Help! I need a heating pad but can't find mine.

From page 25 of The Trouble with Tulip. Try filling a clean sock with rice and securing the ends with sturdy knot. Place it in the microwave first for a brief time and it will serve as a portable heating pad!

The drawer in my dresser gets stuck in the summer. What can I do about this?

Page 25 of The Trouble With Tulip indicates that a low wattage lamp turned on inside a drawer will dry the humidity out of the wood and can stop the drawer from sticking.

Disclaimer: Please make sure nothing is touching the bulb and that the drawer is at least partially open to prevent a fire. Never leave the lamp on unattended.

How do I reduce the swelling of the bags under my eyes?

Page 18 of The Trouble With Tulip recommends cutting two big slices from the middle of a potato. Lay down and put a slice over each eye. Five minutes like that should take care of any swelling you might have.

Oh Deer!

Dear Mindy,
We recently put in a new playground for our children in the backyard. Unfortunately, the deer have decided that it is their new resting spot and personal potty. Because our children our young, we are always out there when they are playing on the playground, however, we are constantly having to clean out the deer "waste." There is already a fence surrounding the playground, plus making any adjustments to the fence surrounding the yard are just out of the question for now. What can we do to keep the deer out of the playground and yard?

Thanks!
Sincerely, Kellie
----------------------------------------------------------
Hi Kellie,
Thanks for your question. To find an answer, I consulted a book called "Grandmother's Critter Ridder" by Dr. Myles H. Bader. He has several pages of all-natural deer deterrents, but I have narrowed down his suggestions to the ones that would be the most appropriate for keeping deer away from an outdoor play area.

The key seems to be this: Surround the area where you don't want the deer to go with things that smell of humans and/or house pets. Below are some examples of how you can do this, and I would suggest trying several of these idea simultaneously:
- drop used bars of soap into used pantyhose and hang them from the trees (not kidding!)
- sweep up hair cuttings from a local beauty shop and spread it on the ground or put the hair in dirty socks and hang from trees
- cut up an old dog or cat blanket and drop the pieces around the area.

Unfortunately, you'll have to keep re-doing these things after every 2 or 3 rainstorms, because the scents do wash away. If you have access to lots of human hair, you can actually dig a shallow trench circling the area where you don't want the deer to go and fill it with hair, almost like a moat. According to Dr. Bader, "This keeps the deer away and the birds have a ball using the hair for their nests. The hair is rich in nitrogen and can be worked into the soil after the deer season is over." So there you have it! Let us know how it goes.

Blessings,
Mindy

How do I get lipstick marks out of my shirts?

From The Trouble with Tulip, page 13:
Try rubbing in some vegetable oil and letting it sit. After 20 minutes, sponge the area with some ammonia, then finally scrub with some dish soap. Launder as usual.

How can I clean the siding on my house?

According to The Trouble With Tulip (page 9), simply attach a long-handled car washing brush to an ordinary garden hose. Turn on your hose water and use the brush to scrub your siding!

What Can I Do with Styrofoam Packing Noodles?

Those darn noodles, they're a pain from the get-go. They hide whatever items are in the box they came in, they stick to things with the slightest hint of static cling, and because they're made of styrofoam, they ought to be re-used somehow (preferably again and again) before heading to a landfill.

I'm not sure what you should do if you have collected bags and bags of these things. But the next time you give yourself a pedicure, here's a use for a handfull: Put one between each of your toes. The noodles will keep your toes from touching as the polish dries, giving you a perfect finish every time!

Household Chat with Marlo Schalesky

Hello. Today I'm interviewing Marlo Schalesky who is the award winning author of six books, including her latest novel BEYOND THE NIGHT, which combines a love story with a surprise ending twist to create a new type of story. She has also had over 600 articles published in various magazines, had her work included in compilations such as Dr. Dobson’s Night Light Devotional for Couples, and is a regular columnist for Power for Living. Marlo recently earned her Masters degree in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary and is currently working on more “Love Stories with a Twist!” for Multnomah-Waterbrook Publishers, a division of Random House. She owns her own construction consulting firm and lives in Salinas, California with her husband and four young daughters. Find out more about Marlo at http://www.marloschalesky.com/.

Q - Marlo, why do you think people like household hints?
A - Because most people like a clean house, but they don’t do household chores for fun. So hints that make things go easier, quicker, more efficiently give people the time to both enjoy their house and do other fun things too.

Q - Do you have a favorite and/or interesting household hint you'd like to share?
A - My favorite is ironing off tough stains from the carpet, using a hot iron and a clean rag. You put the clean rag on the carpet, and iron it – the stain transfers to the rag. Voila! Not more carpet spot. A professional carpet cleaner showed me that little trick and I’ve been using it ever since.

Q - What's your biggest housekeeping challenge?
A - Twin two-year-olds. I get a room picked up, they dismantle it. I clean a mirror or a glass tabletop, turn around, and there are a million little fingerprints all over it. I put away toys, and put away toys, and put away toys, and . . . you get the picture. And don’t even get me started on what the kitchen floor looks like after a meal. Yuck!

Q - If you could pass along one bit of cleaning/organizational advice to someone just starting out with their first home, what would it be?
A - Leave extra room in your closets, drawers, bins, cupboards for things you’ll buy later. And make sure it’s really easy to put things back where they belong without having to move other items first.

Q - How does your housekeeping style compare to that of your parents when they were your age?
A - My parents were most interested in having a spotless house for company. I just want to keep things picked up and organized for my own sanity. With four little kids, I’ve got enough crazy going on around here without adding household disarray to the list. So, I notice that the more wild things seem, the more I want to pick up, clean up, and organize . . .just so that something in my life can seem under control.

Thanks Marlo!
Readers, stay tuned for the next interesting interview.

Household chat with Maureen Lang

Hi Readers, Today I am interviewing Maureen Lang. Her booklist includes Pieces of Silver (a Christy finalist), Remember Me, The Oak Leaves. Coming in the fall/winter is My Sister Dilly.

Q - Maureen, Do you have a favorite and/or interesting household hint you'd like to share?
A - I'm not sure this tip is all that interesting, but I love vinegar. When my dog was a puppy and we were still in that fun stage of house training, I'd mix a little vinegar with water and go after the accidents. I read somewhere the strength of the vinegar overpowers the odor left by the pet, so the pet won't think that spot is their territory. It isn't, after all - it's yours, and the vinegar says so. Sure beats any other alternatives I can think of to stake territory!

Q - What's your biggest housekeeping challenge?
A - Dog hair. If there could be a way to make wigs out of dog hair, I could supply Dolly Parton for the rest of her life. (My dog is a blonde, too.)

Thanks for the laugh Maureen! Stay tuned next week for another great interview.

Household chat with Karen Ball

Hi Readers,

Today I'm interviewing Karen Ball who is the award-winning author of the Family Honor suspense series. Her most recent novel, What Lies Within, has been nominated as the Best Inspirational Novel of 2007.

Q - Karen, do you have a favorite and/or interesting household hint you'd like to share?
A - Yes, use vinegar and baking soda in your garbage disposal to keep it fresh and sanitized. Plus, it's fun! It's like having a mini volcano in your sink.

Q - What's your biggest housekeeping challenge?
A - Dusting. Dust runs rampant in this part of the country, but dusting kicks off my asthma, as do many of the dust-catching sprays.

Q - Please fill in the blank: I am to cleaning as ___________.
A - I am to cleaning as dogs are to cats.

Thanks Karen!
Readers, come back at the end of the week for another exciting interview!

Chapters of the Week

Whispers of the Bayou by Mindy Starns Clark

What mysteries lie hidden beside the dark waters of the bayou? Swept away from Louisiana bayou country as a child, Miranda Miller is a woman without a past. Now she has a husband and child of her own and a fulfilling job in a Manhattan museum. But she also has questions—about the tragedy that cut her off from family and caused her to be sent away, and about those first five years that were erased from her memory entirely. When she inherits her grandparents' antebellum estate, Miranda goes back to Louisiana for the first time as an adult. There, she soon finds herself plunged into a nightmare of unknown enemies, buried secrets, and priceless treasure.

RT Book Club Magazine says: "Top Pick! Intricately plotted and exquisitely detailed, Clark's latest novel is fantastic."

On Sparrow Hill by Maureen Lang

The commercial manager for Quentin Hollinworth's family estate, Rebecca Seabrooke is focused on just two things: making hers the most successful historic home in the country and forgetting the childhood crush she's had on Quentin since her father worked as his family's valet. After all, they don't exactly run in the same social circles. But when she and Quentin uncover letters in the family vault written by Berrie Hamilton—one of Quentin'sancestors—Rebecca discovers that Quentin isn't the only one with a legacy to appreciate. Only Berrie's words can prepare Rebecca forthe dramatic turn her life is about to take.

To read a chapter from this exciting new title, sign up for ChapterAWeek at this link:
www.mindystarnsclark.com/contact.php
or to order the title go to Amazon.com.

Sharon Dunn

Hi Readers, today I'm interviewing Sharon Dunn who is the author five mysteries including book two in her Bargain Hunters mysteries, Death of a Six Foot Teddy Bear. By the way, Book One in this series is called Death of a Garage Sale Newbie. Sharon in lives in a house where she has discovered that it is easier to make pets out of the dust bunnies than try to get rid of them. You can read more about Sharon’s humorous who-dun-its at www.sharondunnbooks.com and check out the bargain hunting tips left by readers.

Q - Sharon, if you could pass along one bit of cleaning/organizational advice to someone just starting out with their first home, what would it be?

A - You are starting out with a clean slate, make it a rule that anytime you bring something into the house, you need to toss or donate something that takes up the same amount of space. This will help prevent clutter from taking over.

Q - Fill in the blank: I am to cleaning as a ____________ is to _______________.
A - I am to cleaning as a monkey is to getting a PHD in Physics.

Q - How does your housekeeping style compare to that of your parents when they were your age?

A - My mom spent her whole day cleaning and then fretting over how messy her house was. I refuse to do that. I have books to read, people to hug and when the sun is shining, I want to feel it on my face. None of that happens if you are cleaning the dust off of houseplants.

Thanks for your thoughts Sharon!
Readers, stay tuned for another author interview next time!

Robin Caroll

Today I'm interviewing Robin Caroll. Like me, she was born and raised in Louisiana, Robin Caroll is a Southern belle right down to her “hey y’all.” Her passion has always been to tell stories to entertain others. Robin’s mother, bless her heart, is a genealogist who instilled in Robin the deep love of family and pride of heritage—two aspects Robin weaves into each of her books. When she isn’t writing, Robin spends time with her husband of eighteen years, her three beautiful daughters, and their four character-filled cats at home—in the South. She gives back to the writing community by serving as President of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) for 2007 and 2008. An avid reader herself, Robin loves hearing from and chatting with other readers. Although her favorite genre to read is mystery/suspense, of course, she’ll read just about any good story. Except historicals! To learn more about this author of deep South mysteries of suspense to inspire your heart, visit Robin’s website at http://www.robincaroll.com/.

Robin's books include Bayou Justice-Oct 2007, Bayou Corruption, Bayou Judgment, Bayou Paradox-June 2008, Bayou Betrayal-January 2009, Framed!-February 2009, and Our Armor of God in Soul Savors for Women.

Now on to our interview!

Q - Robin, what is your biggest housecleaning challenge?
A - Finding the time to keep the house clean with 3 kids, a dog, 2 cats, and defending my writing time. I've learned to lessen my expectations.

Q - What is your favorite household hint?
A - A once-used dryer sheet is great for dusting--it "grabs" dust off tvs and ceramic tile counters and makes your room smell better. I also put a new dryer sheet in my bagless vacuum. As I clean the floor, I don't get that smell that comes into the air that seeps past the HEPA filter. I get a fresh smell. With a child that has extreme allergies, this is very helpful to me.

Thanks Robin!

Readers, please come back next week for another interesting interview!

Household Chat with Rachel Hauck

Today I'm interviewing Rachel Hauck, who is is a multi-published author living in Central Florida. Her current release is Sweet Caroline from Thomas Nelson.

Q – Rachel, what's your biggest housekeeping challenge?
A - Papers!! I just don't know what to do with papers or things I want to keep around for awhile. If I "file" them away, I forget about them. I also struggle with what to do with books. Otherwise, I'm neat and clean, but with neat stacks of papers and magazines on my desk.

Q – How does your housekeeping style compare to that of your parents when they were your age?
A - I'm very similar to my mom. I personally believe most of us emulate the environment we grew up in. If our parents were messy, we struggle with being messy. My mom was neat and organized and clean. So much of my home reflects her and the home she created for us. She used to turn on music to clean the house. I've not done that in awhile and think I might do that again.

Thanks so much, Rachel! Readers, check back soon for another exciting interview.

Household Chat with Gayle Roper

Today I'm interviewing Gayle Roper who has always loved stories, and as a result she's authored more than 40 books, most recently See No Evil and Caught Redhanded(Steeple Hill/Love Inspired Suspense). Fatal Deduction will be released in June, 2008, and Lost and Found in September, 2008. Gayle has won the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance and finaled repeatedly in both the RITAS and the Christys. Several writers conferences have cited her for her contributions to the training of writers. She enjoys speaking at writers conferences and women's events, reading and eating out. She adores her kids and grandkids, and loves her own personal patron of the arts, her husband Chuck. Visit her at http://www.gayleroper.com/

Q: Gayle, why do you think people like household hints?
A: We love household hints because we're always looking for a better, easier way to do this job that we generally dislike. It's like buying the latest diet book or trying the latest diet fad. Help me do this hard job in a less painful and boring way!

Q: Do you have a favorite and/or interesting household hint you'd like to share?

A: My best housekeeping tip is: grow your kids up and out of the house! We're empty nesters now, and it's amazing how much neater the house is. Of course it's less exciting, less interesting, and less ulcer-producing too.

Thanks for the chuckle, Gayle! Readers, check back soon for another interesting interview!