craftgrrl | Random crafty stuff and a question

I made a rockin' shirt the other day.

The lighting is horrible in these pictures, I apologize.

Cooking is crafty too, right? I made this based on a Martha Stewart recipe. It was super easy and ohsogood. She called it "Pasta Verde with roasted peppers" or something. For dessert, "Pineapple-Mango Buckle" which doesn't look so great in this picture but I swear it was DELICIOUS. Will post recipe for either dish if there is interest, but they're in the April and May 2003 issues of Martha Stewart magazine.

And last, I did my nails all weirdly a while ago. I painted them yellow, stuck pieces of tape over them, and then painted over with orange. They remind me of traffic signs. :D

My question(s) are thus:

1. I don't smoke, but I've somehow accumulated a ton of empty cigarette cartons. They're just dying to be made into something crafty...what can I do with them? I checked the FAQ and couldn't find anything.

2. I have a lot of buttons on my backpack, and they keep falling off. :( What can I do to keep them on? I know the bandaid-around-the-back trick, but I'd like something less hack-y and more "stylish." Any ideas?

Thanks girls and guys!