Holidays can be challenging, especially around Christmastime—but not if you invoke your inner MacGyver spirit. In my latest "life hacks" guide, I show you 10 amazing tips and tricks that'll hopefully make your holiday season a little more merry.
In order to make a paper bag out of a newspaper, you will need the following: 2 sheets of newspaper, a ballpoint pen, cardstock with 2 holes, organic glue, and 2 pieces of rope.
You will be sure to win over anyone with some decadent homemade chocolate truffles. These are so impressive and rich and the best part is they’re surprisingly easy. Chef Alex will show you a few professional tricks to make this a sensational dessert.
ThreadBanger pays homage to the movie "Fame" by showing us how to make the perfect "80's-tastic" duffel bag out of old umbrellas. With this thrifty idea, you will need a few umbrellas (broken is fine), scissors, a square pattern, a sewing machine, a zipper, and anything handy that will work as a strap. Use your new custom duffel bag to carry all your leotards or dance shoes in, or make a statement on your way to the video store to rent "FAME!"
You don't want to go to a hairdresser and pay loads of money for something as simple as bangs, but you also don't want to go around with a bag over your head. Cut your side swept bangs correctly, at home, after you've seen this video.
Part of the joy of hunting is being able to eat what you've hunted afterwards. This tutorial shows you how to get the most from what you've bagged, and make some delicious herbed wild game burgers that everyone can enjoy.
All you need is a small piece of foldable paper to make this origami jumping spider. Fold a bunch to send out as part of a goody bag for a Halloween party, or scatter them on a table for a spooky effect.
This fabric "yo-yo" is really not a yo-yo at all, but rather a feminine fabric rosette that does (sort of) resemble the beloved childhood play toy. These fabric rosettes are quite lovely and would look great adorning a card or bag.
Buxom bombshell Katy Perry definitely knows that sex appeal is in her deck of cards. While her style has shifted over the past couple of years from retro pin up girl to modern and pin up girl-inspired, she still maintains the same vibrant colors in her makeup bag.
Need a quick and festive snack to feed your kids during the holiday break? These marshmallow and cereal wreaths will make the perfect Christmas treat, and it helps that they're no-bake treats, which means more time for you to do other Christmas-related activities! Ingredients:
Whether it's research, a school project or term paper, going on an expedition, what have you, having to preserve animal tracks should be a part of your bag of tricks that you can do. But don't just grab some random plaster of paris and just start pouring. Check out this video first and learn how to properly preserve the animal tracks that you find in the wild.
If you own a Chrysler van and find yourself with a broken horn and an air bag light on, those are probably caused by the same problem: a broken clock spring. Watch this video to learn how to replace your own clock spring and get your horn back.
A really beautifully painted Warhammer miniature mounted on a stock base is like Christina Hendrix at the Emmy's, but with trash bags wrapped around her feet instead of shoes. It cheapens your work. This video will show you how to make really cool miniature bases out of cork board and a hot glue gun.
Are you planning on throwing a memorable Halloween party this year? Give your party invitees a taste (literally) of the treats they'll be experiencing at the bash by including a cookie with your invitation.
DIY fashion guru Gianny L is well known for her ability to turn very blah-looking t-shirts and old pants into stylish, body contouring bikinis, bags, and even Halloween costumes.
In this clip, Kitty the Coupon Diva will show you how to maximize your coupons and extra care bucks so that you can walk out of CVS with a cart full of groceries for free! Kitty will show you how to use circular flyers, bag tags, extra care bucks, coupons and rebates to walk in and out of the drug store without spending any money. Try these tricks the next time you shop and save a ton of money.
Recently gained some weight (or lost a few pounds after getting yourself hooked on an intense exercise routine)? We've all been there, and know that your clothes probably aren't fitting the way they used to. But don't just throw your outdated threads into a plastic bag and toss them to Goodwill.
Broken umbrellas are all over the place. Blame it on the rain? Planned obsolescence is more like it—meaning the stuff is made to break. Carrying groceries never looked so good and reuseful. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started making your own custom broken-umbrella tote back, watch this crafter's guide.
Looking to add to your digital bag of tricks? In this installment from his series of free Adobe Photoshop tutorials, Justin Seeley shows you how to to take any photo and transform it into a dreamy illuminated scene using Camera Raw, Smart Objects, and a little creative brushing. For detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started using this eye-popping effect yourself, watch this video lesson.
Looking to add to your bag of tricks? In this installment from his series of free Adobe Photoshop tutorials, Justin Seeley shows you how to create a double-stroke layer style on your text. For detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started using this eye-catching text effect yourself, watch this video lesson.
If you're a fitness guru/weight training buff finding your normal weight lifting routine a bore, watch this video for a challenging way to increase resistance for an up-tempo workout.
Card lovers, street performers, magicians: Put a new trick in your bag of tricks with help from this tutorial. In this video, learn how to perform a color blind card trick sure to please any audience!
This medical how to video demonstrates how to take an arterial blood gas sample. The purpose or arterial gas sampling is to assess the patient's respiratory status as well as the acid/base balance in their blood. To perform this medical procedure you will need the following instruments: protective eye wear, gloves, alcohol, iodine, arterial blood gas sampling kit, gauze and a bag of ice. Please not that this video is intended for medical professionals only.
MatttChapman shows you how to add a simple dutch tilt to your filmmaking bag of tricks. Tripods conventionally only pan and tilt, but this trick adds an extra dimension. All you need is a tripod and a camera! It's just a matter of messing with the base plate to get this simple dutch angle.
Why spend money on a commercial ice pack when you can make one at home in minutes? Whether you're thinking ahead for eventual accidents or aches or you're in the midst of a first aid emergency, the quick and simple ice pack in this how-to video will help ease your pain. All you need is water, rubbing alcohol, a freezer safe, sealable plastic bag, and the instructions in this informative video.
HealthTalk.com's Dr. Zimney answers the question: How do I get rid of hiccups? The hiccup is a pretty mysterious thing. The two methods of stopping hiccups are to increase CO2 levels or fiddle with your throat. Hold your breath, drink a glass of cold water, swallow dry sugar or breathe out of a bag. If it lasts for multiple days go to the doctor.
While most paddles are multi-purpose, the Finis freestyler paddles, demonstrated in this how-to video, only work with, well, freestyle. While it's annoying to lug around that much equipment in your swim gear bag, unique equipment forces you to focus on one specific thing at a time. The Finis freestyler paddle is best used for improving freestyle stroke and efficiency. Watch this video swimming tutorial and learn how to train with Finis freestyler hand paddles.
Ravi Carlson teaches you how to make potato plastic in this video tutorial with glycerin, a potato (or pre-made potato starch), baking soda, and white vinegar.
Add personal touches to you projects by creating crochet flowers. This how to video is a crocheting tutorial that will show you how to create a marigold flower. Crochet several of them, and use them to decorate your scarves, bags, or sweaters.
Don't know what to do with old broken keyboards? Here is an amazing solution how to use them! Easy to do, nice to have! Hack together this cool project.
Watch as Sarah from Pink of Perfection demonstrates how to carry your yoga mat in style with this easy to make, budget friendly bag.
Grilled cheese is one of my favorite foods, ever. However, there are times in my life when I haven't had access to a full kitchen, and it's pretty hard to make a good grilled cheese sandwich without one.
Unless you're a pretty avid home cook, you probably don't know a lot about sous vide. Sous vide is a low-temperature cooking method where food is cooked in vacuum-sealed plastic bags in a water bath for a prolonged period of time.
In this tutorial, we learn how to make a stylish Halloween bag tag. You will need: ink blending tool in black soot color, black paint, orange paint, white card stock, stencils, cutters, scissors, and glue. First, place your white card stock underneath the stencil, then cut out the shape of a house. After this, mark lines in opposite directions onto the shape. After this, you should have the shape of a spider web. Next, add the ink pain on the top to highlight the spider web and you will be ab...
Homemade French fries! They are the best. You will need: russet potatoes, canola oil (good because it can get hot and not smoke}, cooking thermometer, deep fryer or a pan or skillet that will hold 3 to 4 inches of oil, knife, paper bags or paper towels, salt and pepper.
This video shows everything about how to put on a rented tuxedo. When you get your tux, the shoes will be hanging in a bag on the outside of the bag. Inside the bag will be the coat, shirt, vest or cummerbund, tie, pants and studs and links. Socks will be in the inside coat pocket, and the pocket square should be on the outside pocket of the coat. Remove the studs and links from the bag. Leave the collar button alone and start with the next button hole. Put the studs through the holea. Insert...
How to decorate cupcakes with some helpful tips
Sugar skulls, or "calaveras de azucar," are used to celebrate El dia de los Muertos, in honor of deceased friends and family. This video tutorial shows how to make sugar skulls with basic household ingredients. Once you've shaped the mixture into a skull shape, decorate and design with food coloring to suit your personal taste.
Sporterbumi, teaches you how to make a recycled bag from a newspaper. You need two sheets of newspaper, preferably a large one, a stapler and a ballpoint pen. Also get two thick pieces of card stock with two holes, 8 centimeters apart. Lastly, you will need 2 pieces of 40 centimeters rope each. Use the stapler on the top, opened, side of the newspaper, stapling 2 centimeters apart from each other. Fold 5 centimeters on the side that you put the staples on. Flip it and fold it again. Do the sa...
Looking to heal your sprained ankle and not sure what to do? Don't panic. A sprained ankle can be quite painful, as well as prevent you from getting where you need to go. You can heal more quickly with proper care.
