5/15/11

Many of us have little bars of hotel soap that we bring home and save for guests or use in lieu of buying new bars of soap at the store. If you've amassed a collection of soap, you can also upcycle it into bubble bath in minutes. Use a cheese grater to grate the soap into flakes; place the flakes in a container and spoon them into a bath tub as it's filling up to create luscious bubbles the next time you need to relax.

5/14/11

A kid-friendly and beautiful gift is to look for heart-shaped items found right in nature: stones, pebbles, flowers -- even twigs bent into the shape of a heart. Or you can collect fallen twigs and spell out the word L-O-V-E and place it on the fireplace mantel as a heartfelt gift to anyone you love. Make it a scavenger hunt for kids, so it's both interactive, fun and rewarding.

5/13/11

Upcycle a plastic ice cube tray into a craft paint palette. Fill each compartment with a different color of acrylic or water-based craft paint, and use them to make mini works of art. When you're done, there's no need to toss out the old paint. Simply wrap the tray in plastic cling wrap and place in the freezer; when you're ready to use it again, remove it from the freezer to thaw and you're ready to go.