I am part of a rondalla group which hubby leads. There are currently 13 of us children and adults. I am the one buying the instruments from the music shop. Bandurias and octavinas are quite sensitive to extreme heat that they easily break over time (which is even less than 2 years). Instead of throwing away those (which are really unusuable for music’s sake) I decided to detach the parts that can be detached and even sawed the bottom part of the banduria that is still good. I plan to turn it into a hand bag.

Hubby wanted to have a bass guitar and he’s actually looking into the ibanez electric bass. Being a very good guitarist who knows how to play even classical, he wanted all the guitars he can have. I doubt if I can recycle them later, though. I told him two weeks ago I’ll gift him one. Maybe in two years…

Since Friday last week I started to hold a pair of knitting needles which I was able to buy from a nearby bookstore. I watched two videos on how to start and do the basic stitch and how to close it when you’re done so it won’t release unnecessarily. Since then I’ve been knitting something I still have no idea what it will turn into. So far it’s a long rectangle about 6 inches by 14 inches now. It’s black & mild because I started with black and mild (as opposed to complex or difficult). 

While knitting, I was thinking of ideas to use instead of the usual yarn. Maybe an old shirt can do if I just cut it and thread it around a spool. Meanwhile I have to experience first the real thing.

I’ve been wanting to make a special journal that I can refill. One that can last a lifetime. I saw the Starbucks journal with wood cover and I think that is nice. It gives protection to the content. I want something different, though. One that looks good and lasts long at the same time. I’d like some hardware material with it. Something like a piano hinge but one that can hold a certain thickness, then I can use a door handle as the journal’s handle. Hmm…imagination…let it flow…

Have you learned about Pinterest? It is a new addiction by many, including myself. While many use it for another social networking opportunity, I use it mainly to generate ideas. They are full of pictures to sites of different interests. One has the capability to re-pin what has been pinned or repinned for several times. You get to bookmark them and make it part of your collection. You can categorize them as you please. One item for me could be for a category that you might repin for another category. At the end, you have a place to go back to when you want to make use of the info later.

 My most filled category (or board) is Ideas. I also have Learning, For Kids, Love To Have, Thoughts To Ponder, DIY, and some others. I got 20 and there will probably be more later. I tend to look on the DIY board of the site more often and repin many which I get ideas from. Not necessarily the same but something else will emerge so I repin it in my Ideas board. If I just would like to do the same with minor alterations, I will repin it in my DIY board.

There are a lot of recycling ideas that come to mind. One is making my own clock using recyclable materials for the backing. If I had a pair of momentum watches that are broken, though, I’ll make parts of them to be parts of several sets of earrings. I have a broken multitester. I’m sure going to recycle the parts and pin the post at Pinterest.

You can get invitation if you so wish but it will take longer than getting the invitation through me. Just email me with Pinterest Invitation as your subject at cecile_cinco at yahoo.com.

One of my friends turned to saxophone playing to relieve stress. His stress level got his eyes worse that driving was too difficult. He is fine now after some stressful work load was lifted off of him.

One time hubby and him jammed. He played whatever music pieces he had while hubby seconded on the guitar (amplified). It was a nice combination. After several pieces, we got him to talk about his sax life. He said it was an old set, showing us the year it was made (which I forgot but it was a lot older than I am). He said that the older it gets, the better it is. To make it look nice on the outside the sax is just plated anew. As far as sax and recycling is concerned, that is the best way to go and make use of the sax as a sax. It is lengthening the life of the instrument. You just can’t throw it away.

I am not sure whether what he has is an alto or a tenor saxophone but since the pitch is somewhat low, I’d guess it is the former. I think I like to have one myself. Although I’m not one who gets stressed, it would surely exercise my respiratory system to alleviate my asthma.

Certain houses have particular designs for each room. Each room is designed depending on the personality of the owner of the room. While adults would like plain and elegant, usually plain cream ones, for kids, for sure they will love the kids switch plate covers which will make them be aware to switch on and off (just to get hold of it).

Alternatively, you can make your own if you think it is impossible to buy. You can actually use favorite character stickers and cut off the portion where the switch protrudes. Or, you can recycle old clothes with cartoon characters, cut out the size of the switch plate and use rugby for sticking to make it permanent. Make sure to apply rugby on both the switch plate and the cloth back and let it dry completely before sticking them together. Of course you have to unscrew the switch plate first.

As many of you may already know, DIY stands for Do It Yourself. When my daughter asks me to do something for her, I say, “Do it yourself.” When hubby wants me to reach for something, I say, “Do it yourself.”

The hubby part was a joke. As for the kids, if they can do it, I really tell them to do what they can do themselves. I try to teach them to be independent so that when I’m gone, they can live on their own without much adjustment.

Seriously, I’m a DIY person. Even when it comes to medication, simple symptoms and common ailments, I do what I had to do without consulting a doctor since I already know what to do anyway. Why pay the doc for something I already know? When my washing machine and dryer bogged down, I fixed them myself. When the water pipe was accidentally bored by a drill in the bathroom, I fixed it myself. I make my own bags, wallets and toys for the children. I teach them how to use their imagination to create stuff instead of buying. I show them that used items can be recycled to turn into something new and even fashionable.

When my eldest was asking me for a pen, I told her to get it in my pencil box. When she opened it, she said, “Ma, this is not a pencil box. It’s a tool box!” It had more screwdrivers and cutter knives than it had pens. There was no pencil at all. Last Saturday while in church, he was setting up the projector and he had to do some minor fixing. He asked me for a pen. His was in his polo shirt pocket. I asked what for. He just needed something pointed but did not want to ruin his pen. I took out my pencil box and gave him one of the pointed screwdrivers. It is one thing to be resourceful but it is also another to be ready with basic helpful tools.

I may be a DIY person but of course I have my limits. I wanted to know how to fix cars too when I was younger so just in case I have one then I won’t have to pay for others to fix it. Right now, I don’t know how to so even if I had my own RV (my dream vehicle), I’d still call for a breakdown service when I’d need one.

I grew up watching 

I have had so many items that I have kept for later use. That’s just one aspect of recycling. Since I have made bags, purses/wallets out of juice foil and snack wrappers and packets, I always keep them aside when I open one. I end up full of raw materials and an irate hubby since I use all the space available for my “trash.”

Finally, I have decided to start all over again. I will dispose of all the “trash” I have and let others make use of them. I have actually started with sackful already and disposed also of some clothes I will not wear anymore. I have been an advocate of simple living and having only the necessities of life at hand. 

Disposing of those treasured trash is not easy but I figured I only have to set my mind to it to successfully do it. It will also help me as I battle asthma. In no time I will be able to have another bulk for a new project. Meanwhile I did not throw away the old keyboards as I have something in mind to use the parts for. Meanwhile I’m looking into wii games. They don’t grab the little space we only have.

Do you remember the concept of a story where two people, a man and a woman, were washed away to a remote island due to a sinking boat? They are the only ones who survived. So they tried to live a life in that island while waiting for a rescue. As days and weeks and months passed they came to realize that they wanted to be together for the rest of their lives and so the man recycled a palm leaf and turn it into an engagement ring. A few weeks later they discovered that they are not alone in the island. A certain tribe lives at the other side. They became friends with the chief and later decided to get married. The chief wed them and the couple exchanged wedding rings out of palm leaves again. Of course these are not lasting but they give the confirmation that they, indeed, exchanged vows to be together for the rest of their lives.

I was actually engaged without any of those classy engagement rings at all. When we got married, we did not even had the rings. We had to borrow the wedding rings of my parents just to go on with the wedding rites. We bought a pair later but then out of emergency we had to pawn them to be able to buy food. The pair was never gotten back. We are 18 years married now. Problems are part of the growing married life but they are what makes a marriage stronger. Maybe later, when feasible, we will get another set of wedding rings just so we can tell the world that yes, we’re married.

Not many may be into horse riding like equestrians and equestriennes but they, too, have they horse equipment come into a point of trashing. They will have to buy another set to be more effective in what they do best.

Instead of merely throwing them away, why not recycle them instead? Their outfit can actually be saved to be as costumes for certain skits that will need a horse-riding character. Usually, annual town events with programs for entertainment is the target. Boots that are no longer usable as is can be recycled by putting some garden soil and planting a flower variety. A pair of those will be interesting by the entrance gate. The next time you need to change the pair once again, add the boots lined up with the previous ones until you have a decent collection.