Hump day? Not for my cake!

Courtesy of my friend Eve Lynn:

I just wanted to share a little cake baking tip. You know that dome you sometimes get in the middle of a cake? It is caused by the sides baking faster than the middle.....well, you can prevent that.
Someone gave me a set of these things put out by Wilton, called, "Bake Even Strips" and they were wonderful. So wonderful, I wanted to buy more, but was put off by the cost.
I went online to see if there were a less expensive knock-off & came across a DIY site that shows how to make them. So easy! Just an old towel, some scissors and a couple pins. (I use big safety pins)...if you really want to get fancy, you can hem & surge the edges of the fabric.
http://www.cakeswebake.com/video/make-you-own-bake-even-strips

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Upcycle This: Old Crates

Old packing and apple crates... You'll find them at yard sales, antique places and even on farms. They are versatile and sturdy. I used these crates as planters for my deck at my condo. Line them with landscape fabric, or burlap, or old new papers to fill in the slat spaces and fill them up with your favorite soil mixture. I decided to prop up some of them to give it better drainage.

Turn them on their sides to make stacking shelves. You can even put a piece of plywood or an old door to make a table or desk.

How do you use old crates? Comment below. I love hearing your ideas!

Upcycle This: Egg Cartons

Egg Cartonby ~Gwynstock

Here are some useful things you can do with the left over egg cartons...

In the garden

• Starting Seeds. Poke some drainage holes in the bottom. Small pebbles at the bottom to keep the holes from being clogged by soil! Add soil & seeds! Cardboard ones biodegrade, you can transplant each little cup directly!
• Holding seeds from packages while planting
• Collecting seeds from your plants to put away for next year.
• Garden markers... Styrofoam carton, permanent marker, and a chopstick, stick or small dowel to steak it into the ground.

Don't sweat the small stuff...

• Great for protecting small delicate fruits and veggies like tomatoes and berries.
• Also great for storing earrings, small pins and brooches.

Office Space

• Cardboard ones make great pin boards. The paper is strong and can hold a pushpin and a note very well. 
• Store your paper clips, rubber bands and any of the numerous itty bitty office stuff that gets lost in a desk drawer.

Crafty!

• Decorate it with paint, ribbons, glitter... anything. It makes a great craft project for kids!
• Decorate it and use it for bead storage.
• Make egg carton caterpillars with one of the long rows!
• Nubs of crayons and pastels are a pain. Put them in egg carton cup, find what you need and keep using them.
• Saving crayon nubs for remelting and making homemade crayons.

There are tons of things egg cartons can be used for and made into in the craft room. I'll be sure to do a whole entry on the crafty side of egg cartons, with pictures, and instruction for upcycling fun!

References

1. http://www.cultcase.com/2009/01/20-creative-ways-to-reuse-egg-cartons.html