Find Your Reuse Inspirationby Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger 23 Jul 2007 05:22 AM I love it when I come across ideas for reusing unusual things. For example, this summer, I posted an article about reusing inflatable toys. I think it is so inspiring when these types of reuse ideas come up. It shows how creative people can be with what they have. One of my favorite sources for creative ideas is a personal friend of mine. She is constantly coming up with amazing ideas that repurpose items in very creative ways for her home and garden. She often serves as inspiration to me. This morning, I got an e-mail from her telling me all about a few new projects that she was working on this past weekend. While there are too many ideas to mention right here and right now, she is in the middle of transforming a section of her backyard into a private hideaway for the family, reminiscent of a secret garden. There will be something for everyone. My friend practices reuse in so many different ways. A shiny blue bowling ball might become a garden ornament, an old grandfather clock is just right for corny cubby with shelves, an old door and a colorful but damaged quilt placed under the glass can become a very unique kitchen table. So how can you find your reuse inspiration? Well, one thing I know about my friend is that much like an artist, she will look at an object beyond what its original use was and see the possibilities of what it can become. Any object, no matter how humble or neglected can inspire. Take a look at the object from different angles. If you couldn't purchase anything ever again and only had this particular object or set of objects, what would you try to make? Another thing I know about my friend, is that she never buys what she can make or get for free. She hardly even visits thrift stores. Instead, many of her creations come from cast offs from friends, freecycle or through curb shopping. I keep telling her that she needs to write a book or open a store. Hopefully her story will inspire you to your own reuse creativity. What do you currently have around your home that can be reused into something fabulous or practical? Mary Ann Romans also writes for the Computing Blog here at Families.com where she shares everything from the latest news on technology to cool downloads and fun websites. Related Articles: Decorating Your Outdoor Space with Found Objects The Third Principle of A Frugal Lifestyle: Recycle More Reuse articles here at the Frugal Living Blog Learn more about Mary Ann Romans  Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat. Relevantfrugal tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Community Tags frugal, home and garden, reuse, recycle Discuss this article
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