The updating of The Store. Be voyeuristic!

I do not know when last you have visited my on line store at http://www.bestforreading.com. Yesterday I have uploaded the latest hot fiction releases. Not only have I new books for sale in all the categories, but if you scroll down to my widgets pets and cooking, you will find either new pet products on sale or the latest kitchen appliances. 

Remember at http://www.bestforreading.com you can find anything under the sun. Click on the banners on the side or at the bottom of each page if you are looking for package deals, furniture or any special deals. The Store, http://www.bestforreading.com is affiliated to amazon. So, if you are not into books, go to the search bar and search to your hearts delight.

Have a look at the latest hot new releases! Critic by Amazon.

Tampa

by Alissa Nutting        

In Alissa Nutting’s novel Tampa, Celeste Price, a smouldering 26-year-old middle-school teacher in Florida, unrepentantly recounts her elaborate and sociopathically determined seduction of a 14-year-old student.

 

Celeste has chosen and lured the charmingly modest Jack Patrick into her web. Jack is enthralled and in awe of his eighth-grade teacher, and, most importantly, willing to accept Celeste’s terms for a secret relationship—car rides after dark, rendezvous at Jack’s house while his single father works the late shift, and body-slamming erotic encounters in Celeste’s empty classroom. In slaking her sexual thirst, Celeste Price is remorseless and deviously free of hesitation, a monstress of pure motivation. She deceives everyone, is close to no one, and cares little for anything but her pleasure.

Blood & Beauty: The Borgias; A Novel [Kindle Edition]

Sarah Dunant (Author)

Publication Date: July 16, 2013

The New York Times bestselling author of the acclaimed Italian Renaissance novels—The Birth of Venus, In the Company of the Courtesan, and Sacred Hearts—has an exceptional talent for breathing life into history. Now Sarah Dunant turns her discerning eye to one of the world’s most intriguing and infamous families—the Borgias—in an engrossing work of literary fiction.

 

By the end of the fifteenth century, the beauty and creativity of Italy is matched by its brutality and corruption, nowhere more than in Rome and inside the Church. When Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia buys his way into the papacy as Alexander VI, he is defined not just by his wealth or his passionate love for his illegitimate children, but by his blood: He is a Spanish Pope in a city run by Italians. If the Borgias are to triumph, this charismatic, consummate politician with a huge appetite for life, women, and power must use papacy and family—in particular, his eldest son, Cesare, and his daughter Lucrezia—in order to succeed.

 

Cesare, with a dazzlingly cold intelligence and an even colder soul, is his greatest—though increasingly unstable—weapon. Later immortalised in Machiavelli’s The Prince, he provides the energy and the muscle. Lucrezia, beloved by both men, is the prime dynastic tool. Twelve years old when the novel opens, hers is a journey through three marriages, and from childish innocence to painful experience, from pawn to political player.

 

Stripping away the myths around the Borgias, Blood & Beauty is a majestic novel that breathes life into this astonishing family and celebrates the raw power of history itself: compelling, complex and relentless.

Cuisinart CEK-40 Electric Knife

by Cuisinart

• High quality stainless steel blades
• Wood block storage tray
• Includes bread blade, carving blade and butcher block holding tray
• Ergonomic handle
• 120 Volt Motor
• Works on a 220 Volt in Australia If a converter and an adaptor are used with it.

It's All Good: Delicious, Easy Recipes That Will Make You Look Good and Feel Great

by Gwyneth Paltrow (Author)

Gwyneth Paltrow, Academy-Award winning actress and bestselling cookbook author, returns with recipes for the foods she eats when she wants to lose weight, look good, and feel more energetic.

Last spring, after a particularly gruelling schedule and lapse of overindulgence, Gwyneth Paltrow was feeling fatigued and faint. A visit to her doctor revealed that she was anemic, vitamin D deficient, and that her stress levels were sky high. He prescribed an elimination diet to clear out her system and help her body heal. But this meant no coffee, no alcohol, no dairy, no eggs, no sugar, no shellfish, no deep-water fish, no wheat, no meat, no soy, nothing processed at all! 

An avid foodie, Paltrow was concerned that so many restrictions would make mealtime boring, so, together with Julia Turshen, she compiled a collection of 185 delicious, easy recipes that followed her doctor's guidelines. And it worked! After changing her diet, Paltrow healed totally, felt more energetic and looked great. Now, in IT'S ALL GOOD, she shares the go-to dishes that have become the baseline for the restorative diet she turns to whenever she feels she needs it. Recipes include: Huevos Rancheros, Hummus Tartine with Scallion-Mint Pesto, Salmon Burgers with Pickled Ginger, even Power Brownies, Banana "Ice Cream," and more!

Pet Naturals Hairball

by Pet Naturals

Supports skin and hair health Is NOT a Laxative and Lubricant Contains no mineral oil Contains no herbals Contains Psyllium These are just a few of the items available in The Store at http://www.bestforreading.com. There are thousands of items for sale. Have look!

Reading matter and a visit to the "Place of the Cheetahs!"

At presently I am reading four books. Okay, one I am about to start! It just happened that way. I went away on holiday and bought a book at the airport. The aim was to read this on the airplane. This book is called: "The Richest Man in Babylon" by George S. Clason. This is the classic story about desires and the key to fulfill these desires. Basically it teaches you the everyday secrets of how to make money but most importantly, it teaches you the secrets how to keep this money and how to make more. It is the basic principles you and I know although we do not apply it. 

The second book I am reading I have mentioned before in one of my blocks. This is the book: "1001 Days that shaped the world". For more information on this book visit www.1001beforeyoudie.com. 

The third book is a book a friend gave me to read. This book is kept in the cubbyhole of my car and whenever I have a spare minute when waiting for someone, I take out: "Life after death" by Neville Randall. It makes interesting reading. I am sure we all have this age old question of what happens to us after we die. This is irrespective of your beliefs. This is an easy reading book and I must admit fairly reassuring. I think what makes it reassuring as well is the fact that we will be surrounded by our pets. On this basis alone it is worth it to read this book.

At this stage I think you are all wondering where on earth did I go to on holiday? Well, I did not go to any exotic destination. I went for a few days to Bloemfontein, the capitol the province of Free State,  one of the nine provinces of the Republic of South Africa. http://www.southafrica.info/about/geography/provinces.htm.

To be more exact about this province, read more at this link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_State_(province) 

I enjoy going to Bloemfontein. The pace there is much more relaxed. Bloemfontein I regard as a very large town and a small city. The City of Mangaung (Place of the Cheetahs)   

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangaung_Metropolitan_Municipality 

The City of Roses it is known by as well. The entrance to Bloemfontein along the Nelson Mandela Drive.   

One of my favourite places to go to on a Saturday morning is the farmer's market held every Saturday morning in Langenhoven Park.

Many think Bloemfontein is just another city in South Africa. Little is known that this the birth place of the African National Congress as well as the Nationalist Party of the Apartheid regime.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_African_National_Congress (1912)

and

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Party_(South_Africa) (1915)

The airport of Bloemfontein is small in comparison to other airports of cities. It is named after a very prominent Afrikaner, Bram Fischer, who fought apartheid and who was a communist.

Earlier in my blog I have mentioned four books. Well, the fourth book is the Afrikaans version of  "Commando - of Horses and Men" by Denyes Reitz. This is a journal of the Anglo-Boer War and the consequences of this war. www.cederbergpublishers.co.za

I have previously written about the Anglo-Boer War and its terrible legacy to the Afrikaner nation and concentration camps where thousands of woman and children died. These woman and children where placed in these camps following the Scorched Earth Policy of the British soldiers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorched_earth 

Hunger

Woman and Children waiting for  rations.

Therefore I think it is apt that the Memorial for Woman and Children who died in this war was built in this city. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Women%27s_Monument 
http://www.travelground.com/attractions/national-womens-memorial-and-war-museum

For more books and any other reading matter remember to visit http://www.bestforreading.com 

      

 

    

                 

My dog is a Canis Africanis- A dog from Africa!

I am an animal lover and if you have a look at my on line store at http://www.bestforreading.com, you will notice that, especially if you take a tour through my pet section.. In my store at http://www.bestforreading.com I have amazing pet products as well besides books. Have a look at this wonderful bed.

K&H Lounge Sleeper Self-Warming Pet Bed, 16-Inch by 20-Inch

by K&H Manufacturing 

4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (185 customer reviews)

---

List Price: $41.95 Price: $24.99 & FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details You Save: $16.96 (40%) In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available. Want it Tuesday, June 11? Order within 16 hrs 17 mins and choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details Colour: Mocha/Green Self-warming material radiates heat back to your pet Non-slip bottom for stability Warmth with no electricity needed Fill made from recycled plastic bottles Easy wash and care 29 new from $24.16  I have to tell you about my dog. If people ask what type of dog it is, then I just answer them it is a big brown loyal dog. My dog is actually a Canis Africanis, or "dog from Africa". Sometimes the concept is too long to describe to people. All that I know is that my dog is a loyal, friendly and happy dog. Intelligence is high on the list as well. He grasp any thing very quick. I have never had to discipline him. He just knows what is wrong and what is right.  This my Canis Africanis as a puppy about three months old.  The stick gatherer. At least three sticks in his mouth!  I am very, very inquisitive!  In his prime, about two years old! I believe that I did not chose him, he chose me. He was a small puppy and vagrants found him under  a bush. They could  not look after him and ask my nephew to take him. When he arrived at my house he   collapsed as he was so tired. I rushed off to the shop to buy food and when I though what he can called, the name "Roger" popped up and that became his name.       He loves his toys, especially his Frisbee as this photo shows: A fast runner. Even I struggled to keep up with him!                                                                   https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150498009236337&set=vb.609056336&type=3  What brought me to my dog Roger? Well, as mentioned before I told you that he is a Canis Africanis. A very old breed that was naturally selected and not specially bred like most Western dogs. Read this link; http://www.southafrica.info/features/africanis.htm  and http://www.africanis.co.za/ Below are a few examples of this type of dogs. Roger's feed is different as he is fed on a top brand dog food, unlike the dogs on the photos below. They get fed on scraps and whatever food is available from the table.          I believe that you have enjoyed this insight on a very old breed of dog that is from Africa. Some believe that the lineage of these dogs comes from North Africa about 5000 years ago and "migrated" south through the ages.  For you need on products for your pets and many books to chose from, remember to visit my website. Go to http://www.bestforreading.com My recipe of the week in once again a very traditional Afrikaans recipe. Sweet Potatoes (the yellow type) 1 kg sweet potatoes Salt 90 g butter (100 ml) 200 g yellow sugar (250 ml) 25 ml honey (optional) dried tangerine (naartjie) peel or orange peel cinnamon sticks or whole ginger 1. Wash, peel and slice sweet potatoes in salted water. 2. Place sweet potatoes in heavy-bottom saucepan 3. Add butter, sugar, honey, tangerine peel, cinnamon or ginger  4. 200 ml or more water 5. Cook until water has disappeared. 6. Shake the saucepan instead of stirring the ingredients to prevent the sweet potatoes from breaking. 7. Increase heat and fry to golden caramel colour. 8. Remove tangerine (naartjie) peel and cinnamon and ginger before serving. Enjoy with a hearty meal and for more ideas visit http://www/bestforreading.com. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Cold weather, a book, a glass of red wine and wine soup!

It is winter in the southern hemisphere. The cold has suddenly arrived after a fairly balmy autumn. The Cape Town region has been living up to its old historic name; The Cape of Storms. Have a look at one of my previous posts. Since Saturday we have been blasted with heavy rains, strong winds and hail. These pictures where taken on Sunday afternoon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MLV0BQEOPUc   

Photos by Passionate about Cape Town:

It is reckoned to be one of the coldest cold fronts in many years. On Sunday the temperature dropped to 12 deg Celsius. Now to my readers from other continents and even in certain areas of South Africa this might not be very cold, but we here in Cape Town usually have a mild winter not only due to the influence of the sea, but this area has a Mediterranean climate. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_climate . The Western Cape is only just visible as an Mediterranean climate. Read the following link as well  

lhttp://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/climate.html   

When it so cold, what better thing is there to do to curl up with a book either in front of the fire place or  under the duvet in bed. Obviously a glass of red wine will accompany you just for that extra bit of heat. For that reason you must visit http://www.bestforreading.com to purchase on line the latest releases and the best selling books. For good wines it is worth your while to investigate some of the wines from South Africa. In other countries South African wines are available at your local outlet. When I travelled in Beijing, I even managed to buy a good bottle of South African wine there. http://www.wine-sa.com/red-wine/. You can make your way to http://www.voilacapetown.com/types-of-red-wine.html

         

While you are reading and enjoying your red wine, it is time to cook a pot of thick traditional South African soup. 

Believe it or not, but wine soup is a very traditional soup. This recipe comes from Hetta van Deventer-Terblanche.

You will need:

1 litre milk

a pinch of nutmeg

2 pieces of naartjie peel (mandarin-orange)

50 ml sugar

5 ml butter

3 cups sweet wine (muskadel)

a pinch of anise seed

5 ml ginger, cleaned and chopped finely

Place milk, nutmeg, naartjie peel, and butter in a pan and heat up to boiling point over low heat. Place sweet wine, anise seed, and ginger in a separate pan and bring to boil. Add this to the milk and throw it through a sieve. Dish up in soup bowl and grate more nutmeg over it.

And remember to visit http//www.bestforreading.com for any type of on line purchases. In certain countries you will receive free delivery.    

  

 

I heard a little voice and a teddy bear spoke to me!

There I did it again. I usually blog on a Monday but yesterday was as if I did not catch sides and when I opened my eyes it was Tuesday. If you have not lately been visiting my online store at http://www.bestforreading.com, do yourself a favour. I am busy updating my site with the latest hot new releases as well as the best sellers for 2013! Remember; http://www.bestforreading.com is the on line shop to be. I have wonderful hot new releases in children's books as well. One of the books I am selling in my online store http//www.bestforreading.com is a kindle edition; "Whatever after #3: Sink or swim" by Sarah Mlynoski foe only $10.09. You get about $4 discount on my site!

The other day I suddenly remembered the time when I moved into my house and when a teddy bear started speaking to me. Yes, this is the truth and I could not care if people believe me or not. I have moved into my house a few years ago. Next to my house is a very funny set-up with the roads. In the middle is an island with vegetation. One of the bushes is a conifer spruce of some kind.

A while after I have moved in, I decided to see what is growing in this garden. As I walked pass the corner of the island I saw a teddy bear lying under the spruce. This teddy bear was dirty and full of slime. The slime obviously was from snails and slugs.    

I have walked pass this poor teddy bear a few times and every time my eye caught the sight of this teddy bear lying underneath the bush. I totally ignored it just for the simple reason that it really was dirty and full of slime. However, one day, as I was walking pass the teddy bear again, I heard a little voice saying: "Please save me". I really felt like an idiot and thought no, it is impossible. A toy cannot speak. I heard this little voice again. The strange thing is that it was not a voice per say. More like a voice speaking in my head. I decided to listen to this voice and rescued the teddy bear.

     

Under this conifer is the exact spot where I have found this teddy bear. I picked this dirty, slimy teddy bear up between two fingers and carried it to a council bin in my yard which is standing next to my house and placed the dirty teddy bear in the bin. 

The teddy bear has been lying in this bin for a few months and I did not take much notice of it. Then, lo and behold. I was working in my garden and walked passed the bin. Again I heard this little voice: "Please wash me". Imagine this! I ignored the voice and a day or two later when I walked passed the bin again, I heard the same voice asking me to wash him. I realised that there is only one thing that could be talking to me and that is the teddy bear. I took the teddy bear and threw him in the washing machine. I do not think the teddy bear minded at all being washed in the washing machine as I did not hear another little voice. Teddy bear came out of the washing machine brand spanking new although his one seems a bit "weaker" than the other one. Look closely, the right arm appears to be floppy. . 

    

Teddy, as he is now known,  has since been living in my bedroom. Yes, I am an adult and should not believe in these things. Who cares? I still maintain to this day that I have heard this voice on two occasions. Since teddy has been living in my room, I have never heard another voice. He must be happy and I refuse to let any child play with Teddy.     

I presume it is time to giver a few interesting facts about South Africa again. 

The largest defeat of British Troops in all the colonial warfare outside of Europe was  in 1879 at Isandlwana, situated in the present day Kwazulu-Natal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isandlwana

South Africa has 11 official languages. All have equal status in front of the law. In the indigenous languages spoken in South Africa, besides Afrikaans, the word "stranger" does not exist. Many South Africans believe in ubuntu. Basically it means; "I am because of you". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_(philosophy).

Appeltizer was created by an South African. Due its to its later popularity, Coca Cola bought a  50% stake in it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appletiser

A South African product, Pratley Putty has been to the moon. It was used to hold together parts of the Apollo X1's landing mission in 1969. http://www.pratley.com/

"It feels like God visits everywhere else but lives in Africa" - Actor Will Smith on his first visit to South Africa.

My recipe for this week is very easy to make and delicious!

Grated cucumber salad

1 cucumber

1 t sugar (5 ml )

30 ml boiled water ( 2 dessert spoons)

2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) salt

1.25 ml (1/4 teaspoon) fine black pepper

80 ml ( 1/4 cup) white grape vinegar

Peel cucumber and grate with a coarse grater. Dissolve the sugar in the warm water, add the salt and stir in the vinegar. Mix well. Pour over cucumber. Enjoy with any stew or barbecue!  

      

     

 Remember; http://www.bestforreading.com is the place to shop at!

  

         

No common in Rondebosch Common - a place of beauty and 50 amazing tips!

My shop: http://www.bestforreading.com. I am busy updating my on line shop and have completed the history and fiction sections. If you are looking for the latest bestsellers or children's books, remember to visit 

http://www.bestforreading.com.

I am at present reading a very interesting book called "1001 Days that shaped the world" by Peter Furtado as general editor and the preface was done by Michael Wood. The book was published by Quintessence with ISBN-13: 978-84403-739-1, QSS.DSW3. If you are interested in history and what shaped our world, then this is the book for you. It starts with the Big Bang  and with death of Kim Jong 11 of North Korea. Just goes to show how updated the book is.

What makes this book great reading as well is that it is not a heavy historical relay of the 1001 most important days in our history. Each important happening is either described on one page or two happenings are described on one page. This makes it quick reading. the book is illustrated with either documents, drawings or in modern history, photos. This is a gripping book which I thoroughly enjoy reading.    

For the past few days we have had such Indian summers here in Cape Town with beautiful sunny days. On Sunday morning I took a walk on Rondebosch Common and experienced the beauty of the Common and Cape Town in all its glory.

The Rondebosch Common is an open  piece of land of about 40 hectares in a densely built-up area with as both historical and fynbos conservation area. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rondebosch_Common. 

http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/parks/Pages/RondeboschCommon.aspx    

Have a look at these photos I have taken on Sunday!

It is official! The notice displaying that it is a conservation area in English, Isixhosa and Afrikaans! 

During 2012 there was an attempt to occupy the vacant land. The Common was renamed to the language of the First People.  http://www.sahistory.org.za/people-south-africa/san 

The Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital. The only children's hospital south of the Sahara! This was taken  across the common. http://www.westerncape.gov.za/your_gov/5981

Recreation area for dogs and their two legged friends

Property of the City of Cape town. Displayed in three languages!

Beware of the mole and other snakes. By this I mean do not disturb the snakes.  Mole snakes are  basically harmless and catches vermin. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_snake. http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/reptiles/squamata/serpentes/colubridae/crotaphopeltis_hotamboeia.htm.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora_house_snake

Protected flowers

At one stage this was a golf track 

Interesting facts

Across the field from the Children's Hospital

A National monument! Busy with restoration work! 

New pathways

The size of the field. 40 hectares!

Devil's peak and the magnificent University of Cape Town against  its slopes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Cape_Town

A very famous hospital in the back ground. Here the first heart transplant in the world was executed IN 1967.
http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/12/dayintech_1203
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groote_Schuur_Hospital

In the direction of Wynberg Hill and the southern suburbs.

UCT with the round flats, previously known as Drie Koppen in the fore ground. Aptly named after a gruesome murder.
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/SOUTH-AFRICA-CAPE-TOWN/2004-07/1090678999

In spring this is a beauty to behold. 

Beautiful Table Mountain from the back. One of the seven natural wonders of the world!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_Mountain

I hope you have enjoyed reading about this interesting little gem in the middle of the suburbs as much as I do enjoy walking there.

Visit http://www.bestforreading.com for more interesting books, travel packages and whatever you are looking for. I sell thousands of books in my on line bookstore. Have fun visiting http://www.bestforreading.com!  
A few house hold tips!
50 AMAZING TIPS!!!!

Most people are watching their dollars and working off a budget to make ends meet. Many are also now looking for natural alternatives to live a more wholesome and chemical free life. Following are a few ways in which you can have both of the above. These uses are becoming more prevalent and are easy to do it yourself. So, here are great easy uses for common household items to make your life more chemical free and your wallet a little fatter.

SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/gettingskinnywithcourtney/ FOR MORE AWESOME TIPS!


1) Toothpaste: Buff a CD/DVD
Apply toothpaste to a cotton ball and wipe the disc. Wash with water afterwards and you’ve got a brand new disc!

2) Cornstarch: Untangle Knots
Sprinkling cornstarch into tough knots, such as shoe laces helps loosen them.

3) Walnut: Buff Dings out of Wood Furniture
Get rid of unsightly scratches and dings on wood furniture by rubbing a walnut on the areas. The blemishes will vanish quickly and your furniture and pocket book will be saved.

4) Club Soda: Make Your Breads Fluffier
When baking, where recipes call for water, add club soda instead to make pancakes, waffles and any other breads fluffier.

5) Salt: Keep Windows Frost Free
Pour a cup of salt into a liter of water. Sponge the liquid onto the inside of window to prevent frost from forming during the winter months.

6) Rubbing Alcohol: Remove Permanent Marker
Dab the surface that has the permanent marker on it with a cloth or cotton ball covered in rubbing alcohol to make it disappear quickly.

7) Chap stick: Stops Bleeding When Nicked Shaving
Cut yourself shaving? Just swipe some chap stick over the cut to stop that constant bleeding. No more tissue squares!

8) Apple Juice: Removes Dandruff
Don’t ask how it works, but it does! Instead of buying a special shampoo, just wash your hair in apple juice to rid your scalp of pesky dandruff.

9) Aspirin: Get Rid of Armpit Stains on T-Shirts
Grind up an aspirin tablet or two, then make a paste out of it using water, lemon or vinegar. Spread the paste on the stained area and let sit for an hour before washing.

10) Olive Oil: Make Pets’ Coat Shinier
Add a bit of olive oil to your pet’s food to give them a healthier, shinier coat of fur.

11) Newspapers: Clean Windows and Mirrors
Instead of using a spray and a streaky cloth, use only newspaper to clean off your mirrors and windows for a streak-free finish.

12) Baking Soda: Remove Bugs from Windshield
Mix baking soda with warm water to make a paste. Spread the paste over your windshield for fifteen minutes. Then wipe or spray off with a hose.

13) Bleach: Extend Life of Flowers in Vase
Add a few drops of bleach to vase water to prevent the build-up of the slime caused by bacteria. It works just like chlorine in a swimming pool.

14) Kitchen Dish Soap: Flea-Killing Dog Shampoo
Kitchen dish soap (not dish detergent) can double as dog shampoo for its flea killing abilities.

15) Coke: Remove Blood Stains from Clothing
Soak the stain in coke until the stain is dissolved, then wash the clothing as usual. Wash before the coke dries, though.

16) Honey: Remove Blemish Overnight
Have a blemish you need to get rid of by tomorrow? Put a dab of honey on the blemish and cover it up (it’s best to use a Band-Aid) and the honey’s natural antibacterial properties will clean out the bacteria by the morning.

17) Wax Paper: Clean Can Opener Gears
Run a few small strips of wax paper through the can opener to clean out of the bits and pieces that have built up in the gears throughout the year. The wax will also rub off on the gears to protect for future use as well.

18) WD-40: Remove Crayons from Walls
Use the lubricant and a cloth to remove stubborn crayon marks from the walls just by spraying the wall and wiping with a cloth.

19) Chalk: Keep Ants and Slugs Out of the House
Ants and Slugs Won’t Touch Chalk. So, simply draw a line in front of your doorway where you are having problems with these pesky critters and they won’t cross it, meaning they won’t be able to get into your house.

20) Vinegar: Kills Weeds and Helps Flowers Grow
Vinegar is a magic wonder when it comes to gardening. It not only kills weeds but they help flowers grow as well. Douse vinegar all around your garden to prevent weeds from popping up and to help your flowers to grow healthy and strong.

21) Mayonnaise: Remove Bumper Sticker
Spread mayonnaise on the bumper sticker and let sit for at least thirty minutes. Then, rub the sticker off with a towel, leaving a clean bumper!

22) Tin Foil Ball: Replace Dryer Sheets Permanently
Instead of using a dryer sheet ball up one or a few sheets of tin foil and toss it in the dryer. It removes the static electricity from your clothes and one can last up to a year.

23) Banana Peel: Polish Leather Shoes
Use the inside of a banana peel to give shoes a professional and natural shine that will last for quite some time.

24) Mouthwash: Cure Athlete’s Foot
Pour mouthwash on cotton balls and then swab your feet. The alcohol will disinfect the bacteria completely if you continue this for a week or so.

25) Baking Soda: Clean BBQ Grill
Mix a cup of baking soda with half a cup water to make a paste. Dip your brush into the paste and scrub the grill. The caked on pieces and black residue will come off much quicker and using baking soda is much safer and cheaper than using cleaning chemicals.

26) Coffee Grounds: Fertilizer
Coffee is full of nutrients and vitamins that are very beneficial to soil. That’s why some people include it in compost piles. If you want to get the most out of your coffee, pour the grounds on areas where you want more grass or flowers.

27) Olive Oil: Shaving Cream
The smoothness of the oil can replace the need for shaving cream, and it also provides great moisture.

28) Dryer Sheets: Gets Rid of Static Electricity
Use dryer sheets to remove static electricity from things such as clothing, TV screens or your own hair. Tame fly away strands by running a dryer sheet over them.

29) Freezer: Freeze Candles to Make Them Last Longer
Put candles in the freezer for at least 2 hours before using. Once you burn them, the wax will melt at a much slower pace, making them last much longer!

30) Two glasses of water: Cure Headache
Water is the cure to most common headaches. To make the headache go away quickly, drink two cups of water very quickly.

31) Lemons: Deodorize Garbage Disposal
Toss whole slices of lemon into the garbage disposal then run it. The acidity of the lemon will rid your sink of all odors and leave a fresh scent that usually lasts for a few months.

32) Alka Seltzer: Remove Burnt-On Grease and Food Stains
When letting your pots and pans soak, throw in one or two Alka Seltzer tablets and the caked on residue from cooking will come off easily when you scrub/wash.

33) Apple Cider Vinegar: Relieve Diarrhea
Mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into eight ounces of water to soothe your stomach. The taste may not be the greatest, but the antibacterial properties of the vinegar will end the unpleasantness of the bowel problems.

34) Toothpaste: Remove Scratches from Glass
Apply toothpaste to scratch, then rub with a cloth until the scratch is gone. Make sure the glass is clean beforehand.

35) Cheerios: Relieve Pain from Poison Ivy, Chickenpox and Sunburns
Pound one to four cups of Cheerios into a powder and add to your bath to soothe your skin while you soak. You may not feel relief while in the tub, but you will soon after.

36) Buttons: Sort Earrings
Organize your earrings and prevent them from becoming entangled by using spare buttons as holders for each pair.

37) Corn Oil: Prevent Hairballs for Pets
Add a few drops of corn oil to your pets’ food to prevent hairballs from forming. The thick oil helps the fur pass through the animal’s system much quicker and easily.

38) Whipped Cream: Remove Gum from Hair
There are many remedies for removing gum from hair, but this is a lesser known one. Give it a try rather than peanut butter the next time you’re in need.

39) Coke: Remove Oil Stains from the Driveway
Oil stains are very difficult to remove pavement, but one method guaranteed to work is Coke. The highly acidic drink will eat away at the oil until clean.

40) Brown Sugar: Facial Scrub
A scrub is good to do about once a month to remove dead skin and bacteria built up in pores and remove excess oil from the skin. Brown sugar does just as well as expensive products and will definitely result in a clearer and smoother complexion.

41) Dryer Sheet: Lint Brush
You already know that dryer sheets remove lint in the dryer. Well, it can do the same thing out of the dryer, too. When you’re in a fix, use a dryer sheet. It works just as well as a lint brush, and if you like the scent, it’s an added bonus.

42) Newspaper: Deodorize food containers and Food Drawers in the Refrigerator
For that stinky Tupperware or smelly refrigerator drawer that is too much to deal with, toss in a sheet of newspaper overnight before you deal with it. The paper will absorb the smell greatly reducing it or eliminating it completely.

43) Olive Oil: Unstick a Zipper
The oil will help the zipper slide more easily, fixing the problem!

44) Salt: Cool Something Quickly
You know that feeling when you’re having a BBQ and someone asks for a drink and you realize that no one has put them in the cooler? There’s nothing worse than a warm drink on a hot day. Chill a drink quickly, by adding salt and water to your ice. The drinks will be cold in a matter of minutes; saving your party and making you look smart all at once.

45) Scotch Tape: Prevent Wall from Chipping When Nailing
The wall can leave unsightly chips when hammering in a nail. Prevent this by simply placing a piece of scotch tape over the area you’re going to nail. The wall will be held tighter, preventing chips from occurring.

46) Alka Seltzer: Soothe Insect Bites
Dissolve two tablets into a glass of water. Then use a cloth or cotton ball to apply it to the affected area. The red will go down and most importantly, the itchiness will vanish usually in fifteen minutes.

47) Lemon: Whitens Whites
Add about half a cup of lemon juice to your load of whites to makes them extra white. You can use lemon juice with bleach or detergent, so don’t worry about mixing chemicals with the acidic lemon.

48) Banana Peel: Whiten Teeth
This may sound a little odd, but rub the inside of a banana peel on your teeth twice a day for two weeks and you will receive the same effect from a teeth-whitening kit. Plus, you’ll save yourself money and the hassle of using chemicals.

49) Hair Dryer: Free Photos Stuck on Pages
If you have a photo stuck on a page that you can’t get free, try using a blow dryer on the back of the page. It will loosen the photo from the page and the adhesive holding it there.

50) Banana Peel: Heal Most Skin Problems
Bananas are the magical fruit, because they heal many common problems on the skin. By rubbing the peel on your skin, you can heal bruises and cuts and eliminate rashes, itching and warts. Basically if you have a common skin problem, it can be cured by this fruit.

I hope you can put some or all of these to good use to save money and make your home a safer environment. There are tons more DIY uses for common household items like these. make sure to share the info with your friends! ♥>>> https://www.facebook.com/groups/gettingskinnywithcourtney/