Puzzling Pinterest

[kerravonsen]

Now that I've got my bookmarking script working to my liking (no, I haven't posted about it because I don't think any of you would be interested, apart from dawnmist and I've already raved about it to her) - where was I? Oh, bookmarking. So I've been hanging around Pinterest again. There is some fab stuff there, but there is also a lot of stuff that makes me roll my eyes, or simply boggle. Like, why would you want to do that?

• Cut up perfectly good books and stick the pages to things instead of reading them?
• Glue and paint things on dominos and scrabble tiles instead of playing with them?
• Bash up knitting needles to make a bracelet as a gift for a knitter? I assure you, they would much prefer being given undamaged knitting needles.
• Destroy a laundry basket in order to make a wreath?
• Cover their hands with sugar, coconut oil and coffee grounds?
• There are apparently essential oil mixes that will cure anything.
• Make a bathmat out of river rocks? Yes, it would look cool, but not only would your feet freeze, they would slip on the slippery wet rocks.
• Go to a lot of effort to make new wood look like it's been neglected for twenty years?
• Stick a plate and a candlestick together so that their cupcakes will be raised six inches above the table and get knocked over?
• What are "dryer sheets"?
• Bracelets made out of zips still look like zips.
• Why would anyone want to buy a giant letter "A" with a lot of buttons glued to it?
• Spoons with old magazine pictures stuck to them?
• Melt an LP record to turn it into a bowl that leaks through the hole in the middle?
• Convert a guitar case into a coffee table?
• Why would anyone want to wear barefoot sandals?
• Where do they get all these sterling silver forks from to turn into rings and stuff?

Comments

[cheyinka]

"Dryer sheets" are bits of paper coated with fabric softener; one puts them in a dryer so that clothes are less staticky, stay somewhat softer, and (optionally) become scented.

[kerravonsen]

Seems completely needless to me. I'd never even heard of them before I came across them on Pinterest. (scratches head)

[watervole]

I was given some free samples of dryer sheets once. Basically, they do nothing useful apart from cover your clothes in someone else's idea of a nice smell.

[kerravonsen]

If I want a nice smell on my clothes, I put a few drops of Eucalyptus oil in with the fabric softener in the washing machine. Or lavender oil. I love lavender.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I saw a post about using rubber door mats as decoration, e.g. painting them and putting them on a wall. I figured it was an April fool's joke.

I have some dryer sheets which I only use when drying socks as they get very staticky otherwise. I use the same one for months. Apparently wiping skirting boards with them will repel dust but I have no evidence one way or the other because I haven't done it.

I suppose the sugar and coconut oil would make a great moisturising scrub (and better than those ones with tiny plastic balls in them which stuff up the environment) but coffee grounds? No idea.

[kerravonsen]

I suppose the sugar and coconut oil would make a great moisturising scrub (and better than those ones with tiny plastic balls in them which stuff up the environment) but coffee grounds? No idea.

The three of them together were a recipe for a home-made "sugar scrub" so I suppose the coffee grounds were for exfoliating?

[delphipsmith]

Yeah, I get puzzled about some of this "repurposing" too. I mean, books and Scrabble are so awesome in their natural state, why mess with it??

[jaxomsride.livejournal.com]

I never could understand the whole "shabby chic" movement.

I have a tendency to upcycle and repurpose things but usually when they are no longer useful for their original purpose.

I suppose if you lose some of the dominos or scrabble tiles, then making the remainder into something useful makes sense.

The other book thing I don't understand is the book sculpture.

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

I don't have time to do stuff like this, but I assume it's a variation on the "crafty" impulse--the joy of making things. I do have a lovely glass cake stand that I got for our wedding; I'm sure it's a good deal more stable than a candlestick/plate version, but it's very useful for parties. ;-)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

The sugar does that - I've used it with a moisturiser on my hands as recced by a friend but I never bothered keeping it up. [shrugs] Maybe the coffee is supposed to perk up the skin. No idea.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I also fail to get shabby chic, to which the whole distressed wood look belongs. I just looks old and messy to me. I did a home decor night class last winter and got some great ideas for our Oamaru house, especially the two sun rooms, but that look was the one I disliked the most, followed by baroque. My sister offered me our mother's old Queen-Anne-style table but it's so not my style either.

[kerravonsen]

Or make you smell of coffee?

[kerravonsen]

Indeed.

[kerravonsen]

I suppose if you lose some of the dominos or scrabble tiles, then making the remainder into something useful makes sense.

I suppose so, but they never seem to mention that prerequisite.

The other book thing I don't understand is the book sculpture.

Yeah.

[kerravonsen]

I don't have time to do stuff like this, but I assume it's a variation on the "crafty" impulse--the joy of making things.

True, but... having some taste would be good.

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

See, I would love to smell like coffee, but that's probably a niche market (hence no fragrances in that scent).

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

Very fair point.