Home-Ec Guest 
Dear Home-Ec 101, I’m getting ready to go on vacation and I couldn’t find my swimsuit. Well, I finally found it, but the situation is not good. I found it wrapped in a towel in a backpack. The good news is, the backpack’s fine, but the swimsuit smells horribly funky. Can you help me make …
Dear Home-Ec 101, How do I know if a cut is serious enough to go to the ER? Signed, My knife skills need work Ivy says: This is a very good question. Many people question when an expensive trip to the ER is warranted, and when you can do for yourself at home. Now, neither …
Ivy says: I’m not much on sermonizing. I’m of the opinion that talking about religion is best done on a one-on-one basis. However, I felt compelled to write this post. If you don’t want to hear about religion, please skip this post. Lately, both Heather and I have been down and troubled. Don’t worry- for …
Ivy says: Lately people have been remarking on how great I look since I’ve lost weight. I really have lost some weight, but I also have found some tricks to make you look like you’ve lost more weight than you actually have lost. And now, I share them with you, dear readers. 1. Get a …
Ivy says: First, thank you to all of you who offered condolences on the loss of my grandmother. We are all finally beginning to get somewhat back to normal. One of the reasons we have been able to do so is thanks to the generosity of friends and our church family bringing food. I had …
My grandmother passed away Friday afternoon. It was quite surprising. She was in the hospital for vomiting, and the next thing we knew, she died. Here’s the tip part: When someone you love has passed away, and you have to tell another loved one about it, don’t shriek into their voicemail, “DAD, THIS IS IVY! …
Ivy says: I have read several bloggers who say they spend less money when they deal only in cash. I am the opposite, it seems to be such a pain to me to have to save the receipt and enter in how much I spent in my financial tracking software, that I hesitate a lot …
Dear Mavens of Fabulosity, Our family went on a 3 week vacation only to come home to flock of little tiny gnats in the kitchen. The sink was clean, dishwasher clean and empty, but alas they were there and from where, I don’t know. I cleaned the sink again with Clorox. We don’t have a …
Dear Home-EC101 gurus, Every morning I shave my face to what I degree is an acceptable level of closeness, somewhere between a Geico caveman and a baby’s bottom. Too close leads to pimples and ingrown hairs, while not close enough leads to razor burn for my lady friend. [cue sexy background music] My problem comes …
Ivy says: From Twitter this morning: Geriatric cat peed on relatively new couch. Cushion doesn’t feel wet to touch, but when you sit down, you get a surprise. I think it’s all soaked into the middle of the cushions. they don’t detach completely. Argh. Twitter only gives you 140 characters, so you have to be …