Memoralizing your holiday tablecloth

DEAR READERS » This is a favorite personal way to remember the biggest holidays or events that your family celebrates each year, outside of all the photos taken. Purchase a washable tablecloth for your big event. Then give everyone at the table a marker. They can sign their name, draw a picture or leave a poem. Your children will love this and will happily share their creative talents. Be sure to sign and date it.

Make your own citrus deodorizers

DEAR READERS » To save money, you can create your own citrus deodorizer for your house. It will cost less than buying commercial ones, and will smell just as good and help mask odors. Here’s how to make one.

1. Fill a large pot with water and add any citrus — grapefruit, orange or lemon — in slices, wedges or rinds.

2. Add a dash of cinnamon or cinnamon sticks and simmer on low heat.

3. Make it even spicier by dropping in other spices like nutmeg or a peppermint stick.

4. Watch the pot closely (never leave unattended) and don’t let it boil dry. Pour into small glass jars. Punch holes in the lids and secure them tightly. Then place them around your home and enjoy the aroma.

Reusing paper-towel tubes

DEAR READERS » Most of us use paper towels, but don’t throw out the cardboard tubes when the paper towels are gone. Instead, recycle them by placing the tube in your boots to help them stay upright and keep their shape. And you can flatten the paper-towel tubes and use them as a protective sleeve for knives in your utility drawer. Just staple them to create the right size for each knife.

Gift-wrapping art project

DEAR READERS » Your kids will have fun with this idea. Buy plain, white nonadhesive shelf paper, several small round sponges and poster paint. Then let the painting art party begin! Your children can dip the sponges in the poster paint and then create colorful designs and patterns on the shelf paper. When done, they will have created their own wrapping paper.

Pancake batter

DEAR READERS » Have guests staying with you? If you want to serve pancakes for breakfast, make the batter the night before and pour it into a clean, plastic squeeze bottle that you keep in the fridge. Then, in the morning, you can squirt the batter into serving-size pancakes, and you’ll have more time to chat with your guests!

Pet pal

DEAR HELOISE » This is Lucy, my Boston Terrier. She is 13 years old and misses her mommy, because she’s got a broken hip. — D. Stitz