A few last minute Christmas Tips - involving clips
Take a metal paper clip and bend the lower loop down. You now have a perfect hanger for Christmas Tree ornaments- and unlike those green plastic ones from poundshops, this will not snap easily, and it will last for decades, then biodegrade happily. And the ones you do not use will hold your papers together.You probably knew that one anyway- but I share it for those who haven't heard it before. This next one came to me as I was waiting for Rosie to come round and do crafts.
I have a coffee table in the lounge, and realised last summer that when Rosie is playing, her toys can sometimes scratch the surface. I laid a tablecloth for protection. However that was prone to sliding, and her little Sylvanian toys kept falling off and ending up under the table, at risk of being trodden on or sucked up the vacuum cleaner. I suddenly remembered my garden table- I have clips to retain the cloth when we are having a breezy summer lunch outside. These hold the Christmas Cloth tidily on my coffee table with no slippage!
Peg and spoon race If your stirring spoon keeps sliding into the pan, a clothes peg on the handle will hold it up, when you are not using it - and means you do not need to put a sticky spoon down on the worktop. [I would use a wooden clip not a plastic one though]
Ten Green Bottles might roll around in your fridge, but not if you use a binder clip, to keep them in place. Clothespins [pegs] - old fashioned wood, or newer ones with metal springs, can be easily transformed by the children into little angels Butterfly clips transform strips of card into colourful globes to hang on the tree - another easy craft to do with the children. And no messy glue or sticky tape either! Full instructions here That's half a dozen clip tips- do you have any to add??
I always use pegs on packets in the cupboards - don't need expensive special clips from Lakeland
ReplyDeleteThere ought to be a website devoted to "ways to copy Lakeland gadgets at lower cost"... Maybe there is such a site already out there.
DeleteI knew about using paper clips to hang ornaments, because that's what we used to do for the trees we put up in the office!
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen those types of clips to hold table covers down!
I'd be afraid to use a clothes pin to keep a spoon from sliding down because I use a gas fire and would worry about the clothes pin getting burnt! I generally don't keep any spoons in the pot when the stove is on because the handles tend to get very hot from the gas flames.
The binder clip to hold bottles in place is very clever! Won't work for me because I don't have those wire racks in my fridge - the shelves are tempered glass, meant to catch any spills.
I like the clothespin angels! I think they'll make cute package trims as well as tree ornaments. :)
I like the idea of angels pegged to gifts
DeleteI think you should contact Lakeland to see if they will adopt your ideas!
ReplyDeletePerhaps they'd put a page in their catalogue of "Alternative uses for our products"
DeleteWow, you brought some memories back there. I remember making clothes peg angels and those little paper globes, along with paper lanterns and 'snowflakes' at primary school to bring home for our tree.
ReplyDeleteI used to love making the paper lanterns too
DeleteI use those black binder clips to clip my outside Christmas lights onto the edge of my shingles. I leave them on the light string when I take them down and store them away together.
ReplyDeleteI have quite a few Christmas balls using a paper clip to hold them onto the tree! They are much sturdier.
That makes a lot of sense, packing away the clips WITH the lights!
DeleteSomeone once gifted me a cute reindeer tree ornament crafted from a wooden peg. Handcrafted ornaments are fun to rediscover each year.
ReplyDeleteHandcrafted ones, made with love, are precious
ReplyDeleteI love your brilliant ideas!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Kezzie!
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