Decorative Ideas Using Door Shims

Create a Sun

• When looked at in profile, door shims have a long, thin triangular appearance. Capitalize on that by creating a sun in 3-D. Paint the shims bright yellow, and draw a 3-inch circle on wooden backer board. Position the fat side of the shims, on edge, all around the circle. You can glue the sun's rays in place, or nail them in place from the back side of the board.

Napkin Holder

• Paint the shims in colors to match your kitchen decor or serving dishes. Hot glue five of the door shims stacked one behind the other to a small baseboard or tile to create a napkin holder. Stack the napkins on their sides in between the door shims. You can also use this as a letter holder or a bill organizer. For bills, paint a date on the top of each door shim, such as 7th, 14th or 21st, to indicate the pay-by date.

Waxed Firestarters

• Melt all those leftover candle ends you've been saving in a double boiler. You can add color beads to create a color that matches your decor if the mixed ends don't produce an attractive color. Dip the thick end of the scented door shims in the melted wax. Let the waxed, scented shims cool slightly until the outer wax has congealed, and dip them again. Hang them on a clothesline with clothespins until they are dry, and then put them in a display basket near the fireplace. When you want to start a fire, simply place the waxed shims among the logs, and light the exposed shim.

Potpourri

• Split the shims long ways with an ax. Tint the shim pieces by dipping them in a mixture of vinegar and food coloring. To make your wood shim potpourri attractive, use a color that complements your walls for most of the shim pieces while tinting a smaller number of the pieces in a contrasting color. You can incorporate bits of ribbon for brighter colors. Add a few drops of essential oils to each of the shims. You can scent each shim differently, mix your favorite scents together, or scent them all the same. Display the shim pieces in an attractive bowl.