Sooner or later, you will find almost everything for sale even in the most unlikely places. Recently, Markdown Mom found this pair “lion” around next to a local ramp off an interstate bridge. These are the cats meow if you have a large estate or are renovating a library. Marble and impressive, they could add to your pride and joy.

The owner of this pair obviously was thinking out of the box or cage by placing this impressive duo next to a high traffic area. It’s quite apparent that exposure is key to this sale since potential buyers are limited by the size of this statuary.

Location, location, location is important to any sale and this location certainly gave MDM “paws.”

"School days, school days, good ole golden rules days."  Well, more than reading, writing, and arithmetic these days for the DIYer, the schools have abundant opportunities to widen your world and to enjoy the finer things of life.  You can learn to be a gourmet chef, a jeweler, or learn to dance with the stars.  Community Education is the best bargain around since it is low cost, and ultimately adds to the knowledge, experience, or lifestyle of the recipient.

Recently Markdown Mom attended a cooking class on making pita bread at her local middle school.  This was a great class that not only had us make our own pan pita bread, but included making hummus, cucumber dip, roasted creamy eggplant dip, at the same time providing information on nutrition and the benefits of eating healthier. Our instructors were Ilone Hamilton and Jeanie Pekkala. 

Breaking up in groups of 4, they  took us step-by-step through the process of making pita bread using a caste iron frying pan. 

From scratch, the yeast was prepared, the dough was mixed, allowed to rise, kneaded, rolled into a ball, divided into 8 equal pieces, allow to rise, rolled into a 6" circle, and placed into an ungreased pan to fry/bake.  That was the exciting period when the pita bread would actually rise and form bubbles in the pan. 

During the breaks when the dough was rising, Ilone and Jeannie would instruct us on the delicious fillings for the pita bread.

At the end of which we were able to sit back and break bread with the other students.  We not only enjoyed the feast that we had prepared that night, but felt empowered to continue our culinary exploration with other classes.

Classes through your local community schools or continuing education programs offer an opportunity to explore your talents, pursue your interest, and enlarge your world while providing an opportunity to meet other members of your community. 

The costs are nominal, the pita class was $5 registration fee + supplies.  Other costs follow a similar fee structure depending on the number of times the class meets.  Classes include general interests that contain a potpourri of activities from crafts, finances, hobbies, to cooking classes, sports, languages, interior decorating, and computer training to name a few.

With Ilone and Jeannie’s permission, Markdown Mom will take you through the steps of this recipe, pan pita bread, in addition to the oven baked recipe at a later date.  Right now, MDM is anticipating the new Spring Schedule for Community Schools–who knows what new adventure awaits!

Clutter seems to be the new household concern of the millenium.  No matter who we are, we still keep looking for additional storage to organize our "stuff."  JCPenney© has a Wednesday Steal–today only–on natural wood storage from $7.99-$59.99.  6 shelf corner unit reg.$199.99/sale $59.99 with additional accessories on sale as well.

The hot thing this past season has been an alternative down comforter for those who suffer from allergies, but still desire the warmth without weight that down gives. 

Now you can buy this at a fantastic price today.  Overstock.com has up to 70% +off Bedding Clearance  and this Allerest comforter that comes in twin, full/queen, and King also will resist the clumping and tangling associated with down.  Reg.$129.99, sale today $38.99. 

Remember at Overstock.com your entire order ships for only $1!

Super Steal Alert

Get paid for shipping overnight!  Negative $5 on Shipping from Endless© shoes and handbags.  Find the hottest celebrity shoes like those worn by Jessica Simpson. Get $5 off order for letting them ship to you overnight for free–negative $5!   Hot site, hot deal!

Remember all those goodies on PBS like movies, special investigations by Frontline, books, cooking recipes, and more?  One stop shopping, no more reaching for pen and paper only to miss the reference on the tv.    Purchase them by going to their online store to see the offerings by PBS .  Additionally you can save an extra $10 on purchases over $30 by using Google checkout option, and get special shipping rate until 12/13.  MDM just purchased Jacques Pèpin’s The Complete Pepin : Techniques  and Recipes on DVD.  Great gift for Holiday Cooking.

Check special pricing and offers in their Overstock Category.  This is a "Feel Good" Shopping site since you have an  opportunity to support your local Public Broadcasting System and get some great quality gifts.

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When you have an expanding family growing out of the size of its home, what do you do in this economy?  Well, if you are a first time buyer, the home market’s bubble is leaking well enough to consider moving out of that rental and buying a home.  However, current homeowners are stuck between a rock and a hard place.  To make a similar move requires selling your current home.  Not always an easy task to accomplish.  Gaining space through additions is a major undertaking requiring time, money, and inconvenience and may be limited by lot size and ordinances, and financial recovery of the remodeling costs.  A third option is what MDM’s Grandmother called ‘Making Do.’  Now this is not a passive reaction, it is in fact a proactive reaction involving several considerations:

• Scale down projects.  Whole house needs a makeover?  Don’t take it on all at once.  Instead take a room at a time.  
• Analyze each room to determine what the problems are and how you can streamline them.    
• Too much clutter?  Well, sort through it categorizing everything by 1.  Keep, 2. Consider, 3. Donate, and  4. Throw.
• Modern house with no walk-in closets?  Look at bumping out current bi-fold or sliding door closet into the room to create a walk-in.  Analyze the dead space in a room to accomplish it.  What is dead space?  Space where a piece of furniture might not fit, say between a window and current closet, and is just there.  Use the dead space to bump out the closet for additional storage.  With some planning this may have an additional benefit of creating a small, screened entry into the room.  Remember additional wall space provides a canvas for your decorating acumen.
• Select storage that serves a dual purpose; an enclosed, hinged box for storage and a coffee table or ottoman.
• Do the Dorm Trick.  Put bed on raised feet to increase your space under the bed for storage.
• Look at your current windows.  Bay windows add space and seating to any room at the same time creating a cozy alcove for reading, studying, or day dreaming.
• Put up shelving, both temporary and permanent in small areas like bathrooms, hallways, entrys.  Glass and mirror shelving reflect light and give the illusion of space.  There are so many possibilities with shelving.  It can be recessed, modular, freestanding and can take on the role as an additional design element.
• Incorporate shelving with cabinets, or place ladders against the wall to organize linens, newspapers, and photo collections.
• Open enclosed shelving above doorways can hold collectibles, favorite toys, and other favorites.
• Bookshelves can organize  more objects than books.  Baskets can be placed in shelves to organize your home office or a panoply of items.
• Remember to create space, unify your color scheme.  You can have a lot going on, but prevent a "busy" effect through unity of color and/or texture.

Creating Space Results in Harmony and Increases Value!

*Modular Shelves on sale at PBTeen  (2) L-shaped $5.99/reg.$29.99 in blue, white, and apple green.

Some years ago, MDM’s children discovered that you could draw and color on the walls just as easily as on paper.  The problem then arose, how to remove these masterpieces especially from walls that were not in their bedroom, without removing the paper layer of drywall.   So, put on your rubber gloves and go to work:

•  MDM found through trial and error an economical way of removing ink, crayon, and almost anything on walls by using Soft Scrub® and a Scotch Brite™Dobie Pad®  Simply apply *Soft Scrub® directly on the Dobie pad and gently, in a circular motion, apply it to the spot or area.  Rinse and dry the wall with a rag, repeat if necessary.  This treatment is especially good for those black marks that mysteriously appear on walls from who knows where.

• Secondly, A designer colleague recommended that while my children were young it was best to paint the walls in an Eggshell Finish, not a Flat, as a preventative measure to insure easy removal of marks harmlessly.

*Get a $1.00 off coupon by clicking on Soft Scrub and Enter Drugstore.com $10,000 Spa Getaway by clicking on Scotch Brite™Dobie Pad®

During my first visit to Europe, I became enthralled with the bidet which seemed to be a regular bathroom fixture in european hotels and homes.  This, of course, was after I surmised it was not a very short sink for washing one’s feet!  Since then I have wanted a bidet, but rentals did not have them, and did not have the room for a full size bidet and after purchasing my house where a "full size" bathroom meant room for a tub/shower, sink and toilet and remaining space that could barely fit a hamper, I sadly put the dream of a bidet on hold for my next house. 

An injury to my shoulder, reignited this longing and I began a search for an alternative on EBAY.  There, I was able to bid and win what Brits matter-of-fact named the Bumwash Bathroom Bidet, which was a kit to convert a toilet to become a multitasker.  What was even better was that it was a D.I.Y. project not requiring a plumber, nor a separate space for a bidet.  I became so excited that I even suggested this alternative to a real estate developer of mine who builds half-million dollar plus homes. 

Research on this product has produced some fantastic alternatives.  For instance, some firms offer adaptations which will clean the toilet seat, have hot and cold water, different pulsating action, and even warm the seat!  My unit is the stripped down version, if you’ll excuse the pun, and provides only cold water and with Lake Superior supplying the water can be a real eye opener in the morning!  My unit with shipping cost 55 English pounds (slightly under $100), but with plumbers getting $75 an hour + travel time, I figure it is a bargain, plus I can take the unit with me if I move. 

I believe that this is a perfect item for renters, elderly and handicapped,  children, and the fastidious.  Here are the sources MDM found for your consideration:

Sanicare Bidets  Diverse group of brand name portable bidets including a travel bidet.  Additionally has some interesting bathroom accessories. Basic model runs $75.00 and prices go up to $359.  Carry seat models with added features and for real posh the shower toilets which can run into the thousands  Free shipping.  Most models are discounted from MSRP by 35%+

Biffy Personal Rinse USA manufacturer.  Universal model runs $99.95 and is more compact, good for residential uses, while the Model UPC-1 has commercial applications for $129.95.

Brondell  Offers the ‘Swash’ which is a seat model and has additional features, including heated seats, dual self-washing wands, and germ resistant seat.  More expensive with prices ranging from $469-$599, but offers $70 and $100 savings coupons, respectively, UPS Ground Shipping

Hygiene for Health Diversified and brand listings bidets, from shower type which is like a sink hand sprayer, to travel bidets, and more.  Even have a european one which is electrical and adapted to european current.  MDM liked Go Bidet model which runs $109.95 as a basic model.  Also offers $20 coupon on next purchase on some items.  Accepts Paypal.  Good for price comparisons.

ProComfortUSA.com Offers seat and travel bidets. Call for special internet price.  Offers no tax and free shipping for a limited time.

CleanButt Has bidet spa for $549, but includes all the bells and whistles of luxury including posterior and feminine wash sprayers, oscillation, and an enema wash plus deodorizer among other features.

Saria International, Inc. Specializes in handheld personal sprayers at the economical price of $24.99.  They also carry a pet sprayer which sprays mixed hot and cold water in the same unit and can attach to sink for $32 and a diaper sprayer for $34.99 that attaches to the toilet.  MDM surmises that this sprayers is to clean regular washable cotton diapers.

Tarahax Personal Hygiene  Has great installation diagrams.  Simple basic item can be bought with cold water access only from installation to water supply from the toilet, or with hot and cold, which is attached to your bathroom sink.  Offer for additional  longer hoses and longer support bracket.  Prices range on sale from $64.95 to $74.95.  MDM likes this site for basic unit.

 Dobidet.com Prices range $345 to $545 seat models with pressure control and temperature control, and self-cleaning mechanism.  New product coming to market soon includes the entire toilet with drier feature.