SECRET HIDING PLACE BOOK

Recycle your old VHS Case to make a Secret Hiding Place Container for a book shelf. To make the book cover I photo copied a book about the same size as the case. See the photo copy in picture attached. I cut the photo copy to fit the case and glued it in place. See 2nd attached photo. I also cut out the 2 pins that secured the VHS Tape in place inside the case. Voila you have a place to store secret items, the old case looks like just another book on the shelf. This an old idea but still a useful gadget. Kids love having their own Secret Hiding Place on their book shelf.

RECYCLED AUTO-WATERING DISH FOR PETS

A recycled project for your pets! This watering dish refills as the pet drinks the water.
Materials
1 empty 1.5 liter soft drink bottle with cap
1 RubberMaid 1 pint storage container, no lid
1 3lbs. ground beef container from meat counter
1 assembled wood frame
11 1/4" x 7 1/8" x 2 1/4"

See attached photos and drawing below.

Cut a hole about 1 3/16" or size of bottle cap diameter, in the bottom of the storage container. Cut a 5/8" hole in the top of the bottle cap as shown in the photo below.

Place the bottle cap into the hole that was cut in the bottom of the storage container with open threaded end of cap facing away from the container. As shown in the photo below. Using your hot glue gun run a bead of glue around the outside and inside of the container where it makes contact with the bottle cap as in photo below(keep the cap as straight as you can so your bottle stands properly). Cut a 1/2" hole in the side of the container as in photo below. Locate hole about 1 3/8" up from the open end of container

Place the RubberMaid container and bottle cap assembly into the center of the ground beef container and attach with a bead of hot glue. See first photo at the top of post.

To make the wood base cut 2 strips of 3/4" thick by 2 1/4" wide by 11 1/4" long. Cut 2 more strips of 3/4" x 2 1/4" x 7 1/8" long. Cut a 45 degree angle on both ends of all 4 pieces( acrossed the 3/4" section). Glue the 4 pieces together to form a rectangular base as seen in the drawing below. (If you use a different size tray you will have to adjust base measurements). Paint the base to desired color. Set the beef tray into the wooden base, fill the tray with water upto the hole in the RM container, fill the soda bottle with water and tip into bottle cap and tighten into place. As your pet drinks the water in the tray down below the hole in the RM container the water in the bottle will flow out refilling the tray back to the level of the hole and then stop.

Notes: If you don't have an old RubberMaid container youcan use any similar food container like a small fruit cup container. The same with the meat tray, it can be subsituted with similar tray. The same plan can be scaled up or down in size to suit your needs. just note that the larger you go the heavier the water bottle will get so recycle stronger materials accordingly.
If you don't have the means to cut a 45 degree angle on wood pieces just do a butt joint using 2 pieces 11 1/4" and 2 pieces 5 5/8".

EAR RING ORGANIZER

Ladies! Have you ever went to get one of your favorite pair of earrings and had to untangle them from another pair? Here is a simple organizer that I made for my earrings and it hangs in the door section of my jewelery box with my necklaces as you can see from the photo. Cut one piece of 10 mesh plastic canvas 2" wide and 12" long, stitch a hook at the top of the canvas(I used a hook from a new pair of socks). Cross stitch your name or a small design at the top, or just leave blank. Attach the ear rings by putting stem through the holes and replacing the holder on the back side. Fill it up with your favorite ear rings and hang them up.

WAVY CROCHETED SCARF

MATERIALS
1 skein Worsted weight yarn. I used Caron simply soft.
Size G (4 mm) crochet hook.

Finished scarf approximately 7”x52”

Ch. 36.

Row 1: 2 Dc in fourth ch from hook, (3 skipped chs count as first dc) skip next 2 chs, sc in next 3 chs, * skip next 2 chs, 5 dc in next ch, skip next 2 chs, sc in next 3 chs; repeat from * across to last 3 chs, skip 2 chs. 3 dc in last ch.

Row 2: (this will be the right side) Ch 1, turn; working in Back Loops Only sc in first 2 dc, ch 1, skip next 2 sts, (dc, ch 1) twice in next sc, * skip next 2 sts, sc in next 3 dc, ch 1, skip next 2 sts, (dc ch 1) twice in next sc; repeat from * across to last 4 sts, skip next 2 sts, sc in last 2 dc.

Row 3: Ch 1, turn; working in both loops, sc, in first 2 sc, skip next ch 1 sp, 5 dc in next ch 1 sp, *sc in next 3 sc, skip next ch 1 sp, 5dc in next ch 1 sp; repeat from * across to last ch 1 sp, skip last ch 1 sp, sc in last 2 sc.

Row 4: Ch 4 (counts as first dc plus ch 1), turn; working in Back Loops Only, dc in same st, ch 1, skip next 2 sts, sc in next 3 dc, ch 1, * skip next 2 sts, (dc ch 1 ) twice in next sc, skip next 2 sts, sc in next 3 dc, ch 1; repeat from * across to last 3 sts, skip next 2 sts, (dc, ch 1, dc) in last sc.

Row 5: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), turn; working in both loops, 2 dc in same st, sc in next 3 sc, * skip next ch 1 sp, 5 dc in next ch 1 sp, sc in next 3 sc; repeat from * across to last 2 ch 1 sps, skip last 2 ch 1 sps, 3 dc in last dc.

Row 6: Ch 1 turn; working in Back Loops Only, sc in first 2 dc, ch 1, skip next 2 sts, (dc ch 1) twice in next sc, * skip next 2 sts, sc, in next 3 dc, ch 1, skip next 2 sts, (dc ch 1) twice in next sc; repeat from * across to last 4 sts, skip next 2 sts, sc in last 2 dc.

Repeat rows 3-6 till scarf measures approximately 52” or more, the length is whatever you want it to be. Finish off. Note: if you want it wider simply add 8 stitches in your beginning chain.

This scarf is designed from an afghan pattern I liked.

MULTIPLE PAGE BOOK MARK

Here is a simple book mark that allows you to mark multiple pages in hard covered books with a binding. You will need plastic canvas and ribbons. Cut a small piece of plastic canvas just a little narrower than the binding on your book, I used 10 mesh for this one. Cut a strip of ribbon about 24" long. 1/16" or 1/8" wide. Fold the ribbon in half thread it through the holes of the canvas attach with a slip knot. Then repeat with a second piece of ribbon. Slide the square into the binding space place ribbons into book. You can use as many pieces of ribbon as the canvas spaces will allow for the book chosen. Note the plastic should be pushed level with the book edge. These were once used for hymnals