Let's Talk Coffee Filters!

You can find coffee filters in packs of 100 for $1.00, making them $.01 each. Very frugal indeed! Yes, you can make 100 pots of coffee with them, but let's use our creativity a bit, shall we? How about:

1. Layering them between your fine china or non-stick pans to protect them.

2. As a strainer for yogurt or cooking oil.

3. Use them to wash your windows instead of paper towels - no lint!

4. Wax your legs with them - you always run out of those strips before the wax! These work just as well.

5. Line the bottom of your flower pots to prevent dirt from coming out when you water them.

6. Cover your dishes when microwaving to prevent splattering.

7. Put bacon or french fries on them after frying to soak up the grease.

8. Line cast iron skillets with them, they will soak up the moisture and help prevent rusting.

9. Apply shoe polish with them, scrunch them up in a ball and wipe away!

10. Serve small servings of popcorn in them. (Great when you're in the office and someone makes that microwave popcorn that smells so good..grab a filter and go mooch some!)

11. Holders for messy foods - wrap them around a taco or burrito - punch a popsicle stick through a few to catch the drips.

12. Tie potpourii inside and use as a drawer sachet.

13. Tie herbs and spices inside to add to soups and stews for flavoring.

14. Difuse the flash on your camera by covering the flash with a coffee filter.

15. The most fun use - arts and crafts for the kids!

Make a Filter Flower:

You’ll Need :
* 2 basket style drip coffee filters

* Food coloring (2 colors)

* Wooden skewer

* Green construction paper

* Clear tape

* White glue

* Green paint or marker

Directions:

Take 2 small bowls and place 2-3 tablespoons of water in each. Add 3-4 drops of food coloring (color 1) to one dish and 3-4 drops of food coloring (color 2) to the second dish. Scrunch the coffee filters up and place one in each dish so they are covered with the water. You can remove the filters right away for a light color or leave them in for a while for a darker color. Remove the coffee filters when ready and squeeze the excess coloring out over a sink. Lay the filters flat to dry on a paper towel.When the filters are dry, take the center color and fold it in half to make a half circle. Fold again to make a quarter pie shape. Fold twice more so you have a narrow wedge. Cut a curve around the wedge 1/2 inch from the wide end.

Repeat with the outer color except cut the curve right at the wide edge. This will give you large flower shape and a smaller flower shape.

Paint the skewer green and let dry.

Center the small flower shape over the large flower shape. Poke the skewer through the center of the circles and slide the skewer all the way through leaving 1/2 inch in the flower. Twist the bottom 1/2 inch of the flower around the skewer and tape with clear tape to hold tight. Push the petals down adjusting them until you are happy with the way they look.

Cut several leaves from the green construction paper and glue to the stem.

Thanks to http://www.kinderinfo.com/ for the original post of this project!

How about making a few and giving a lovely bouquet to your teacher, grandma or day care provider?