Dear Heloise: Here’s a hint for teachers and mothers with young children. My children used to eat a lot of applesauce in the small individual plastic containers.

I have saved a number of these containers and use them whenever my children paint. They are a great size for pouring individual cups of paints and for water when it comes time to rinse the brush.

They also are great for holding sprinkles and other cake-decorating items or odd buttons and beads for decorating play-clay creations and hand puppets.

They stack, so they don’t take up much room.

How’s that for recycling! - Shelley Foxman, Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y.

Love your recycling idea! Any time we can use and reuse things in ways other than what they were intended for is great for the environment. - Heloise