Dear Home Ec 101, No matter what I do, the hardwater spots on my shower and tub keep coming back? What am I doing wrong? Signed, Speckled in Spencerton Heather says: Well there are a couple of options. You could invest in a water softener or be super diligent and use a squeegee after every …
Dear Home Ec 101, How do you get stuck on hairspray off walls and a cheap linoleum bathroom floor? Signed, Tacky in Texas Heather says: Oh it’s the dreaded hairspray overspray! The answer is deceptively simple. You’ll need hot water and elbow grease. Use an old rag and water as hot as you can stand …
Ivy says: Last night, there were several dishes left over after starting the dishwasher. This happens with some frequency, we use a heck of a lot of dishes in our house. Normally, I would just rinse them and set them in the sink to run the dishwasher this morning, but it occurred to me that …
Ivy says: Awhile back, a commenter requested a granny square tutorial. Right on! I love granny squares. They’re versatile and fast, and you can make one with virtually no thought or counting, so you can watch television while crocheting. Now, this tutorial assumes you know three basic crochet stitches: double crochet, chain stitch, and slip …
Ivy says: I knew last week was going to be so busy I wouldn’t be able to get any projects done, so I didn’t do one . This week looks to be better, though, so here’s what I’m working on: culling my books. Now, I know my fellow book lovers are saying, “Wait, there is …
Retro Saturday is a chance to see a blast from the Home Ec 101 past and gives Ivy and I a chance to relax. Heather says: I searched high and low. I tried at least a dozen recipes people swear were from Grandma and now I have it. This is the one I recommend to …
Ivy says: Recently, I saw a discussion about bottled water in a frugality community. Some people were saying it is not frugal at all to buy bottled water, since tap water is (essentially) free. Others explained that the water where they lived was just bad and they needed bottled water. I’m in the “my water …
Heather says: I’m home from our surprise getaway and although I’m still twitching from sudden Internet withdrawal, I have been assured it is harmless and will eventually stop. So, what does one do when they find themselves with a vacation that has not been budgeted for? Well, if there is a refrigerator, bring along the …
This post was updated and expanded on April 22, 2022. Let’s talk about setting a pretty table. One of the things we like best in this world is to sit down at a table with a crisp tablecloth. We have an acquaintance who puts placemats on top of her tablecloth to keep it clean but, …
Ivy says: This is only marginally on topic, and for that, I apologize. But I think this is really important, so here goes. The internet was boring, so I went a-stumbling. I ran into this post, a tribute to Mr. Rogers. I nearly broke down into tears, because lately I’ve been feeling pretty hateful toward …