When the cold weather takes a toll on your household in the form of sore throats and stuffy noses, you’re likely searching for any way to find a bit of relief. Here are a few home remedies that might just soothe your sore throat without the use of over-the-counter medications—just remember to check with your doctor first!

1. Gargle with salt water. Sore throats are caused when the cells in the mucous membranes become swollen and inflamed, and gargling with salt water helps reduce this swelling. By warming the saltwater solution, you can also wash away the excess mucous and clear your nasal passages.
2. Make an apple cider vinegar drink. Apple cider vinegar is filled with healthy properties, and its high levels of acidity help to kill bacteria that cause illness. Make a drink using one tablespoon of ACV, one tablespoon of honey and one cup of hot water, then sip it slowly and feel the relief.
3. Try marshmallow root. This strange root named after the sugary candy helps to coat the throat and relieve pain. Steep one tablespoon of the dried root in boiling water for 30 to 60 minutes, then strain and drink.
4. Chew on cloves. For fast and easy relief, try the natural painkiller eugenol found in cloves. Simply suck on a whole clove until it becomes soft enough to chew like gum, then spit it out when finished.

10 Ways to Soothe a Sore Throat [Health]
22 Natural Sore Throat Remedies to Help Soothe the Pain [Everyday Roots]
Sore Throat Remedies: 16 Natural Gargles [Reader’s Digest]

CC-BY-SA-3.0/Flickr/jimlightfoot26

Austin is widely known as a very crafty town. The city’s sewing scene is particularly powerful, and one of the key places artisans shop supplies is The Cloth Pocket. This fun, funky fabric store was established by a mother-daughter team who knew that the town had a need for a carefully-curated stock of textiles designed for crafting, quilting, and other fabric arts.

The square footage of the space is not huge, but it’s so expertly organized that you’ll have no problem finding the perfect bolt of fabric for whatever you plan to do. The staff here is super nice, too, offering you tea or water when you step in the door and helping you work out your project needs without spending too much money.

The Cloth Pocket is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. If you’re into the fabric arts, this is going to be your new favorite store.

The Cloth Pocket
5448 Burnet Road
Austin, TX 78756
(512) 524-5684
www.theclothpocket.com/index2.php#!/home
www.yelp.com/biz/the-cloth-pocket-austin

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/fischerfotos

Nothing can give a space a personal touch quite like framed photos of friends and family. Whether you're looking to spruce up your home or give a personalized gift to that special someone, these two photo service websites are for you.

Shutterfly
Arguably the internet's most popular photo service site, Shutterfly makes it easy to create custom photo albums, collages, stationery, calendars, and much more. Simply upload your favorite photos from your computer and start designing. The gift portion of the site allows you to design mugs, canvas prints, totes, tees, smart phone cases, magnets, mousepads—even blankets!—using your favorite photos. Better still, the website's prices are affordable, and frequent online coupon codes promise even more bang for you buck.

Snapfish
Whatever the occasion, Snapfish likely has a commemorative gift with which to remember it by. Create a wedding photo album, design graduation announcements, or put a personal touch on greeting cards and stationery. Like Shutterfly, Snapfish also offers a wide variety of photo gifts, from mugs and calendars to blankets and jewelry. Or you can just keep it simple and order standard prints!

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Les Chatfield