Home gardening offers ways to trim grocery costs [Survival Today, an on going thread]

Dallas News.com ^ | March 14th, 2008 | DEAN FOSDICK

[nw_arizona_granny]

In the old days we used a sugar starch to make the crocheted bowls.

Or Elmer’s glue, diluted with water will work.

I have used Elmers on lace and cloth, to make it stiff.

Electric went out, it was a very bad night, Scott answered my call and will get me an emergency supply of oxygen for the next time.

My computer is acting up again, took 2 hours to get on the internet, monitor does strange things and goes black, then works for a period of time..........so if I disappear, don’t get worried.....yet.

[nw_arizona_granny]

HI Everybody,

We have a brand new issue of the Love This Journal slideshow magazine, and a new book
review of the latest offering from Danny Gregory - which is titled “An Illustrated Life”.

http://web.mac.com/jwesolek/iWeb/lovethisjournal/Blog/Blog.html

I know you will enjoy this one!!

jessica

---

Yahoo! Groups Links

To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cre8itartblog/

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

I was worried. Let me know if you want to exchange telephone numbers, I’d be glad to talk to you if you need someone to speak to anytime. I can FReepmail you my telephone number if you like.

Off to dialysis!

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.articlecrypt.com/food-beverage/recipes/what-you-can-do-with-celery-seed/

What You Can Do With Celery Seed
15.12.2008 | Author: KC Kudra | Posted in Recipes
by KC Kudra

Celery seed has been around for many years and different cultures use this delicious seasoning in a variety of ways. If you want to know how to use celery seed or you have bought some on a whim, you will be pleased to know that there are many uses for celery seed, such as homemade chicken noodle soup or even crockpot chicken noodle soup which will slowly cook while you are at work and be ready the minute you get home.

What is Celery Seed?

Celery seed is not found in the celery vegetable but in the plant apium graveolons. They look a lot like other small brown seeds but their smell is unique. They smell like celery and can be added to your recipes. They add flavor but not the crunchy celery texture.

How Can You Use Celery Seed?

Besides the fact that celery seed is used to flavor salad dressings, soups, and in pickling, you will find that celery seed has a long medicinal history as well. It has been used as a homeopathic remedy for gout, bronchitis, arthritis, and other inflammations.

There is a high concentration of phtalides in celery seeds, which means they have scientifically proven qualities as a muscle relaxant and sedative. Celery seeds also have an antioxidant effect, which helps the body to fight dangerous free radicals.

How can I make a good celery seed salad dressing?

As well as being an excellent ingredient in homemade chicken noodle soup, celery seeds are found in many types of salad dressing. You can make your own by combining a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of celery seed and a teaspoon of dry mustard. Next, add a teaspoon of onion juice and trickle in a cup of salad oil and a third of a cup of vinegar slowly. The resulting dressing is mild yet tangy and is very tasty on vegetable or fruit salads. You might prefer to add sugar and pepper, depending on your taste.

What Foods Complement Celery Seeds?

Celery should be added when you feel the recipe would suit it. With a bit of experimentation, trial and error you might even be able to come up with some fabulous new recipes. Homemade chicken noodle soup is known for being extra tasty with added celery seed, or crockpot chicken noodle soup if you are at work all day and want to come home to a ready meal. If you normally add celery to a certain recipe, try celery seed instead for a change in texture. Coleslaw and chicken potpie are other recipes, which suit a celery seed flavor.

There are many reasons to use celery seed in your cooking, as you have read. Why not get yourself a small bottle? Celery seed keeps for up to 3 years. Experiment with various dishes to find out what is good. Once you start using celery seed in your recipes, whether you are making homemade chicken noodle soup or a chicken and ham potpie, you will want to add celery seed every time you make it!

About the Author:

Looking for great soup recipes try the site dedicated to chicken soup ChickenNoodleSoups.com. More than just noodles.

[nufsed]

My neighbor who’s in her late 70s was on dialysis started drinking 1-cup of celery seed tea a day. 4 months later off dialysis and has been since 2006.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

I’ll check that out. My kidneys were damaged by toxic protein produced by out of control multiple myeloma cells (which is gone now, thank God!!), but if the celery seed helps to get rid of the tiny casts on the nephrons, so be it. Thanks!!!

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache:1Ei1E5vDJwAJ:www.deepdownwellness.com/store/celeryseed.html+celery+seed+tea&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=us

Celery Seed Kidney Cleanse
(Apium Graveolens)
Celery Seed Tea

At Least Once A Day, Three Days A Week, Take Celery Seed Tea Prepared By Pouring A Pint Of Boiling Water Over A Tablespoonful Of Celery Seeds (Freshly Ground Or Cut) And Allowing It To Steep. Let It Cool, Then Strain And Drink. If Practical, The Tea Should Be Made Fresh For Each Use.

It Is Very Potent In Case Of Kidney Stones, And Chronic Kidney Diseases.

Avoid In Pregnancy Because It Is A Uterine Stimulant!

Celery Seeds Have A Direct Action On The Kidneys, Increasing The Elimination Of Water And Speeding Up The Clearance Of Accumulated Toxins From The Joints And So Is Of Benefit In Any Oedematous Condition That Accompanies Arthritis. It Is Often Administered With Taraxacum Radix (Dandalion) To Increase The Efficiency Of Elimination By Both The Kidneys And The Liver. Apium Is Also Hypoglycaemic, And As Such Is Helpful In Diabetes; This Action Seems To Involve A Direct Action On The Pancreas And Its Production Of Insulin. Clinical Studies In China Have Demonstrated A Hypotensive Action For The Tincture, And This Is Accompanied By Increased Urine Output. The Flavonoid Apigenin Has Exhibited Significant Anti-Platelet Activity In Vitro.

Other Common Names: Garden Celery, Smallage, Wild Celery

Celery Seeds Are Very Helpful For People Suffering From An Over Supply Of Uric Acid. Celery Has Large Amounts Of Potassium And Organic Sodium That Help To Rid The Body Of Waste Material By Stimulating Various Sites Such As The Skin, Bowels And Kidneys. It Re-Balances The Acid/Alkaline In The System And May Help Prevent Certain Cancers.

Therapeutics And Pharmacology: Apium Is Known As A Mild Diuretic And Urinary Antiseptic And Has Been Used In The Treatment Of Urinary Stones - Calculi. It Has A Calming Effect On The Gut, And Can Be Used In The Relief Of Flatulence And Griping Pains. However, Whilst It Can Reduce Visceral Spasm, It Conversely Stimulates The Smooth Muscle Of The Womb And Can Bring On Delayed Menstruation. After Childbirth It Helps The Uterus Readjust And Encourages The Flow Of Breast Milk. The Phthalides Are The Constituents Responsible For The Antispasmodic, Sedative And Diuretic Actions. Apium Has A Direct Action On The Kidneys, Increasing The Elimination Of Water And Speeding Up The Clearance Of Accumulated Toxins From The Joints And So Is Of Benefit In Any Oedematous Condition That Accompanies Arthritis. It Is Often Administered With Taraxacum Radix (Dandalion) To Increase The Efficiency Of Elimination By Both The Kidneys And The Liver. Apium Is Also Hypoglycaemic, And As Such Is Helpful In Diabetes; This Action Seems To Involve A Direct Action On The Pancreas And Its Production Of Insulin. Clinical Studies In China Have Demonstrated A Hypotensive Action For The Tincture, And This Is Accompanied By Increased Urine Output. The Flavonoid Apigenin Has Exhibited Significant Anti-Platelet Activity In Vitro.

The Volatile Oil In Apium Has Been Shown To Have Antifungal Activity, And It Is Active Against Many Bacteria Including Staphylococcus Aureus, Staphylococcus Albus, Shigella Dysenteriae, Salmonella Typhi, Streptococcus Faecalis, Streptococcus Pyogenes And Pseudomonas Solanacearum. No Activity Was Observed Against Escherichia Coli Or Pseudomonas Aeruginosa.

Combinations: Apium Combines Well With Menyanthes And/Or Guaiacum In Rheumatic Disease. The Therapeutic Action Of Apium Is Potentiated By Taraxacum.

Caution: Apium Should Be Avoided In Pregnancy Because It Is A Uterine Stimulant. The Volatile Oil In Quantity Is Toxic To The Kidneys And So Should Not Be Used In Kidney Disorders. Allergic Reactions Are Rare.

Preparation And Dosage: (Thrice Daily)

GSL Schedule 1

* Dried Fruits: 0.5-3g Or By 1:5 Decoction
* Tincture: 1:5 In 90% Alcohol, 2-8ml
* Liquid Extract: 1:1 In 90% Alcohol, 0.5-2ml

Additional Comments: In Germany, Celery Preparations Are Used To Treat Loss Of Appetite Loss And Exhaustion, And Also In The Prophylaxis Of Nervous Exhaustion.

Bibliography

* Bartram, T. 1995 Encyclopedia Of Herbal Medicine, 1st Edn.,Grace Publishers, Bournemouth.
* Bradley, P.R. (Ed.) 1992 British Herbal Compendium, Volume 1, BHMA, Bournemouth.
* Bremness, L. 1994 Herbs, Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Handbook, London.
* BHMA 1983 British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, BHMA, Bournemouth.
* Chevallier, A. 1996 The Encyclopedia Of Medicinal Plants, Dorling Kindersley, London.
* Hoffmann, D. 1990 The New Holistic Herbal, Second Edition, Element, Shaftesbury.
* Hyperhealth 1996 Natural Health And Nutrition Databank, V.96.1 CD-ROM, ©In-Tele-Health, Available From Healthworks, Leeds. ISBN 0-646-30942-0
* Lust, J. 1990 The Herb Book, Bantam, London.
* Newall, C.A., Anderson, L.A., & Phillipson, J.D. 1996 Herbal Medicines: A Guide For Health-Care Professionals, The Pharmaceutical Press, London.
* Ody, P. 1993 The Herb Society’s Complete Medicinal Herbal, Dorling Kindersley, London.
* Press, B. & Gibbons, B. 1993 Wild Flowers Of Britain And Europe: Photographic Field Guide, New Holland Publishers, London.
* Wren, R.C. 1988 Potter’s New Cyclopaedia Of Botanical Drugs And Preparations, C.W.Daniel, Saffron Walden.

Herb Facts: Celery Is A Biennial Plant Indigenous To Southern Europe, Asia, And Africa. It Is Also Found In North And South America. Celery Grows In Damp Places And Resembles Domestic Celery, Except That It Has A Less Agreeable Taste And Is Smaller In Size. In Its Second Year The Plant Produces An Angular Furrowed Stem Reaching Three Feet In Height. It Bears Dark Green Leaves That Are Opposite, Shiny, And Primate, Having Wedge-Shaped, Incised, Toothed Leaflets. From July To November, White To Gray-White Flowers Appear In Paniculate Compound Umbels. The Fruits Are Dark Brown, Elliptic-Ovate Seeds. The Medicinal Parts Are The Roots, Leaves And Seeds.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

* Antioxidant Properties; Butyl Phthalide; Fatty Acids
* Flavonoids; Limonene; Oleic Acid
* Palmitic Acid; Phthalides; Petroselenic Acid
* Santalol

* For Definition Of Some Of The Above Terms See The Dictionary Section Of This Book.

NUTRIENT COMPOSITION

Bioflavonoids; Calcium; Iron; Magnesium; Phosphorus; Potassium; Sodium; UFA; Vitamin A; Vitamin C; Zinc

PROPERTIES AND USES

* Antispasmodic - Relieves Or Prevents Spasms, Usually Of The Smooth Muscles; Barbiturates And Valerian Are Examples Of Antispasmodics.
* Appetizer - A Substance Which Stimulates The Appetite
* Aromatic - An Agent With An Agreeable Odor And Other Stimulating Qualities.
* Carminative - An Agent Which Assists In The Expelling Gas From The Intestines.
* Diuretic - Diuretics Form A Class Of Drugs Which Increase The Volume Of Urine Produced By The Kidneys. It Can Be Used Effectively To Treat Mild Cases Of Edema When Kidney Function Is Good And When The Underlying Abnormality Of Cardiac Function, Capillary Pressure, Or Salt Retention Is Being Corrected Simultaneously. Diuretics Are Not An Appropriate Treatment For Edema Caused By Inflammation Of The Kidneys, And Are Useless In Cardiac Edema Associated With Advanced Kidney Insufficiency. There Are A Variety Of Diuretics With Different Modes Of Action. Among The Diuretics Are Spironolactones, Triamterene, And Theobromine.
* Emmenagogue - An Agent Which Stimulates Menstrual Flow.
* Sedative - Sedatives Are A Class Of Drugs Which Function To Quiet Nervous Excitement And Reduce Motor Activity Without Inducing Sleep. They Are Used In The Management Of Neuroses And In The Treatment Of Anxiety And Apprehension Accompanying Various Disease States Such As Hypertension. Sedatives Commonly Function To Induce Reversible Depression Of The Central Nervous System. Examples Of This Class Are Phenobarbital, Secobarbital Sodium, And Pentobarbital.
* Stimulant - An Agent That Temporarily Increases The Activity Or Physiological Processes. Stimulants May Be Classified According To The Organ Upon Which They Act; For Example, An Intestinal Stimulant Is That Which Stimulates The Intestines.
* Tonic - An Agent Which Strengthens Or Tones.
* Celery Produces Perspiration And Is Useful For Nervousness. It Should Be Cooked With Milk And Eaten Freely To Neutralize Uric Acid And Other Excess Acids In The Body, Thus Aiding In The Treatment Of Rheumatism. Celery Is Useful For Headaches When Taken As A Tea. The Seeds And Stems Have Been Used In Australia As An Acid Neutralizer.
* Celery Seed Is Used Almost Exclusively As A Diuretic. Since It Is Very Powerful, It Is Often Used Alone In Severe Cases Of Gout, Edema, And Dropsy. At Other Times, Small Amounts Are Added To Diuretic Herbal Blends To Provide Reliable Action. The Herb Is Also Used To Treat Kidney And Bladder Disorders, But Is Avoided If The Kidneys Are Inflamed.
* Celery Seed Is Sometimes Used As A Carminative And Antispasmodic In The Digestive System. This Action Depends On The Presence Of Its Volatile Oil. Celery Has Been Used On Occasion For Rheumatism And Arthritis, Although It Its Efficacy Against Those Ailments Has Not Been Established. Celery Plant, Not The Seed, Is Purported To Be Emmenagogic.

TOXICITY FACTORS

Celery’s Volatile Oils In Large Amounts Can Sedate The Central Nervous System; Some Think This Makes The Oils More Toxic Than Therapeutic.

DRUG PRECAUTIONS AND INTERACTIONS

Known Interactions - None

Possible Interactions - The Antiarrhythmic Agent, Quinidine, May Increase The Hypoprothrombinemic Effect Of Celery. Vitamin K, Menadione And Menadiol Sodium Diphosphate May Antagonize The Anticoagulant Effects Of Coumarins, Such As Celery.

[nufsed]

I don’t know how it works, but I know it worked for her. Do you want me to see if I can freepmail you her e-mail address.

[nw_arizona_granny]

This message contains the following:

1. Evenflo Recalls Majestic(tm) High Chairs Due to Fall and Choking Hazards (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09069.html)

2. Children’s Jewelry Sold Exclusively in Hawaii Recalled by Aloha 808 Trading Due to Risk of Lead Exposure (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09071.html)

3. CPSC & Target Announce New In-Store Recall Notification System (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09070.html)

[nw_arizona_granny]

Check your Freeper email.

That is a good article on celery.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Thank you for the tip, as you know, many of us have problems that are not being cured in the drug store.

I am so glad you posted the information, as you see it led to more information.

Please join in any time, you are welcome here.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Sure, it can’t hurt, to coin a phrase. Thanks for letting me know.

[nw_arizona_granny]

You learned to draw stars last time. Here’s a little star ornament you can whip up quickly:

http://web.mac.com/jwesolek/iWeb/cre8it/Blog/Blog.html

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20026873.500-how-to-make-cheap-wine-taste-like-a-fine-vintage.html?full=true

How to make cheap wine taste like a fine vintage

* 17 December 2008 by Stephanie Pain
* Magazine issue 2687. Subscribe and get 4 free issues.
* For similar stories, visit the Christmas Science and Drugs and Alcohol Topic Guides

MOST people have got one lying around somewhere: a bottle of cheap, nasty wine left over from a dinner party just waiting to be offloaded on someone else - or quaffed late one night when the good stuff has run out. But what if you could turn that bargain-basement plonk into fine wine in minutes? In these straitened times it could be just the thing a wine lover needs.

Traditionalists, of course, would insist that nothing can replace genuine quality plus long, slow ageing in an oak barrel and years of storage in cool, cobwebby cellars. But could there be a short cut?

Over the years, inventors have come up with dozens of widgets that they claim can transform the undrinkable or bring the finest wines to perfection without the long wait. Sadly, there’s little scientific evidence that most of them work (see “Faking it”). Looks like you’re stuck with the plonk.

Or are you? Fortunately, there is one technique that stands out from the rest. It is backed by a decade of research, the results have been published in a peer-reviewed journal and the end product has passed the ultimate test- blind tasting by a panel of wine experts. No fewer than five wineries have now invested in the technology.

The secret this time is an electric field. Pass an undrinkable, raw red wine between a set of high-voltage electrodes and it becomes pleasantly quaffable. “Using an electric field to accelerate ageing is a feasible way to shorten maturation times and improve the quality of young wine,” says Hervé Alexandre, professor of oenology at the University of Burgundy, close to some of France’s finest vineyards.

No matter how impatient or undiscriminating you may be, fresh wine is undrinkable and can have horrible after-effects. Expect an upset stomach, a raging thirst and the world’s nastiest hangover. The youngest a wine can be drunk is six months. Most, especially reds, take longer to achieve the required balance and complexity. The finest can take 20 years to reach their peak.

During ageing, wine becomes less acid as the ethanol reacts with organic acids to produce a plethora of the fragrant compounds known as esters. Unpleasant components precipitate out and the wine becomes clearer and more stable. Red wines mellow as bitter, mouth-puckering tannin molecules combine with each other and with pigment molecules to form larger polymers, at the same time releasing their grip on volatile molecules that contribute to the wine’s aroma.

These reactions take time and need a small but steady supply of oxygen. In barrel-aged wines, oxygen leaks through the wood, while wine matured in steel tanks is often helped along by introducing microscopic oxygen bubbles.

There are good commercial reasons why winemakers would love get their hands on a speedier alternative, especially in places like China where the industry is young and booming. It would allow them to get their wines into the shops faster to meet ever-increasing demand, and cut the cost of storage.

The food industry has experimented with electric fields as an alternative to heat-treating since the 1980s, and 10 years ago Xin An Zeng, a chemist at the South China University of Technology in Guangzhou, decided to see what he could do for wine. Early results were promising enough for Zeng and his colleagues to develop a prototype plant in which they could treat wine with fields of different strengths for different periods of time.

They pumped the wine through a pipe that ran between two titanium electrodes, fed with a mains-frequency alternating supply boosted to a higher voltage. For the test wine, the team selected a 3-month-old cabernet sauvignon from the Suntime Winery, China’s largest producer. Batches of wine spent 1, 3 or 8 minutes in various electric fields (see diagram). The team then analysed the treated wine for chemical changes that might alter its “mouth feel” and quality, and passed it to a panel of 12 experienced wine tasters who assessed it in a blind tasting (Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies, vol 9, p 463).

The results were striking. With the gentlest treatment, the harsh, astringent wine grew softer. Longer exposure saw some of the hallmarks of ageing emerge- a more mature “nose”, better balance and greater complexity. The improvements reached their peak after 3minutes at 600 volts per centimetre: this left the wine well balanced and harmonious, with a nose of an aged wine and, importantly, still recognisably a cabernet sauvignon.

Analysis revealed some significant chemical changes. Most obviously, there was a marked increase in reactions between alcohols and acids to produce esters. This led to a reduction in concentrations of the long-chain alcohols known to be responsible for nasty odours and a burning mouth feel, while the increase in the concentration of esters boosted the aroma and the perception of fruitiness.

Two other good things happened: the breakdown of proteins produced free amino acids that contribute to taste and there was a noticeable reduction in the levels of aldehydes, which are responsible for “off” flavours. You can have too much of a good thing, though. Upping the voltage and applying it for longer brought new and unwanted changes, including the generation of new undesirable aldehydes. Zap it too much and the result, the panel found, was worse than the untreated original.

Although Zeng cannot yet explain how exposure to an electric field alters the wine’s chemistry, his results show that under the right conditions the technique can accelerate some aspects of the ageing process. “Not only can it shorten a wine’s normal storage time, it can also improve some lower-quality wine,” he says. “It works just as well with other grape varieties such as merlot and shiraz.” Five Chinese wineries have begun trials.
A quick blast with an electric field can improve lower-quality wine and shorten storage time

Sadly for wine drinkers feeling the pinch, there’s no immediate prospect that you can try this for yourself. “I have thought of designing a set of equipment for use at home,” admits Zheng “...but not yet.”
Faking it

Hervé Alexandre, professor of oenology at the University of Burgundy, rates some of the latest attempts to speed-age wine.ULTRASOUNDDevices based on ultrasound pop up regularly. October saw the launch of the Quantum Wine Ager, which its inventor claims will turn a £3.99 bottle of plonk into something that tastes as if it costs hundreds.Verdict: “I’m a bit sceptical. Ultrasound might increase some reactions but a lot of rigorous experiments must be done before concluding that it works. When the wine is of low quality there is no miracle that will transform it into a bottle of the finest vintage.”UNDERSEA CELLARAGEChampagne house Louis Roederer has consigned several dozen bottles of champagne to the ocean floor, where it reckons the cool water and gentle rocking by currents will accelerate ageing.Verdict: “By lowering the temperature you slow down chemical reactions, so storage in cold water will slow the ageing process. Corks are permeable to oxygen, which helps ageing. While in water, no oxygen will enter the bottle.”GAMMA RADIATIONAccording to Chinese researchers, an hour’s treatment improved the flavour of new rice wine. In Canada the technique has been used to get rid of “ladybeetle taint”- nasty off flavours that result from ladybeetles (ladybirds) being pressed along with the grapes.Verdict: “It sounds technically interesting, but I’m not sure consumers are ready for irradiated wine.”

[nw_arizona_granny]

Meta is my self-balancing ride-on robot. Here’s the first video (5.5MB, DivX AVI) of it with myself and Cameron riding (27/Aug/2006).

Hardware

* Two second-hand 24V wheelchair motors, obtained with gearbox, hub, wheel, and tyre attached
* 2x OSMC boards (Open Source Motor Controller) from Robot Power
* 1x MOB board (Modular OSMC Brain) from Robot Power
* 1x IMU Combo Board - ADXL203/ADXRS401 gyro/accelerometer from Spark Fun Electronics
* 6x 12V 7AH sealed lead-acid batteries
* Misc hardware from Dick Smith Electronics, Jaycar, Aztronics

More Hardware

I’m indebted to Paul Schulz for assisting me to build Meta. The design is trivial (bolt motors onto pieces of wood with metal brackets), but hardware isn’t my thing!

* 2x pieces of wood
* 1x broomstick
* Misc hardware from Bunnings
* Gaffer Tape

from, with photo:

http://www.netcraft.com.au/geoffrey/meta/

Other science projects:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20026872.800-how-to-make-your-own-hightech-christmas-gifts.html?DCMP=NLC-nletter&nsref=mg20026872.800

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Hmmmmmm.....

My sister in law gave me a device (I never would have paid for it, way too pricey) to change the structure of water. It’s called iWater and is supposed to make the water like that of Lourdes. I drank it thinking more water would be better for me, and to help with the cancer. Maybe it did the trick!

I am going to try it with wine. Why not?

I may post this as a separate thread too. I’ll ping you when it’s up. Interesting!

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

How are you today? I fixed my email address, I just had to log into it again. Boy they lobby hard to get you to pay for email! LOL!

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

From:

Giving Tree

Is it an ornament? A place setting? A take on the English Christmas cracker? This clip-art tree, filled with candy, is all of the above. So plant several around the holiday table this year. After eating the sweets inside, each guest can take one of the paper trees home and hang it on the real thing.

Giving Tree How-To
1. Download templates and print onto heavyweight matte paper; cut out. Brush craft glue onto blank area of tree template. Roll template into a cone shape; let glue dry.

2. Using tree-bottom template as a guide, cut a piece of mat board to match. Using a straight-edge and a craft knife, score a line across mat board. Score the same line using a bone folder.

3. Cut 3 feet of silver embroidery floss; double up the strand. Brush glue onto scored line of mat board; center floss on top, and let dry. Glue tree-bottom template to mat board, sandwiching floss.

4. Coat a wooden spool with light-blue paint; let dry. Using a 1-inch craft punch, cut 5 circles from a sheet of silver card stock. Glue circles together in a stack. Glue 1 end of spool to tree bottom and other to silver stack.

5. Thread ends of floss through treetop, and knot as shown. Using a 1/2-inch craft punch, cut 2 circles from silver card stock; glue along edges, with floss in between, leaving enough space so circles can slide along floss.

6. Fill tree with candy. Gently pull floss taut until tree bottom fits snugly; slide circles down to secure top.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2150746/posts?page=1