New Uses for Old Things...Why didn't I think of that?

I love it when magazine articles show brilliant ideas for things that I should have thought of!
Makes me just shake my head, so simple, why on earth didn't I think of that!

Here are some pretty spiffy ideas that you may or may not have already thought of.  I know I didn't.

PANCAKE BATTER DISPENSER!

A clever way to re-purpose an everyday item!  An empty Ketchup bottle!

Portion pancake batter with precision!  Now that's what I'm talking about.  Perfect silver dollar, or mickey mouse pancakes every time.

What they don't tell you is how you actually pour the batter into the ketchup bottle, but if anyone has a great idea on how do to that, let me know.


USED TOOTHPICK COLLECTOR

I always wondered what guests did with their used appetizer toothpicks.  Sometimes I find them a week later after I've had a party, laying all over hither and yon.  Once I found one stuck in one of my house plants!

This trusty little lemon will tell your guests just what to do with that toothpick after they just poked it in a meatball and gobbled it up.  Cute idea!

CUPCAKE LINER ICE CREAM BOWLS

Brilliant!  Boy, I can't tell you how many birthday parties I've hosted, and when it comes time for cake and ice cream, all the guests are standing around waiting patiently for their slice of cake and their scoop of ice cream.

There I stand, trying to scoop out the ice cream, one by one on each plate, trying my hardest not to drip and mess up the whole table.

Perfect Solution!  Scoop out the ice cream the day before and freeze the scoops in the cupcake liners.  The day of the party, bring out a nice serving tray holding all the perfectly scooped ice cream in their neat little holders.  Plop one down on each of cake plate.  No fuss, no mess and NO DRIPPY ICE CREAM!

I'm all about making less to-do for the hostess on the actual day of the party.  After all, a hostess should be able to enjoy her own party too.


COFFEE FILTER SNACK HOLDERS

I think this is my new favorite brilliant idea!  I can't tell you how many times I've had a poker party, or a movie night with friends, and I wanted to pass out popcorn or some home-made chex mix, and went crazy in the kitchen looking for 6 or 8 little bowls so each person could have their own personal snack container.

If you play cards or board games with friends, this is a PERFECT solution so each person can have their own little holder for whatever snack they choose to munch on.  Love this one!


FIRE STARTER

If you have a fire pit or a chiminea like I do, it's always a bit of a pain to get that thing started.

If you have wine corks like I do....and man do I have lots and lots of old wine corks, then your problems are solved.

Get a blaze crackling faster.  Keep wine corks in rubbing alcohol in a sealed jar (stored away from the fire of course).  Just before lighting a fire, toss a few corks under the kindling!  Wow, instant MacGyver!

CUPBOARD DIVIDER

 I have loads of cookie sheets, all sizes....cutting boards......jelly roll pans, you name it, they are all stacked up, one on top of the other under my oven.

This is a Desk Organizer for your files.....why on earth didn't I think of this? 

Now off I to to get my life more organized.