Newspaper makes washing windows a breeze. Use crinkled sheets of newspaper to dry windows streak free!
Spray a bit of peppermint oil on your door sills to keep ants outside. You may find peppermint oil in your pharmacy.
Keep sandwiches fresh! Before wrapping in plastic or foil, put sandwich in a cone-shaped coffee filter. No more soggy bread!
A bit of soap on any screw before you put it in place will help not only to seat it, but also to unseat it should the need arise. Simply scrape the threads of the screw over the edge of a bar of soap and proceed. This works whether you are working with...
Do you have one of those old-fashioned metal tiered cookie trays? Mine is over 40 years old and has been washed and dried so many times that I found it difficult to remove the screw for washing after my husband had been the one to assemble it (he...
To easily crack a coconut and get the meat out, a native of Hawaii told me to freeze it over night. Then, holding it over a bowl, whack it across the middle of its “face” (if you look at one end, you will see “eyes” and a...
12 ounces elbow macaroni 1/4 cup white onion, diced
3 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons flour
2 cups whole milk 1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon...
Scrape your fingernails across a bar of my soap before you work in the garden.
Dirt will wash away much easier!
Stock up now with my Morning in the Woods soap for the summer months.
Bathing with Morning in the Woods soap helps to repel biting insects!
It’s a wonderful soap for gardeners and campers.
I plant my onions between rows of leafy plants, so that when plants take hold, they shade the soil, making weed control easier.
To soak moisture of carpet spills, soak up what you can with bunched up paper towels, cover spot with oatmeal or cornmeal and allow to stand several hours or overnight. Then vacuum.
I like to pack away my clothing with a few bay leaves to keep the clothes smelling fresh and keep out insects. Bay leaves or sachets of my lavender potpourri (recipe follows) work well for both summer and winter storage instead of mothballs, and smell...
Try pouring 1-2 gallons of boiling water down a sluggish drain to make it run clean and smell fresh.
FILL A RECIPE BOX: With the shower invitation, send each guest a recipe card on which they should write their own favorite recipe and bring along a nonperishable grocery item or special utensil needed for the recipe.
A ROOM THEME: Choose a particular...
To freshen your closets and to protect clothing from moths, put a bag of my bath salts (any scent) on a shelf and enjoy the scent each time you open the door. To freshen your bureau drawers, put a bar of my soap in with your belongings. This will allow...
Use a green scrubbie and any one of my soaps to scrub away soap scum and grime.
For and interesting houseplant, try planting the top of your next Pineapple purchase. Twist the top of your fresh Pineapple to remove it. Peel off a few layers of the leaves from the bottom of it. You'll see the exposed roots tight up on the stem....
Before planning to spend time in the yard where bees congregate, pour a little Mountain Dew in a bowl and add a tablespoon of dish detergent. The sweet soda will attract the bees and the detergent will keep them from flying away. They'll drown in the...
To freshen air in a closed up home, save orange peels (just place them on a paper towel in an out of the way spot.) and boil them in the water with any one of all the following:
1 tbsp of whole cloves
1 stick of cinnamon
1 star anise
This can be done...
In the springtime, I draw a diagram of my vegetable and herb gardens, strategically placing the plants to the best advantage for insect, pest, and weed control without the use of chemicals. This way I can keep working up the soil without the fear of...
Felt is easy to make yourself once you understand the basics. You will need a wool batt, which can be purchased where you find weaving or spinning supplies. For enough felt to make a vest or two, the batt should be 2-3 inches thick and between 1 and 2...
I planted Silver King Artemisia years ago to use in wreaths I make to decorate the doors of our home. This herb will also discourage insects from coming near the doorway. For a homemade insect repellent, mix one cup distilled water, 1 cup...
To keep insects out of the garden, mix I cup vinegar, 1-cup water, 1-cup vegetable oil and 4 cloves crushed garlic. Apply liberally with a spray bottle.
Sweet clover grows wild in many areas, and will absorb the damp odor in your cellar. Cut and tie it in a bunch, bend it at the center to break the stem and release the scent, and hang it from the ceiling.
For sore throat and congestion make a strong cup of Chamomile tea and add two tsp each of honey and lemon juice. Drink while hot.
Lay clean newspaper over the spill and press gently with the warm iron, moving the paper frequently to keep clean paper over the wax. The paper will soak up the melted wax. Presto!
To keep your fingernails clean while playing in the garden without gloves as I do, scrape them over a bar of soap before venturing out. Then, when you wash your hands after gardening, the soap will rinse out leaving your nails clean!
Wash the avocado pit, remove the dark skin covering, and prop it up in a glass of water, point side up. Use three toothpicks stuck into it to help hold it up in the water. The pit should be about 2/3 submerged in water. It takes several weeks for the...
