On a rainy predawn, an orange light comes through my window.  the glow of the colors warming my face as the rain drops sound fainter and fainter.  I look out my window and find a hint of an outline of an arc in the sky right over my neighbors home.…

In and around Ocala, Florida there are    many old vintage cars driving around. Once a year these cars are showcased to vintage car enthusiasts.   here is one great car 

This is part three of my stimulus idea for small town rural America to start a Travel USA campaign in the spirit of the “made in America series”.   Manufacturing jobs are slowly coming back to America but not fast enough and unfortunately not in all of the original products created…

Russian Hacker gangs have stolen more than 420 billion passwords from well known sites.  The internet has a growing threat of hackers from China and Russia that have government supporting these gangs into finding vulnerabilities in the US infrastructure and banking system. Americans have to find a method to protect their…

Science and technology have been politicized by the GOP conservatives whose anti-science stance is generated by fuel fossil lobbyists and companies that contribute to their political funds.  Ignoring climate change and science is not the way to deal with the changes happening in our World.   I was reading the Washington…

A few days ago I posted the first of a series of blog posts on how small towns should start a campaign to attract tourism to small town America to give our US economy a local boost.   If ABC could start the “Made in America” campaign which successfully has created…

Congress is failing the American public; the tea party conservatives have control over John Boehner who is one of the worst House leaders in the history of Congress.  When the leader allows a loud minority control his actions, by allowing what would be brought to the floor to vote.; it…

There are creative ways to save money by using items around the home intended for other uses and recycling them for a new purpose. Shower hooks could be hung on the closet clothing hanging rod to hang purses, scarves or belts.   The empty cardboard toilet paper holders can be reused…

The best way to clean your porch is to use a solution of warm water and a safe cleaner named Simple green on the concrete patio, leave the mixture on for 15 minutes scrub with a brush then rinse. Let the concrete dry naturally.  After power washing, the concrete should…

Things needed for project; one solid color toss pillow, silhoulette stencil, stencil tape, stencil brushes, and stencil fabric paint in different colors. Place the stencil on the center of the pillow and attach with tape to hold in place. Place stencil brush into paint and gently dab it on to…

The current laissez faire U.S. Capitalism system is not pure Capitalism; as Republicans would argue because regulations hurt free enterprise. I would argue that the current system of Capitalism, is not a true laissez faire system because of Corporate Welfare. Laissez Faire is the term known as a pure unregulated…

Walking around the park named Polly Palmer Park around  Palm Gardens, and the Heritage Garden apartments area. There is a beautiful trail and lake area with a fountain, it is very peaceful and a good place to feed the geese that walk up to the people.   There is a nice…

This plaza has had many of its store spaces vacant for a few years but since 2013 many businesses have began opening its doors here again. There is an antiques consignment store, a fitness center, a laundry mat, hobby store, Papa John’s Beall’s Outlet, Chinese restaurant, and many other businesses.…

A few years ago, I had stained an old table with mini wax stain in a mahogany red stain. There were a few years where the stain remained in very good condition as I kept it indoors. As I left it in the screened porch area, I noticed that the…

I was upset to discover that this really nice pink linen blouse I washed got messed up with two bleach stains from left over bleach residue from the washing machine. I had washed whites in the load before and some of the bleach residue remained in the washing machine when I washed some colored clothing afterwards.…

A scrap book journal is a creative combination of creating or making a scrapbook and a journal. I have been writing in a journal for over 10 years. I think its a great way to write about dreams, goals, documents events. I had created a scrapbook where I kept photos…

I was afraid to wash a vintage old crocheted purse that my mom owned. It is in very good condition, the issue with it is that I’ve noticed that the purse has yellowed with age and has turned brittle. I don’t want to damage the purse by washing it in harsh…

After years of this kumquat tree of not yielding many fruits; this year has been an exception with a strong number of kumquats growing left and right. The large number of kumquats falling on the driveway on the lawn; and now on the street being cleaned off daily is sort of a…

These bushes are flowering after being cut down and trimmed, didn’t know there were any hibiscus there until it was cut down. Roses are blooming despite the cold; overall Ocala weather has been warmer than most winters. Pretty in Pink Hibiscus.  www.savingshouse.blogspot.com Springs Here!    www.savingshouse.blogspot.com It’s a little before Spring…

Top Ten New Years Resolutions There are promises that people make to themselves to improve or achieve a goal every New Year known as a New Years resolution.  I have fallen into the 24% of who fail at their New Year resolution each year.  Regardless of how I try, the…

Some of the neighbors in Pine Run have really nice light displays. Beautiful home decked in lights Most decorated and lighted in Pine Run Very beautiful  Blue Christmas tree Color changing Christmas tree on water oh, the lights  Full Moon  I can see Jupiter from my house All lighted up…

Instead of braving the crowded Black Friday shopping events, I decided to get a jump on cyber shopping.  I came across beautiful eBay vintage Christmas ornaments shop.  This seller has some beautiful Christmas glass ornaments dating back to the 1940s WWII era.  If searching for vintage Christmas ornaments, you just have to…

var dc_AdLinkColor = ‘blue’ ; var dc_PublisherID = 232331 ; http://kona.kontera.com/javascript/lib/KonaLibInline.js I did not mean to be too dramatic with the title just attempting to find the right words. In other words, from what tree does this pine cone come from, when I first found it on the ground on…

How to find local grocery deals in Ocala The best method to find deals on groceries is to search online for local supermarkets that have websites for example like Publix, Winn Dixie, Walmart, Sav-a-Lot and Dollar General.  Search on Google search engine and type in the names of these super markets…

Refrigerator magnets from blind metal square weights I saw the potential to reuse these square metal blind weights when I removed some broken linen vertical blinds.   I used it to create a mini chalk board by adding chalk board paint, then on the other side attaching a vinyl magnetic refrigerator…

Photography of Yankee Stadium, Kingsbridge armory, and NYC photos from last visit I took some nice photos of the new Yankee Stadium at 161st street, the park across the street and the train stop where commuters come to catch a baseball game. The Kingsbridge armory is a large historical landmark…

How to make a no Sew pillow cover Making a no sew pillow cover to make an old worn out decorative 16 inch pillow look new is easy. To make a no sew pillow all that is needed is fabric, scissors, an Iron, heat bonding tape, and fabric adhesive, and…

Pavarotti’s Restaurant If you want to eat really good pizza go to Pavarotti’s, their pizzas are great. The pizza can be ordered and the staff is accommodating in placing toppings on sections of the pizza if requested. An example my friends ordered a large pizza, and we asked that the…

Save Money on Christmas decorating The best way to save money on outdoor Christmas decorating is to purchase Led solar lights to save on electricity bills. These solar lights are a bit more pricy but are well worth the savings long term, These lights can be used each year and…

Ways to save money by growing groceries Growing your own produce takes time, money and patience but is well worth it in money savings. In addition, knowing where your vegetables are grown and cultivated gives the consumer piece of mind on its safety standard during its growth process. Vegetables can…

There is always one house in the neighborhood that stands out from the rest, either by color choice or landscape or even home design. There is nothing wrong with homeowners making their homes stand out differently in the community, because it allows for individuality and creativity to be demonstrated within…

There are many ways to save on education by searching online and learning with free online courses.  These free online courses do not offer degrees or certification but they do teach the latest technology courses such as coding with different computer languages such as www.khanacademy.org .  Many courses offer free software…

Nice photos around the Pine run estates area, very beautiful 55+ Community located off highway 200 corridor.  This community is located about two blocks away from Top of The World and Friendship Center.

Don’t throw away thos e 2 liter soda bottles, if you have boots that are knee length or higher, use a pair of these bottles to insert inside the boots so that the leg part is upright and does not lose its shape. Now you have free boot shapers, and you have…

Love vintage old black and white photos so I collect them along with old postcards and old valentine cards.  Sharing them online with everyone. These are really nice quality photos, I wish I knew some of the locations that they were taken at I believe some were in Europe mainly…

When purchasing used bed linens, comforters, throw pillows, and clothing items, before using this home made detergent recipe read the label on the care instructions for the textiles purchased.  There may be some clothing or bed linens that could be damaged unless the care instructions are specific. Make a solution…

We are a long way from the days of keeping up with the Joneses. In this era of cutting down on waste and tightening our financial belts; Americans have adapted to recycling and up cycling. We don’t have to settle for second hand items that are poorly designed or unusable.…

Cut the computer mouse pads into small circles or squares that fit on the bottom of the tip of chair legs, add super glue and then add it to the bottom of the chair tip. This will allow the chairs to glide across wood or tile flooring without scratching the…

Charcoal briquettes used in small portable grills can be used to keep odors and moisture away in bathrooms, place the charcoal in a small out of the way corner and replace about every three months. The charcoal will soak up the moisture in the bathroom and help to minimize bathroom…

This year didn’t have much success in growing many eggplants or other veggies, only tomatoes were growing okay but some really small. Really hot weather in Ocala, past two weeks over 90 degrees.  My neighbor had better luck with his eggplants and he gave me some and I gave him…

This is a dilemma; on one hand you may have vintage appliances that still work well , but are outdated by energy efficiency standards. Although, these appliances are still working well after fifteen years; sometimes the cost of potential savings in energy costs might make the cost of replacing these…

Detergent bottles are great as watering cans because they have spouts and are durable enough for outside climate. Recycling and reusing emptied detergent bottles help to keep plastics out of the landfills.  Plastic bottles are not biodegradable and take space in landfills.  In addition it’s inexpensive  because these bottles can…

Use the parts of an old fan that no longer works and reuse to either repair or up cycle and create a new item. I reused the base stand part of the fan to use as a stand for a concrete stepping stone to place a plant or watering pots…

Some photos taken around the local Ocala Florida area near town and around High way 200 corridor. Strip mall along 441 in ocala social security building in Ocala Fl retro 60’s motel in town in Ocala Fl

Catnip grown in outdoor gardens is a great method to deter mosquitos and rodents. Although, its good for pests, it may attract every cat in your neighborhood, so maybe some moderation in planting catnip in your garden might be best, if you don’t want a cat festival in your garden.…

Vintage black and white photography is great to make collages, create scrap books, travel journals, refrigerator magnets, old buttons and photo jewelry.  Old one of a kind images are original finds and can be used in creative ways to make a new object.  Scan images into the computer and print out on glossy…

Vintage Statue of Liberty classic   Empire state building in NYC   Old church in Europe   Beautiful lake in Europe   seaside European coastal town   Statue in Germany   Amazing cliff    Amazing gates and pillars in Europe  

The vinyl on the chair became damaged and had to be changed. On a limited budget, I used what I had on hand; a vinyl white shower curtain. Using the seat as a template, I left about four inches on all four sides of the chair and cut around the…

I took some old cardboard small post office boxes and glued vintage 80’s NYC subway maps on all four sides of the boxes. I had cut the map in four pieces that were slightly larger to overlap the ends of the sides of the boxes, then I cut a fifth…

This metal computer part, I removed from a non-working Dell Desktop computer. I took the mother board and the CPU apart, resold some of the parts, kept the hard drives and some parts that I could reuse or reinvent in some other way. I found this small metal computer part…

A few years ago, my family and I purchased carpeting for two bedrooms, after the installation, there were two pieces of carpeting that were left over and they were cut in a 5x 7 size and the other in a 3 x 9 size. At the time I thought to…

Don’t get rid of old keys no longer in use; sew these keys into the bottom hem of curtains to give them weight.

After using the powder detergent of large card board boxes; clean it with a paper towel. Make sure there is no more powder inside boxes; cut the top part of the detergent box; then cut the sides of the box at the top side to the bottom third of the…

How to shape tortilla bowls without specialized formed bowls In the August edition of the shop Ocala paper there was a tip on how to make a tortilla four corner bowl without using a specialized bowl to make them. This method makes a four cornered tortilla,  instead of a six cornered…

A few years back in Ocala FL, the city commissioned local artists to create these beautiful artsy horse sculptures in and around the entire town.  Many of these horse statues are located around the town square and surrounding areas. Some buildings in Ocala which have these horse sculptures around them is Munroe Regional Hospital and the…

I was driving around Ocala Florida and was snapping photos of some parts of the town along Hwy 40.  Airport tower on airport road on sw 60th in Ocala FL

RC76SCN9VTTY    I love sharing postcards from my vintage postcard collection especially old Bronx postcards that date back to the 1900’s.  This postcard is about 1904 and what is so great about it, is that it shows the location where my family lived.  I know the location well and it’s interesting…

If the kitchen is small in size; like my kitchen, a standard size island won’t fit. I have two file cabinets I bought for 4.00; they were originally a rusted blue color.  I painted them black and used them as file cabinets in a Florida room area as storage. Since;…

“It matters not how a man dies, but how he lives”. Ben Johnson I have written about Pumice Stone before and how it has cleaned rust, lime, calcium stains from porcelain, tile, vinyl and ceramic.  I used the pumice stone on a pair of old rusted scissors that had been exposed…

“Just trust yourself and you will learn how to live” Goethe I save vintage Christmas cards, I get every year from friends and family and place them on walls, doors and tables to use as seasonal decoration during the holiday season.  The beautiful religious designed and famous art reproduction cards,…

“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm”. Emerson I purchased this hat box at a department store in NYC named century 21; in lower Manhattan years ago, I have kept it to keep letters, small computer accessories, and now fabric and sewing notions. Hat boxes are a decorative way to…

I had decoupaged this glass jar over 15 years ago and I have kept it because I made it as a q-tip holder.  I took an ordinary spaghetti glass jar washed it out and soaked it in dish washing liquid for three days to get food odor out of it.…