Partytime New Uses for Old Things

Beer Can as Noise Maker

Cut down on drinking? You can still start 2012 off with a bang—or at least a rattle. Drop a dozen coins into a clean, empty beer can and seal the opening with tape. When the clock strikes 12, shake some noise.

CD as Invitation

Make jazzy (or rockin’) invitations. Jot down party details on the shiny side and mail the CD out in a cushioned envelope (postage: about a dollar).

Corkboard as DIY Coasters

Keep tables safe from water rings. Cut up corkboard to make coasters and place mats.

Candy Wrapper as DIY Gift Wrap

Sworn off candy? Use the leftover wrappers to sugarcoat small-scale presents: Cut a wrapper into a flat sheet, then fold and tape as usual.

Cocktail Shaker as Egg Scrambler

Whip up fluffy omelets by adding eggs, milk, and seasonings together in a cocktail mixer. Give it a few shakes and it's ready for the skillet. Submitted by: suziegirl

Pipe Cleaners as Drink Labels

Skip the fancy wine charms and use an array of brightly colored pipe cleaners to identify guests' drinks at your next get-together. Submitted by: LassieBV

Paper Doily as Cupcake Holder

These cute patterns on cupcake liners are there one minute, gone the next—they virtually disappear in the oven. For a pretty touch, trim off the patterned edge of a large (12-inch) doily and wrap it around the cupcake liner. Seal with clear tape.

Paper Clips as Wrapping Paper Holder

Use paper clips to keep wrapping paper from unraveling.

Tissue Paper as Wrinkle Preventer

Avoid ironing while on the road. Pack clothes between layers of tissue paper and they’ll arrive wrinkle-free.

Votive Candle Holders as Place Cards

Arrange a luminous table setting. Write guests’ names on strips of parchment paper and wrap them around votive holders, securing the ends with tape. As an alternative, remove the candles, cut snapshots of guests to match the height of a holder, and then curl around the inside wall.

Pastry Tip as Place Card

Set a sweet table and use scalloped pastry tips in fun colors as place-card holders.

Branch as Gift Wrap

Spruce up a wrapped gift. Tuck pretty sprigs into the ribbon in place of a bow.

Paper Doily as Candy Cone

Form a cone with a small (5-inch) doily, secure with tape, and fill with candy and treats. The lacy server is a sweet upgrade for the next time you gather the ladies (think bridal shower) or girls (birthday party, sleepover, extra-special playdate).

Cupcake Liner as Halloween Decoration

Show what a creative Halloween party “ghost-ess” you are. Turn white liners upside down, attach spooky googly eyes, and display them by a boo-fet of seasonally inspired treats.

CD Case as Photo Place Card

Assign seating at a holiday dinner. Slide festive photos of various family members into a case and prop it in front of a place setting.

Stretchy Bracelets as Wine Charms

Snag a couple of your child's stretchy bracelets to identify guests' glasses at your next party. Bonus points if the shapes match your party's theme. Submitted by: Abby123 

Balloon as Flower Preserver

A leftover backyard-party balloon will help keep freshly cut flowers from wilting when you’re bringing them to a friend’s house. Fill the balloon with a bit of water, then slip the opening over the stems.

Bucket as Side Table

For more serving space (without begging and borrowing from the neighbors) top a bucket with a tray for an instant side table for your lawn chairs. Your guests will have more spots to rest their cocktails.

Baby Spoons as Condiment Servers

Dish out dips or condiments at a party. Reuse those old shower gifts to spoon the sauce from a teacup or a candy dish for a presentation a tad more elegant than the squeeze bottle.

Bracelet as Napkin Ring

When a plain napkin simply won’t do, break out the bangles and dress up a place setting.

Bowl as iPhone Speaker

Can you hear me now? Place your iPhone in a bowl and crank up the volume. The concave shape of the bowl will amplify the music.

Cupcake Liner as Ice Cream Bowl

Serve ice cream at parties without the drips. Freeze individual scoops in liners the night before.

Cupcake Liner as Snack Bowl

Fill sturdy foil cupcake holders with mixed nuts, mints, hard candy, or candy corn and scatter them around a party. Or, to make kids swoon at a birthday, place an individual cupcake holder at each setting.

Puzzle Pieces as Refrigerator Magnets

Send party guests home with one-of-a-kind favors. Parcel out groups of pieces from an incomplete puzzle and glue a magnet to the back of each. A single box will yield enough decorative sets for dozens of refrigerators.

Lemon as Table Decoration

Decorate on the cheap. Fill a glass bowl with lemons for a sunny centerpiece. Or display a row of them along a windowsill.

Lemon as Toothpick Collector

Collect used toothpicks at a party so you don't end up with them all over your tables, seats, and floors. (Stick one in the lemon ahead of time to give guests the hint.)

Magnet as Place Card

Mark playful place settings at a dinner party with alphabet magnets for each guest’s first initial.

Name Tags as Food I.D.s

Differentiate the cheddar, machego, and chèvre at a cheese-tasting party.

Name Tag as Potluck Dish Label

Introduce a signature dish—or at least make sure your brownie tray finds its way home from the potluck. Stick a label on the pan’s bottom.

Cloth Napkins as Coasters

When cloth napkins become overly stained, cut them into 5 1/2 inch squares with pinking shears, and let them protect your tables at parties. To make a longer-lasting version, lay a napkin flat on a piece of felt and use the shears to cut the square out of both pieces of fabric. Apply fabric glue to the edges and across the middle of the felt piece, then press the napkin to the felt.

Oranges as Mini Snowman

Build snowmen without bundling up. For a holiday party, give each child three oranges, some toothpicks, a sturdy plate, and store-bought frosting. Stick the large orange to the center of the plate with a dollop of frosting. Poke a few toothpicks halfway into the top of the fruit and spear a smaller orange on top. Repeat with the third orange, and layer on frosting, a vanilla wafer, and peppermints to make a hat. Use candy-cane pieces for arms and a nose, cloves for the eyes, and red licorice for a scarf.

Pewter Tray as Guest Book

Create a one-of-a-kind wedding keepsake by renting an engraving pen from a hardware store and asking guests to sign their names on the platter.

Plastic Cups as Party Lanterns

Create festive party lanterns for any season. Count the bulbs on a strand of holiday lights and cut X's into the bottoms of the same numer of small cups. Then push a bulb through each cup's center and hang the string from a doorway or window.

Pretzel Sticks as Appetizer Skewers

Use pretzel sticks in place of wooden skewers to spear bite-size meatballs or mozzarella balls and cherry tomatoes. The best part: You won't have to fish discarded toothpicks out of your planters after the party.

Rocks as Guest Book

Create an unexpected guest book by having everyone sign the surface of a flat stone with a paint pen or permanent marker. Then display in a tall clear vase.

Shells as Salt Cellars

Enhance flavors—and your table setting—with a salt pinch pot made from a shell.

Soup Tureen as Centerpiece

Arrange an easy centerpiece. Fill with a little water and float flowers on the surface, or stack citrus fruits inside.

Toothpick as Frosting Protector

Prevent plastic wrap from smudging a birthday cake by sticking toothpicks in the top before covering.

Vase as Cake Stand

Make a cake stand by flipping the vase over and attaching a plate on top of it with double-sided tape.

Washing Machine as Drink Chiller

Fill the tub with ice and extra bottles of beer and wine so you don't have to empty the refrigerator to make room for party supplies. Bonus: The melted ice neatly drains right through the machine's holes.

LifeSavers as Birthday-Candle Holders

These sweet treats are perfect for holding birthday candles. Make sure you buy the original rolls of candy for a snug fit. (The LifeSavers sold in big bags are slightly larger and don't work as well.) Secure the candles inside the candies, then place on top of the frosting, all without making holes in the cake.

Lollipops as Cocktail Stirrers

Look for traditional lollipops in colors that complement your drinks. Lime-flavored stirrers give vodka tonics an extra burst of flavor. It's an inner-child twist to a distinctly grown-up beverage (and fodder for cocktail-party small talk).

Mini Cooler as a Side Dish Warmer

Use a small cooler to fake a perfectly timed meal if side dishes (like corn on the cob) are ready before the main course. Simply store the early sides in the insulated case to retain their warmth.

Mirror as Centerpiece

Place an inexpensive full-length mirror (the kind you attach to a closet door) atop the dining-room table. Set vases or candles of various heights on the mirror. It's an easy and elegant way to adorn your table.

Paint Chips as Place Cards

Fold the strips in half and prop them up as place cards, writing each person's name on a shade that suggests her best qualities (like "Inner Glow" or "Delicate Peach").

Tea Cup as Snack Server

Serve small snacks, like Jordan almonds in vintage tea cups at your wedding or other parties. (Or use them as favors if you can find full sets at flea markets or on eBay.)

Marshmallow as Candle Holder

Mini marshmallows may be too small for s’mores, but they’re a sweet way to catch wayward candle drips before they hit cakes and cupcakes—because it’s not so festive to find wax in your icing.

Twister Mat as Tablecloth

Protect the dinner table during a kid’s party, so right-hand-red Kool-Aid spills and left-hand-blueberry pie blobs don’t become permanent features.

Votive Candle Holder as Toothpick Container

Raise the stakes at a buffet. Transferring toothpicks from their plain plastic container to a pretty glass one instantly increases the display’s cachet.

Window Decals as Drink Markers

Decorate (and distinguish) wine or water glasses at your next get-together with removable window decals.

Courtesy of reader Linda Winterhoff of Williamsburg, Virginia
 

Frisbee® as Paper Plate Holder

Don't lose your dogs! At your next barbecue, place flimsy paper plates in sturdy plastic Frisbees® so guests can better balance their meals.

Ice Cube Tray as Sundae Bar

Set up a self-serve sundae bar and let guests dish out cherries, sprinkles, crushed nuts, and other dessert toppings to their liking.

CD as Drink Coaster

Stop wet glasses from leaving messy tracks on the tabletop. Truth is, some CDs are more useful as coasters.