Protecting tulip bulbs from squirrels

We had a break in the cold weather this weekend, so I took the opportunity to plant the last of my bulbs. I planted 21 bulbs of two different species tulips, two hyacinth bulbs, and six double narcissus (daffodil) bulbs. I’m not a big fan of daffodils, but the double ones have an intriguing look and they come up earlier than … Read more

Fix ventilation problems in your bathroom for free

I recaulked by bathtub a few weeks ago and decided to clean the bathroom fan while I was at it, figuring a clean bathroom fan would exhaust the fumes more quickly than a dirty one. I’ve cleaned the vent cover but never the fan itself. The fan blades were each covered with about a quarter-inch of dust – enough to almost … Read more

A hack for renewing old, gross grout

The grout next to my bathroom sink was looking a bit piqued. I decided to  clean it the way that everybody on the internet says to: by using baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Afterward, it looked even worse: I guess the bubbling from the hydrogen peroxide loosened too much of the old grout. I wasn’t about to start a  complicated re-grouting project. I am … Read more

Creating a copper patina picture frame

I have an insect display box that I picked up at a garage sale for $1 a while back. I bought it for the lepidopterans that were inside more than for the box itself, which had a frame of cardboard and black book tape that was starting to fray around the edges.   I moved the specimens into a different shadow … Read more

Grommets are a girl’s best friend

It’s that time of year when the mere thought of opening the front door fills me with dread: the snot-freezing depths of winter. So out come the winter accessories! In previous years, I’ve kept my hats, gloves, and mittens in a plastic drawer unit in my coat closet. The problem is that my coat closet is nowhere near the front door. As a … Read more