Turning Nature Into Art
Flower Imprints
Items Needed:
1) Flowers — a variety of colors
2) Cotton fabric (an old tee-shirt is perfect)
3) Wooden board or hard surface
4) Hammer (parental supervision is required)
5) Plastic bag — large
Take an old cotton tee-shirt that has been cut into a square or circle and place it on a wooden board or hard surface. Secure the fabric in place with thumbtacks or by placing books or a heavy object around the edges. Next, arrange flowers or flower petals in a design on top of the material. Cover the flower design with a clear plastic bag. Take the hammer and pound the flowers. After the flower has been flattened, remove the flower remnants to reveal a beautifully colored design. Experiment with different color patterns and a variety of flowers. Place the fabric in a frame and enjoy the beautiful colors and designs you have created.
Car Quandary
Q: I have a question about my car. I recently had my brakes and shocks fixed and have been keeping up with regular car maintenance and repair. Now my mechanic says my engine is going. The thought of buying a new car is agonizing. Everything seems to be in working order. Is there a solution?
A: Yes, there is hope. According to the Car Care Council, "You may look into upgrading the engine and not getting rid of the car. You should speak to a competent mechanic about getting a remanufactured engine, one that has a full year's warranty. A remanufactured engine should perform like new for tens of thousands of miles." For more information about remanufactured engines, write Car Care Council, Dept. PK97-NEP, One Grande Lake Drive, Port Clinton, OH 43452.
Exercise for Osteoporosis
Can exercises during the teen years prevent osteoporosis later in life?
The answer appears to be "yes", according to the Pediatrics for Parents newsletter. While there is considerable talk about calcium supplements, perhaps we should focus more on exercise, especially with adolescents.
Pediatrics for Parents quotes the journal Family Practice News: "Bone mineral density reaches its maximum at around age twenty. If teens want to lessen their chances of osteoporosis many decades later, increasing their exercise will help.
"Teens who exercised two hours a day, five days, for five weeks had increased bone formation compared to a similar group of teenage boys who didn't exercise regularly. The exercise was only moderate, and none of the study subjects dropped out of the program because it was too tough."
Eco-Conscious — We Can Make a Difference
In 1981, the average household received 59 mail-order catalogues; by 1991, the number had increased 140%, to 142.
Did you know that by calling the 800 numbers found in catalogs and canceling the mail-order catalogs you don't want, you will reduce your trash by 3.5 pounds per year. (If everybody did this, the stack of canceled catalogs would be 2,000 miles high!)
Summer Evening Play For Kids
Fun-Mask Flashlights
Items Needed:
1) Brown or white paper lunch bags
2) Working flashlight
3) Scissors
4) Rubber bands or baggie ties
5) Construction paper (not required for project)
1) Place paper bag on a table (the folded part should be facing down so you have a flat drawing area on the bag).
2) Draw a face on the bag. You can draw boys, girls, animals, or clowns. Now take the scissors and cut out the eyes, nose, and mouth. You can use the construction paper to add ears, whiskers, hair bows, or a yarmulka.
3) Open the bag with the cut-out face towards you. Place the flashlight into the bag. Tie the bottom with a rubber band or baggie to secure the flashlight in place. The light from the flashlight will shine through the eyes, nose, and mouth. You now have a glowing/shining face that is fun to play with on those warm summer evenings.
This activity will entertain kids for hours. Children can take a night walk outdoors, tell stories, or make a shiny- face play!
Note: Make sure your child turns off the flashlight before going to sleep.
The Right Words
Ever feel like you know what you want to say in a letter but can't quite put it into words?
Ever feel confused as to what is the appropriate way to write a sympathy card? Ever want to write a complaint letter about a product or person but feel unsure about the most effective way to say it?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then How to Say It is the perfect book for you. How to Say It is self-described as a "versatile and easy-to-use guide that helps you compose well-written, effective letters in minutes for virtually every business and personal situation." The book is categorized by topic, forty in all, and is reproducible. There are also three appendixes, with tips on letter format and construction, attitude, proper tone, and grammar.
This book is great for personal use or as a graduation present for someone just entering the business world.
To order How to Say It, call 800-223-2336.
Summer Stings
Q: I've heard that meat tenderizer can be helpful with bug bites. Is this true? Should I keep a bottle of meat tenderizer with me at family outings?
A: It is true that a thick paste made from meat tenderizer and water may help greatly to calm the itch and help after an insect sting or bite has occurred. In The Doctor's Book of Home Remedies, published by Prevention, Dr. David Golden writes, "An enzyme-based meat tenderizer breaks down the proteins that make up insect venom. You have to use it right away for it to be effective!" And in the book New Choices in Natural Healing, Dr. Elson Haas explains, "A compress made from meat tenderizer breaks down the venom and can take the sting out of bites and stings. That's because most insect bites and stings, as well as jellyfish stings, are protein-based, and meat tenderizer breaks down protein. Be sure the tenderizer contains either papain or bronelain, the active protein-busting ingredients."