Stuff My Chinese Mom Does

No iPad Stand Left Behind: Pt. 2 The search for the perfect stand continues. This one is made more stable by the addition of a fish trivet. Belkin, please take note.

No iPad Stand Left Behind: Pt. 1 This custom stand is made from an old notebook and some wood. The iPad stays securely in place, and there's even room to hang a magnifying glass and hold a stylus or papers. Stay tuned for even more iPad fun in parts 2 & 3!

A plastic cap embedded in a bar of soap keeps it high and dry.

'Tis the season for leftover pies, but how do you keep those pesky things wrapped up? With a clean shower cap, of course. Enjoy your seasonal sweets, everyone. 

Cut-up socks are a great way to protect the handlebars of your exercise bike.

How to make the most of your mint tins: tape some striking surfaces to the cover and store the matches inside. Bonus points if you have vintage matchbooks in there.

Mom and technology:  The iPad is wrapped in shelf liner for a better grip and secured with a large rubber band. There's a hole cut into it for the headphone jack.  And a box props it up at just the right angle.  By the way, Mom does Google searches in Chinese.  "Your dad & I can look up anything now!" she says.

Nothing says "delicious homemade cake!" quite the way an old rotisserie chicken container does.

There are surprises behind every cabinet door.  Here, shelf supports made out of spools.  

One of my personal favorites, this sliding drawer was made from a tofu tub.  It holds the chips for the mah-jong game.  

Here's a milk jug dispenser for plastic bags.  Mom has been reusing and recycling since way before the hipsters thought it was cool.