ON BECOMING MORE FRUGAL

Being environmentally correct - thinking "Green." Perhaps a nicer picture is that of a young couple recycling paper, plastic bottles and glass.

The above descriptions can now fit anyone doing something about the wastefulness many of us accept as normal.In the '90s we look back on the materialistic '80s and realize how extravagant we have been with natural and private resources.

Some in our family have been sharing publications on becoming more frugal and on being a tightwad. It's an eye-opener to read how to conserve by reusing items. Of course, it's not all about reusing; some is about going back to the basics and not needing the extravagance now accepted as necessary.

Simplify. Receive the online newsletter The Front Page, The Simple Living Newsletter. It "inspires and supports people to simplify their lives."

The following questions prompted me to reflect that we can be basic and accomplish still what we desire.

Q. Perhaps you can help me? We have little money to spend on extras and I want to start painting items to sell. It's very discouraging to see how much I need to spend just for paint at the craft store. How do others start?

A. In craft stores, there are racks of acrylic paints in many beautiful colors. In fact, there's about any shade you could want. How easy it is to pick up the exact shade, take it home and paint. But purchasing only the primary colors, then mixing them to the desired hues will also work.

Purchase bottles of blue, red, yellow, white and black. A mixture of all the colors does make black, but it's difficult to mix a true black. Experiment and mix your own colors. Purchasing a color wheel will help determine what to mix with what.

For general painting read A Little Painting Advice, Please at The Dollar Stretcher web site.

Q. I want to paint wood birdhouses and sell them at craft shows. My problem is brushes. There are so many brushes to chose from in the store that I don't know which I need. Help!

A. There are many brush manufacturers with many types of brushes for acrylics and oils. The brushes range in size from the tiniest to very large and the bristles are of various synthetics to sable, etc. Go to Essex House Brush Info Guide for pictures and the use of the different brushes.

Several manufacturers of products for crafters have excellent lines of brushes. Always buy the

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