HELOISE Idea gives new life to old tablecloth

Dear Heloise: I have an old, soiled tablecloth that we've had many wonderful family meals on. Instead of throwing it away, we did family handprints with dated signatures on it. What fun it was recently to add new ones and see my grandson go from footprints at 6 months old to handprints six years later. I always use this tablecloth when dyeing eggs during Easter, because the dye can only enhance the look of it.
It was so inexpensive, yet it has been a priceless treasure through the years. A tablecloth, textile paints, a foam brush and handwritten instructions make a wonderful housewarming, baby-shower or bridal-shower gift. Patti DiMascio, Middletown, N.Y.
Thanks for sharing your very unique idea. I'm sure anyone receiving a gift like that will love it! Heloise
Dear Heloise: I travel quite a bit with my business, and sometimes I have to be ready to go with 24 hours' notice. To make sure I don't forget important toiletries, etc., I keep an extra amount packed in my suitcase at all times.
So many times, I would rush out and then, halfway to my destination, remember that I'd left those things home. That doesn't happen anymore! J.S., via e-mail
Dear Heloise: Every time I drive along a freeway, it breaks my heart to see the number of sofa and chair cushions on the side of the road. The other day, we counted seven within just a few miles.
For most people, a missing cushion makes the sofa useless! Please remind your readers to remove those sofa and chair cushions when they are moving furniture in an open pickup truck. It only takes a minute to put the cushions inside the car or tie them down securely so they can't blow off while driving. Diane Edmonds, Fountain Valley, Calif.
Dear Heloise: I was a manager for a large trucking company. We had a number of refrigerator trailers. No matter what we tried, we couldn't get the smell out of them. We also used these trailers for regular freight.
Years ago, your mother suggested using coffee grounds to get odors out. I sent my janitor out to get 2 pounds of coffee. I took the coffee and spread it from one end of the trailer to the other and sealed the trailer up. The next morning, we opened it, and the odor was gone.
When I sent the receipt in for payment, I got a call asking why I was buying so much coffee. After that, all our terminals used coffee to get the smell out of our refrigerator trailers. Lee Parker, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Dear Heloise: Do you like to root cuttings from plants? Use the little water containers from florist sprays. The roots will be contained and easy to transplant. I have a pot with potting soil in it and just stick in the containers with the tops removed and water them until they are ready to plant. I just did it with some basil. Mary Smith, Hartley, Texas
XSend a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.
King Features Syndicate