So I (and pretty much the rest of the world) have become completely and wholeheartedly obsessed with Pinterest.  It certainly is getting a lot of attention these days.  If you are not already familiar with this delightful corner of the internet, let me introduce you.

“Pinterest, meet Coffee Lover.  Coffee Lover, you have now been sucked into a vortex whose habitual tendencies are second only to the power of a steamy caffeinated beverage.  Resistance.  Is.  Futile.”

Pinterest is a virtual bulletin board where users can create “boards” to which they “pin” the things they love from all around the web.  I have boards devoted to recipes, crafts, fashion, etc.  It’s a social network of sorts where you can view what your friends are pinning and vice versa.  Pinterest literally becomes a visual “Favorites” that is much more comprehensive, interesting and well, let’s face it… just plain fun.  The possibilities are endless.  Baby shower ideas, seasonal crafts, inspirational quotes.

I also use Pinterest to save money by crafting meaningful gifts at home.  (About my 75% of my most recent Christmas gifts were Pinterest inspirations!)  Another of my favorite ways to use Pinterest is to find new ways to upcycle things I would ordinarily throw away.  

Here are some of my favorites:

(Be sure to click on the links to see pics!)

Tic Tac container:  Perfect for storing bobby pins.  (No matter how hard I try, my kidlets will continually have bobby pins roaming freely all over the bathroom drawer.)

Bread Clips:  Those little plastic tabs that keep the bread bag closed (which my children routinely lose before the bread is gone) can be used as labels and clipped onto the tangles of cords plugged into any given power strip. 

Entertainment Center:  You know those old boxy things running rampant at yard sales and thrift stores that won’t fit most TVs anymore?  They get new life as a play kitchen!


Pop Tab:  Incognito picture hanger.

Travel Soap Dish:  I dare you to find a better card game organizer.  It’s also the perfect size for holding a box of crayons!

Cheese Grater:  Painted in a whimsical color, this former kitchen gadget is a novel earring holder.

Old Bath Towels:  Turn them into a cozy bath mat.

Cardboard Salt Container:  Cut off the top to the size of a Mason jar and use the canning ring to secure it.  Voila!  A pour-top jar.

Wooden Ladder:  Turned sideways and mounted to a wall, it becomes a bookshelf.

And that’s just the beginning…

Have an overabundance of something and no idea what to do with it?  Pinterest it.  I’ve had bags of those popsicle craft sticks sitting in a cupboard forever.  Type “popsicle sticks” into the Pinterest search box and looky here.  Who knew, right?