Around the house

* Prevent messy spills when children are painting. Cut a hole in center of a sponge and place over paint jar. This will keep the container from spilling over and it will also catch drips.

* Apply lemon oil to wicker furniture to prevent it from drying out.

When trying to remove paper from wood surfaces, apply a few drops of salad oil on the paper. Let set until paper can be rubbed away with a soft cloth.

Store out-of-season clothes in plastic trash cans with lids. This will keep moths and humidity out.

Remove musty odors from an old trunk. Store a coffee can filled with kitty litter deodorizer inside the trunk overnight.

In the garden

* When cutting fresh flowers, pick in the morning before the heat affects the blooms. Plunge freshly cut stems into a warm

bucket of water; arrange and enjoy.