We’ve had an email from Clare which is a kinda reverse this thing and a kinda ‘how can I recycle?’ thing:

My boyfriend has a huge collection of shot glasses in various shapes and sizes (he’s not a great drinker, so I don’t know where they came from!) I thought some of them would make great spice jars — but I need some lids for them.

Wine bottle corks are too small. I thought about begging Champagne corks from a local posh restaurant, soaking them to restore their tubular shape and carving them to fit. But I’m a danger to myself and those around me when using a scalpel.

Does anyone have any other ideas for making lids to fit shot glasses in a variety of shapes?

So … any ideas? I can’t think of anything other than those plastic lids you get for open tin cans – and they’d be too big and too ugly to use here.

Or any other suggestions for what Clare can do with the many shot glasses?

We’ve had an email from Ashleigh, asking:

What can I do with old flat baking trays? They’re a bit rusty so we can’t use them for food anymore. Can they go in my green bin?

I’m not sure about the green bin because everywhere has different rules and it also depends what they’re made out of but the guys that collect scrap metal around here would probably take them.

As for reuses, the rust might come off with one of those metal scrubber things but it’ll obviously rust right up again if it gets wet a lot again – perhaps clean it up and paint it with some rust-preventing paint. If it’s got a lip all the way around the edge, it could then be used as tray under plants or for kids to use during messy craft session (the lip might help stop things spilling/spreading all over the place).

Any other suggestions? What about suggestions for trays that are completely flat or with just one raised edge?

(Photo (and craving for gingerbread caused) by Jenny Rollo)

We’ve had an email from Beth:

My husband installed replacement windows in our living room last weekend to replace single-paned, leaky originals. We now have large storm windows and wood-framed glass (non-tempered, I believe) that seems a shame to just break and throw away. Looking for ideas to recycle them ourselves into something useful or someone to give them to that could make something out of them.

I’ve blogged about it but you can’t see the actual window in those pics, just the storms.

Any thoughts, ideas, or suggestions?

When we had our drafty, single-pane windows replaced a few years ago, I wanted to keep them to use in the garden – to make a greenhouse or cold frame – but the fitters had to pretty much smash every pane (and most of the walls around them) to get them out.

A cold frame is probably one of the easiest things to do with them – if you don’t want to do that, someone on your local Freecycle group probably will – but does anyone have any other suggestions?

(Photo by blatje)

We’ve had an email from Nathalie, telling us about the fab ottoman she made from an old washing machine drum (links includes full instructions). She also links to another site where one has been turned into a floor lamp – very cool.

Involving less crafts, I’ve also seen them used as planters in allotments (since the holes let excess water drain away) and an outside toy bin in a garden – so they’re obviously versatile little chaps but has anyone else got any other suggestions?

(Image courtesy of Nathalie and Esprit Cabane)

(Oh, and we got a mention on Zaproot yesterday – a cool eco-show. If you’re already here, you already know about us of course but still, it’s nice to be mentioned.)

We’ve had an email from Mary asking about recycling hollow core doors.

I always see doors of one sort or another in skips around here but Mary has come up with an idea for an old one of hers – but needs a little help:

I would like to make a rattan or seagrass headboard for my king size bed by covering an old hollow core door, maybe I can use old matchstick blinds, or I’ll buy some mats, any ideas? I’d also need some kind of edging.

I really like big headboards like that so it sounds like a great idea. Mats would probably be a bit more flexible and may bend around edges – eliminating the need for separate edging – but I do like the idea of “bamboo” blinds – it seems like it would be less rough to lean against.

Any help for Mary?

Or any other ideas about what could be done with an old hollow door?