Hints From Heloise

Dear Heloise: I have an “old hat” hint for you.

I had five hats from the early ‘60s that I took out of storage to use for accent pieces in decorating. The most exciting of all is the placement of my favorite, a toast colored woven straw-like fabric with a floppy irregular brim and small velvet tie.

It is now upside down in the center of my dining room table cradling an assortment of silk flowers. It is not only aesthetically pleasing but also nostalgic. - Dottie Sears, Louisville, Ky.

Dear Heloise: I recently purchased a tall candle in a glass (the kind you get at the grocery store) and was finding it difficult to light it as the wax got lower.

I then got a birthday candle and put it in a drinking straw - voila! - a nice easy way to get to that hard-to-reach wick! - Julie Pogar, Colorado Springs, Colo.

In a pinch, you can also use a piece of raw spaghetti to light a deep wick. - Heloise