Agri Kultuur August / Agustus 2016 | Page 60

Melanie Kriel-Lockett Spice and herb jars are so versatile that I normally end up using them exactly as they are without modifying their structure one bit. And there are so many uses! I literally have at least 2 empty jars a month. Normally I would just stack them in the cupboard until such a time that I can put them to proper use. This last month I somehow ended up with 6 empty jars. Ideally one should refill them with the relevant spice, but, without sounding frugal, it is sometime cheaper to buy a new jar than to refill it with a standard refill packet. Here are a few good ideas for spice jar reuse: 1. Ribbon Dispenser - as and when I wrap presents I often buy beautiful ribbon to finish off the wrapping. I always end up buying more than I need as I foresee many future wrappings for which I will need ribbon. I also love trimmings, so I tend to collect ribbon and mashi tape. To store these beautiful ribbons, simply stuff the ribbon into the jar and thread the end through the sprinkling holes on the top. This makes it possible to easily access and unravel and pull out the ribbon without it tangling into one huge mess. 2. My husband and I love to entertain. I often forget to buy toothpicks from our entertaining shopping list, but when I do, it always ends up gathering dust at the bottom of the table linen drawer after a dinner party. One way to avoid this from happening is to chuck a bunch of toothpicks in a spice jar and when the time comes, dispense the toothpicks through the spice sprinkling