How much money have I spent on Febreeze and other fabric fresheners over the years? Way too much. I have a kid, a dog and a cat that generate all sorts of interesting smells. I cook curries and Mexican food and, well, everything that comes out of my kitchen has some sort of smell — good or bad. I've also got two couches and several rugs that suck up every smell that comes around. So I'm always walking through the house with spray bottle in hand.

So when I saw Dianne Hadaway's how-to for fabric freshener, I literally jumped for joy. And then I jumped into my laundry room to mix some up. I'm excited because not only can I use my own favorite fabric softener scent (in a strength I can determine), I can also use ingredients that I know are safe.