What would you make with underripe tomatoes?

Do you know that if you have harvested tomatoes while they are still green, you can use an ancient technique to ripen and store them?

I came across a pin on Pinterest for keeping tomatoes fresh for months without refrigeration or pasteurisation.

The ancient technique requires wood ash as it has antifungal and antibacterial properties. I did a search on YouTube and found a video about this storage technique. I am glad I did because I can spot two mistakes in the above image. The tomatoes are touching one another and the box. To do it correctly, you will need:

-tomatoes that are healthy, undamaged and not overripe

-a plastic or wooden container or a cardboard box.

-enough wood ash to cover all the tomatoes you need to store.

These are the steps to do it correctly:

-place a thin layer of wood ash in the box.

-arrange the tomatoes in a row on top of the wood ash.

-there must be a space between the box and the tomatoes.

-ensure that the tomatoes do not touch each other.

-pour wood ash over the tomatoes.

-they must be completely covered by the wood ash.

-cover the container and leave it in a cool and dark space without sunlight.

-when you need to cook with tomatoes, take them out of the box and shake off the wood ash.

-wash them before eating or preparing them for your dish.

-before storing the box, make sure that the rest of the tomatoes are fully covered with the wood ash.

You can watch the video I shared below to find out how it is done but I am writing the process out just in case the link to the video is broken and this useful ancient technique is lost. According to the content creator, you can use the same method to store:

-eggs for a year.

-apples for months.

She also shared other ways you can make use of wood ash for gardening. You can stop watching 1 hour and 12 minutes into the video, as the rest are repetitive.

Through my search, there are other food items that you can preserve with wood ash to keep them dry and prevent spoilage. You can click on the links I provided to find out how it is done and if the food still taste good:

-Cooked meat: from the video I watched, it does not taste good.

-Ginger and other root vegetables: it is as shown in the above video. The dry environment created by ash inhibits sprouting.

-Grains and seeds: ash can help to free grains from insects.

-Cheese: review is good.

You will find the additional information in the following article useful if you would like to adopt this preservation method in a safe and correct manner:

10 Best Wood Ash Methods for Native Food Storage

I usually save such useful cooking tips on my Fruits, Greens, Bulbs and Tubers board or at my Storage board. From there you will also learn how to freeze your tomatoes or preserve them by making them into tomato sauce which you can keep in the freezer for up to three months. Unripe, or green, tomatoes are excellent for making jams, chutneys, and pickles due to their firm texture and tart, tangy flavour. You should be able to find some recipes from one of my Cooking Tips boards.

But just in case you missed it, check out the recipes for pickled tomatoes:

Do you like soup the way Chinese boil them? When I boil it, I like to use the most under ripe tomatoes I have in my fridge. It makes the soup taste more sour which is the way I like drinking it. This is how it is prepared.

I prefer to use pork soup bone to boil the soup. It will taste just as good without peppercorns added. You can check out the other optional ingredients you can use to make this soup with vs the way Westerners boil it.

Most cooking websites provides link to recipes that requires a particular ingredient. My favourite go to website for recipes is Woks of Life. Do a search there for tomatoes and will find recipes for Asian and Western dishes. You can try that on cooking websites you often visit.

You can also find recipes for tomatoes from your phone. You can find such apps by doing a search for “apps enter ingredients get recipe” on Google. Through this search, I received a summarized answer from AI Overview:

“Apps that generate recipes from ingredients you have on hand include SuperCook, BigOven, and Allrecipes.”

Supercook introduced its site as a zero waste recipe generator. Watch how you can make use of this apps or its website to generate recipes.

I think this is so cool.

What is in a good design?

A pair of shoes are made up of many parts.

There are:

-the uppers
-the linings
-the soles
-insoles as cushion for the feet

As such, there are many different kind of material required to make a pair. Material used in making shoes are:

-leather
-textiles
-rubber
-synthetics materials like polyurethane (PU)
-foam

On top of that, there are various types of footwear.  You can check out the types available in the market at the following link:

Different Types of Footwear and Their Names

Other than protecting the feet, they are also designed for:

-different activities.
-climates.
-occasions.

Feet generally stop growing when the growth plates in the bones fuse, which is typically:

-by age 14-16 for girls.
-by and 16-18 for boys.

Feet for some individuals can continue to grow until the early 20s. The number of pairs, school-age children, can go through in a year depends on:

-their activity level.
-how quickly their feet grow.
-the durability of the shoes worn.

People who can afford it may own many pairs of the same type of shoes and in different colours, even though they have not worn out or outgrown what they already own. According to an article I read, "10 Shoe Facts Everyone Should Know", on Shoeaholics, Celine Dion has over 10,000 pairs of shoes and one in eight people own over 100 pairs of shoes. 8.43% of people buy shoes because they make them feel good.

We may not be able to cut down on material for making shoes for those who are into following current trends in fashion but we can adopt Kenton Lee’s shoe design that he developed for children in developing countries. You can see from this video that the shoe is designed to last five years as its size can be altered as the child’s feet grow.

;

The design is very suitable for school-age children living in tropical countries. For normal activity, they can wear socks with the adjustable shoes to protect their feet. Their regular school shoes will last longer when they are only worn during athletic activities in school. However, in countries where there are four seasons, can thermal or thicker wool socks keep them warm during the colder months?

Let us also work on belts for school children. According to Size Guides from Your School Uniform, a child's waist line from age 6 to 14 years can be from 22" to 30". Based on a review shared by Sammy Lu about Willbond belts that she bought for her children, I think its concept is good as it has:

-a magnetic buckle which makes it easier for a child to put on and remove.
-an adjustable belt which is also elastic so that it is more comfortable to be worn over time, as the child grows.

Buying such adjustable shoes and belts for children will be cheaper if they are sold in the schools they are attending. It will also help reduce material wastage since children, as they grow, will not have to replace them as often compared to other regular shoes and belts sold in the market that are not adjustable.

This is something that parents can highlight during their Parent-Teacher Association meeting to make it happen.

What can I make from my old paper?

Do you know that you can get paid to recycle your old paper?

If you do a search for “recycle paper near me”, you should be able to find a company that will collect your paper.

At my bike shop, I recycle:

-cardboard boxes and paper.
-metal parts from bicycles.

On my request, the guy who collects my recyclables will give my staff some pocket money.

I also send packaging material taken off bicycles delivered, like bubble wraps and plastic sheets that are clean and still in good condition, to a courier service company, right next door. 

However, there many ways you can make use of them, if you do not want to recycle them or have to pay a fee for collection. If they are blank paper, you can make notebooks out of them. I shared how it can be done in a question I answered on Quora earlier at the following link. From there you can learn to bind the papers together into a notebook:

What is one specific physical feature you always look for when choosing a new notebook for your art ideas?

You can use the notebooks you make to start a journal because journaling is good for your emotional wellbeing. If you are feeling down and do not know how to start journaling, read this book by Lee Crutchley, "How to Be Happy (Or at Least Less Sad): A Creative Workbook". I found a review about it shared on VaneesBabySteps YouTube channel. At the end of the video, she flipped through the book which will give you an idea how you can go about journaling your thoughts so that you can be less sad.

If you are not someone who likes to write, you can also journal in bullet points. I saved some ideas on how you can do it on my Pinterest board, “Bujo (bullet point journal)”.

Following are other ways you can make use of your notebook. You can use it:

-to record recipes

-to draw or doodle in it.

-as a travel/souvenir collection book.

-as an accounting book.

-as a scrapbook to stick your photos or cut out of images that inspire you.

-to jot down ideas and develop your writing skill as an author.

Are you good at crafting? If there are prints on them, you can use them for paper-mâché projects to make practical items like bowls and planters to decorative objects, such as, sculptures, masks, and ornaments.. You can learn the process from the following question I answered earlier.

What are some free doll patterns?

If you can make use of your old paper, you are actually creating abundance out of the abandoned. You can use them to:

-create paper beads to make decorative items or jewellery.

-create decorative items with decoupage or collage.-pick up origami.

-pick up quilling (rolling strips).

-pick up papercutting.

-make greeting cards.

-make gift boxes or wrap gifts.

-make baskets or storage boxes.

-make paper flowers.

-make flatpack paper toy

If you like any of the above suggestions, you can check out the free tutorials I saved on my Pinterest board, "Playing with waste paper".

Where can I get free products for making crafts?

You can find free products or materials for making crafts everywhere. If you look out for them, you can find them:

-in your home.

-at work.
-from your friends and neighbours.
-at restaurants, stalls or shops you often patronise.
-in public areas.

You just have to try to get your hands on them before they are discarded. I see many material you can work with in this bin. Can you spot them too?

If you are good at painting, instead of buying drawing pads, you can consider painting on empty glass bottles. This is a gift I received from a friend in Beijing. It is a painting of my husband and son on a snuff bottle. The artist who created it managed to copy the likeness from a photo I gave my friend.

I think that is a neat idea. So, if you have recently celebrated with a bottle of champagne, instead of throwing the empty bottle away, you can either do it yourself or find an artist to have your photo painted on it to commemorate the event you opened it in celebration.

What are you good at making? You can list out the tools and material you need to complete your work on a piece of paper and note beside it what other material you can consider using as substitutes. Some crafting tools can be expensive. So, use your creativity to improvise with the available tools or material that you have on hand to complete your craft.

For example, when I was learning to make wirework jewellery, I discovered that I could use as working material:

-the copper wires removed from leftover electrical cables.

I managed to use them to learn to make Roman bracelets from a book I borrowed from the library.

-the trolling stainless steel wires that my husband no longer use.

These are the tools I made use of to create jump rings…

…to create this beaded necklace.

I love using material that would otherwise be discarded in my craftwork. I call my efforts, creating abundance from the abandoned. Since I enjoy handcrafting, I am always on a look out for free crafting tutorials online. But instead of buying new material to create, I tend to use discarded material. For example, at my bike shop I have lots of punctured tubes to work with. Instead of using ribbons, here are some of the things I can create with punctured tubes.

Punctured tubes can be used to cover a hole in a chair.

Instead of buying leather, I experimented with tubes to learn leather craft.

I have also experimented with used tyres from my bike shop. My customers used to enjoy sitting on this chair I created with them while they were waiting for their bicycles to be fixed. However, the raffia strings I used to tie them together disintegrated over time. So, if you are inspired to create the same, you have to use stronger material as fastenings.

Do you like crafting with fabric? My uncle used to work for a textile wholesaler. He gave my mom lots of fabric samplers and unsold leftover fabric at the end of each roll. My mom was able to sew quilted blankets, cushion covers and floor mats with the scraps of fabric received. If you require fabric in your craftwork, see if you have friends who enjoy sewing or who are in the tailoring business. They should be willing to give you their scraps. I used to receive used zips and scraps of fabric from a friend who is a tailor. That was because I told her once that jewellery can be created even with damaged zippers.

You can also upcycle clothes you or your family members have outgrown. To upcycle means, to reuse discarded material in such a way that it creates a product of higher quality or value than the original. What you are able to create yourself will be valued. With some creativity, anything can be upcycled. If you do not want to upcycle your clothes but you are not comfortable about wearing them again because you have worn them one time too often or they have gone out of fashion, you can learn to embellish them by adding decorative details so that they look different. That will require you to take up some basic sewing skills though.

Currently, I save all crafting tutorials with potential to create with free material on my Pinterest board, “Abundance from Abandoned”. From there you can explore the free material you can use in your craft.

This video gives you an idea what you can craft with fruit foam wraps.

Once you have discovered the kind of free material you would like to work with, tell everyone you know to keep them for you. And be friendly with storekeepers of shops you often buy your stuff from as they may have lots of packaging material which you can make use of in your craft.

These are the other practical stuff that I have made over the years with free material:

I managed to create this weaving tool with my empty herb supplement bottle. Instead of yarn, I cut strips out of plastic bags to weave.

These watering pals for watering plants are made of PVC bottles and dressed up with plastic bags.

For my former kitchen.

This is how I decorate empty containers for storing my stuff.

Costumes and hair pieces I made for school concerts to reduce the cost of paying for clothes that my children may only wear once during their performance.

Bouquet cum duster that I designed and made with plastic bags which can be given out as gift.

With these creations, I was able to conduct a workshop on recycling and upcycling for some university students in UTAR during one of their extramural activities.

Musical instrument I created for my children to play with.

I designed and created this dog poo scoop with a PVC bottle and some plastic bags. I hope owners taking their dogs out for walks at the public park in the neighbourhood will learn to make them so that it will be easier for them to clean up after their pets.

This new year greeting in Malay for display at my bike shop is made of cardboard and strips of plastic bags.

Placard I made for my bike shop to inform my customers when it will closed for the festive holidays.

Before I started my bike shop, I often collect my free cardboard boxes from my regular fruit stall. These are some of the stuff I am able to create with my collection:

Mini cupboard

It was made wide enough for me to use empty tissue boxes as drawers.

You can see how I made it at the following link::

Drawers cum gift boxes

Here is a lantern I made for my children.

You can see how the box was cut and pieces assembled at the following link:

Cardboard box? Great for making a lantern.

I have been collecting empty sachets for coffee because there is a thin film of aluminium foil inside. I discovered that they can be cut and folded to create a bag like this.

You do not have use the sachets inside out if they have lovely designs on it.

I prefer to crochet over making bags out of this material and will gladly give them away to anyone interested to collect. When I crochet I also consider using cut strips from plastic bags or raffia strings as yarn in my work.

Items that would otherwise be discarded can become valuable to others if it has sentimental value.  That said, have you ever thought of using fallen hair to create craft?  You can learn the process of creating hairwork by watching this video.

More reasons to brew kombucha

Have you heard about kombucha?  It is a fermented tea.  I read that it originated in China and other parts of Asia over 2000 years ago.  

To brew it, you will need:

-water
-tea
-sugar 
-SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast) pellicle with kombucha (the starter tea) 

A new batch can be brewed with just the kombucha as starter tea as the SCOBY culture is present in it but it will take a longer time to ferment without the pellicle.  The SCOBY pellicle is usually supplied with kombucha.  However, if you only have the pellicle, you can use two tablespoon of distilled white vinegar to replace the kombucha as the starter tea. New SCOBY pellicles will form as a by-product of the fermentation process.  

I became interested in learning about kombucha when I found out that the SCOBY pellicles used in the production of kombucha can be dried to become a leather like fabric that you can use as art and craft material.  Watch this video to see how the material can be created with kombucha.

As shown in the above video, you can make SCOBY pellicles in petri dishes:

-by pouring two tablespoon of kombucha (must be unflavoured starter tea) into each dish.

If your intention is to make art and craft material with the SCOBY pellicles produced, you can: 

-add colourings of your choice to each dish.

-leave them to ferment for 2-3 weeks till pellicles are formed.

-check thickness of pellicles.

-when thick enough, take them out of the dishes to dry under the sun for a day.
-bring them in to air dry in a well ventilated area.

You can start crafting with them when they are dry.  As to what you can make with them, check out videos shared at GiY: Bio Buddies.  I like how they were able to make lanterns with them.

Other than that, why should anyone take the trouble to brew kombucha?  Based on my research, it is a beverage filled with:

-amino acids

-vitamins B
-vitamins C

-minerals

-antioxidants 

-probiotics

Drinking it regularly will:

-boost immunity.

-enhance mood.

-fight allergies.

-detoxify and defend body of infection and disease.

-detoxify liver which will put you in a happy mood.

-increase metabolism.

-improve digestion.

-rebuild connective tissue. 

-helps with arthritis, gout, asthma, rheumatism.

-cancer prevention

-reduce glucose levels.
-aid healthy cell regeneration.  

The tea you buy to brew kombucha should be organic as you do want them coated in pesticides which can inhibit the fermentation and brewing process and can eventually kill your SCOBY.  These are the type of tea you can use:

-pure black tea (reported to make it much more flavourful).
-green tea
-white tea 
-oolong tea 
-hibiscus tea
-a blend of the above

You should avoid using teas:

-that are scented or flavored teas which can effect the growth of your kombucha culture.

-like Earl Grey that will introduce naturals oils as they float on top and suffocates the SCOBY.

-like Chai which contains cinnamon, cloves and cardamom, all of which have antibacterial properties, that will kill the SCOBY.
-that are herbal like peppermint or chamomile as they will not be able to provide the nutrients necessary to feed your kombucha culture. 

Do not start the process till you have the following utensils on hand:

-stock pot or sauce pan
-long *wooden spoon

-glass jar with a wide opening to ease adding or removing SCOBY pellicles in size of: 

1/2 gallon or 2 quarts (64 oz / 1.9 Liter) glass jar - 2 units 

-Tightly woven cloth to cover the jar like:

clean napkins or
tea towels or

coffee filters or

paper towels

-Airtight Bottles:
Six 16-oz glass bottles with plastic lids or
swing-top bottles or
clean soda bottles

-Small funnel to ease pouring into bottles

*Note: prolonged contact between the kombucha and metal both during and after brewing can affect the flavor of your kombucha and weaken the SCOBY pellicles over time.

To start, wear a pair of gloves and spray Isopropyl Alcohol (IA) on the utensils you will be using:

-spoon
-sauce pan
-jars
-funnel
-cookie tray work surface (if you are also making kombucha leather)

Here are the steps based on all the articles I have read about brewing kombucha.

If you still have doubts about your ability to start, you can watch this video I found on You Brew Kombucha Youtube Channel as the brewer shares a lot of answers to questions that you are most likely to ask as you start brewing your own kombucha. 

You can also learn from Raw Brewing on how to start a Kombucha Brew Log so you can record the processes correctly.  It will help you nail the acidic flavour that you prefer best for your kombucha.

Once you have started brewing your own kombuca and have a collection of pellicles in your SCOBY hotel, check out this article:

10 Smart Ways to Use Your Kombucha SCOBY 

Documentary: We're All Plastic People Now

This documentary investigates the hidden story of plastic and its effects on human health.

Keeping Your Bags in Shape

I discovered a new way to keep a round bag I crochet in shape.  I made use of the inner packaging from this cookies container.

This is how it looks like.

After washing it, I cut a slit at its vertical edge to make it fit perfectly into the bag.

So, be on a look out for these PVC inserts in all shapes and sizes.  There may be one that can be used to keep your bags in shape.  Throw in some silica gel packets to reduce the chances of moisture getting into your bags. You do not want your bags to smell musty from growth of mold.  

You do not have to buy silica gel as they are usually supplied with food product or health supplements that you have purchased.  You should avoid using silica gel packets that are stained.

If you cannot find PVC inserts in the right size, you can use cushions that have gone flat on you.  You can fold it up and tuck it into your bag or cut it up to size to sew.  

It does not matter if the cushion protrudes out of the bag.  Hopefully, the dustbag that you have received on purchase of your bag is large enough to hold and protect it.  You can also re-use your neck or baby pillows that you may have kept in storage somewhere for the same purpose. If the baby pillow is too small, wrap a towel around it to fit the bag.  You can also slip towels in laundry bags

Don't forget to add the silica gel packets.  There are many ways you can make use of them if you start collecting them.