New Uses for... a cake stand

Uses for a Cake Stand

Set a mood. Use cake stands as platforms for votive and pillar candles in assorted sizes.

Exhibit your treasures. Display your collections--old toys, jewelry, Christmas ornaments, etc.

Remind yourself to do what you have to do. Place a cake stand (or two) on a table near the front door to hold letters to be mailed, bills to be paid, and your shopping list.

Show off. Display small photos and mementos, which look more important on a platform.

Raise the bar. Heighten the appeal of guest soaps and washcloths, or even use one to display your condiments for guests at a family get together.

Feel pretty. Organize your perfume bottles or jewelry on an elevated tray on the vanity table or dresser.

New Uses for.... Ziploc Bags

Use Ziploc Bags to:

1. Knead dough. Place dough in a Ziploc bag so your fingers don’t get sticky. Or slip your hand into the bag and wear it like a glove.
2. Store panty hose. Nude, Tan, Nearly Naked―they look the same out of the package. Tear off the corner of the package listing the brand, size, and color, then slip it into a bag. Store each pair in its own bag to keep hose organized and prevent snags.
3. Remove chewing gum or candle wax from a tablecloth, a couch, or carpeting. Gently rub gum or wax with a Ziploc bag filled with ice cubes until the substance hardens. Shatter gum with a blunt object, then vacuum up the chips. Carefully peel off frozen wax with a plastic spatula.
4. Pipe frosting. Snip off a tiny corner to use a Ziploc as a pastry bag.
5. Store homemade soup. Fill up bags, then lay them flat in the freezer. When the bags of soup freeze flat, you’ll be able to pile them up like stacked books for easy, space-saving storage.
6. Protect precious cargo. No bubble wrap? Slip a straw into the top of a nearly closed Ziploc bag and inflate. Remove the straw and seal to make a cushion. (Heirlooms, however, should wait for that bubble wrap.)
7. Break up graham crackers or vanilla wafers to make a piecrust. Fill a bag with the cookies, then roll a rolling pin over it.
8. Prevent a handbag from turning into a snow globe. Store pressed powder and other compacts in Ziploc bags.
9. Gather herbs from the garden. Before winter frost sets in, wash, pat dry, and freeze the herbs in Ziploc bags.
10. Ice an injury. Fill a bag with ice cubes to create a cold compress.