Japanese Can Collecting

This is how the serious returnable can collectors in Japan go about it.

Random Recycling

I'm not sure how, but I got it into my head that I needed to recycle all the end bits of the candles that I have been burning, to get rid of the tatami mat smell in my apartment, into a new candle. I wish I had photos of the precess because it took some silly experimentation. Not knowing where to find candle wick I tried burning bits of a few potential substitutes and settled in twine. Next, melted the remnants I was trying to recycle in a old glass food jar set in a pot of simmering water and strained out all of the old wick holders. I tied the twine to a drinking straw and coated it in the melted wax to stiffen it enough to hold a straight position in my new candle. I weighted the wick using one of the old wick holders and held the top in position by placing the straw on the rim of the new candle container. I poured the melted wax into the container and around the wick and ended up with a usable, but slightly funny colored recycled candle.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA!

One Cashmere Sweater with a Hole

...Can become one pair of leg warmers,

two Christmas stockings, and hopefully more Christmas decorations when I get ambitious again. I am still bummed that the sweater got a hole, but I get some satisfaction out of the things it has become.