C.bronco said:
I framed some pictures from old calendars (Van Gogh and Winnie the Pooh). My mom said that inmates usually make their shivs out of toothbrushes. She's never done time, but she's very adept with craft projects, so I'd take her word for it.
Last year I bought a calendar (H.R. Geiger) for the sole purpose of decorating my office.
Yes, toothbrush handles can and are often turned into handles for crude to sophisticated weapons by inmates.
Wanna guess how long the handles are on our current toothbrushes?
You could use used coffee or tea grounds as an add-in to potting soil. Helps stretch out how much potting soil you have and provides very nice mulch.
Old coffee/tea could also be used to help 'age' stuff such as wood, paint or paper. (which might be handy if you want to create aged paper projects.)
Wrappers of various products could be used to create a mosiac effect.
Chicken or other meat bones could make great Halloween decorations. Old blankets become throw pillows (or in my case, a slipcover for my sleeper sofa).
Bits of carpeting make great cat perches (with some wood and stuff, of course!)
Plastic shopping bags help make an interesting paint effect.
I've used old or ruined CD-Rs as coasters - but they also make neat decorative objects (or for the campers/hikers a very easy, lightweight and relatively small signaling mirror).
Cups can be nifty planters for smaller plants or seedlings.
Old clothing can be repurposed into accessories (such as jean handbags that were almost a fad not too long ago).
Used up crocheted/knitted things (such as blankets, sweaters, the like) are a fountain of free yarn for other projects.
Bits of highly fragrant soap, when crushed, become cheap and somewhat effective room scents (of course, if the inmate doesn't put it in a clean sock, then it will have defeated the purpose).
Playing cards = artistic endeavours
Shredded bills, credit offers and other personal information? I've used this for the past two years to 'bed' my roses and so far I'm doing great on the rosebushes. Really, it's all free stuff sent to me, I shred it and then have TONS of ground cover for the season! Or use it as 'kindling' in the fire place. Or as a means to 'contain' a spill.
Salt can be used to help clean most not non-stick cookware (works great in cast iron and stoneware!) Use either a bit of water (for large crystals) or oil.
Soda cans are cheap ashtrays (I am a non-smoker among lung cancer waiters!)
Old Barbie, Ken and GIJoe toys can join others in a nifty diorama (GI Joe saves the world from Godzilla only to have Barbie 'swoon' over Doctor Ken?)
Album covers are very decorative.
Some leftover paint and time can turn old furniture into new furniture (my 'coffee table' is a thrown in end table someone gave me when I moved into my apartment. I used some blue and gold paint to create something less ugly and 70's).
dishtowels = potholders
old plates = candle holders
toilet paper? use it to create real fun costume effects with some glue (dilution strenth depends on the project yes?)
Newspapers? two words PAPIER MACHE!!! Sure it may have gone out of vogue in the early 80s but who says that it doesn't still have a purpose? Or use it to handle hot glass when you're blowing glass. (cause we're all doing that yes?)
Venetian blinds have the 'up side' and the 'down side' right? Why not make them into some sort of 'double image' window decoration?
Bits of colored plastic wrap lying around? Save it up and make cheap stained glass effects (this could be good for small bits of water color or even food coloring with some clear drying glue).
Speaking of food coloring, it makes a great dye for just about anything.
Coke left in a can or cup? Use it to clean the battery terminals in your car - or other devices. Can also be used to help clean toilets or other mineral build ups. Now aren't you glad you've stopped drinking the nasty stuff?
Jars are really useful in holding stuff. Since, y'know, that's why they're made. But baby food, jam and other types of jars? Great for smaller things like beads, buttons, spiders. Larger jars are good for the ant colonies, snakes and left over fruitcake that has the EPA is investigating you. Oh, I bet you could even store food in them!
bits of old candles? Use them to make proper voodoo dolls. Your friends need to be punished right?
Old throw pillows can be refurbished with scrap material left after projects. If you're using all sorts of 'recycled' stuff throughout the house, you're already bohemian so go for the frankenpillow look!
Lots of 'trendy' foods that come in 'special' packaging can be remade into storage or even gift boxes. With a little bit of creativity.
Toothpicks are good for a lot of stuff - I used to use'em to measure out the food for my betta fish. But sadly, Alpha has recently passed on.
Flattened/squished critters on the side of the road? Them's good eats!
Relabel a lot of your old VHS tapes "me and the spouse - honeymoon night part three" and then donate them to the old folks home. Good for a laugh. Yours, not theirs.
We used to make our holiday wreaths out of the branches we cut from the bottom of our Xmas tree so it would fit the tree stands. Not recommended for artificial trees.
Cat litter is good and absorbent right?
When pruning most houseplants, why not use them as starts for either more planty goodness in the home or give them to friends?
Old cabinets that have little use can be remade into 'cat box hiders'. This is apparently a big idea in larger cities with lots of apartment dwellers.
So you've used your tea to age a bunch of paper into 'parchment' to write the long, breathlessly romantic letter to your soulmate and still have some left? Try origami. Use a bit of holiday gift ribbon to hang your new Crane of a Thousand What the Heck? Is It Supposed to Look Like This? What the Heck Have I Done Wrong!
Apparently at baby/bridal showers there's this thing about saving the ribbon from the gifts? Why not make art out of it? At one I made a poodle, at another I made - a poodle.
Baby blankets = children's pillows. Or backgrounds for framing cherished items in a shadowbox.
T-shirts make great quilts. Or so I've been hinted at. Many, many times.
Not a lot of space but a great passion for DVDs? Use CD binders. Takes up a heck of a less space and allows for the holding of TONS of movies. I've got one just full of my television season sets - wherein the cases for said television season sets takes up its own 13 gallon plastic tub and then some!
Storing luggage? Why not use that wasted space and store non-seasonal clothes? Throw dryer sheets into the plastic storage bags to help keep the clothes 'fresh'.
Got the fancy Martha Stewart types who give you gift bags? Use the tissue paper to make your project patterns, the bags can be used for many things. I've even got my magnetic poetry board covered with some old tissue paper to make it more 'decorative'.
Stacks of books make great weights.
Hope some of these ideas help!
Rabe...
