Ok, a bit of a random one but, against our completely uncoordinated better judgement, my friend Katherine and I are currently learning how to belly dance.

We’re both naturally clumsy but it turns out that life isn’t like a film where the most hoof-footed woman becomes a goddess once she enters a dance studio. Imagine a drunk person on a pogo-stick during an earthquake: they’d still be more graceful than me.

We’re planning to distract from our natural lack of skill with fancy-swancy hip scarf/belts and since I’m the craft-y one, I’ve been charged with the task of creating them. I *could* just go and buy some scarves from the market and decorate them with sequins, “coins” (circles of metal that clink together) and bells from the haberdashery but, really, where would the fun be in that?

So any suggestions for other, more interesting, more recycled things to use instead? For both the scarf/belt itself and the decoration.

I thought maybe ring pulls/bottle caps for the coins – I’m not sure how to attach them though. I’ve also got a decent stash of empty drink cans for crafty use – shapes cut from them would be nice and light but possibly a little sharp… Thoughts?

We’ve had another email from Lyndall, asking:

i was wondering if you knew what i could do with the foil top of milk bottles?

I remember a Blue Peter fundraising appeal from circa 1985 that involved us collecting them for charity but now charities – like Southampton’s Gift of Sight appeal – seem to collect plastic ones instead.

Since they’re just foil, they can be recycled along with other foil products – we can include it in our doorstep recycling.

But what about reuses?

(Photo by LHMike)

Ok, this may be another one that will make some people squirm and go “ick! ick! just throw them away!!” but it’s Friday and I’m in a silly mood so hear me out:

We each have things that make us that bit different from the next person (not necessarily unique but a bit different) and one of those things for me is that I can … scratch my bum/thighs REALLY loudly. I don’t know why. I like to think of it as some genetic gift: some people are great artists or gymnasts, I’m good at scratching REALLY loudly. I suspect I just hold my hand in a certain way that amplifies the sound but my second special thing might contribute to it too: my fingernails grow pretty fast – I’m not a freak, just my nails seem to grow about 3mm a week, compared to the average 1-2mm. Loud scratching AND slightly faster than average nail growth! I’m like a super hero!

ANYWAY, what this means is that each week, I have a pile of nail clippings. Since I keep my fingernails polish-free, they can be composted (they take a while to breakdown though) but I was wondering if anyone had any other suggestions.

I suspect, if I harvested enough of them, I could use them as slug protection, like eggs shells around precious plants. Any other ideas? Silly, sensible, practical or creative – any ideas are welcome :)

(By the way, in case you were wondering, the “grow them 1cm/1inch long and sell them for money” idea that’s been floating around for years has been debunked as an urban myth. Shame.)

(Photo by Eastop)

An OMG-how-haven’t-we-featured-that-yet!! post today: tissue paper.

I just came across a giant sheet of it as packaging in a Chinese Chequers box and as I was folding it to put in my craft drawer, I realised we hadn’t used it on the site.

So I can keep it around for future packaging purposes and combining it with a comb might win me a place in a popular music combo – but what else can I do with it?

We’ve had an email from Jamie:

What can I do with an old concrete wall? It was in panels so came apart quite easily. I’ve got 12 panels in total, each about 1′ by 4′. They’re flat on one side and have a slight raised design on the other.

They’re not in perfect condition because they’re probably 20 years old but they’re ok. We took them down because it made the garden look like a prison yard and we thought a hedge would be nicer instead!

Our beloved friend Freecycle is an obvious thought here – someone else might dig that prison yard aesthetic.

Depending on how thick/strong they are, using them as paving might be another idea – perhaps in a low traffic area of the garden if they’re not as solid as patio flags (lining paths in a veg plot springs to mind).

If you’re willing to break them down, I dare say the concrete could be used for all sorts of things that need a bit of extra weight – the bottoms of planters for example. Ooh, that’s another idea: as giant coasters under tubs on fancy patios/decking, for when you don’t want the run off from the tubs to damage the stone/wood.

Any other ideas? Suggestions for using them whole and in bits are both welcome.

(Stock photo by sundstrom)