Ever think about growing an herb garden or just a few different types of herbs in little pots on your window sill? Here are 3 easy-to-grow-from-seed herbs and what you might use them for:

1. Basil—You can chop it up and use it in a vinaigrette. It’ll actually make your salad greens safer to eat, according to research. The oil from the basil’s leaves kills bacteria that can cause an upset stomach. But, it’s mainly known for flavoring tomato sauce.
2. Mint—Once you get this growing in your garden, watch out, because it will take over. It might be best to grow mint in a pot. It’s a perennial, so it will keep coming back year after year. It’s good to use in your tea or smoothies. Or, just grab a leaf and chew on your way out the door in the morning!
3. Lavender—Another easy-to-grow plant that keeps coming back. The plant I have in a pot on ...

I’m not the biggest recycler in the world, but I do like to find alternate uses for things instead of throwing them away. I like to call it “creative recycling”. Here are a few ideas:

1. Take a special greeting card, and make a picture out of it. I got a particularly cute card from Ed, cut out the punch line inside, along with his little note and taped it to the front of the card and put it in a cute frame. It makes me happy just to look at it.
2. Got lots of leftover candles? Melt them and pour them, layer by layer into a large glass jar candle holder to make a rainbow candle. You can get a wick at a craft store.
3. Used popsicle sticks make great markers for plants in your garden
4. Pieces of carpet remnants can be glued to your garage wall to protect your car door from damage
5. Crayon ...

I don’t know about you, but I hate putting dangerous chemicals in my yard. I don’t think it’s too healthy for the wildlife, let alone my dogs, anyway. So, I was pleased to find some natural remedy for weeds.

1. Try pouring boiling water over the weeds. The only problem with this is that it will kill other plants around it or even roots of nearby plants. So use carefully.
2. Table salt is a possibility. Put a small amount at the base of the weed you want to kill. Don’t worry, it will dilute after a few rainfalls, so you’ll be able to plant more desirable plants. A large amount spread over a gravel driveway will keep the weeds at bay.
3. If you want to prevent weed seeds from ever developing, scatter corn meal in the area. It acts as seed birth-control. Be careful, though, because it’ll prevent good seed from growing, too, so use it in a place you ...

I’ve always been interested in the concept of aromatherapy, or the use of essential oils to affect mood or health. Although it has been practiced more or less for thousands of years, the modern version of the practice sprang up in the 1920s. A French chemist accidentally caught his arm on fire in his perfume factory and immediately dunked it into the nearest vat of liquid, which just happened to be lavender oil. He noticed surprising pain relief and the wound healed faster than past burns had. Let’s take a look at a few oils and their use.

1. Basil is said to help depression, relieve stress and headaches and improve concentration. Try 2 or 3 drops in a diffuser, or mix the oil with a carrier oil (such as sweet almond oil or olive oil) and use it for body massage. For headaches, put 2 or 3 drops on a cold compress and ...

1. Keep your fingernail polish from chipping with “Orly Won’t Chip” It runs around $5 and will save you from having to get a manicure so often.
2. Anything from e.l.f. (eyes, lips, face) is worth trying at only $1 apiece, but their Plumping Lip Glaze comes highly recommended. You can shop online at www.eyeslipsface.com, and through July 15^th get 10% orders over $20. That’s a lot of makeup!
3. Epsom salt makes works great to exfoliate your skin and is so much cheaper than fancy scrubs. You can also make your own bath salts from it. Check out www.epsomsaltcouncil.org for all the benefits.
4. Instead of springing for pricey body cream or lotion, try cocoa butter. It’s ...

Let’s chat shoes! It is Planet Woman, you know, we must talk shoes every now and again. Especially since there are some really cool innovations in shoes out there. Let’s start with one you might have heard of:

1. Camileon Heels have adjustable heels. You can change the heel from 1-1/2 inches to over 3-inches. See them at www.camileonheels.com. They have around 50 different styles.
2. Skins Footwear makes a shoe which is actually a foot form that slips inside soft, collapsible “skins” or outer shells. You can change the skins as often as you want. Check them out at SportieLA.com.  
3. There are Switchflops, flip flops with Velcro-covered thongs that can be switched with different colored and patterned straps with cute accent buttons. You can see them at www.switchflops.com, or actually try some on at J’s Hallmark or Jan Markey Gifts.
4. And, for the kids, Inchworm shoes that “grow” with your child’s foot. The shoe can expand in half-size ...

1. Bedding, sleepwear and summer clothing (anybody check out the sheet sets they have for sale for $20 at 51^st & Harvard?)
2. Fishing and camping gear
3. Wedding dresses, because all the June brides already have theirs
4. Lumber, floor coverings, storm windows and furniture
5. This is the time to buy home appliances because the newer models are coming in and last year’s models are being discounted to move them out. TVs are also a good buy this time of year.
6. Dairy products because June is Dairy Month.   You might find more coupons and ...

1. Kids love their food to be bite-sized, and they’ll be much more likely to try new foods if it is cut into small pieces. Why not have a muffin-tin dinner? That’s where you gather a bunch of food, like goldfish, carrots, yogurt, cheese, and fruit and present them in a muffin tin pan. It’ll be fun to have a little bites of 12 different kinds of healthy foods. It might even become something you do every Friday night.
2. Turn your dining room into a “restaurant”. Print up little menus and actually let the kids order. It’s the ...