How resourceful are you?

I've always wanted to be one of those people who can make something out of nothing. Sort of like Martha Stewart but without the expense account. I once saved all the shoulder pads from a bunch of old blouses with the idea that I would make a quilt out of them, and in my candlemaking phase, I saved all the leftover wax from any candles I had to make new ones. I sort of stopped that when I found out I could buy a big candle for a buck at the Dollar Store, but I still have my moments when I don't want to throw something away.

At my office, I've been known cut stacks of old documents to make scrap paper pads and I even saved my kids' old crayons up when we got the Crayola Crayon Factory for Christmas one year. [We used it exactly once and the kids don't color with the new crayons we made because they're 'too pretty.']

Maybe it's the pioneer spirit in me. I figure I must have been a pioneer during one of my lives and that rears up and inspires me to want to make wreaths out of the grape vines that grow wild in my back yard or plant seedlings in plastic pudding cups.

I used to think I was pretty good at this recycling stuff. I tried and I'm sure I saved a buck or two here and there by hanging on to the salt and pepper packets that come with the fast food salad sporks, but then I saw this in the Riplpey's Museum and I realized, I can't hold a reconstituted candle to some people.

The dryer lint mural. Here is a woman with pioneer spirit I'll never be able to match.

On that note, I'm going to go make Christmas ornaments out of used toilet paper rolls. Have a day.