Being a shorter person (5' 4"), I need a step ladder in the house for reaching things on the shelves in the kitchen and closets, as well as for changing light bulbs and doing household projects. We had a steel framed 2-step step ladder which worked well, then I found this ultra-light aluminum step ladder at Home Depot which quickly became my go to step ladder since it's so easy to use and move around.

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Things We Like: Home Depot Ultra-Light Aluminum Step Ladder/Stool

Over the years, we've bought various bed sheets, but found ourselves using the same set over and over - Wamsutta Comfort Soft cotton sheet set, 400-thread count. We like it the best given its soft, smooth, and silky hand and because it stands up to repeated washing with minimal shrinkage and fading.

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Things We Like: Wamsutta Comfort Soft Cotton Sheet Set, 400-Thread Count

I have very dry skin in the winter and have tried many different brands of lotion (conventional and natural) to relieve the itchiness in my arms and legs. Most of the lotions are ok for providing temporary relieve from the tightness and flakiness of dry skin, but none provided long lasting relief from itchiness. Recently I discovered the Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Skin Therapy Lotion with Aloe. I decided to give it a try after reading many positive reviews on Drugstore.com, and have found it to be the "ultimate" lotion that I've been searching for.

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Things We Like: Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Skin Therapy Lotion with Aloe

Since Michael and I moved to Austin, I have been cooking a lot more. Of all the pots and pans we have in the kitchen (various brands, mostly stainless steel All Clad), my favorite is the Tramontina 12" tri-ply clad saute pan. It not only stands up to the All Clad pans we have but is also most useful due to its size. It's 12" in diameter (without handles) and 3" deep (without lid), ~6 qt in capacity, has a loop (helper handle) in addition to the long handle, and comes with a lid.

We use it to saute vegetables, pan fry meats, make pasta sauce, etc.. It heats up evenly and is easy to clean (a little Bar Keeper's Friend does magic). We use it everyday and sometimes I wish we have more than one! Picked it up at Marshall's a few years ago for $39.95 which is a steal, and haven't seen them around since then. Recently I found it on Walmart.com for $69.97 which is still a great deal considering the All Clad 6 qt saute pan with lid is $250! If you have been looking for cookware that performs similar to All Clad at a fraction of the price, give Tramontina tri-ply clad pots and pans a try.
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Tramontina 12" Tri-Ply Clad Stainless Steel Saute Pan - Tina's Favorite

After making a few batches of cold process soaps and waiting patiently for 3+ weeks while they cure, you are probably wondering if there's another way of making soap that doesn't require such a long waiting time. What if you need to make gifts for an upcoming party/holiday/special occasion, and there's not enough time left? What if you are like me and sometimes just don't have the patience to wait that long to use your new soaps? Then you should try hot process soap making - make it in the morning and use it in the afternoon! Hot process involves cooking the soap mixture in a slow cooker, double boiler, or stock pot for a couple of hours until it becomes neutral (heat speeds up the saponification process), and the soap is usable right away.

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Make Soap Using A Slow Cooker (Hot Process)

One of the reasons soap making is so much fun is that you get to experiment with various shapes, colors, and scents. These are usually the first things people notice when they are presented with soaps. I think the traditional rectangular bar is quite attractive in its own way, but I also find various other shapes and forms from the simple round or ball to the exquisite specialty mold designs irresistibly charming. There are many different types of soap molds available online and in craft stores, but if you are like me and want a simple and affordable way to add variety and charm to your creations, then you should try soaps in the round.

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Make Soap In The Round With Marble Pattern

I started making bar soaps at home from scratch a few months ago and have become somewhat "obsessed" with soaps, so I finally decided to write about it. "What made you decide to make your own soap?" my friends and coworkers ask. It seems like a strange thing to do, especially in this day and age (and I live in Silicon Valley). Well at first I did it out of curiosity more than anything else. But after I started using my handmade soaps and read more about it, I discovered that they have more benefits than I realized. Until a few months ago, Softsoap or Dial liquid hand soaps and Dove or Olay body washes are what you would find in our home, and it has been that way for a long time. During this last winter season (and previous ones), my skin got really dry and itchy and none of the "intensive moisture" body washes I tried helped. Then I started using my handmade soaps, and the itching stopped and the dryness improved significantly. The soaps had nice lather even with our hard water, didn't sting Michael's eyes when he washed his face, and rinsed clean quickly unlike the body washes that left a film on the skin. I gave some to my parents, Michael's parents, coworkers, and friends, and everyone liked them.

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Make Natural Soap At Home - Basic Recipe