Elastic, $1

When I came across 30 metres of pink elastic at an op shop, I bought it with the vague intention of teaching the children some Elastics games. I then met my parents for lunch and when they spied the bundle of elastic in my hand they asked if they could have half. During lunch my dad performed a few elastic magic tricks. Later, he made a photo board and fixed up the arm bands on the children’s fairy wings. My mum, meanwhile, took it upon herself to replace the worn elastic on a pair of pyjama pants I’d left at her house. I haven’t done anything with my half of the elastic yet.

Fabric pack, $44
www.tomboco.com

My mother-in-law was once so excited about a designer skirt she’d just bought that she suggested I write about it. I pointed out that I couldn’t because the skirt wasn’t second-hand and she exclaimed, “But 75% off is as good as second-hand!” True enough, I suppose, in terms of price. But as a gesture towards reduced landfill, she’d have been better served by something like this Japanese fabric pack. As a product it looks new, but the assorted fabric pieces are all cut from vintage kimonos. And my mother-in-law doesn’t just shop; she quilts, patchworks and scrapbooks too.