couple of things…

Happy Monday!

I’ve been  gathering some awesome tips to share with you – ready?

Do you have a few white tops that have seen better days?  You know what I mean – but did you know that those stains are caused in part by the aluminum in your antiperspirant?  I just learned this recently, and have switched over to using deodorant only. Not surprisingly, this has all but eradicated the problem. But I still had a number of white shirts that I was holding on to, even though they were yellowed to the point that I would only wear them under sweaters.

And then I ran across a post on just this topic, from one of my very favorite bloggers – Mara Kofoed from A Blog About Love. She recommended this product, and all I can say is – BUY IT. NOW.

Whink Rust Stain Remover

image courtesy of drugstore.com

It really works! To use,  just dampen the stain with water and apply the product (make sure to wear rubber gloves!) till the fabric is saturated. Let it sit for a few minutes – working it in with a toothbrush if you like – rinse with cold water, and launder as usual. Whites are white again!

Having just shared some recipes that use a food processor, I thought I’d pass  along this helpful tip. Whenever I’m making sauces and dressings in the processor, they invariably drip down the sides of the work bowl and onto the base. Annoying.  America’s Test Kitchen suggested covering the bowl with plastic wrap before putting the lid on. This works like a charm, catching all the splatters, and eliminating the clean-up.

Now go make this:

grilled chicken with mango sesame dressing

And this.

Mess-free.

Did you know that you can make your own vanilla extract? Neither did I! I always assumed you needed a lab set-up and/or a commercial kitchen. Uh-uh. My friend Sara recently brought me this:

sara's homemade vanilla

sara's homemade vanilla

And she shared the recipe with me – can you guess?

You place vanilla beans in vodka.

That’s it. I couldn’t believe something I used on such a regular basis was so ridiculously easy to make, so I did a little digging – and, sure enough – that’s it! For more details, take a look at this article from Martha. If you start now, you’ll have your own batch of homemade vanilla ready to give as a holiday gift (yes, I’m already thinking about the holidays…).

And, speaking of the holidays, here’s my very favorite “share” of the day:

how can I make pencils? easy!

image courtesy of scissors.paper.wok.

D.I.Y. pencils! Pencils, people!

Design Mom shared this post from Scissors.Paper.Wok., and I just about died. So, so easy and could you imagine a few of these, paired with a pretty journal, for teacher gifts? Yes!

Hope you enjoyed, and of course, let me know if you try any (or all) of these!

4 Comments

  1. Mara @ {A Blog About Love} on October 22, 2012 at 2:43 pm

    Sheri – this is just nuts. I was out and about today and tried to check this link from twitter from my iphone but my phone wasn’t working properly. So I went about my errands which included picking up some of this very rust remover!!!!! (I had a few more items to treat). haha! I had NO idea that you had written about it until now. I just got home – checked this link. I am sitting next to a bag of the rust remover and writing this note. What a funny coincidence. And yes, this stuff works like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I can’t believe it. Thanks for sharing with more people. We can all save our white clothes! xo

    • sherisilver on October 22, 2012 at 3:40 pm

      Mara – of the many reasons I love you, this tip is one of the tops!! 😉 xo

  2. Marti on October 24, 2012 at 11:42 am

    I can’t believe that now I can create vanilla extract myself. Never would have imagined. Thanks for sharing Sara’s how to on making it. My friends should be happy to get something other than jewelry from me this Holiday season:)
    Marti

    • sherisilver on October 24, 2012 at 12:10 pm

      Right? What a different gift!

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Hi! I'm Sheri!

Welcome to my little corner of the web where you’ll find easy, delicious recipes, the best kitchen hacks and simple tips for turning your home into a clean haven that is free of toxins. So glad you’re here!