Ideas for Reuse

Inventive Accessory

• Turn trash to treasure by reusing candy wrappers. They're a brightly colored, unique way to liven up various items. Make a candy wrapper purse, a fun, easy project that lets you to put your creativity on display. Begin by buying a fabric purse. Then, decide how you will use the wrappers--- strategically placing a few here and there or on the entire purse or on only the pockets---and which ones you will use---any random wrappers or only the ones from your favorite sweet treat or only ones with a particular color scheme. Next, brush fabric glue onto the wrappers and affix the wrappers to the purse. Don't forget to keep the glue out of and away from the purse's zipper or buttons. Finally, apply a coat of acrylic sealer made for fabric, and let it dry.

Cool Caps

• Next time you open a bottle of something, save the cap. These colorful pieces can be reused in several different applications. Try gluing some to the top of a coffee table. Cover the area entirely or make a design, then lay a custom-cut piece of glass atop them to make a smooth tabletop. Turn bottle caps into a fun and funky room divider by punching a hole through them and stringing them together with wire, and hanging from the ceiling. Glue caps with colors that match a room's décor onto a piece of posterboard in an eye-catching pattern, frame it, and hang it on the wall to create one-of-a-kind art. Brighten up a boring refrigerator front with bottle cap magnets: glue a picture onto the front of a cap and a small magnet to the inside.

Wondrous Window

• Reuse old multipaned windows, or just the frames, by turning them into art. Remove any old paint on the frame by sanding it down or using paint remover, and, if necessary, clean the glass. The window is now a blank canvas that can be transformed in a number of ways. If the glass is there, you can frost it; paint or etch on pictures or designs; or glue on dried leaves, photos, wrapping paper or tiles. If there is no glass, focus on the frame. Paint it, carve patterns or designs into it, hang colored glass or copper bitsin each panel. Lastly, attach some hooks to the window and hang it on a wall. You have created an original piece of art with sentimental value.

Best Box

• Even an old lockbox can be reused. One option is turning it into a planter. First, remove the lid, then drill a few holes into the bottom and pour in a layer of loose rock for drainage. Add a layer of potting soil, plant your seeds, and viola! You have a planter. You can grow a little herb garden in the kitchen windowsill for a constant supply of fresh basil, oregano and thyme, or a box of flowering blooms to add life to a living room. Another option, great for small lockboxes, is using the lockbox to make a music box. You can find kits and directions for how to install a movement (the music box's musical mechanism) in hobby shops or online. This idea also works well as a gift. Before installing the movement, decorate the box with stencils, paint, buttons or stickers, then place a favorite photo inside.