Today's Secret's - 12/03/14 - Gardening tips to save you time and money.

First tip - if you are growing carrots or leeks etc, use old toilet roll tubes to sew your seeds into. Then thin them out. Plant the seedlings you are keeping into the ground inside the tubes. This makes them grow stronger, bigger and straighter. It also keeps them protected from frost and some underground critters.

Plant seeds in a bit of old guttering they are easy to slide off the end for replanting.
Teabags make great seed starters.

The best place to store seeds is in the fridge.

Reflect light with tin foil if your plants don't get much.

Collect seeds from flowers then dry them out and store them, cheaper than buying them.

Swap cuttings and seeds with other gardeners. If you must buy plants do so in the spring as you can get a good idea of the health of the plant. Try not to buy a plant that has moss or weeds in the pot, this could mean it has been in the pot too long.

Save water by putting potted plants under hanging baskets to catch any overspill.

Brush water off your hedge before cutting as a wet hedge is harder to cut.

a potato peeler is great for digging up weeds from the lawn. Blast weeds with Gin and detergent to kill them off.

Use a cut up plastic drink bottle as a mini greenhouse over your pots.

Keep cats and birds away from new seeds with a snake! Use a length of hose pipe that looks snake like and wind it between your seeds.

Pepper and citrus also works well at keeping cats away.

Half a grapefruit left upside (skin side up) down makes a great slug trap. Deter them with crushed egg shells scattered around your plants.

Ok I think this is another one that will need a part two. lol. So many tips but so little time. Keep coming back to read more another day. :)

Today's Secret's - Baking a cake - yum - tips to save you time and money

For a crunchy topping to fruit pies and crumbles, save all the left over bits from cereal and sprinkle on top before baking.

Apple in brown sugar will stop it clumping or going hard.

Add one tablespoon per egg to make meringue stretch further.

Make your own piping bag out of foil.

To bring out the taste of chocolate in a cake add a few granules of coffee.

Save time and dough when baking biscuits. Roll them into a long sausage shape and then cut into disc's. To bake cookies for free, put them on a baking tray in your car on the dashboard. If the day is very hot (Over 25 degrees) the cookies will bake in about an hour.

Make sure cutters are totally dry after use or else they can go rusty. Put them in the oven as it is cooling to dry them out after washing.

Reuse a cake board, turn it over or cover it in foil.

Spread a little butter on the underside of your cake pieces before you sandwich them together, you can then add less jam as the cake will not absorb it.

Butter cream will keep for two or three weeks in a covered container in the fridge.

To make cakes extra light and fluffy whisk the egg whites before adding and add a spoon of warm water to the mixture just before baking.

There are so many tips that I might have to do a part two of this. Lastly if you use olive oil rubbed around your cake tin instead of butter your cake will be less likely to stick.

To stop cake mixture from sticking to the spoon and wasting it, coat the spoon in milk before use.

Today's Secret's - Bread - the daily staple - Tips on how to save

Bread. We all use it and even those with allergies demand a version of it they can eat. Where would we be without bread?

I think bread costs a ridiculous amount these days. I usually buy the shops own brand BUT I buy the thick sliced. It seems the thin sliced is just too thin and the thick sliced is not cut as thickly as branded bread. No idea why but examine a loaf next time you are shopping and see what you think.

Fussy kids? Use a round pizza cutting wheel to cut the crusts off bread. Less mess and you waste less of the bread. Don't waste those crusts save them in a bag in the freezer and once you have quite a few blend them into breadcrumbs and put onto a pie or over fish/chicken.

Making bulk sandwiches for a picnic or party? Use a stick of cheap butter in a bowl with some milk and then melt together in the microwave for a few seconds the mixture will spread well and last for ages.

If there is a deal on at the supermarket then freeze any extra loafs they actually defrost well and seem to last for a quite a few days. This is also a good idea if you buy a cheap loaf that it about to go out of date. Freeze it with a bit of waxed paper between slices and then just remove what you need and defrost it or toast it, frozen bread toasts up lovely.

You can bake your own bread. It is not complicated and you do not need a fancy bread maker. This is one of many sites with easy bread making recipes -
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/10121/bread-in-four-easy-steps
Copy and paste it into your browser. Yummy bread. Remember to add honey as it keeps the bread moist. Oil added to the bread when baking will make it stay fresh longer.

Flour compacts when settled so fluff it out before measuring to make sure you get the correct amount and that you don't waste any. Flour kept in the freezer will last longer.

To prevent bread from drying out when baking put a cake tin over the top.

Old stale bread? Brush olive oil over the top wrap it in tin foil and bake for a few minutes on a low heat to refresh it. Or plunge it in cold water before baking for about 10 minutes in a warm oven.

If you have a really old bit of bread still don't throw it out. Use as breadcrumbs (see above) or if you are making a stew/soup run the bread over the top before serving to remove extra fat/grease and salt from the dish.

Today's Secret's. 09/03/04 - Camera tips and tricks to save you time and money.

Can I firstly say that unless you are a professional or photography is a keen hobby for you then it is probably not worth spending out lots of money on a fancy camera when so many mobile phones have excellent camera's on them.
If you really want a camera then look for used or refurbished stuff.
Buy the same make as a friend then you can swap lenses and kit as you need it.

Renting can be good if you only need it for a short time and you can not find someone to lend you one.

If you do buy a camera or get given one here are a few tips.

Warm batteries in your hand or armpit before use as this will extend their life.

Always let rechargeable batteries discharge fully this will make them charge up better.

To save your batteries life don't keep zooming in and out, go closer to the object if you need a closer view, it will be steadier shot anyway.

A ski pole/stick upside down can make a great monopod if you don't have a tripod. You can always lean on a wall or fence to get a more stable shot. Think about sound if you are using a camcorder if you are 20 feet away from your subject so is your microphone.

Use cling film to protect your camera from moisture or sand.

Dropped the camera in water? Stop screaming and try an old trick, buy a bag of rice and put the camera deep inside leave it for a few days so the rice can absorb the water. Then try it, this can also work for a mobile or anything electrical.

Use old style film? keep an eye on freecycle and in charity shops as they will sell off old film cheaply.

Use black tape instead of a lens hood as this will stop extra light just as well.

Create a soft edge with see through tape placed around the edge of your lens or put cling film over it.

If you don't have enough light then use someone with a white shirt to bounce the light off them.

Getting your pictures developed? Look around for a good deal, you may find a photobook is a good idea, you can get quite a few pictures on a page if you customise it carefully and it saves on the cost of albums it also saves you time trying to put them all in a book and jotting down where each one was taken as you can type in comments as you make the book.

Try to do more pictures in one go as they are usually a better deal.

For a lovely gift make a collage of pictures from someone's life and glue them around a shoe box and cover it's lid as well. Varnish the outside of the box and line with some material. It makes a lovely keepsake.

Lastly, have fun and to make people smile when taking their picture don't say cheese say "Blow a raspberry!" or "Touch your nose with your tongue" They will try and then laugh at themselves which will make a lovely natural picture.

Today's Secret's - 08/03/14 - Nails - Save money and make varnish last longer.

Important thing first - practise using your none dominant hand as you will need it to be able to paint both of your hands, alternatively make a pact with a good friend you can trust. They paint yours and you paint theirs.

Buy stencils and other aids or make them using masking tape. This is especially good for white tips.

Strengthen nails by rubbing a little oil into your cuticles every day, paint them with clear varnish to stop them splitting as they grow this also helps when filing. (always file in the same direction, don't saw at your nail)

Use felt pens for designs on top of a thick base coat, they are easier to use than paints and you can seal them if you are careful with clear nail varnish. Only paint the top coat on in one direction to stop the pattern being ruined.

To remove yellow tinges from your nails dip them in lemon juice. If you smoke try a little toothpaste scrubbed in. Remove ink with vinegar and salt or use nail varnish remover with acetone to get off tip-ex and glue.

A tip to save money, save the lint from your dryer and use it as cotton wool for removing varnish.

Avoid bubbles in varnish by never shaking it, roll it upside down between your palms.

Stop the top from sticking on the bottle by rubbing petroleum jelly around the tops before putting the lid on. If one is stuck try tapping it gently to loosen it or run it under hot water. If it is really stuck a little nail varnish remover dripped into the grove between bottle and lid can often help.

If nail varnish gets thick and clumpy drop a tiny bit of nail varnish remover into it and stir well. Try it and repeat if it not smooth enough yet.

Make short nails look longer by not painting to the edges and use a metallic varnish to help create the illusion of length.

Colour tips first, then apply as usual and varnish will last longer on the nail.

Keep varnish in the fridge and it will stay runny and fresh longer.

Use lollipop sticks to push back cuticles and scrape nails clean.

Save money and make a great hand cream with a mix of olive oil, Vaseline and a little lavender (or a smell you like) oil. Use sparingly.

Nail fungus can be treated with tea tree oil, avoid it by using antibacterial spray on your files and never sharing with a friend.

Olive oil and salt make a great exfoliator, massage in well and then rinse with warm water.

Metal nail files last a very long time and can be refreshed with a little rub with sand paper. It may be illegal to carry a metal nail file (check the length etc with your local police website) but I can say that one of my friends will not leave home without hers as it makes her feel a little safer walking home in the dark. Those suckers can be sharp and if you ever were attacked (I hope you never are) and happened to have one that you just happened to be holding then go for the eyes! lol.

Today's Secret's - 7/03/14 - Make-up make it last longer and get better effects

I have mostly focused on ladies make-up but I know some guys like a little bit of extra glow so feel free to read on, some tips can be used both sides of the fence!

Press some translucent powder over foundation or fake tan to keep it in place and stop it looking so artificial.

Mix face cream with your foundation to stop it looking too dark and to get a two in one effect that you can apply quickly. (it also makes both last longer)
You can also do this with sun tan lotion.

Mix and match to find your own style and colour.

Your compact powder will last longer if you store your sponge or powder puff upside down as the oil from your skin can make the powder break up and dissolve.

Use a lip pencil in a natural shade to outline lips and fill them in, this gives a great base before putting on lippy. Try a little powder before applying to really keep it in place.

I am not sure if I would recommend it but my friend once used non toxic felt tips as make up. She applied black to her eyes (carefully) and used a dark pink as a lip liner and filler with a little gloss over the top. It did look ok and it was an emergency at a hotel where she had forgotten her make-up bag but be careful if you have sensitive eyes or skin.

To mend a broken lipstick, melt the edges with a match and press them together then smooth gently with your finger then put it in the fridge for a few hours.

You can chill eye and lip pencils in the fridge to really make them precise.
No eye liner? Dip a brush in water and rub it on a dark eye shadow then apply under your eyes.
Mascara too runny? Leave the lid off over night to dry it out a little.

Vaseline, baby oil or cold milk works as a make up remover.

To give your face a boost add some honey to some oats or some cucumber mashed up with yoghurt and smear on then leave for half an hour and remove.

Put on toner using wet cotton wool as the dry stuff will soak up all the toner and waste it. Put on cleaner with clean fingers and then rinse off.

Open your pores with a five minute steam session over a bowl of hot water and then wash your face well.

Get rid of blackheads with lemon juice dabbed on and left over night, wash off in the morning and repeat the next night.

Add sugar to your soap/face wash to get a good scrub and remove dead skin and blackheads.

Go for a free consultation at a make up counter (you do not have to buy any products at the end) Just go for the advice and a bit of pampering. I suggest going to a few different places and see what advice matches so that you can get an idea of what actually suits you and what the assistant is just trying to sell you. Be strong and thank the assistant but be firm that you will not be buying anything today you can say you want to come back with a friend/mum/husband for a second opinion.

Today's secret's - 06/03/14 - Speaking well saves you money - tips and hints.

It is no secret that people are judgemental.

Sad but true.

If you speak correctly it opens more doors and people will listen.
Rightly or wrongly if you are confident and conversational in the way you speak you will find it easier to haggle for a bargain and to get people to agree with you.
If people can't understand you or don't take you seriously you will not get their cooperation.

Learn the correct words for things and the correct way to say words or else you may come across as unintelligent and lose the respect of the person you are trying to get to listen to you.

Make eye contact and be friendly, know your facts. Why should you get a discount? is the item cheaper elsewhere? does the item have a mark or smudge?

Don't be afraid to ask for a deal if you are buying a lot of something. Ask about store discounts or loyalty schemes.

Don't be rude always be polite and nice to the person. Be ready to walk away if you can not get a discount try this with mobile phone contracts and holidays.

Most services can offer something to keep you but be ready to have your bluff called if you are saying give me a discount or I am going to your competitor they may say bye then!!
Be a great customer so that they do not want to lose you. Pay your bills on time and don't be a problem customer or they may just be glad for you to go elsewhere.

To help you annunciate your words try a few tongue twisters (She sells sea shells on the sea shore) practise them and work on your pronunciation.
Record yourself and listen hard to your voice, practise breathing before you speak and then breathing between sentences. Keep your pace steady and your voice at an appropriate level.
Practise moving your lips and mouth, exaggerate the natural movements and see how that effects your speech.

The sounds m,v and f get lost in speech so try to make them active sounds. Stretch your mouth and practise the vowel sounds.

If you have difficulty with certain words whisper them to yourself a few times and then try again. It can often help.

Don't waste money on voice coaches or public speaking teachers just have confidence in your ability.

If you are required to speak in public for any event remember to speak clearly and not to rush. Try to have a guide line of what you want to say written down but don't read it out word for word or it sounds mechanical. Use your natural flare, be animated, enjoy what you are saying and use the tone and pitch of your voice to emphasise the important points.
Use your arms and hands more, be a bit of a caricature of yourself and move around a little if you can.
If you make a mistake just laugh it off and move on, don't dwell on it or you will begin to stumble over other words.
Breath and relax, if you have the time before a hard conversation, meeting or speech do a few stretches, your neck, back and shoulders need a good stretch and you need to stand up straight to keep your lung capacity at it's best.