DIY

Ask the Readers: What's the Biggest DIY Project You've Ever Tackled?

Ashley Jacobs — Tue, 05 Jun 2018 08:30:25 +0000

Editor's Note: Congratulations to Deanna, Christie, and Karen for winning this week's contest!

DIY projects come in all shapes and sizes, from home decor crafts to...you know, actual homes. No matter your skill level, there's no denying the satisfaction you feel when you finish a project that was a challenge for you.

What's the biggest project you've ever tackled? What were some of the challenges you encountered during this project? Did you have to learn any new skills or work with any new materials?

Tell us about the biggest DIY project you've ever tackled and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

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Tell us about the biggest DIY project you've ever tackled and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

This article is from Ashley Jacobs of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

4 Beauty Products You Can Make in an Instant Pot

Mikey Rox — Wed, 16 May 2018 08:30:46 +0000

Seven-in-one kitchen appliance Instant Pot has received widespread acclaim since its popularity shot through the roof on Amazon Prime Day in 2016, when more than 215,000 units were sold. But there's even more to the miracle cooking device than meets the eye. Besides whipping up family-size meals in a jiff, you also can make inexpensive DIY beauty products in it. Here are a few to start with. (See also: 9 DIY Beauty Masks Made From Food)

Soothing anti-aging face cream

Certified integrative nutritionist and fitness instructor Dora Vandekamp, founder of the blog Biohack Your Beauty, offers this recipe for an anti-aging cream that will leave your face hydrated and silky smooth.

Ingredients

1/2 cup organic jojoba oil
1/2 cup organic coconut oil
1/4 cup beeswax
2 T organic cocoa butter
2 drops Frankincense essential oil

You can find these items in your local craft stores, Walmart, Target, and Amazon.

Method

Add jojoba oil, coconut oil, beeswax, and cocoa butter to your Instant Pot. Select "Keep Warm" on the settings panel and allow ingredients to slowly melt — around 20 minutes. Add Frankincense essential oil then spoon into a Mason jar. It's best if used within six months.

Hard lotion bars

The most abundant Instant Pot beauty recipes online are currently for hard lotion bars, which offer the concentrated moisturizing effects of traditional lotion without all the mess. They also make pretty neat gifts.

Lindsey Dietz at the blog Traditional Cooking School by Gnowfglins walks you through the process, from grating main ingredients cacao butter and beeswax, to melting everything down in the Instant Pot with essential oils, to filling a silicone mold with the mixture and letting it harden. Dietz recommends for added scent, you select a "skin-nourishing oil, such as ylang-ylang, cypress, lavender, sandalwood, or frankincense."

For the silicone mold, you can find fun shapes at your local craft store or Amazon. This is an easy project that doubles as self-care.

Herbal hand salve

I consider myself a Burt's Bees loyalist when it comes to balms and salves, but I gave this recipe for Instant Pot herbal hand salve a try, and I may never go back.

Great for keeping your hands and feet from cracking in the dry winter months, the salve recipe from Natural Beauty Blog by AJ's starts with making a soothing antibacterial oil with lavender buds and jojoba or sweet almond oils. Once that's complete, you combine the oil plus grated beeswax into the Instant Pot, stir until melted, and add a few drops of your favorite essential oil before pouring into pocket-size Mason jars or tins.

And if you make more than you plan to use for yourself, you can save yourself some cash around the holiday season and give out the homemade salve as gifts. (See also: 9 Easy Mason Jar Gifts You Can Make)

Herbal soap

Chris at Joybilee Farm uses her Instant Pot to make herbal soap with the stainless steel insert because it's nonreactive and suitable for this type of project. The soap recipe she uses includes multiple oils, cold water, lye solution, essential oils, and frozen milk.

"The insert can be used for melting fats and blending oils," she says. "It can be used to stir the lye into the fats and bring the soap to trace. It can also be used to cook the soap after trace, speeding up the time it takes for the soap to cure." Chris also notes that "nonreactive glass should be used to hold the lye solution whether the soap is made with herbal tea, milk, or water," and should never be held in a metal container.

Soap-making can be a lengthy process, and it's important to use caution when going through the stages with extremely hot liquid, and multiple chemicals. Wear gloves and eye protection to be safe.

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This article is from Mikey Rox of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Best Money Tips: Must-Have Tools for the DIY Life

Amy Lu — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 08:30:17 +0000

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found articles on must-have tools for households that like to DIY, food items you should stop buying and make instead, and beginner tips for raising backyard chickens.

Best Money Tips: How to Make Easter Eggs in the Instant Pot

Amy Lu — Wed, 21 Mar 2018 09:30:19 +0000

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found articles on how to make Easter eggs in an Instant Pot, a guide to lifestyle experiments, and things you need to know if you’re bumped form a flight.

Best Money Tips: 100 Costumes You Can DIY on the Cheap

Amy Lu — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 08:00:07 +0000

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found articles on costumes you can DIY on the cheap, subscriptions that are totally worth it, and warning signs to watch out for when you’re booking a hotel.

9 Halloween Treats You Can Make in an Instant Pot

Carrie Kirby — Fri, 13 Oct 2017 09:00:06 +0000

Like virtually every other home cook in America, I recently got an Instant Pot, a brand of electric pressure cooker and slow cooker combo that has become a word-of-mouth hit. While I use it for everyday meals, the electric pressure cooker has a feature that makes it particularly indispensable for holiday use: You can set it and forget it. On past Halloweens, whether I'm cooking the pre-trick-or-treat supper or heating up apple cider, I have found myself running between the stovetop, the front door, or my kids' bedrooms where they are getting into their costumes. This year, I know I will set up whatever I'm making in the instant pot and then walk away to deal with everything else.

The only question is, what to make? Fortunately, every food blogger and her sister has an idea for spooky Halloween treats to make this year. (See also: 11 Instant Pot Meals That Prove Autumn Is the Best Season)

1. Apple cinnamon pull-apart bread

Start the sugar overload first thing in the morning of October 31 with this gooey, fragrant version of apple cinnamon rolls. Hey, at least the kids will have some fruit before school!

2. One-trick chili

Especially if the weather is blustery, I like to fortify my trick-or-treaters before they go out. Chili is a favorite for me anyway, and since there are jack-o'-lanterns everywhere, why not throw some healthy squash into the caldron tonight with this squash and turkey chili recipe? I serve mine with a side of mummy dogs, made in the oven.

3. Hot apple cider

You can always pour store-bought cider or apple juice into the instant pot and set it for a few minutes to get it piping hot, but since it can work unsupervised, why not get more ambitious and set up an amazing pot of fresh apple cider just as your trick-or-treaters are heading out? A few hours later, they'll come home to a house that smells amazing. I'll be adding bourbon to my mug. (See also: 9 Delicious Reasons Cider Is Our Favorite Fall Treat)

4. Hot cocoa

If you were out escorting trick-or-treaters and didn't have time to prepare anything to warm them up on their return, you can use the pot to produce creamy, not-too-sugary hot cocoa in just six minutes, by following this YouTube tutorial.

5. Spider web or pumpkin cheesecake

Cheesecake is one of the dishes that made the instant pot famous. To impress at any Halloween gathering, try this adorable cheesecake decorated with a dulce de leche spider web design.

If that's not Halloween-y enough, instead of following that plain cheesecake recipe, you could also make a pumpkin-flavored cheesecake to top with the same dulce de leche web. You can even make the dulce de leche in the instant pot. Or if the spider web looks too fussy for you, just chop up some candy bars for a trick-or-treat-themed topping. Perhaps best of all for parties, you can make the same recipes into individual cheesecakes by placing them inside Mason jars in the instant pot. But beware! Cheesecakes need 12 hours to set in the refrigerator, so start this recipe the day before you want to serve it.

6. Pumpkin pudding

Need a gluten-free dessert option? This elegant dessert is only a pudding in the sense of an English Christmas pudding, meaning that it's more of a cake. It's also not terribly sweet, making it a nice option for pre-trick-or-treat potlucks when everyone's about to eat a bunch of candy.

7. Oreo pops

If you have some kids in your life who you like to give a special treat to on Halloween, this fits the bill. Use the instant pot to melt chocolate, then dip Oreos on lollipop sticks to create spiders, monsters, or skeleton treats.

8. Apple crisp in a pot

Pies are nice and all, but they tend to take awhile to bake, and this apple crisp recipe cooks in just eight minutes. Serve it with vanilla ice cream for dessert, and save some to have with a dollop of yogurt for a morning-after breakfast. With Halloween falling on a school night again, you'll be grateful you saved something to put on the breakfast table.

9. Pumpkin Bundt cake

With pureed pumpkin, a banana, and Greek yogurt on the ingredient list, I'm gonna add this pumpkin Bundt cake recipe to the healthy morning-after breakfast category. Just pretend those chocolate chips are spiders and the calories from them won't count. Or, if that thought terrifies you to your very core, embrace the chocolate chips, because those are always better than spiders.

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This article is from Carrie Kirby of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Colorstrology and 3 Modern Décor Trends That Will Fit Any Budget

Andrea Cannon — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 08:30:12 +0000

Changing the look of your home doesn't need to cost much. You can clear the clutter and use items you already own to completely change the feel of your space. Here's how you can breathe new life into your casa with these affordable modern décor trends.

Colorstrology

Colorstrology is a hybrid of astrology, numerology, and Pantone colors. Astrologist Michele Bernhardt created a calendar and corresponding book, Colorstrology: What Your Birthday Color Says about You, with a different Pantone color assigned to each day of the year, as well as one for each month. The colors are chosen based on ruling planets, sun signs, and other important dates and numbers. While there is quite a bit of science and success backing the new colorful trend, a lot of it is psychological.

As an example, Bernhardt told Goop that if you're looking for help with your relationship, "You might go to October's color, which is a light blue that is very peaceful and gentle; it helps bring harmony and balance. Or February — a high vibration purple — is a great color for people who are intense, and trying to learn how to be more detached and collaborative. Lilac and lavender can help us love without being too clingy."

How to use the colors

Incorporating these colors into your décor can help bring about positive energy. For instance, you can add a splash of color to any room by painting the trims or one accent wall with a shade in your birthday month color. You can also move certain items into different rooms so they are more color-coordinated, based on the shades you select.

Along with using these colors throughout your décor, you can also wear these power colors throughout your clothing, accessories, or makeup each day to capitalize on the positive vibes. Mindful color selection like this might require some time to get organized, but it should cost you very little money to execute.

Minimalism

Minimalism is about more than just cleaning and decluttering the house. It's about focusing on clean design, neutral or muted colors, sharp lines, and simple furnishings and décor. (See also: Ease Into Minimalism With Some Simple Steps)

Choose quality over quantity

Create a cohesive look by concentrating on one simple design and complementary accent decorations. This can be accomplished by paring down to one or two accessories per room, and you can you use things you already own. Also, be sure to keep and utilize furniture that serves double duty as storage or that takes up minimal space.

Keep it simple

Once you have gotten rid of anything that you aren't excited about and narrowed your items down to just the essentials, it's time to concentrate on your personal style. Simplify your color scheme and choose textures in similar tones. Adopting a minimalist style also means easier cleanup (less to dust), and you might even make some money selling those excess items that you no longer want.

Maximalism

While minimalism is about "less is more," maximalism is about "more is more." Maximalism has no set rules; you can even layer different colors, textures, and styles. Things like bold wallpaper and clashing patterns are acceptable with this affordable trend. This means that you can show off your latest vintage finds or eclectic paintings with pride.

Use mirrors

If a room appears small, add a mirror to make it appear larger. If you don't want to hang a mirror, consider propping a large framed mirror against a wall. It can create drama and brighten the space instantly.

Display everyday items

Take a look around for posters or cards you already own that can be framed, unique items of clothing or shoes that can be displayed, or antique pieces that can serve as the focal point of a room.

And if a room doesn't feel cozy, Better Homes and Gardens recommends adding a colorful throw and pillows.

Natural elements

Use items you find outside your home in nature to decorate your space. Birch tree limbs and pine cones can be spray painted in white or gold for decor. Rocks, shells, and leaves can also create beautiful (and free) art pieces or table scapes.

This trend also encourages adding lots of greenery. If you don't have any greens of your own, pick up some inexpensive seeds to plant, or ask a friend to divide up one of their plants for you. (See also: 6 Surprising Ways a Houseplant Can Save You Money)

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This article is from Andrea Cannon of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

13 Problems You Can Solve With Duct Tape

Mikey Rox — Wed, 31 May 2017 08:00:12 +0000

When Johnson & Johnson first developed duct tape in the early 1940s, it was used in the military to keep boxes of weapons sealed. It would later be used by soldiers to repair just about everything, before becoming commercially available and marketed for household repairs postwar. Today, the miracle adhesive has innumerable uses, but here are a baker's dozen that save money, time, and even lives. (See also: 27 Things You Should Have in Your Utility Drawer)

1. Hide holes in your porch or mobile home skirting

Duct tape comes in a rainbow of colors and patterns these days, but you'll most likely require the white version to hide holes or cracks in the skirting around your porch or mobile home. This quick fix is a much cheaper alternative to replacing the damaged panels, especially since the skirting never gets a close look by anyone.

2. Reattach side-view mirrors if they get knocked off

City dwellers know all too well how easy it is to have a side-view mirror knocked off overnight. Sure, you can call your insurance company when it happens, but then you're faced with paying the high deductible and a potential fee increase to your policy. If you don't have the money to handle the situation yourself, consider reattaching the mirror with duct tape. The hack won't pass inspection in all states, so if you encounter this crisis, investigate with your state motor vehicle department before making the fix a long-term solution.

3. Help senior citizens navigate stairs better

A strip of duct tape on the stairs can potentially save a life, according to the caregivers at SYNERGY HomeCare, who use the technique in clients' homes.

"A simple strip of colorful duct tape on the edges of stair steps makes it easier for seniors to judge the depth and distance to keep from tripping and falling," says a spokesperson for the organization.

Staircases and stairway accidents are one of the leading causes of accidental injuries — second only to motor vehicle accidents. Each year 12,000 people die from stairway accidental deaths, many of whom are seniors. This is an easy, cheap way to prevent accidents and possibly save lives.

4. Keep strips of sandpaper from tearing

To keep strips of sandpaper from tearing when sanding rounded surfaces, apply duct tape to the back of the sandpaper before cutting it into strips.

5. Ward off scuff marks on your floors

If you have chairs or other furniture scratching your floors, wrap the feet in small strips of duct tape. This works particularly well for furniture on wheels, since you can't buy pads for these items like you can for your flat-footed furniture.

6. Open tightly closed jars

If you have a stubborn jar whose lid won't open easily, create a simple solution with about a foot of duct tape. Fold three or four inches of it around half of the lid then use the remaining eight inches to pull the lid counterclockwise. The gripping action of the duct tape should open it right up.

7. Clean up pet hair with a paint roller

I have a hypoallergenic dog specifically because I can't stand pet hair. It's bad enough when it's on my clothes, but it really grosses me out when it's all over my bed. If you have either of these problems, an easy way to remove the pet hair quickly and efficiently is to apply duct tape to a paint roller with the sticky side facing out. It's bigger than a regular lint roller, so it's great for large surfaces. Of course, you can spot clean the pet hair by hand with duct tape, but you'll cover much more surface area in less time with the roller.

8. Stop a hose leak

Small leaks in hoses — indoor and outdoor — can be stopped with duct tape. Don't, however, take this advice to mean that you can solve all plumbing problems with duct tape. That's not a good idea. If you have a major leak or other plumbing issue, contact a professional.

9. Close a hole in an air duct

Unlike repairing plumbing pipes, you can probably successfully plug a hole in your ductwork with duct tape. At least in this case, you have the advantage of only spilling air, whereas a water leak can become a real disaster.

10. Repair a cracked trash can

Why buy a new trash can if all you're putting in it is rubbish? Granted, duct tape probably won't prevent squirrels from getting into your trash bins — they've eaten holes straight through the very hard plastic my garbage cans are made of. I'm all ears to your solutions to that problem.

11. Waterproof your tennis shoes

A friend of mine does a lot of walks for cancer research — often dozens of miles over the course of a few days — and she told me that she covers her shoes in duct tape, around the sides and over the top – to keep them from getting wet and uncomfortable in inclement weather. Smart idea.

12. Pick up shards of glass or metal

Small shards of glass and metal are hard to see and sweep. To ensure the complete cleanup of the debris, do a thorough sweep or vacuum then pick up any remaining bits with a strip of duct tape.

13. Save your life or someone else's

Out of all duct tape's problem-solving uses, first-aid is the most important. Duct tape can stop bleeding, clean wounds, close wounds, keep wounds dry, and even prevent a collapsed lung. Certainly it's not the ideal method of care, but if it's the only thing you have on hand in a life-or-death situation, you'd better reach for it.

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This article is from Mikey Rox of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

23 Recipes for Slime Your Kids Can Make — and Even Sell!

Carrie Kirby — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 11:01:05 +0000

At a Girl Scout retreat last weekend, I watched a middle school girl knead and roll a cerulean ball of pliable, shiny, stretchy … stuff … as she chatted with friends. The other girls at the table couldn't take their eyes off it.

"What slime recipe did you use?"

"Can I touch it?"

At an age where interests lean toward Snapchat and heavy eye makeup, it was refreshing to see the childlike wonder that a plastic bag of slime brought out in these young teens.

That's why the trend of making, Instagramming, and even selling various types of slime in middle schools all over the country warms my heart. It's hands-on. As a non-Newtonian fluid with properties that change with ingredient variations, it's also science-y. It appeals to kids' senses, not just their eyeballs. And since it's made with just a few dollars' worth of household materials, it's frugal fun, too. It can even be a source of spending money for kids who get so good at slime-making that other kids want to buy it. (See also: 13 Businesses Your Tween Can Start)

If your child wants to get in on the slime trend but needs some instructions to get started, here are some winning recipes.

1. Opaque slime

The original slime recipe has been around for a generation. It calls for just three ingredients: school glue, borax, and water. The result is a whitish, flexible putty. Note that slimes containing borax are not edible; the powdery substance can be toxic in large doses.

For extra fun, try molding your slime into a ball and bouncing it. It will lose its bounce gradually, but keeping it moist in a plastic bag will help.

2. Clear slime

This is the same recipe as above, but with clear glue. The difference is striking!

3. Liquid starch slime

Just as borax does, liquid starch can cross-link the polymers in glue, creating that moldable blobbiness that's fun to knead. If you hate mixing powders with your hands, like I do, you might prefer this recipe to the borax version. The resulting slime is the kind that kids can use to make rude noises when moving it in and out of a plastic container. If you don't get it, just ask your tween.

4. Fake snot

Younger kids might enjoy this gross-out snot version more than the middle school set. The recipe includes gelatin, corn syrup, and water.

5. Flavored edible slime

Perhaps disturbingly, the fake snot recipe listed above is an edible slime. To make it more palatable, you can take the same recipe and add flavored extracts or small amounts of fruit juice. (Giving it a different name would probably help, too.)

6. Nickelodeon slime

Gen-Xers will remember the early cable Nickelodeon show You Can't Do That on Television, on which the young actors (including Alanis Morissette) were doused with buckets of gross green gook. This reverse-engineered recipe calls for Jell-O, flour, Johnson's Baby Shampoo, water, and food coloring.

7. Sticky kitchen slime

Dish soap, water, and flour. This is a convenient slime recipe to whip up on a snow day, since you probably already have all the ingredients in your kitchen. Only make this one if the idea of slime that adheres to your hands doesn't revolt you.

8. Soapy slime

For some good clean fun, mix soap flakes or a microwaved bar of Ivory with water. This slime is ideal for keeping in a large container and running your hands through it, since the consistency can be soupy.

9. Sticky edible slime

Cook sweetened condensed milk with cornstarch on the stovetop for a slime that you will have to lick off your fingers. Flavor this with chocolate syrup to make chocolate slime.

10. Cookie cutter slime

Using soluble fiber such as Metamucil, you can make this slime that is easily sliced with a knife or shaped with a cookie cutter without sticking.

11. Bathroom slime

Mix a thick shampoo one-to-one with toothpaste, then freeze to take out the sticky factor. You'll end up with a translucent putty that's easy to make without a trip to the store.

12. Colored slime

To any of the above recipes, add a few drops of food coloring or liquid watercolor paint. If you add green color to the clear slime, it looks like the ectoplasm in Ghostbusters.

13. Glitter slime

Replace the glue in any of the basic recipes with clear glitter glue, or use clear glue and pour in glitter from a jar, and you will have a sparkly slime that's perfect for glam party favors.

14. Galaxy slime

This twist calls for three batches of glitter slime in different colors — using colored glitter glue, food coloring, or acrylic paint. Lay them side by side and twist them together to get a streaky, Milky Way effect.

15. Black light slime

Use diet tonic water in the Metamucil slime recipe, and you've got a goop that glows under a black light.

16. Attraction slime

Mixing iron oxide powder into a classic slime recipe will make goop that is attracted to strong magnets. This one is not safe for really little kids who might put the slime or the magnets in their mouths. Watch out for pets around this one, too.

17. Mood ring slime

Color any slime recipe with thermochromatic pigment, available on Amazon, and you'll get a substance that changes color when you press your palm into it, touch it to a cold drink, or heat it with a hair dryer. This one should drive the middle school kiddos wild.

18. Slime with mix-ins

Once the novelty of kneading a polymer gets old, you can crank up the sensory factor of your slime by adding mix-ins, as if you're working at Cold Stone Creamery. You can pretty much add anything you want: Small toys or "alien eggs" add pleasant textural and visual surprises as you knead.

This is a great way to make holiday-themed slime, such as eyeball slime for Halloween or star-spangled slime for Independence Day.

19. Sandy slime

Glue, detergent, and smooth sand make this product that stretches like regular slime but has a nice grainy texture. Colored sand would be a fun twist.

20. Fluffy slime

Adding shaving cream and foaming soap to typical slime ingredients yields a slime with a lot of air in it, which makes for bubbles to pop and the ability to create pretty swirly shapes.

"Adding shaving cream makes it fluffy, which is something that many middle schoolers like. You can also make it more stretchy by putting in a little bit of lotion, which is also something middle schoolers like," explained a middle school source who agreed to speak with me on the condition of anonymity.

Adding in scented personal care products also create a pleasant feel on the fingers.

21. Homemade "Floam"

Take a standard slime recipe and add polystyrene beads, the kind that fill a bean bag chair. You can buy them at a craft store, or upcycle Styrofoam packaging by crumbling it up. The result is a more moldable slime, sold commercially as Floam.

22. Iceberg slime

Start with fluffy slime. Set it out to dry uncovered for two days to achieve a crunchy crust on the top, for the sheer pleasure of breaking holes in the top and watching — and listening to — the surface crack.

23. Avalanche slime

This project involves combining white slime in a container with colored transparent slime to create a whirled, multicolored effect.

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This article is from Carrie Kirby of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

10 Things You Already Own That Can Be Turned Into a Tote Bag

Ashley Marcin — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 10:30:21 +0000

Need a bag to carry your stuff around, but don't want to head to the store to buy one? No problem. You can make a sturdy tote by upcycling things you already own. It's possible to make a pretty awesome tote bag without spending any money at all. Here are 10 items that you can easily transform into a tote.

1. T-shirt

If you have an old T-shirt in your closet, try turning it into a tote bag. This no-sew tutorial takes just 10 minutes to complete. You'll need some sharp scissors and a washable marker. Cut the sleeves and neckline area off your shirt. Then figure out how deep you want your bag to be. Cut fringe at the base of your to-be bag, turn it inside out, and tie the fringe.

Alternatively, you can leave the fringe out for a more stylish look.

2. Wool sweater

You can make a felted tote bag using an old wool sweater. Just wash the sweater using hot water and dry on high heat. This will make the fibers shrink and ultimately add strength to your bag. Cut the arms and neckline out of the shrunken sweater. Turn it inside out and then stitch along the bottom to close.

You can also fold over the edges of the strap and hem if you like, but felted wool likely won't fray much if at all.

3. Jeans

Maybe you've recently lost some weight and are looking for ways to use your discarded roomy jeans. Make a tote out of 'em. Upcycled denim makes a particularly ingenious tote that has built-in pockets. What about a handle? Use the leg seams! It's super simple and will stand up to heavy loads. (See also: 20 New Things You Can Make With Old Blue Jeans)

4. Rice bag

Do you buy your rice in bulk? Keep the bag! Once you slice and dice it a bit, you can sew around the edges and make a durable grocery bag that will last for years. You only need a few tools: scissors, a needle, and nylon thread. The rest is in the magic of folding it into the classic grocery bag shape and sewing it up.

You can follow this exact same process using any stiff bag. Feed bags for chickens and other livestock make great choices as well. This type of bag is exceptionally easy to clean. That's great news if you plan to use it to pick up produce at the farmers market.

5. Place mats

Use place mats for this DIY cross-body bag. To make it, lay the place mats atop one another, inside out. Start at the bottom seam and thread with an embroidery needle. Stitch along three sides of the mats, leaving the top open. Turn bag right-side out. To add a strap, pull a loop from the inside of the bag. The tutorial says to then thread a purse strap through the loop on both sides.

If you don't have a purse strap to use, consider braiding a thick rope using old T-shirts to your desired length.

6. Rag rug

You can complete a very similar project using an old rag rug. Fold your rug in half and pick up one of the corners to invert it slightly. (This will give the bag a nicer shape.) From there, you stitch both sides using an embroidery needle and floss. The author of this project used a yard of burlap to create a strap. Divide the yard in half and then sew onto the inside of the bag by hand. Yes, by hand. As you can imagine, the rug is likely too thick to run through a sewing machine.

7. Bed sheet

Here's a tote bag that will also transform into a picnic blanket for those on-the-fly gatherings. What do you upcycle in this case? A full-size cotton bed sheet! This project may take you an entire weekend to complete, but it's well worth the effort.

Lay out the sheet horizontally. You'll first cut out a square of fabric that will serve as the blanket. Then you'll use what's left over to make the tote. You eventually attach the two pieces so it's all connected and handy. The strap for this bag is made from the thicker piece at the top of the sheet.

8. Beach towel

This beach towel tote helps you carry stuff to the beach and then soak up sun without getting sandy. You just need two towels. To sew the tote, start by making a comfortable pillow that you fill with stuffing. I think this project could also work if you leave the whole pillow portion out. Either way, you'll end up folding in the sides of the pillow to roll into the bag form. Then you sew a fabric pocket on the outside and make your straps. Boom. Beach bag.

For the pocket and straps, it's helpful if you have a stronger fabric. Duck cloth works well, but you may also use old jeans.

9. Broken umbrella

We all have a wonky umbrella somewhere in a closet just waiting to be turned into this DIY tote bag. The bonus here is that the bag will be so compact that you can stash it almost anywhere. To make this bag, you'll need some thread, pins, and a needle. You'll also need to create a rough pattern and find a patch to cover the hole where the fabric used to attach to the umbrella.

To detach the umbrella fabric from its frame, carefully snip the thread that attaches it. Check for any holes and patch them. Fold the fabric in half, trace and cut to your pattern. Then sew along all the edges by hand or using a sewing machine.

10. Plastic bags

Plarn is yarn made from discarded plastic bags. You make it by simply laying a plastic bag out flat, removing the handle portion, and cutting the rest into strips. You then tie two strips together, then three, and so on, before rolling your upcycled yarn into a ball to use as you like.

Once you've made a ball of your own plarn, you can knit or crochet up dozens of cool things. Here's a tutorial for a plastic yarn tote bag that will long outlive all your individual plastic bags. You'll need a size 9-mm metal hook and crochet skills. When you've completed the project, your bag will measure approximately 12 inches wide by 12 inches long with a 4-inch bottom that expands. (See also: 18 Clever Ways to Reuse Your Plastic Shopping Bags)

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This article is from Ashley Marcin of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Flashback Friday: 128 Creative Ways to Upcycle Your Trash

Chrissa Hardy — Fri, 03 Mar 2017 10:30:32 +0000

Before you head over to the trash can, take a moment to consider if that empty can or citrus peel in your hand can be put to good use. Believe it or not, you might be able to save tons of cash by upcycling your garbage and turning it into something useful. Here are 128 creative ways to make your trash work for you.

25 Beautiful Things You Can Make With Paint Sample Cards — Once you've chosen the right color paint for your office, you no longer need the paint sample cards you were using, right? Wrong! Those colorful swatches can actually turn into beautiful home decor.

7 Ways to Reuse Clothes That No Longer Fit — Rather than tossing or donating those clothes you know you won't wear, see if you can use them in other ways. You could make that pile of t-shirts into a stellar quilt! Or turn an old sweater into a pair of cozy mittens.

9 Surprising Uses for Empty Beer and Soda Cans — Upon first glance, an empty soda or beer can might only seem like a piece of trash, but look again and you will see a container with a endless potential. Turn it into a mini planter, a Wi-Fi booster, jewelry supplies, and more!

18 Clever Ways to Reuse Your Plastic Shopping Bags — Beyond a backup poop bag for your pup, an empty plastic bag can easily be turned into something amazing. An emergency rain hat is just one option of many.

Egg Pan, Sugar Softener, and 50 Other Uses for Citrus Peels — Hold your peels! That citrus skin has more value than you could possibly imagine. Turn it into essential oil, a household cleaner, or a bird feeder. Oh, and there are 49 other brilliant uses here for you.

17 Ways to Use Old Newspaper — Since many people don't even read newspapers anymore, when you have some lying around, what are you supposed to do with them? Before you toss them out, consider upcycling them into book covers, gift wrap, disposable tablecloths, or something else you need!

This article is from Chrissa Hardy of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

9 Surprising Uses for Empty Beer and Soda Cans

Paul Michael — Fri, 24 Feb 2017 11:00:10 +0000

If you enjoy a can or two of beer or soda, you may want to think twice before throwing your empties into the trash or recycling bin. The humble aluminum can has a multitude of uses, and can save you money on the most surprising things. All it takes is a little imagination, and a few basic tools. (See also: Beer Donuts and 11 Other Recipes You Can Make With Beer)

1. Make Friendship Bracelets

An empty can has a great shape to turn into a bracelet that easily fits on a wrist. Of course, you'll have to do a little work to make it safe to wear, but the results can be stunning. Simply use a box cutter or pair of kitchen shears to cut off the top and bottom of the can, and then cut it into segments that work for you. You may want a very wide bracelet, or a bunch of smaller widths. About an inch is good for starters though. Make sure there are no sharp edges, and then decorate it by wrapping ribbon or cloth around it. If you have someone with a particularly large wrist, you can cut it, but make sure you wrap those edges carefully, or round them off. If the can already has a really great design, you don't need to wrap it at all!

2. Make a Beer Can Stove

If you do a lot of camping, or like cooking in the outdoors, you don't have to buy a portable stove. You can make one out of an empty beer or soda can, and it works incredibly well. All you need is something to cut the can with, and some fuel (rubbing alcohol works beautifully). The best part is, if you leave it behind, or it gets thrown in the trash, it costs nothing to replace.

3. Organize Your Stuff

Pens. Pencils. Screws. Hair Ties. Batteries. Cutlery. There are hundreds of different items at home that can be organized inside empty cans. You just have to cut the top off the can at the height that works best for you. If you have a junk drawer, cut them just below that height, and you can quickly organize all those little bits and pieces that clutter it up. For the garage or workshop, you can make them different sizes for different items. You could even screw them to the wall.

4. Create a Beer or Soda Can Lantern

Creating a lantern out of a beverage can takes a little skill and dexterity, but if you can follow a pattern, and work with a few basic household tools, you shouldn't have any problems. Simply cut an oval in your can, and spray paint it any color you want. Then, create a stencil of your favorite subject matter, and use it to cut a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Put the two together, add a light, and you have something very fun and decorative. You could even use these at Halloween in place of pumpkins… and they don't wither and die.

5. Make Your Own Jewelry

If you have the time and the patience, beer can jewelry can really set those tongues wagging. It will be unique, unusual, and not available in any stores. Some people simply cut out parts of the empty can's design into interesting shapes, like teardrops or ovals. Others go the extra step, adding imitation gemstones, glitters, and other adornments. Take some inspiration from these earrings selling on Etsy (yeah… you could make money!).

6. Plant Seeds and Cuttings

An empty beer or soda can is a great vessel for starting your garden's plants, flowers, and herbs. All you need to do is remove the top of the can with a can opener to give it a clean, safe edge. Then, spray it your favorite color. Add soil, seeds or cuttings, and a little water, and you can save serious money on planters you would buy at a home improvement store or garden center.

7. Boost Your Wi-Fi Signal

Do you have a poor Wi-Fi signal in your home? You could fork out a lot of cash on a signal booster, or a Wi-Fi router upgrade. Or, you could take one of your empty cans and make a booster that will take you from two bars to four. It should take you less than 10 minutes from start to finish. Just make sure all the edges are safe, especially if you have kids in the house.

8. Make Some Impressive Chainmail

If you are into historical re-enactments, attending Renaissance Fairs, or want to make some extra cash on the side, you can use the pull-tabs from your beer and soda cans to create chain mail. Not only does it look really authentic, it can be done with just the pull-tabs and a few simple tools. If chain mail isn't your thing, you can use the same techniques to make lampshades, belts, bowls, and several other creative ideas.

9. Create Unique Gifts for Friends and Family

The material used to make a beverage can is not as thick as it used to be. While this means you don't get a lot for the scrap, it means you can do some very cool things using tools you will find around the house. The material is so soft that you could actually draw into it with an empty ballpoint pen, and punch through it with a nail and create some beautiful personalized punch designs Just make sure you clean out the can thoroughly, and find something suitable on which to mount your finished piece of art.

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This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

18 DIY Christmas Ornaments That Are Better Than Store Bought

Andrea Cannon — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 12:00:14 +0000

Food and gifts for the family can be really pricey, but your holiday decorations and ornaments don't have to be. Store-bought ornaments can look generic, and your friends might end up with the same ones. With DIY ornaments, your decorations will stand out from the crowd. The best DIY Christmas ornaments can also serve as a great keepsake and can honor cherished memories and moments of your life.

Whether it's your first Christmas and you don't have many ornaments to begin with, or you just don't want to break the budget this year, here are plenty of ways to decorate your tree on a budget.

1. Filled Glass Ornaments

Fill a glass or clear plastic ornament with artificial snow, glitter, snowflakes, small glittery pom poms, twigs, holly, bayberry, or evergreen for a festive feel. A pack of 10 glass ornaments is under $7 and you can fill them with items you have around the house for cheap, customized ornaments.

2. Snowman Ornaments

Fill a glass or clear plastic ornament with small marshmallows. Use puffy paint to draw a snowman face.

3. Glitter Ornaments

Swirl a layer of Beacon Glitter It Glue on the inside of a glass or clear plastic ornament. Add glitter of your choice and swirl around inside the ornament. Pour out the excess glitter and enjoy your sparkly new ornament. You can also use puffy paint to draw on a snowman's face to a white glitter ornament.

4. Painted Ornaments

The easiest DIY ornament involves the use of puffy paint or paint pens. Simply draw whatever you like on a plainly colored ornament. You can add polka dots with a small piece of sponge, add a monogram, or draw on Santa's belt. You can also use letter stickers to spell out words and holiday phrases, like "Ho Ho Ho." You can also print out your favorite logos, images, or superhero signs, which you can glue to your affordable ornament.

5. Pine Cone Ornaments

The hardest part about this DIY is finding a pine cone. Then, just hot glue each end of a piece of twine or jute onto the end of the pinecone so that you can hang it on your tree. Spray paint the pine cone or hot glue a piece of ribbon tied into a bow for an added touch.

6. Name Tag Ornaments

Create a personalized name tag for each of your guests. Use a stamp, stickers, or a paint pen to write the name of your guest on the name tag and hang from the tree using ribbon or twine. Decorate the name tags however you like.

7. CD Ornaments

Have leftover CDs lying around that you don't want anymore? Break them into small pieces and glue the broken pieces onto the outside of a ribbon filled glass or clear plastic ornament.

8. Orange Ornaments

Cut oranges crosswise into ¾" slices for a pinwheel effect. Bake in the oven at the lowest temperature for four hours. Every hour, turn the slices with a spatula to ensure they aren't too dried out and still have an orange color. Create a tiny hole in the top of each slice and string twine through. As an added bonus, cats don't like the smell of citrus, so these ornaments can deter your cats from fiddling with the tree.

9. Apple Ornaments

Insert a piece of floral wire into a small apple (like a mini sweet lady apple) with enough wire at the top to wrap around the tree branch. Aim for smaller, lighter apples so they don't weigh down your tree.

10. Key Ornaments

Simply attach standard or skeleton keys to your tree using ribbon. It looks festive and regal (and allows you to embrace your love of keys). You can also spray paint the keys different colors.

11. Washi Tape Ornaments

Use your favorite washi tape to make any designs you like on the outside of a glass ornament.

12. Gold Leaf Ornaments

Either choose plainly colored ornaments or paint a plain ornament with your favorite colored paint. Then, add gold leaf paper for an elegant touch. Gold leaf paper often comes with an adhesive. When you're painting the ornament, you can either paint the outside or add a bit of paint inside the ornament, then swirl it around and pour out the excess paint.

13. Ombre Ornaments

Simply pour some glass stain paint into a bowl. Dip the glass or clear plastic ornament into the bowl and let the remaining paint drip off to create an ombre effect. Either leave the ornament as-is or fill it with mementos.

14. Beach Ornaments

Fill a glass or clear plastic ornament with sand, small seashells, and glitter to create a beachy scene. You can also use puffy paint on the outside to draw on seagulls, fish, and anything else that reminds you of your favorite days at the beach.

15. Cinnamon Tree Ornaments

Use a piece of naturally coiled wrapped wire to form a loop. Push the ends into the hollow ends of a cinnamon stick. Hot glue small sprigs of fresh rosemary perpendicularly to create branches. Attach small buttons, beads, or rhinestones to the rosemary (to look like tiny ornaments). The ornament will smell great and look cute on your tree.

16. Candle Holders

Turn a wine glass upside down to use the base as a candle holder. You can put anything you like in the wine glass, such as ribbons, small poinsettias, mini pinecones, cranberries, or ornaments.

17. Cinnamon Men Ornaments

Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 cup ground cinnamon
2 T craft glue

Method:

Mix the three ingredients together in a bowl and then form into a ball with your hands. Roll the dough out to about ¼" and use cookie cutters to create your favorite ornament shapes. Use a toothpick, bamboo skewer, or straw to poke holes at the top, which you can wrap a ribbon through to hang the scented ornaments from your tree. Allow them a few days to dry or place them in a 200ºF oven for 1-2 hours. Decorate the ornaments with glitter, puffy paint, rhinestones, beads, and candy.

18. Clay Ornaments

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup baking soda
3/4 cup water

Method:

Mix the ingredients together in a pot aver medium heat until the dough thickens to the consistency of smooth mashed potatoes. Once it has slightly cooled, place the ball of dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth until it has fully cooled. Knead the dough and roll it out to about ¼" and use cookie cutters to create your favorite ornament shapes. Use a toothpick, bamboo skewer, or straw to poke holes at the top, which you can wrap a ribbon through to hang the scented ornaments from your tree. Place them in a 175ºF oven for one hour, turning them over halfway through cooking. Use paint or glitter to decorate. You can also use food coloring to the water before mixing up the batter for custom colored ornaments.

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This article is from Andrea Cannon of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

20 Cheap and Easy DIY Kitchen Improvements

Marla Walters — Fri, 02 Dec 2016 12:00:09 +0000

Cook, clean, repeat. Making meals day in and day out is a lot of work! No wonder Americans dine out between four and five times per week. Are you ready to lighten your load a little, or cheer up your kitchen space? If so, here are 20 fun and easy DIY improvements.

1. Fancy Furniture to Kitchen Island

Google some of the images for "dresser into kitchen island" and you'll be as stoked as I was (and you'll be looking at dressers along with me, at yard sales!). Not only are these practical, but some of them are really great-looking.

2. Cutting Board Holder

Do you use separate cutting boards for raw meats and another for ready-to-eat foods? Safer, for sure, but storing multiple cutting boards can be a pain. Sleek sets of cutting boards aren't cheap ($30 and up), so instead try one of these wire step file organizers at a bargain for $11.75 (even less if used). It'll also hold some cookbooks and small baking sheets.

3. Ditch the Drawers

Ugh, my poor, aching, back. I have come to despise my deep cupboards (where is that darn yellow casserole dish?). Maybe I'll install these awesome DIY pullout drawers.

4. Make a Cheerful Rug

Love my hardwood floors, but rugs do "warm up" the room, and they are nice to stand on while doing dishes. Why not make your own?

5. Sharp Storage

I love my big knife block, but if your knives weren't all purchased together, consider this handy magnetic knife bar. At less than $25, it'll keep your knives easy to find. It's also easy to install.

6. Hang 'Em High

Pots and pans everywhere? I know, I had that problem, too, until my husband built me a hanging pot rack. This project takes only about 45 minutes and what a terrific space-saver it is.

7. Fun Retro Look

Putting ingredients into Mason jars not only looks neat in your pantry, but the clear glass is practical. Take it a step further with a label maker and go nuts organizing.

8. Shelf Space

Wall space with no cupboards attached? Lucky you — try your hand at building some floating shelves and store/display your stuff.

9. Peg It

Remember pegboard? Guess what: It's cool again. Pegboard is inexpensive stuff, and it's not just for the garage, anymore. Paint it, or leave it in its natural state, add hooks, and ta-daah! Instant storage. A 2' x 4' piece is only about $6.

10. Cover It

I have, like… zero... craft ability, but even I can run a hot glue gun. You can use twine, rope, or even raffia to cover an old coffee can; fill with spatulas, ladles, wooden spoons. Then, utensils are not only easy to find, but look great.

11. Hook It

Don't forget about cup hooks! For about $6, you can buy a package of 30 sturdy hooks. Just screw them in "wasted space" spots in your kitchen and voilà! Hang up potholders, aprons, and, well, cups.

12. Outdoors In

I love fresh fruit in a bowl, but it does take up valuable counter space. Solution? Snag an inexpensive plant holder on clearance in a big-box garden shop and hang it inside for a "hanging" fruit basket.

13. DIY Countertop

Building your own concrete countertop is not a project for a beginner or a weekend, but if you have the skills, it's pretty cool!

14. Spicy Solution

No built-in spice rack? Don't despair. Here is a spice-rack project that can easily be done in an afternoon.

15. What's for Dinner?

Like those big menu boards you see in restaurants? How about a place to easily write shopping lists, post family notes, or schedules? Try making your own dry-erase board — a project that is really fun and practical!

16. Plant It!

Fresh herbs make your cooking efforts so much better. Why not plant an indoor herb garden? It's a snap. I love having chives, rosemary, basil and cilantro around.

17. Rakishly Handsome

Watch for old rakes at yard sales. Cut the handles down, clean, and hang on a wall. A rake is, as it turns out, perfect for hanging wineglasses, potholders, or kitchen towels, and they have a lot of fun character.

18. Re-Purpose the Wipes Container

Love those handy pop-up wipes containers? Re-use by covering with pretty wrapping or contact paper, and fill with plastic bags.

19. Snack Extravaganza

Hanging shoe pockets aren't just for shoes. Hang one in your pantry and add snacks, tea and cocoa packets, gravy or sauce mix packets, etc.

20. Cookbook Character

Need additional cookbook storage? Why not try making a bookshelf out of a pallet? The instructions include super-helpful information about how to select safe pallet wood.

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This article is from Marla Walters of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

10 Ways to Decorate Your Christmas Tree for Under $30

Kentin Waits — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 12:00:14 +0000

When I moved into my first "grown-up" apartment after college (many moons ago, now), I wanted to do everything just right — including the holidays. But between travel expenses and a growing gift list, my holiday tree-trimming budget was tight.

Without years' worth of accumulated ornaments, I had to get creative and keep my spending in check. Here's how I did it — and here are 10 ideas to decorate your own Christmas tree for under $30.

1. Take a Walk in the Woods

Potential ornaments are all around us — even outside. Pine cones are classic holiday decorating fare. Even better, they're sustainable, biodegradable, and entirely free.

Add dimension to dried pine cones with flocking. Just dip the tips of the pinecone scales in glue and brush with white, silver, or gold flocking powder. Fresh out of flocking supplies? Leftover household or craft paint (applied very lightly) works too. When done, attach a twine or satin loop to the broadest end and hang!

2. Tie One On

Simple bows all in the same color add drama and elegance to a tree. Use them as ornaments in their own right or to fill in sparse areas between traditional ornaments. At this very moment, my local dollar store is selling a package of 18 small red "velvet-like" bows for $1.00.

3. Get Thrifty

You really can find anything at thrift stores — including Christmas tree ornaments. Oddly enough, many ornaments that find their way into secondhand stores are handmade (donated during estate liquidations or as part of a family's downsizing project, I suspect). Give these little one-of-a-kind treasures new life by making them part of your annual holiday tree. Most secondhand ornaments can be picked up for $. 25 to $. 50 apiece.

4. Pick Up Sticks

Have a yard full of leaves and twigs? Me too. Arrange five 3"– 4" long sticks into a rustic star shape, securing each of the five points with thin wire or twine. Use wire or twine to also reinforce the five areas where two sticks intersect/overlap. Nestle completed ornaments into the boughs of your tree or feature a large one as a tree-topper.

5. Frame It

Recycle tiny photo frames by turning them into unique ornaments. Insert vintage holiday scenes cut from old greeting cards or trim family snapshots down to size. Then, hot glue a loop of nylon ribbon on the back for easy hanging.

6. Fold It

Mastering basic origami forms like stars, hearts, cranes — and even Christmas trees — doesn't take much time, and it's an activity kids will gladly try with you. As I write this, there's a 1000-sheet set of origami paper for sale on eBay for $9.73 (shipping included). That's a lot of ornaments!

Nestle finished creations in the boughs of your tree, but remember, fresh-cut trees can dry out quickly and pose a fire hazard. Use extra caution when combining paper ornaments with natural branches and hot holiday lights.

7. Uncap It

Don't toss out those bottle caps. Instead, arrange three into a snowman shape (concave sides up) and connect by hot gluing a single strand of ribbon the back. Paint the concave sides white then add frosty facial details with permanent marker or paint.

8. Unlock It

Though they're quickly getting snatched up by jewelry designers and collectors, vintage skeleton keys can be still be found at garage and estate sales for a dollar or two apiece. Add a unique look to your tree by spray painting the keys a glossy white and hanging with a bright red satin ribbon.

9. Break Out of the Mold

Small vintage aluminum baking molds can be had for less than $. 50 in most thrift stores. Collect a dozen or so in classic heart, leaf, and star shapes. Turn them into quaint tree ornaments by simply hot-gluing a loop of ribbon to the back of each.

10. Throw a Party

Why not crowdsource your tree decorating duties? Host a potluck style ornament party where guests exchange ornaments with one another. Keep the vibe lighthearted by encouraging homemade, secondhand, and comical contributions.

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This article is from Kentin Waits of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

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4 Beauty Products You Can Make in an Instant Pot

Soothing anti-aging face cream

Hard lotion bars

Herbal hand salve

Herbal soap

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9 Halloween Treats You Can Make in an Instant Pot

1. Apple cinnamon pull-apart bread

2. One-trick chili

3. Hot apple cider

4. Hot cocoa

5. Spider web or pumpkin cheesecake

6. Pumpkin pudding

7. Oreo pops

8. Apple crisp in a pot

9. Pumpkin Bundt cake

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Colorstrology and 3 Modern Décor Trends That Will Fit Any Budget

Colorstrology

How to use the colors

Minimalism

Choose quality over quantity

Keep it simple

Maximalism

Use mirrors

Display everyday items

Natural elements

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13 Problems You Can Solve With Duct Tape

1. Hide holes in your porch or mobile home skirting

2. Reattach side-view mirrors if they get knocked off

3. Help senior citizens navigate stairs better

4. Keep strips of sandpaper from tearing

5. Ward off scuff marks on your floors

6. Open tightly closed jars

7. Clean up pet hair with a paint roller

8. Stop a hose leak

9. Close a hole in an air duct

10. Repair a cracked trash can

11. Waterproof your tennis shoes

12. Pick up shards of glass or metal

13. Save your life or someone else's

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23 Recipes for Slime Your Kids Can Make — and Even Sell!

1. Opaque slime

2. Clear slime

3. Liquid starch slime

4. Fake snot

5. Flavored edible slime

6. Nickelodeon slime

7. Sticky kitchen slime

8. Soapy slime

9. Sticky edible slime

10. Cookie cutter slime

11. Bathroom slime

12. Colored slime

13. Glitter slime

14. Galaxy slime

15. Black light slime

16. Attraction slime

17. Mood ring slime

18. Slime with mix-ins

19. Sandy slime

20. Fluffy slime

21. Homemade "Floam"

22. Iceberg slime

23. Avalanche slime