Recycle greeting cards as gift tags

Dear Heloise: As a greeting card designer and illustrator, I know how much work and talent goes into the beautiful greeting card illustrations. I recycle the cards by cutting the greeting card cover off and using it for a “to and from” gift tag. I trim out the verses inside and also use those for gift tags. Some of the artwork is so beautiful that I have framed the illustrations, without the greetings. — D.E., Rapid City, South Dakota

Wooden chopsticks

Dear Heloise: I always save the unused wooden chopsticks that come with my takeout Chinese food. I use a pair of those when I am slicing my potatoes to make hasselback potatoes. You simply place the chopsticks on each side of the potato, and it prevents slicing the potatoes all the way through. It helps keep them intact and is a good way to repurpose and make a delicious dish. — Vernon Jones, via email

Soap slivers

Dear Heloise: A few days ago several of your contributors offered methods for saving slivers of soap bars, mostly by melting them in a small amount of water, presumably turning them into liquid soap.

Why go to all that trouble when all you need to do is stick the sliver onto the flat side of a new bar of the same kind of soap? By the time a bar gets to the sliver stage, its edges are very malleable and easy to press onto a new bar. Next morning, it’s become part of the new bar, and you’ve got a nice rounded shape to shower with. — Willard M. Lewis, Little Rock, Arkansas

Two hints

Dear Heloise: 1. Take it from a former soda jerk: Scoop your ice cream with a tool shaped like a small shovel, not the ball-shaped scoop with a release lever. It is easier on the hand and needs no defrosting. 2. To save water, give leftover soapy water to your avocado trees. They tolerate it well. — Louis Richter, Reseda, California

Reuse of newspaper sleeves

Dear Heloise: Another use for your newspaper plastic sleeves is for your dog’s poop bag when you’re on a walk. It’s strong enough and easy to carry with you. Thank you for your many wonderful tips. — Linda, Altadena, California