Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things

Hi all thanks a lot for your replies. Keep reading will post lots more. The name of the book is just the same as of the heading of this thread " Extradinory Uses for Ordinary Things".

Here comes a list of uses for Aluminium-Foil Baking Pans.

1. Use as an impromptu AshTray: No ashtray in hand if you are hosting a smoker in your home? An aluminium foil pan or a heavy duty Aluminium foil folded to make a square cup will help.

2. Make a mini dustpan: If you need a spare dustpan for your workshop or bathroom, an aluminium-foil baking pan can fit the bill quite nicely. Simply cut one in half and you are ready to go.

3. Make trays for craft supplies: Stock crayons, beads, buttons, sequeins, pipe cleaners and such by sorting them into seperate aluminium-foil baking pans. To secure materials when storing the pans, cover each one with a layer of plastic wrap.

4. Store sanding discs and more: Since they are highly resistant to corrosion, aluminium-foil baking pans are especially well suited for storing sanding discs, hacksaw blades and other hardware accessories in your workshop. Cut the pan in half and attach it with duct tape or stapes around the wedges open side up to a pegboard.

Like wise you can store light weight plastic spoons, paper plates in your kitchen.

It can be used to store papers pencil and pens in your office.

5. Train your dog: If your dog has a tendency to leap up on the sofa or kitchen counter leave a few pans along the counter edges or the sofa back when you're not at home. The resulting noise will give him a good scare when he jumps and hits them

 

Most useful items for children:

1. Contain the mess from kid's projects (Aluminium-foil baking pans) :
Glitter is notorious for turning up in corners and crevices long after the artworks has been completed. But you can minimize some messes by using an aluminium-foil baking pan to encase projects involving glitter, beads spray paint, feathers etc....

2. Affix to baby drinking cups and high-chair seats (bath appliques):
Cut small pieces of a bath applique and put them on toddlers drinking cups to keep them steady and minimize spills. Also attach appliques to high-chair seats to keep a small child from sliding down-or out.

3. Remove crayon marks from walls(Bicorbonate of Soda):
Has your child redecorated your walls or wallpaper with some original artworks in crayon? Just grab a damp rag, dip it in some bicorbonate of soda and lightly scrub the marks. They should come off with a minimal amount of effort.

4. Clean baby spit-ups:
Infants do tend to spit up-and usually not to opportune moments. Never leave home without a small bottle of bicarbonate of soda in your nappy bag. If your baby spits up on his or her (or your) shirt after feeding, simply brush off any solid matter, moisten a wash cloth, dip it in a bit of bicarbonate of soda and dab the spot. The odour(and the potential stain) will sonn be gone.

5. Make watercolour paints for your kids using ingredients in your kitchen.In a small bowl, combine 3 tbspns each of bicarbonate of soda, cornflour and vinegar with 1 1/2teaspoons light corn syrup. Wait for the fizzing to subside, then separate the mixture into several small containers orjar lids. Add 8 drops of food colouring to each batch and mix well. Put a different colour in each batch or combine colours to make new shades. Kids can either use the paints right away or wait for them to harden, in which case they'll need to use a wet brush before painting.

6. Spies use it and so can you. Send a message or draw a picture with invisible ink. Here's how you do it; mix 1 tablesppon each of bicarbonate of sada and water. Dip a toothpick or paintbrush in the mixture and write your message or draw a picture or design on a piece of plain white paper. Let the paper and the "ink" dry completely. To reveal your message or see your picture, mix 6 drops food colouring with 1 table spoon water. Dip a clean paintbrush in the solution and lightly paint over the paper. Use different food-colouring combinations for a cool effect.

 

7. Help your children brew up some slime-that gooey, stretchy stuff kids love to play with. First, mix 1 cup water, 1 cup white glue and 10 drops food colouring in a medium bowl. Then, in a second, larger bowl, stir 4 teaspoons borax into 1 1/3 cups water untill the powder is fully dissolved. slowly pour the contents of the first bowl into the second. Use a wooden mixing spoon to roll (don't mix) the glue-based solution around in the borax solution four or five times. Lift out the globs of glue mixture, then knead it for 2-3 minutes. Store your homemade slime in an airtight container or a self-sealing plastic storage bag.

8. Make a play castle: Turn a large appliance cardboard box into a medival castle. Cut off the top flaps and make battlements by cutting notches along the top. To make a notch, use a utility knife to make a cut on either side of the section you want to remove, then fold the cut section forward and cut along the fold. To make a drawbridge, cut a large fold down opening on one side that is attached at the bottom. Connect the top of the draw bridge to the walls with ropes on either side, punching holes for the rope and knotting the rope on the other side. Use duct tape to reinforce the holes. Also cut out narrow window slits on the walls. Let the kids draw stones or bricks on the walls.

9. Organize kids' sporting goods: Keep a decorated empty wine or liquior carton with partitions, and with the top cut off, in your child's room and use it for easy storage of tennis rackets, cricket bats, fishing rods and such.

10. Instant Mega phone: Dont shout yourself hoarse when you're outside calling for a child or pet to come home right now. Give your vocal cards a rest by using a wide cardboard tube as a megaphone to amplify your voice.

11. Preserve kids art work: You want to save some of your children's precious artwork. Simply roll up the artwork and place it inside a paper towel tube. Label the outside with the child's name and date. The tubes are easy to store, and you can safely preserve the work of your budding artists. Use this method to store your documents and certificates too.

12. Build a toy log cabin: Notch the ends of several long tubes with a craft knife and then help the kids build log cabins, fences or huts with them. Use different sized tubes for added versatality. For added realism, the children can paint or coulour the tubes before the construction begins

 

Lathaji,
This is from a book called "Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things". This is another book from Digest.

 

1. Use an old CD to make a picture frame for someone you love. You need a CD, a picture of you that is larger than the CD hole, a large bead, ribbon and glue. Glue the picture in the middle of the CD on the shiny side. If you wish to decorate the CD with markers or stickers. Use hot-melt glue to attach the bead at the top of the CD. Let it dry and thread ribbon through the bead.

2. Use Corks as a face paint: Children love to dress up. To create a scruffy look, char the end of a piece of cork by holding it over a candle. Let it cool a little, then rub it on the child's face.

3. Create craft stamps: You can use cork to create a persobalized stamp. Carve the end of a cork into any shape or design you want. Use it with ink from a stamp.

4. Cover a book: Use duct tape in an interesting colour to create a durablebook cover for a school textbook or a paperback that you carry to the beach. Make a pattern for the cover on a sheet of newspaper; fit the pattern to your book, then cover the pattern, one row at a time, with duct tape, overlapping the rows, The resulting romovable cover will be waterproof and sturdy.

 

Cool Curtains using Corks:
Want a creative,stylish beaded curtain for a child's or teen's room? Drill a hole throughcorks and string them onto a cord along with beads and other decorations. Make as many strings as you need and tie them onto a curtain rod.

Create craft stamps:
You can use cork to create a personalized stamp. Carve the end of a cork into a shape or design you want. Use it with ink from a stamp pad to decorate note cards. Or let the kids dip carved corks in paint to create artwork.

Make your own glue using cornflour:
The next time the kids want to go wild with construction paper(or stiff paper) and glue, save money by making the glue yourself. Mix 3 teaspoons cornflour for every 4 teaspoons cold water. Stir until you reach a glue consistency. This is especially great for applying with fingers or a wodden tongue depressor or ice-lolly stick. If you add food colouring this glue can be used for painting objects.

Make finger paints:
This simple recipie will keep the kids happy for hours. Mix together 1/4th cup cornflour and 2 cups cold water. Bring to a boil and continue boiling until the mixture becomes thick. Pour your product into several small containers and add food colouring to each container. You've created a collection of homemade finger paints.