wooden spool photo holders

I saw this on design sponge and thought it was a great idea!! Okay, so most of us do not have wooden spools floating around the house, but I thought this would be an excellent idea for anyone who can get their hands on some, it would be a very simple gift for any fashion minded people out there!
As this does require a saw I would like to urge caution

Skin Care!

Always buying the latest lotions and face creams or scrubs on the market? I've discovered a greener way to maintain your skin on a budget.
All you need are a few household ingredients:

• Baking soda

This is a great product to exfoliate your skin with. Just mix some with pure water until you have a paste and it's ready to use on your face

• Olive oil & salt

Again this is a great method to exfoliate your skin. Mix olive oil and table salt into a paste, add a few drops of your favourite essential oil (lavender or tea-tree work great) you can even use a few sprigs of lavender. Once you create a paste that you can work with just step into the shower and start using. Rinse off the salt and you should be left with clean moisturised skin

• Vinegar

Great for reviving dull hair, simply rinse your hair after washing with a mixture of water and cider vinegar (1 part vinegar-3 parts water.) After about 20-30 minutes the smell should be gone and your hair will look great!

• Yoghurt

This might seem like an odd choice for skin care, but actually makes a great face mask. Use natural yoghurt. Smear onto your face and allow to dry. Wash off and reveal beautiful skin beneath

Second chance guitar

A while ago my house-mate discovered a broken guitar on the way back from a night out. Thinking she could have it repaired she brought it home with her. On closer inspection the consensus was that the guitar was terminal. I however decided to give the guitar as second chance. It was only the front of the guitar that had been damaged, the rest was structurally sound. I simply removed all the broken debris from the front and now it houses part of my DVD collection

Specklies

I have a pair of glasses for every mood, they come in a variety of colours and I can rarely decide which to wear. I usually ended up wearing which ever is nearest at hand, rather than trawling through all of my glasses cases. To keep glasses on display I discovered a simple solution. All that is required is a wire-frame hanger and somewhere convenient to put it. My room has a picture rail which is prefect for the job.

Window Garden

OK, so it is still a bit cold for planting outside, and I'm a bit lazy so I haven't gotten round to it yet. Instead I have been cultivating a window garden, it is hard to forget watering it as I see it every morning when I wake and I've chosen herbs and plants that I find useful.
Aloe Vera (great for treating burns)
Mint (mojitos etc.)
Basil (no need for introduction)
Rosemary and Thyme (trust me kitchen staples)
Lavender (great to send you off to sleep and also unexpected ingredient in the kitchen)

Piñata hunting trophy...

I have a slight obsession with Piñatas, I try and introduce them into any and all celebrations. Although Irish children don't initially react well to the beating of a small multi-coloured papier-maché donkey (which can only be a good thing, on reflection) as soon as the sweets pop out all bets are off. Once the party is over all that is left is a colourful massacre, I've come up with a fabulous solution.....
The Piñata hunting trophy
All that is required is some flat cardboard (I just used the wrapping from some books I ordered online)
A rescued piñata head
a pencil
some wire

1. Cut the cardboard in the shape of a plaque or shield
2. Use the wire to secure the head three quarters of the way up the plaque
3.Use the pencil to prop up the head by pushing it through the back of the plaque and under the edge of the piñata

You now are the proud owner of an animal friendly hunting trophy