We've all got the bottle/can/paper recycling down-pat, but what about fabrics? What do you do with the sheets that got so wonderfully soft that they finally shredded? Or the beloved t-shirt that was demoted to house-cleaning garb and then again to rag status? Or the legs of your jeans when you chop your annual cut-offs? Fortunately, all of that fabric is still very much in demand.

There's no shortage of paint chip projects in the blogosphere — and here's one that's not only artsy, but functional as well. Can you tell what's behind those three large panels?

(Images: as linked above)

It's a cliche at this point: the dryer ate one of your socks and now the singleton loiters around your laundry room. Although you've given up the hope that its mate with turn up, it kills you to throw it away. Here are a few ways to put leftover socks to good use around the house, from toys to cleaning supplies.

Recent college graduates, Clayton & Chaz, were tight on money, but large on outdoor space. By using 95% recycled materials and a lot of sweat equity, they were able to transform their backyard from ho-hum, to shabby chic — with a budget of only $210! More

Your cassette tape of Beastie Boys' Licensed to Ill isn't quite the party animal it used to be back in '86, but your old tapes still deserve a better life than collecting dust in a box in the attic. Fight for your right to party all over again with these clever decorations and gift embellishments made from old VHS and cassette tapes. More

Lola Madrid, a Spanish creative agency, is working on a project that turns old cars into new bicycles. Each bike is hand built by bicycle shop owners using materials that are sourced from junkyards: car metals are recycled to build the frame, transmission belts become bicycle chains, turn signals are used as reflective lights, and the bike seat and handlebars are covered with car upholstery.
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Sod Room is a brand new play place in Chicago's South Loop neighborhood. Owners Abdón and Cynthia Valenciana sought to create a healthy and fun place for families using sustainable materials and toys. The build out approach was more deconstruction than demolition, salvaging the original floors, repurposing lumber from existing walls into children's tables, and fashioning lumber and metal from the previous structure into retail shelving and playspace railing. More

I have been eating my way through crates of winter citrus, and recently decided to use some of the peels to make a homemade cleaner. I added orange peels to vinegar, and let them sit in an airtight container for a couple of weeks. The result: a powerful, inexpensive, natural cleaner. More

There's a good chance if you've got a garage, storage unit, basement, or attic, there's at least one box filled with old cassette and/or VHS tapes. I often spy boxes of yesteryear's media thrown curbside offered "for free" and I began wondering if there were creative, yet useful, ways to reuse video and audio tapes around the house...