Sunday Confessional 12/11/11

December 11, 2011

Heather says: It’s been a few months since we’ve done a Sunday Confessional and I have a deadline causing some serious productive procrastination*, so now is just as good a time as any to bring back the series. For those new to Home-Ec 101, welcome, the Sunday Confessional is just a reminder that life isn’t [...]

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Quick Off-Topic Break for a Major Milestone Brag

December 10, 2011

Heather says: Earlier this week Home-Ec 101 hit a major traffic milestone. Over 1 million unique users visited this site in the past 12 months. (In about a week, I’ll be able to say over a million in 2011). That, my friends, is a lot of people (there are only 10k in my town). Want [...]

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Home-Ec 101 Gift Guide for the Domestically Challenged

December 9, 2011

Heather says: You do know that Home-Ec 101: Skills for Everyday Living was included in Amazon’s Best of Home & Garden 2011, right? The end. Oh you want more ideas? How about Tsh Oxenrider‘s Organized Simplicity? or Laura Wittmann‘s Clutter Rehab, 101 Tips and Tricks to Becoming an Organizing Junkie as a stocking stuffer? Now the [...]

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Home-Ec 101 Reader’s 71 Quick Q-tip Tips

December 8, 2011

Heather says: Last week I posted a quick video suggesting that Q-tips could be used to clean a computer keyboard. I then asked for your Q-tip Tips. I thought it would be fun to share the tips that came from the Home-Ec 101 Audience -(Do you remember when we did this with uses for leftover [...]

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Silky Smooth Green Pea Soup Recipe

December 7, 2011

Bobbie says: Now is the perfect time of year for hearty soups to warm the body and spirit. Served with bread (homemade or from the store) and perhaps a salad, this thick, creamy soup makes a great lunch or light supper, and pea soup is surprisingly easy to make from scratch. Once upon a time, [...]

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What to Do With Dried Beans: An Ask the Audience

December 6, 2011

Dear Home-Ec 101, I’m hoping you will have a couple of ideas – we stocked up on a bunch of pantry things before going car-free, and I now have a surplus of every kind of dried bean, and no clue what to do with them. I’m hoping to find a few good main dish recipes, [...]

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Taken for Granted

December 5, 2011

Dear Home-Ec 101, I just found your site and love it! So I thought I would ask about something I need advice on. I have 12 year old twins,  a 14 year old son, and a 16 year old daughter. My house is in a constant mess and I’m the only one who cleans at [...]

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Site Administration: Winners of the $50 Amazon Giftcard from Q-tips

December 5, 2011

Heather says: I’d like to thank all of you for commenting and sharing your favorite uses for Q-tips. I’ll be compiling the various tips into a future post. The three gift card winners who will be notified by email are commenters 70, 53, and 36: clc408 mammarachel AndrewGordon I used Random.org to pick the comment [...]

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How to Clean Stuffed Animals

December 1, 2011

Dear Home-Ec 101, I just was wondering how to wash stuffed animals? I want to disinfect it properly, so I was thinking of putting them in the wash – with Oxyclean and detergent, inside a rubber-banded pillow case. Or is there any other way? Thanks! Fuzzy in Fulton Heather says: Stuffed animals are beloved by [...]

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Finding Odd Sized Clothing on a Tight Budget: Ask the Audience

November 30, 2011

Dear Home-Ec 101, I have a problem. I need to clothe myself, and all the clothes I have had since high school and that were bought when I started college are starting to fall to pieces from overuse with dreary regularity. I’m down to one pair of jeans, one pair of yoga pants, and a [...]

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Countdown to Turkey Day, the Final Update for 2011

November 29, 2011

Heather says: This one is short and sweet: It’s time to throw out the leftovers that didn’t make it into the freezer. On a side note, I bought three fresh turkeys this weekend and am heading back to the store to buy three more, if they are still available. Why? $0.59 a lb should answer [...]

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How to Clean a Laptop Keyboard with Q-tips

November 28, 2011

Heather says: A couple months ago I was approached by Q-tips and asked if I would like to be a brand ambassador. As you may assume, Q-tips wants me to let you know that their cotton swabs are good for so much more than health and beauty, after all they are handy little things, aren’t they? [...]

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