MARIAN ANDERSON SINGS MY COUNTRY TIS OF THEE

MADE IN THE USA FOUNDATION : HALL OF FAME

We've been SPRING CLEANING and in the process of having a garage sale with our neighbors, we've been doing it ourself on home improvements and repairs.

We haven't forgotten you ECONOMIC WARRIORS who want to return the United States ECONOMY to us Americans by buying MADE IN THE USA products and services.

So today we were cheered to find this site: MADE IN THE USA HALL OF FAME!

2012 Winners Include : SOLAR WORLD,  HERMAN MILLER, CHANNEL ISLAND SURFBOARDS and many others.  Check this out!

SWINGING INTO SPRING WITH DOGGIE

DYING EASTER EGGS NATURALLY!

Growing up we didn't put a Christmas Tree up until it was nearly Christmas, sometimes Christmas Eve and we didn't dye eggs until it was almost time to fill our baskets.  Want to dye the eggs without buying commercial dye?  A memory of a grandma who knew how to long ago, using onion skins, tea, and veggies.  The colors are very mellow.  You won't get a hot pink for instance.  You can save the fluid from a can of picked beets though!

First you can dye the eggs after they have been boiled or boil them in the water that will dye them.  Seems to us it depends on how many eggs you want to dye.  It also depends on if you want to skip the hot dye and deal only with cold dye on eggs that have cooled!

Hopefully you have saved some egg cartons so you can prop them up to dry!

We're linking to an ABOUT.COM site that explains the chemistry a bit better than we can:

CHEMISTRY : ABOUT.COM :DYING EASTER EGGS link here!

Most of all have fun while you dye the eggs.

It is very Old Fashioned to trade eggs with friends as little gifts.  And if you get too many eggs?  Time to make POTATO SALAD! 

KENTUCKY FRIED CHINESE CHICKEN? YUM FOODS ALSO OWNS PIZZA HUT AND TACO BELL

WORLD TIMES : KFC LAUNCHES CHINA CAMPAIGN link to full article

Excerpt: " The complaint against KFC was less serious than other product scandals in China over the past decade in which infants, hospital patients and others have been killed by phony or adulterated milk powder, drugs and other goods. But KFC’s high profile attracted attention, and its status as a foreign company with less political influence meant Chinese media could publicize its troubles more freely.

Yum, based in Louisville, Kentucky, said it expects sales in China to tumble by up to 25 percent in the current quarter. The company also owns Pizza Hut and Taco Bell.

SIMON AND GARFUNKLE : AMERICA

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MADE IN THE USA CANDY THAT IS ALSO AS HEALTHY AS CANDY CAN GET :

NATURAL CANDY STORE official site

They have an Allergy-Friendly Dark Chocolate Easter Bunny with a hot purple bow. What about watermelon gummy bunnies?

All candy is labeled!  Terrific!

- Made in the USA


- Organic

- Vegan

- Gluten-Free

- Kosher

- Feingold Stage 1

- Feingold Stage 2

- Allergen Free

ETHAN ALLEN FURNITURE SELLING IN CHINA

WALL STREET JOURNAL : ETHAN ALLEN TURNS THE TABLES IN CHINA by James R. Hagerty  link to full article

EXCERPT : Furniture from China has gobbled an increasing share of the U.S. market in recent years, leading to the closure of hundreds of American factories. Now, turning the tables on their Asian rivals, two big U.S. producers are trying to sell more furniture in China.


The companies, Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. and Ashley Furniture Industries Inc., are pursuing different approaches. Most furniture Ethan Allen sells in China is made in its seven plants in the U.S. and Mexico. Ashley relies on furniture made at its own plant near Shanghai and elsewhere in Asia, though it ships small amounts from its eight plants in the U.S..."

WAHL HAIR CUTTERS FLYING THE FLAG OF THE USA

OK.  We recently purchased the following product:  WHAL COLOR PRO HAIR CUTTING KIT

WHAL STORE  link.

We want to save some money on home hair cuts for our DOG! 

We shopped around a bit.  We went to Petco and they had three electric clippers and lots of scissors for sale. 

We found this one at Walgreens.  It's for people but it worked just fine on our fluffy haired dog, who happens to be the non-shedding sort.  We have nothing against professional hair cuts  for dogs, except the price.  When we explained to various groomers that our dog has poodle hair on her legs, terrier hair on her back and maltese hair on her face we were told the start price was about $40 to $50!  We noticed the American Flag flying and it honestly said that the clipper was made in the USA with some imported parts.  We think the imported parts are the plastic guides.

We checked the Wahl product line on the Internet and some of their clippers are made in the USA and some are made in CHINA.  Check which before you purchase!

HAVE A PATRIOTIC VALENTINES DAY!

Like Christmas and so many other American holidays, you may feel obligated to purchase gifts for loved ones. 

At Patriotic Purchase, we suggest that you skip buying anything not made in the USA. 

We suggest that you make hand-made gifts.  (How about a heart shaped home made cherry cake for Valentines?  Original love poems?)

 Keep checking the boxes on products you see in stores for their origin.  Are they flying the Made in USA flag proudly and truthfully!  Many don't think you'll read the fine print.

We suggest that you buy at garage sales and second hand stores if it means continuing to support the economy and American jobs. 

This is the small thing you can do that can make all the difference!

Remember that a vibrant economy relies on the exchange of labor for money and money sopent to support labor!

STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS : PRESIDENT OBAMA 2013

100th ANNIVERSARY OF THE IRS - INCOME TAX TODAY!

The Income Tax is a very controversial subject.  So many laws have applied to it and changed it since the original law was passed.  Today the Income Tax has also resulted in specialized professions in accounting, business, and lawyering.  Some protest paying it.  Some are honored to be paying it.

One thing for sure.  No job means no income or Income Tax!

Which would you prefer?

PYREX IS STILL MADE IN THE USA!

We were so glad to see our local Raphs offering Pyrex at Christmas time.

Here's the link to PYREX! ONE OF THE TOP BRANDS STILL MADE IN THE USA

WALLMART TO HIRE VETS - BRING IN MORE AMERICAN MADE PRODUCTS?

Heard on the radio this morning, and wanted to research a bit.  We rarely buy in Wallmart, though it is the nations largest retailer.  Last purchase, some yarn that had the Made in the USA flag on it.

WALLMART : PUBLICITY STUNT? Article from TIME BUSINESS AND MONEY

LOOKING FORWARD TO A PATRIOTIC 2013

We'll see if we go over a Fiscal Cliff or not... Our faith in our nation as a whole, which means the people more than politicians, remains strong.  If we do go over, we will need to economize as well as buy American made products and services more than ever.  It's not easy for average folks to think about numbers in the billions and trillions being discussed, but we can understand cutting coupons, cooking at home, repurposing things we already own, going to thrift stores (which often support charities) to buy used as a first option, and finding interesting and fun things to do without spending the travel dollars we used to, but still supporting our local economy!