Friday night is takeaway night at the Moore's and sometimes the only thing that hits the spot is a kebab. Yes, yes, if I knew the truth then I wouldn't go within 3 feet of a doner but that's another story.

You'd have to go a long way to describe me as an eco warrior but when I look at the greasy polystyrene box destined for the bin I always feel a bit guilty. I mean, you can't recycle it, you can't re-use it to store food, so off it goes to landfill, right? Not so fast!

You can use the polystyrene to make printing plates that you can use again and again to print greetings cards, wrapping paper, gift tags and original prints for your home.

Give it a go this weekend

A clean polystyrene takeaway box
Scissors
Pencil
Grease proof paper
Acrylic or poster paint
Brush
Card
Metal spoon

1. Cut out a piece from the polystyrene box big enough to draw your design onto.

2.Draw your design onto the grease proof paper using a pencil.

3. Turn the grease proof paper over and place it face down onto the piece of polystyrene that you cut out.

4. Trace over the back of the design to transfer it to the polystyrene. (Alternatively you can draw straight onto the polystyrene, just remember to create your design in reverse).

5. Remove the grease proof paper and go over the design on the polystyrene with the pencil making sure to leave an impression.

6. Using a paint brush evenly paint over the design making sure not to overload polystyrene.

7. Turn the polystyrene over and place it face down onto the card. Rub the back of the polystyrene firmly with the back of a spoon.

8. Lift the polystyrene off from the card and you have made your first print.

9. Reload the paint and reuse the polystyrene plate and over and over again. If the design starts to loose its clarity then wash and dry it before loading with paint again.

"Autumn days when the grass is jewel-led and the silk inside the chestnut shell"

...that song can only mean one thing; that everyone is well and truly back to school - shiny new shoes, crisp shirts and squeaky jumpers that set your teeth on edge.

Now don't get me wrong, I was never too-cool-for-school, but the idea of everything being, well, uniformed can get a little bit boring. So today's post is a nod to that inner rebel who still likes to keep it under-wraps - it's always the quiet ones you have to watch.

We show you how to make your own stamps to liven up any plain white vest. Plus in "do it differently" we show you how to use the same technique to print your own personalised wrapping paper.

Pen
Foam sheet (we got ours from the pound shop)
Scissors
Double-sided tape
A cork
Fabric paint
Jam jar lid
Piece of felt cut to fit inside jam jar lid
Cotton vest

1. Draw around the base of the cork onto the foam sheet.

2. Draw your design within this shape. You do not want the design to be any bigger than this.

3. Cut out your design.

4. Cut a piece of double-sided tape and place it onto the base of the cork. Remove the backing and press the cut out foam design onto the cork. This is your cork stamp.

5. Squirt out a small amount of the fabric paint or acrylic paint onto the jam jar lid.

6. Place the felt on top of the fabric paint and allow it to soak through, this is your ink pad. You can also apply the paint using a paintbrush but be careful not to overload the stamp. The ink pad gives a good, even coverage.

7. Take your cork stamp and press it firmly onto your ink pad allowing the ink to cover the foam design.

8. Make a couple of practice prints onto paper first then reload your paint and press the stamp firmly and evenly onto the fabric to make a print.

9. Keep doing this until you are happy with your creation.

10. Allow the fabric paint to dry and then follow the manufacturer's instructions as to how to make the fabric paint colourfast.

See notes at the bottom of the page.

I always think that the most simply wrapped presents are the most stylish and what could be simpler than shiny brown parcel paper personalised with your own stamps and tied with rustic twine?

You could also make up a set of stamps as a gift for a friend and present them in a neat little box.

These stamps are so easy to make, give such a great effect and can be used for so many different things.