A present bearing a hand-painted monogram shows affectionate effort. Use a set of hand towels and a letter stencil. Lay towel over a sheet of paper. Center stencil on towel and, holding it firmly, apply two coats of washable fabric paint with a medium-size brush. Remove stencil, and let dry, about three hours.
A wooden flea-market cupboard makes a great towel cabinet, left. Use top of cabinet for extra storage. Keep your regular supply in the glass-fronted cabinet. Having all towels visible makes it easy to keep track of your inventory. Open shelves on the sides hold glass jars full of cotton balls and soaps.
Keep laundry supplies tidy and out of sight with built-in shelves and a curtain that can be pulled across them when the laundry is done. Mothballs and cedar chips are stored in canning jars, and little bars of soap are kept in airtight containers. Towels for drying hand-washables are stacked on one shelf. Special stain remedies are kept together in a galvanized metal box; detergent is in a large plastic container with a scoop for easy measuring.
Transform an inexpensive flower bucket into a nice-looking umbrella stand by painting the bottom of the bucket with glossy oil-based enamel paint. In addition to providing color, the paint will help disguise any rust caused by dripping umbrellas. Mark the bottom third of a tall galvanized bucket (available at garden centers) with painters' tape; prime and paint this area and the bottom of the bucket. Let dry 24 hours before removing tape.
When you need first-aid supplies most, you're usually not in the best frame of mind to search for them. A well-stocked first-aid kit keeps the items you need easy to find. Bandages, adhesive tape, gauze, and scissors are useful. To clean wounds, keep hydrogen peroxide or isopropyl alcohol (and cotton balls or swabs to apply it) on hand as well as antibiotic ointment (check expiration date). A first-aid kit is also a good place to store pain relievers.
If you can peel and stick, you can bring a natural note to your home office with coordinated wood-grain accessories. All it takes to make a matched set of mouse pads, file boxes, and straight-sided glass jars is self-adhesive shelf liner.
Cut the paper just larger than the surface you want to cover, apply, and trim excess with a craft knife.
