bottle and pump out the liquid for washing up. Reuse a plastic soap pump you already have….add more water to the pump as you run out as the soap chips will slowly dissolve this way and last a long time….
4)Make a tub of thick liquid soap (might also work for the foaming soap pump you mentioned??). Chop up the bars and bits, put in a mason jar, add boiling water to cover, stir, microwave and stir more or add more water if needed to help the bits melt…keep stirring until it’s all smooth and the consistency you want
5) Make new big bars: Chop the bits (can use food processor, box grater, etc) and toss in a pot on the stove, add boiling water, stir and melt on low heat until you reach the consistency of runny playdough. Prep a mould by spraying a glass square or rectangle baking dish lightly with a non-stick spray (Pam) or give it a light rub with oil… pour the soap into the dish and smooth it out. Let it cool about a half hour until set enough to not be mushy but warm and soft still so you can cut bar shapes with a sharp knife. Let cool more until firm enough that you can lift the bars out with a spatula. Let air dry approximately a week tuning them over every day to promote drying. If you wanted you could use biscuit cutters to make fun shapes from the soap. The last time I did this I had about 4 cups of ground up soap bits (I used my food processor) and it made enough soap to fill a 9×13 glass baking dish and a 9’ round pie plate.
I don’t really recommend chopping soap bars with a knife, they tend to shatter and bits go all over the counter….unless it’s a glycerin soap.
6) Save also the little bars from hotel visits. Sadly you don’t get money back nor can you make hotel costs lower by not using them. Add those little bars to your chip collection or use them when going camping or to the swimming pool (same with the small bottles of shampoo and lotion).
AND a mention on dishsoap….. Transfer it to a pump bottle…an old facial cleanser or hair gel pump bottle for example…. Helps with portion control and is handy when you just need a little dab for your hands or one dish.
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I have one to add to my friend’s great list of tips. My hubby handsome has a shaving cup and when ever the soap gets to small to handle we throw it in his shaving cup. Its a great way for a man to make his daily grooming a little bit cheaper.
There are only a few big ways tosave money but there are TONS of small ways to save that ALL adds up.Please go visit these lovely ladies and glean some good tightwad tips from them.
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Now to join in the fun of Tightwad Tuesday….
.
Link your TWT post click on MckLinky and give exact the URL of your post. (each Tuesday that you join in on the fun)
.
example of a URL …
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Canadagirl/693425/
.
Now go ahead link and read and comment on all these other’s wonderful TWT’s.
.
Lets save our pennies, nickles, dimes, and dollars together !
.
“There are only a few big ways to save money but there are many small ways ….that all adds up.”
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Tightwad Tuesday ~ 16 Ways To Cut Your Grocery Bill
16 Ways to Cut your grocery bill
There are only so few big ways to save money but so many small ways will save you money. Cutting your grocery bill will add up a lot of savings before you know it. Here are 16 ways that will put money in your pocket rather than your mouth.
1-Grow a garden
2-Perservation of Garden Surplus
3-A Price Book ( go here to find out to create one !)
4-Buy In Bulk
5-Eliminate Non Nutritious Foods ( …such as soda pop, junk food, candy)
6-Eliminate Convienience Foods ( …the single serving packaging are the money killers)
7-Choosing More Ecconomical Foods (tuna for example or less expensive fruits and vegetables)
8-Buy Generic Brands and Store Brands
9-Buy Marked Down Foods ( look for discount bins. Cans that have a dent or just about to expire but that still can be used in time. Fruits and veggies that need to be processed now are a good savings if you make the time to preserve them . For example freeze, make into sauses, dry in the dehydrator. Dried banana chips are sooooooo good.)
10-Coupons ( I have to admit I don’t find as much savings here b/c we make so much from scratch that it doesn’t save us that much. But when it is on basics we are happy to use them. )
11-Make Low Meat Or No Meat Meals ( Casseroles and soup/stews and stir frys are a GREAT way to save. Bean dishes are a frugal and yummy way to go to. )
12-Portion Comparison ( for example compare different kinds of meat and get the less pricey one)
13-Free Food ( garden surplus from friends and neighbors, wild fruits, get through bartering,
14-Waste Nothing
15-Eat To Maintain Optimum Weight
16-Eat More Casseroles, Stir Frys, and Soups/Stews
17- Make Food From Scratch ( this is one of the biggest savers)
There are only a few BIG ways to save money but there are TONS of small ways that ALL adds up.
Please go visit these lovely ladies and glean some good tightwad tips.
Remember : The best way to get a comment it to give one.
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Tightwad Tuesday~ How to Roast Your Own Coffee
How to Roast Your Own Coffee Beans
( Out of the Archives January19th, 2009)
“There are only a few big ways to save money but there are many small ways ….that all adds up.”
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Now I have a confession to make….I am a coffee snob. I have been hearing about a way to save money by roasting your own coffee beans in a air popcorn popper. So me being a do it yourself kind of gal HAD to try it !!! So, Handsome and I bought me some green coffee beans the other day and I played around with roasting them. If you try it PLEASE let me know how you did.
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******One thing to know before you start. *******
Once you have converted your popcorn popper to a coffee roaster it isn’t good for popping popcorn anymore. Suggestion…. buy a popcorn popper at a second hand store. BUT make sure it is the right kind so you will be safe and no fires.
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1- Find a air popcorn popper. Now, important to know…. not just any air popcorn popper will do.
You ***need ***one that has a solid bottom in the popcorn popper chamber and that means no mesh bottoms. It also MUST have vents around the side to blow the hot air in.
Caution
Poppers with mesh vents on the bottom can ignite the coffee chaff. Which is a fire hazard.
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2- Buy coffee beans from a coffee roaster or go to online coffee green bean venders.
3- Measure 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup. Pour them into roasting chamber and return the cover and spout, including the butter dish or cap.
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4- Place large bowl under the spout to catch the coffee chaff. You need to work in a well ventilated area. For example next to a kitchen window is a very good spot. ( I tried outside and in the winter. This wasn’t a good idea b/c it took too long to roast the beans 20 minutes b/c the air outside is too cold. So today I will try roasting the beans inside by my kitchen window. )
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**UPDATE ( June 1st, 2010) **
I now roast my coffee beans on top of my stove. I set my coffee roaster/converted popcorn popper on top of my stove and turn on the fan above on HIGH and then I open my window that is near by. But it has to be a window that is not near where your stove vent blows out air otherwise if the window is near the out vent it will suck the roasting smoke back into the house and set off your smoke alarm. Uhhh hummm yes I am talking from experience. When I pour the roasted coffee beans into my bowl that I am cooling my beans in. I hold it up to the vent to suck the smoke outside quickly.
5- Turn on the machine and listen for the first crack (pop like noise) of the beans. ( about 3-4 minutes)
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6- About a minute after the first crack lift the top of popcorn popper with hotpads ( it gets hot so be careful) to check on progress of the roast.
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7- Important:
Stop the popper when the beans get about a shade lighter than you want. Then pour the beans into a metal colander or bowl. You can use any kind of bowl just NOT a plastic bowl.
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Cinnamon Roast- Just after first crack
Lighter Roast – 4 minutes
Full City Roast- 5 minutes
Darker Roast – 6.5 minutes
***UDATE***
With my popcorn popper it takes usually about 3-5 minutes (depends how cold your house is. In the winter it takes a bit longer to roast the beans if the house is cold) for a dark roast so start checking every 15 to 30 seconds after 3 minutes. (It is important to get to know your machine) If you roast 3 or 4 batches one right after the other ( like me) you need to realise something. The popper is heated up after the first batch and it won’t take as long with the 2nd and next batches to roast. It seems that it only then takes 3 minutes for me to get the dark roast then.
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As I said before I am personally am still playing with my roasting time. I did one that was TOO dark and it tasted burnt and wasn’t happy. But I am having FUN with this.
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8- To speed up cooling of the beans toss or shake the beans. It is important to understand so you won’t over roast your coffee beans. They will continue to roast until they cool down a bit. Please understand this because you don’t want to over roast your beans and it is important to do this step.
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9- Let the home roasted beans cure for 4-24 ( I can seem to only wait four hours before I have to make a cup of java from my VERY freshly roasted coffee beans) hours before brewing for best flavor. This rest allows the beans to develop their flavor. After 24 hours seal up in a airtight container to keep them fresh up to 5 days.
SAVINGS ???
Well what use to cost me about $50 dollars a month …$600 dollars/yr is now only costing my about $15 to $20 dollars a month which works out to $240 dollars/yr. I feel it is worth the effort of my time. [0=
Now, leave me a note to let me know you were here and please go visit all these wonderful gals and read their TWT Tips .
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Tightwad Tuesday~ Using a Dough Enhancer While Making Whole What Bread
Using Dough Enhancers When Making Whole Wheat Bread
If you have been following along the last few months I have been figuring out how to make yummy things from grinding our own wheat in our grain grinder. I haven’t been fully happy with my bread till yesterday. The change ? It was using dough enhancers. I haven’t bought any pre-made ones because it had things that my 2ds is allergic to. So of course I have been researching on the net. And I found some answers. ((happy dance))
Here is a link to a neat video Dough Enhancer for making Homemade Bread
Here is the bread recipe that I used and loved ! It is at BreadExperience .com
Tips for using your own everyday items as dough enhancers in WHEAT BREAD: (It’s best to use ALL THREE of these enhancers when making whole wheat bread)
Gluten: use 1/2 T. – 1 T. per cup of flour (this means before you measure a cup of flour place the 1/2 T.-1 T. gluten in the bottom of your cup and then measure flour as usual)
Apple Cider (or white) Vinegar: use the same amount of vinegar that you are using for yeast (i.e. 1 t. yeast – 1 t. vinegar)
I have to say that prefer to use Apple Cider vinegar because it is healthier and more natural but white vinegar works just fine.
Potato Flakes or Potato Startch: use 1/8 to 1/4 C. per loaf of bread you are making, experiment to see what works best in your recipe. (do not substitute in potato pearls, they don’t dissolve as easily and are artificially flavored which you will be able to taste in your bread)
If you are making bread and want to give a extra umph try it and here is some must sees in how to make really good bread videos. I learned soooooooo much from this gal and I have been making bread for 30 years.
1/8 Making Fresh Ground Whole Wheat Bread
2/8 Making Fresh Ground Whole Wheat Bread
3/8 Making Fresh Ground Whole Wheat Bread
4/8 Making Fresh Ground Whole Wheat Bread
5/8 Making Fresh Ground Whole Wheat Bread
6/8 Making Fresh Ground Whole Wheat Bread
7/8 Making Fresh Ground Whole Wheat Bread
8/8 Making Fresh Ground Whole Wheat Bread
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Canadagirl
