A Very Fast Homemade Valentine's Card

Are you a procrastinator like me? There's nothing like last minute. Luckily, time crunches can inspire great ideas.

This Valentines Day card is very simple, requires minimal supplies, and above all else, is creative and handmade. The ultimate display of affection is assembling something with your own massive, callused, hairy hands.

All you will need is:

Heavy paper (Use what you have: card stock, a cereal box, a manilla folder, even construction paper will work in a pinch)
Newspapers, magazines, junk mail (Anything with lots of big letters printed on it)
Scissors
Glue
Markers

The assembly is quite simple:

First, fold the heavy paper in half to form a card.
Next, cut out letters from newspapers and such to make a message of your choice. Since the card has a ransom letter look to it, you may want to make your message pretty ransom-ey.
Cut out hearts from any kind of paper you'd like. I used a combination of construction paper and newspaper hearts on my card.
Glue the letters and hearts to the front of the card, and allow to dry.
On the inside of the card, you can glue a rectangle of newspaper or other paper and write your message on that. (I had originally planned on continuing the ransom letter look on the inside, but I got tired of cutting out letters, so chose to just write a message instead).

And you're done. I told you it was easy. :) Happy Valentine's Day!

Soapmakers: Why You Shouldn't Use Vinegar if You Come into Contact with Lye

It was one of the first things I learned when I began making my own soap; I read it in books and on the internet: "Always keep a jug of vinegar on hand when you are working with lye. Vinegar neutralizes lye." Soapers, have you heard this? Do you practice the habit of keeping vinegar nearby when you make your soaps? So did I, until recently, when I read an interesting post on a soap forum, and then decided to research the claim myself.

Homemade Drain Cleaner

To avoid clogging and bad odors, sink and tub drains should be periodically cleaned. A once a month cleaning with a non-toxic, homemade cleaner prevents needing a stronger, usually sodium hydroxide (lye) based, cleaner to remove clogs. Sodium hydroxide is extremely caustic, and will damage the lungs if inhaled, burn skin and eyes, and can be fatal if swallowed. In addition, the heat generated by using sodium hydroxide can soften PVC pipes, and damage old, corroded pipes. It also changes the pH of water and can cause fish kills. A much nicer alternative to this harsh chemical is the simple combination of baking soda and vinegar, followed with boiling water. When baking soda and vinegar are combined, they foam and expand, cleaning the sides of your pipes and dissolving fatty acids. The boiling water then washes it all away. This method is a great way to use up the box of baking soda in your frig that is not longer doing a good job of d...

Khachapuri: A Delicious Cheese and Egg Filled Bread

If you love the taste of freshly baked bread, cheese, and eggs, this recipe is for you! It is based on a dish called Khachapuri ( pronunciation here ), which comes from the beautiful country of Georgia, located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Asia. The name Khachapuri translates to "curd bread," owing to the heavenly combination of melted cheeses inside a soft, fluffy bread boat.

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