by Rosemary Redfern

Created on: May 06, 2008   Last Updated: May 20, 2008

Using household items for something other than their original purpose is challenging. It's a matter of how you look at an item to see how you can turn it into a convenient article and a new treasure.

You never know, you might find a whole new set of skills, and creative pleasure, you didn't realize you had.

For instance, rather than buy a little plastic watering can for house plants, why not use that tea pot which has a broken lid. The prettier it is the more pleasure you will have using it and prolonging it's life.

Plastic bottles cut down and put on the tops of canes in the garden which mark where you've sown seeds make the canes safer.

Milk cartons can be cut down to make molds to recycle candle stubs. Melt the wax in an old saucepan and anchor a piece of cotton string to the bottom of the carton. Put the carton on something which will withstand the heated wax if it spills and pour gently. When the wax is set the carton can be removed and in this process you've recycled twice.

Glass jars can be painted with glass paint can make pretty kitchen containers, vases, dressing table holders of bits and pieces or just an ornament. Don't try for high art, stripes, rings and random dots in colors which blend with you decor will look good. Drinking glasses can be treated this way too. Stencils can give you a firmer outline.

All sorts of kitchen containers can be used for plant pots and decorated with paint, mosaic made from broken china or anything else you fancy sticking on the surface.

Left over fabrics can be used to make patchwork cushion covers for outside chairs. Or simple lamp shades, or napkins. Or even a collage picture.

Paint can hide a damaged surface. Use left over paint from decorating and it will blend with you decor. There are plenty of ' how to' books around to help on this.

Junk shops are good places to find furniture you can dismantle and use in parts. Look at an item of furniture try to decide how it might be possible to use the sections for a number of different items. Again paint will give a finish you can change if you wish.

For instance an old wardrobe. It could become a food store or fabric store after it has been refinished on the outside with paint. Perhaps with stencils adding decoration. The shelves could become a coffee table by adding legs. The hanging rail could be used to store table cloths without creases.

The secret is to exercise your imagination when you look at something. If it was an old treasure with care you can create a new one.

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