As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. And in these challenging times, many of us are increasingly on the lookout for ways to save a buck or two wherever we can. A nickel or a dime ...

When I first called Natalie Pepin, I told her I really wanted to learn how to make soap. “But I’m afraid of lye,” I confessed. I suggested maybe we should do candles instead. “No,” she told me. “Let’s ...