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Glass bangles are one of the best accessories that you can use with any type of wardrobe but the problem with them is that they can break when they’ve been worn down so much. Most will throw their old accessories away but if you don’t have the heart to throw them away just yet, why not repurpose them instead?

Repurposing is a great way to breathe new life to your old stuff which, in this case, are your bangles. How can you change them? Here are some examples of what you can do with your old accessories that will certainly make you love them even more.

Curtain rings. Here’s one idea when it comes to recycling your old bangles. Look for bangles that have a small slit in it where you can hook your curtains. Afterwards, just slide the bangles on your curtain rod and that’s it. You have a new way to hang your curtains at home. You can also loop the curtains on the bangles to add accent to your bedroom if you like.

Wall display. With a little bit of imagination and creativity on your part, your discarded bangles can be transformed from broken down into works of art for the walls at your home. You can start with binding the bangles together using craft wire and arrange them in any way that you like. You can have them stacked or lying side by side, whichever you prefer. Let your creativity loose with this project and you’ll have a unique piece to hang on your wall in no time.

Image from orientals.nl

Candle holders. Another idea for repurposing your old bangles is creating candle holders out of them. You can start by stacking them all together and gluing them together or bind them using wires. Loop them around your candles and make sure that the bangles are connected to one another to prevent the candle from toppling over.

Mosaics. Here’s one that your inner artist will surely appreciate. Breaking your glass bangles into small pieces will give you more materials to work on your art. You can combine these glass bangles with your mosaic kit if you like to make your art pop out. Other materials that you can use in your mosaic are broken glass and broken plates.

Wool wrapped bangles. Who said that you can no longer wear broken bangles? You can still make this accessory part of your outfit by breathing new life to its look such as by wrapping the bangle in wool. This will give it an entirely new look which you can mix and match with your outfit.

Bangle butterflies. How about making some outdoor decorations out of your old bangles? Piece together broken bangles to create the wings of a butterfly, wrap it with a fabric that is see through, add some decorations and you now have a butterfly ready to be displayed outdoors or indoors.

Hanging mobiles. What else can you transform your old bangles into? How about hanging mobiles? You can use either a cord or fishing line around the discarded bangles to create a huge mobile. Start with the main bangle and from there, tie the bangles in different heights. You can add other decorative accessories if you like to complete your mobile.

So you see? Your old bangles don’t have to end up in the trash once they are broken because believe me when I say that there are a lot of ways in which you can transform these accessories of yours into something new to enjoy. All you need is a bit creativity and the desire to repurpose and you’ll find plenty of projects to do with them.

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Most kitchens have plenty of pots and pans on hand and if you’re doing spring cleaning, chances are you’ll be throwing away any pots and pans that have outlived their uses. This isn’t really surprising given that the constant wear and tear can cause your kitchen utensils to deteriorate overtime. However, instead of disposing your broken pots and pans, why not repurpose them into something else? If you don’t want to add to the already growing landfills in your area, here are some ideas that you can do to convert your old pans and pots.

Flower pot. What’s great about small to large pots is that they can be converted into almost anything you have in mind. One of the best ways to repurpose them, however, is to transform them into flower pots. You only need to drill holes at the bottom of the pots so that there will be enough drainage for your plant. Fill the pot with soil and your choice of plant. Make sure that you pack the plant in nicely before watering.

Candy holder. This is a good idea especially come Halloween where you will be giving some tricks or treats to the ghouls and monsters that will be knocking on your door. You can cover it up with some scary decorations, fill it up with your choice of treats, and you’re done. You’ll have candies on hand for the little trick or treaters.

Bring them when camping. Another way to reuse your old pots and pans is to bring them when you go camping instead of your new kitchenware. This way, they will still serve the same purpose as before.

Image from The New York Times

Kitchen decoration. If you have been using copper cookware at home and have decided to buy a new set of pots and pans, don’t throw your cookware just yet. You can use them as decorative pieces in the kitchen for a more interesting look in your cooking space.

Kids toys. Another way to repurpose your old pots and pans is to let your kids use them during play time. Children love to play pretend and giving them your old cookware, the lighter ones of course, they will feel like a real chef with their plastic spatula, knives, and the like. Just hold off on the real ingredients unless of course you are teaching them how to cook.

Kitchen themed gift. If your old pots and pans are still in good condition, why not use them for your kitchen themed gift? Just make sure that you clean your old pots and pans thoroughly and fill them with your choice of kitchen gifts. Wrap them up nicely and you’re done. This is a nice idea for someone who is just moving to a new house or are looking for new kitchen items to fill their space with.

Towel holder. Remove the handles of your pots and install them under your overhead cabinet for easy access to your hand towels. You can pain them the same color as your cabinet too or in a different color for it to pop.

Hanging pots. Another idea to convert your old pots and pans into is to make them into hanging pots. Tie some sturdy rope on the handles of your pots, fill them with soil and your favorite plant then hang them on a tree or post.

These are just a few ideas on how you can recycle your old pots and pans instead of just simply throwing them away. You might be surprised to find on how far your creativity can go with these items.

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Ladders come in handy at home especially when it comes to reaching objects that are placed higher than your normal reach. They are often used in fixing your home too to get to higher places like the roof or ceiling. But just like with any other type of equipment, ladders can get broken too or replaced with a newer one. With you ending up with an extra ladder that is just taking up space in the garage and gathering dust, why not repurpose it instead?

The good news is that there are plenty of ideas that you can use to repurpose ladders. Here are some that are worth taking into consideration.

Wall décor. If you have a blank wall in the living room that you want to utilize, why not hang your old ladder horizontally? You can use it to hold picture frames and other wall decorations for a unique wall décor.

Image from Pinterest

Shoe rack. Here’s another idea that you can use with your old ladders. If you don’t have space in your closet for your shoes, your old ladder can be repurposed into a shoe rack. Use the steps to hold the heels of your shoes so you can simply grab them as needed.

Kitchen catch-all. Install your old ladder in your kitchen and use it as a towel rack. You can hang your aprons too if you like for easy access not to mention add more decoration to your space.

Clothes hanger. Another way to repurpose your old ladder is to make it into a clothes hanger. Just hang your ladder from the ceiling, add hooks to hold your hangers and you can simply hang your newly washed clothes for drying.

Image from Pinterest

Herb garden ladder. Add some flair to your garden by utilizing your old ladder and transforming it into a herb garden ladder. Just open the ladder and use its steps to hold different pots containing your favorite herbs. This will certainly be an eye catching piece in your garden.

Pot suspender. For sure you have a lot of stuff in the kitchen that you need to find a place for such as your pots and pans. A good way to convert your old ladder is to use it as a pot suspender where the rungs of your ladders will be holding your pots and pans. Just place the ladder near your kitchen counter for easy reach.

Ladder bookcase. What else can you do with your old ladder? How about a ladder bookcase? Install the ladder on one side of the wall and secure it in place. Just add book holders for each rung so your books won’t fall.

Lantern suspender. If you are looking for ideas on how to make your dining or porch area look more beautiful, suspend your ladder from the ceiling and hang lanterns of different sizes on it. This will certainly catch the eyes of your guests plus it will help give illumination to your eating area at night.

Image from DIY Enthusiasts

Ladder shelf. For those who need extra shelves in the house, you can use your old ladders to create new shelving. Just open your ladders facing one another then add some planks with the rungs holding them in place. The heavier items should be placed in the middle of the plank to avoid toppling the shelf.

Who would have thought that there are many uses for old ladders? With a little bit of creativity on your part, you can transform your old ladder into something useful for the home without you spending anything for decoration at all.

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If you are looking for a weekend project that you can do with your kids, or if you want to give your friends something unique, or perhaps you need a better bookmark to use when reading books, making a Japanese doll bookmark is definitely worth doing.

This bookmark project is not that difficult to do. As a matter of fact, you will definitely have fun making one that you will probably be buying more materials for this. How to make one for your own use? Here’s what you will need:

Chiyogami or any Japanese paper with dimensions of 5.5 x 12 cm.

Paper for the obi-jime. You can use chiyogami or Yuzen if you like but other types of paper will do too.

Paper for collar and obi about 1.5 cm wide.

White card to create the head which is around 2cm in diameter and body at 3mm wide.

Japanese or standard crepe paper for the hair.

Sticky tape

Double sided tape

Scissors

Here’s what you need to do:

Cut a small strip of collar paper and fold it into two. Fold the collar paper around the body with the left portion going under the right which is how kimonos are worn. Place a strip of tape on the length of the body and leave it for the mean time.

With the wrong side of the collar paper up, fold one edge by 1cm. Flip your collar paper over and fold about 0.5cm back over. This will be the collar of the kimono.

Get the body of the doll with the under collar wrapped around the neck and tape it on the collar paper. Make sure that a small strip of the under collar can be seen.

Start folding the collar from the left but press down on the top part of the collar paper only. The rest of the paper should be folded over so that there will be a straight edge going down the kimono. If there is an excess paper on the corner of the collar, remove it. Do the same with the right side of the collar paper.

Next, you will need to place the obi paper on top of the folds of the kimono to hide them. Tape the obi paper at the back.

Cut a strip from your obijime paper and put it on top of the obi. You can add layers here if you like.

Now for the head. Get a small piece of crepe paper and position it half way from the head that you made. Take note that the grain of the crepe paper should be going downwards to simulate hair. Flip the head around and trim the edges. You don’t have to worry about the edges being perfect as this will be covered by the rest of the crepe paper that you have.

Tape the head of your doll to the neck. Use double sided tape to so that the rest of the hair can be put in place. Now place the back of the head onto the hair paper leaving room at the top. You should then fold the hair to create an angle up to the middle. You can add more volume to the hair by making several folds. Repeat with the other side of the crepe paper. Twist the top hair and fold it backwards. You can secure it in place if you like.

Image from Omiyage Blogs

And you’re done! You can alter the shape of the hair if you like or use different papers for the clothes of your doll now that you know the basics.

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With the huge variety of ingredients and flavours across the globe, you can’t expect every single person on Earth to share exactly the same palate. Often, people from the same country or place appreciate the same kinds of foods because those are the foods that are common in their place and those are the flavours they’ve gotten used to. A certain food that might be normal to you could be unusual, verging on revolting, for someone on the opposite side of the planet. Of course, every country has an exquisite cuisine to boast but that doesn’t mean they don’t have exotic flavours to share either. Here are nine of the most bizarre foods from around the world.

Chicken’s Feet – South America, South Africa, East Asia, Caribbean

Since chicken’s feet are a common dish in quite a lot of places, it might not be as bad as it sounds. The texture of the skin is somewhat gelatinous but it’s pretty tasty if it’s flavoured right. After a while, you might find it weird to be chewing on all those bones in the feet.

Image from Japan Info

Fugu – Japan

People usually take extra care in preparing their dish so that it’s completely clean from any toxins or bacteria that can harm the consumer. However, in Japan, death is a known risk if you eat their dish Fugu. Fugu is basically a Japanese puffer fish that contains enough poison to kill around 30 people. Chefs who prepare Fugu are trained for years to learn how to properly prepare the dish. It can be served grilled, in a stew, or as paper-thin sashimi.

Escamole – Mexico

In Mexico, ant larvae from a venomous species of ant are considered to be quite the delicacy. The larvae can be harvested deep down in the roots of the maguey or agave plant and is sometimes termed as “insect caviar.” People say it tastes like butter but that it is somewhat nutty with a consistency similar to cottage cheese.

Shirako – Japan

Shirako is Japanese for “white children” but it is actually a dish made from the sperm sacs of certain fishes such as puffer fish, cod, or angler fish. It looks like a tiny brain but it is said that it tastes sweet and custardy.

Haggis – Scotland

Haggis is basically made from the major organs of a sheep. It is the minced lungs, liver, and heart of a sheep mixed with oatmeal, onions, and suet, which is cooked inside the sheep’s stomach—with salt and spices seasoning. It certainly doesn’t get any more appealing than that.

Image from The Daily Meal

Fried Spider – Cambodia

Fried insects are delicacies in different parts of the world but in the town of Skuon, Cambodia, they specialize in serving fried spider of the tarantula variety. The spiders are deep fried in garlic oil until the outside becomes hard and crunchy while the inside becomes gooey. This snack is very rich in protein and is even said to make the consumer more beautiful.

Balut – Philippines

Balut is made from fertilized duck egg which is boiled and eaten from the shell with salt and vinegar. Expect the embryo to be partially developed inside the egg. Depending on how many days the balut has been fertilized before cooking, you might consume a nearly fully formed duck with all of its bones, feathers, and all.

Black Pudding (Blood Sausage) – Asia, Americas, Africa, Europe

A large number of people find black pudding quite the delicacy and is in fact delicious but still, a large number of people find it revolting. It is basically made form solidified blood that has been thickened with agents like breadcrumbs and suet, and flavoured with natural ingredients. Everything is stuffed into a sausage skin for serving

Jellied Moose Nose – Canada

Apparently, in Canada, someone had the idea of boiling up the nose of a moose with spices, removing the hair, boiling it again, slice it, and set it into a jelly by covering it with a broth which created the local delicacy, jellied moose nose.

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Summer is the hottest season of the year and is thus the time when people keep looking for ways to cool themselves down. They would lounge by the beach, dip in the swimming pool, take a drive with the windows down, or eat ice cream and drink smoothies. Whichever works best for you, summer is a time when everything you do seems to be an effort to keep yourself cooled off. And for that reason, foods are best consumed cold. There are more ways you can cool yourself off through the food you eat than by simply eating some ice cream. Some methods are even delicious and healthy at the same time. To give you an idea, here are nine summer food hacks you can try out to keep everyone cool on your next summer party.

Hack #1: Coffee Ice Cubes

Iced coffee replaces regular hot coffee during summer—it will give you the same energizing jolt minus the sweat and burning tongue. To stop getting watered-down iced coffee on a particularly hot day, you can use coffee ice cubes instead. Freeze some coffee on an ice tray ahead of time then just bring it out and pour some milk over it to create a delicious iced coffee drink.

Image from The First Year Blog

Hack #2: Oreo Ice Cream

Add the delicious flavour of Oreos on any ice cream flavour you prefer to make your own scrumptious ice cream treat. Simply crush some Oreos and mix them in your favourite ice cream flavour—vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, etc. The creamy, chocolaty cookies will surely make the ice cream taste even better.

Hack #3: Brownie Bowl Sundae

Two muffin trays can make the perfect brownie bowl for your sundae. Use your own brownie recipe or use a brownie mix for the bowl. Bake the bowl first then just top it with your favourite ice cream flavour. Add some syrup and some sprinkles to finish the delicious desert.

Hack #4: Upside-down Burger

Grilling some meat is one of the highlights of a summer party or a simple get-together. The bigger the burger is, the better. To keep all the juices and the condiments of the meat, as well as the other ingredients, within the burger without falling apart, use the top bun for the bottom and the bottom bun for the top. The thicker top bun will hold the burger together better when it is used for the bottom.

Image from The MadHouse Prague

Hack #5: Keep ice cream soft

Ice cream is one of the necessities during summer. Keep your ice cream soft and ready to serve by placing the ice cream container in a large Ziploc freezer bag first before placing it in the freezer.

Hack #6: Spiral Hotdogs

Another trick while grilling meat is to cut the hotdogs into a spiral first for more even cooking. You can use a wooden skewer to make this process easier. The spiral cut makes all the condiments such as mustards and ketchups more evenly distributed throughout the hotdog as well when you’re ready to eat it in a bun.

Hack #7: Fresh fruit punch bowls

Get all the delicious summer flavours into the punch by ditching glass or plastic bowls and replacing them with fresh fruit. Hollow out a large fruit such as pineapples or watermelon and use them as serving bowls for the punch. The fruit’s flavours will infuse into the punch and make it even more delicious and more fitting for the season.

Hack #8: Drip-free popsicles

Popsicles can get really sticky when they melt onto your hands. Use a cupcake wrapper to catch all the melted popsicle before they reach your fingers. This is particularly helpful for little children who can’t help but make a mess.

Image from Pinterest

Hack #9: Yoghurt Popsicles

For a delicious and healthy alternative to an ice cream, pierce a disposable spoon into the wrapper of a yoghurt and freeze it for a couple of hours. Peel off the wrapper, pull out the spoon, and enjoy the sweet, frozen, calcium-rich treat.

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There are many fashion trends out there that never seem to go out of style. One of which is the galaxy design. Galaxy bags, shoes, tank tops, shirts, and more always look great, especially during the summer season. Currently, people are relying more on their skills to create the galaxy design on an item rather than on buying a galaxy item directly. After all, doing it yourself is cheaper, more artistic, and customizable. Galaxy shoes are particularly challenging to make compared to galaxy shirts. However, it is very much doable. If you want to own a pair of galaxy shoes without spending much, you can turn your old shoes into one with just a few supplies and a couple of steps. Here’s how you can make your own galaxy shoes.

You’ll need:

Black canvas shoes

A variety of paint colours

Cardboard or any palette you can put the paints in

Sponge brush or regular sponge

Masking tape

Toothbrush

Sealant

Before you start:

Find a reference photo of a galaxy that you like. You can use this as a basis for your galaxy shoes. See which colours are used—yellow, navy blue, light blue, pink, violet, green, etc.—and prepare paints with these colours.

Textile paint is a smart choice in making galaxy shoes since it’s meant for fabric. However, it is not necessary. You can even use washable paint or whatever’s available. You’ll still use a sealant in the end, after all, to prevent the paint from washing off.

Black canvas shoes make it easier to paint the galaxy. You can use a white one too but the colours may not be as vibrant and realistic. Alternatively, you can paint any plain-coloured shoes you have with black before starting the project.

Procedures:

Prepare your work area

Making the shoes will definitely get messy since you’ll be using a lot of different paint colours. Lay down some newspapers in your work area to prevent the paint from staining your floor.

Prepare your materials

Prepare the paint colours you’ll be using by squeezing out a few blobs of them on the cardboard or palette. Adjust the intensity of the colours if necessary by mixing them with white. Combine different colours to achieve the shade you’re looking for.

Take the laces out of your shoes and cover the white parts with masking tape so the product will come out much cleaner.

Start painting

Dip your sponge brush in the base colour you want for you galaxy shoes. Paint it all over your shoes without following any pattern—just make a form of what you think a galaxy would look like. If you’re in doubt, look at your reference photo and continue. You don’t have to cover the entire shoe. Dab the next colour in the galaxy before the previous one completely dries so you can blend their edges together.

If you’re happy with what it looks like, let the paint completely dry.

Add stars

Stars really add the “space” effect in galaxy designs. If your work simply looks like a mess of colours now, the galaxy in it can be brought out by adding some stars.

Put a little white paint on the bristles of the toothbrush then use your finger to flick stars all over your shoes. If it doesn’t give the effect you want, you can go over the stars and make some bigger than the others for variety.

Add starbursts as well in different parts of the shoes. Start with a glob of white paint then drag out the arms of the star using a toothpick or any thin brush.

Seal

Spray the sealant all over your shoes to keep the paint in place and prevent it from washing off. Follow the instructions of the manufacturer in using the sealant.

Image from Pinterest

Finish

Once everything has completely dried, remove the masking tape from the shoes and lace it up. Style the shoes any way you want and enjoy wearing them.

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If someone in your house regularly takes medication, empty pill bottles may have accumulated in your home. Throwing these out is actually not a good idea because they are not recyclable. In fact, recycling centers don’t usually accept items made out of the plastic that pill bottles are made out of. Pharmacies don’t reuse them either. As a result, throwing out pill bottles would only contribute to the ever-growing plastic problem on earth and will devastatingly harm the environment. If you want to take part in helping out nature even in just a simple way, repurpose empty pill bottles instead of throwing them out. Turn them into something useful and practical so they won’t clutter up your home and the environment. Here are eight ways you can reuse empty pill bottles for something useful. Remember to take off the labels and wash the pill bottles thoroughly before repurposing them.

Hidden Key

Under the doormat and under a plant pot are very obvious places to hide a key. Hiding your house key in such places makes it very easy for potential robbers to enter your home. On the other hand, not hiding a key outside your home will make it hard for you if you accidentally lock yourself out. As a solution, you can hide a key in an empty pill bottle with a rock glued on the lid then place it in a planter box within the soil to make it look invisible to unknowing eyes.

Mini Survival Kit

If you’re going camping, hiking, travelling, or swimming, you can keep a bunch of small necessities dry by storing them in an empty pill bottle. Some things you can include in the mini survival kit are matches, tissues, toe warmers, toilet paper, and the likes.

Lotion Container

If you’re traveling for a short period of time, you can pour some of your lotion into a thoroughly cleansed, empty pill bottle so that it occupies very little space on your bag. This method will work for shampoos and conditioners as well.

Image from 4Eighteen

Small Items Storage

Small items can be very hassling to store. Keeping them in drawers or on desks will most absolutely make the space messy or disorganized. If not, these small items will mysteriously disappear. Keep them organized in one place using empty pill bottles. Jewelries, bobby pins, hair ties, and the likes can all use an empty pill bottle storage area. Decorate the outside of the bottle to make it look presentable rather than concerning.

Beauty Essentials Organizer

Empty pill bottles can make very efficient organizers for all of your beauty essentials. Keep some pill bottles on your vanity or desk and then place your brushes, lipsticks, eyeliners, mascaras, eyebrow pencils, and more in them. Separate each type of beauty essential into different bottles to keep everything organized.

Sweet Prescription

For a cheesy yet adorable gift to your partner or friend, you can fill a thoroughly cleansed, empty pill bottle with their favourite sweets or candy. You can even add the prescription label as a finishing touch that will surely make the recipient smile.

Coins Storage

Place some change in an empty pill bottle then keep it in your car’s glove compartment or door cubby so you can easily reach for some coins when the need arises such as for toll fare or garage parking.

Image from Mod Podge Rocks

Potion Bottles

If you’re looking for a fun decoration or party favour for your next party, you can make a bunch of potion bottles using empty prescription bottles. Decorate the bottles any way you want and paint them to achieve a more convincing look. You can even fill the bottle with some homemade slime or water with food colouring to serve as the “potion.”

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Not many people are aware of how damaging sitting all day can be. It’ll slow down your metabolism, degenerate your muscles, cause various body pains, make your brain lose focus, and ultimately, cause organ damage. However, since many jobs today require sitting on a desk in front of a computer, sitting down all day cannot be avoided. Even if you exercise, the damage of sitting down is not counteracted because you spend more hours sitting down than working out. Once you sit down again, the degeneration of your muscles and organs will simply continue. Luckily, there are a few ways you can reduce and counteract the damage of sitting down. Although it is not as good as staying active throughout the day, it can still help prevent your body from getting overall unhealthy. Here are five tips for undoing the damage of sitting all day.

Tip #1: Stretch regularly.

Stretching may not seem like it does much for the benefit of your body but it can actually get your blood flowing when you’ve been inactive for too long. If you’re too busy to get out of your desk, then at least stretch regularly. Stretch your neck, arms, torso, and don’t forget your legs as well. If possible, stand up to stretch, not while you’re sitting down.

Image from Bunting and Carlton Chiropractic Clinic

Tip #2: Keep changing your position.

If you stay in one position throughout the day, it can cause strains in various muscles of your body. For instance, if you crouch over your desk all day, the muscles in your back will become strained. To avoid this, change your position every now and then. Sit up straight or cross your legs. Lean on the back of your chair or crouch over the desk. Just keep switching your position.

Tip #3: Take the stairs.

Even if you work on a higher floor of the building, and it’s so much easier to just take elevator, don’t. Instead, take the stairs, especially if you know that a day of sitting down awaits you. Walking up and down the stairs will help stretch out and exercise your legs and glutes muscles. So when you go to work, or go out for lunch, always take the stairs.

Tip #4: Exercise.

There are certain exercises that target certain muscles of your body to help lessen the damage of sitting down all day. Of course, these exercises will not completely undo the damage but it can help you feel looser and it can relieve the strain on your body.

Glute bridges. Lay down flat on your back but bend your knees and rest your feet flat on the floor. Elevate your hips and butt then lower them again, making one rep. Do three sets of ten reps. Once it gets easier, try adding weights.

Leg swings. Leg swings will loosen up the muscles in your hamstrings, glutes, and hips. Simply swing your leg forward then backward as high as you can without losing comfort. Repeat 20 times before switching to the other leg. Afterwards, do the leg swings side to side.

Grok squat. The grok squat will help relieve the muscles in your lower back, groin, hamstrings, Achilles tendons, and quads. It’s quite similar to the stance of the catcher in baseball. Simply plant your feet firmly on the ground then squat. Keep your back straight and hold the position for 30-60 seconds.

Tip #5: Take walk breaks.

If you have some time to spare, use it to get up and walk around the office. Maybe head to the lounge, to the water fountain, or to your friend’s cubicle—just get up on your feet every chance you get. This can help reduce the damage your body is getting from all those hours spent sitting down.

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A very important part of the daily personal hygiene routine involves oral hygiene. With all the current methods of maintaining oral hygiene, such as flossing or mouth-washing, brushing is perhaps the most essential. Brushing your teeth twice a day is necessary in order to reduce the bacterial load and get rid of the food particles in your mouth. On the other hand, failure to brush regularly may lead to a variety of oral problems such as halitosis or bad breath, cavities, gingivitis, and many more. Of course, in order to make your brushing most effective, you need to choose your toothbrush wisely. You need to know what type of toothbrush to use and how often you should change it. Here are some things you need to know about toothbrushes.

A Brief History

Toothbrushes weren’t always as easy on the teeth and as cleansing as they currently are. In ancient times, people used a chew stick to clean their teeth. The chew stick was thin and it had a frayed end which they used to rub against their teeth to remove food. Toothbrushes evolved a little when ivory, wood, or bone was used to make the handles of toothbrushes with stiff bristles from boars and hogs. It was not until the 1930s that the nylon-bristled toothbrushes we know today were finally created, making dental care easier and more effective.

What Should I Look For In A Toothbrush?

There is really only one thing you should look for when you go toothbrush shopping, and that is the ADA Seal of Acceptance. It is not necessary but the Seal assures you that the product you’re about to buy has been evaluated by the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs. If the Seal is present, that means that the toothbrush is safe to use and is efficient for its purpose as it passed the objective requirements set by the ADA.

What Size Should I Buy?

Choose a toothbrush with a handle size that sits most comfortably in your hand. As for the toothbrush head, choose a size that will allow easy access to all of the surfaces of your teeth. In average, most adults can work well with a toothbrush head size of half an inch wide and an inch tall. Smaller or bigger toothbrush heads may work for you but for others, it may make it hard to maneuver the brush around the mouth and make it difficult to clean hard to reach areas.

Image from The Huffington Post

What Bristle Variety Should I Use?

Many dental professionals agree that soft bristles are the way to go when you want efficient and thorough cleaning. Soft-bristled toothbrushes are the most effective, compared to other bristle varieties, when it comes to removing plaque and other debris from your teeth and along your gum line. The soft bristles are gentler to your gums as well so it won’t hurt your gums, tooth enamel, or root surface even if you tend to brush vigorously.

Manual vs. Powered Toothbrush

Both manual and powered toothbrushes can efficiently clean your teeth. It’s all up to what you prefer to use. Powered toothbrushes are usually more fun for kids to use while adults find that manual toothbrushes are more manageable. Choose one that is more comfortable and easier to use in your opinion, such that brushing twice a day won’t feel like a chore.

Manual toothbrushes won’t make any noise as you use it and you can control the pressure it applies on your teeth and gums. It is portable, allowing you to bring it anywhere you go, and is always ready to use.

On the other hand, electric or powered toothbrushes need charging. They’re not as easy to bring along when you travel either. However, the rotating movement of the bristles allows the brush to do all the thorough cleansing for you.

How Often Should I Change My Toothbrush?

In average, toothbrushes must be replaced every 3-4 months or once the bristles have become frayed, indicating that they won’t clean as thoroughly anymore.

How Should I Maintain It?

Rinse your brush every after use to get rid of any remaining toothpaste and saliva. Store it in a vertical position with the bristles on top to dry.

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Starting your own garden is both exciting and daunting at the same time especially when you want everything to come out just the way you have in mind. Just imagine being able to grow plants from seedlings and being able to harvest from them too if you’re planting vegetables, herbs, and even fruit bearing plants in containers. The question, however, is how you’re going to get started.

For those who want to start a container garden, here are a few tips that you should take into consideration.

What to plant. The first thing that you need to ask yourself when starting a container garden is what you want to plant. This is important because knowing what kinds of plants you will be growing will give you an idea on the materials you will need, where to place them, and so on.

Image from The Spruce

Choose your containers. What’s great about starting your container garden is that you can use almost anything as plant pots. If you have some colanders that you’re not using or even some old cups that you want to dispose of, as long as you know how to create a draining system for the plants then you are good to go. Of course you can buy containers from your local plant shop if you like for a more unified look.

Get the right soil. As much as you would like to use your existing soil in your garden, it is best that you get a potting mix instead because it already contains all the essentials like perlite, peat moss, sand, mulch, and the like. This mixture gives your soil the right nutrients that will aid your plants to grow better. You can get vermiculite, perlite, and the like separately but they may be difficult to find if you are living in the city.

Image from Casey Lynn Lawrence

Know how to water. Most people will say that it will be difficult to overwater your container garden and there is truth in this but of course, there are those who are not really aware of how much water their plants can hold. Also, there are those who tend to forget to water their plants for a few days. Truth be told, watering your plants once a day is actually enough but this can depend on the weather and temperature in your area.

Check drainage. Before you pot your plants, you need to make sure that your containers have sufficient drainage to them. This way, any excess water gets eliminated so as not to rot the roots of your plant. Skip the gravel or pot shards at the bottom of your container because they don’t really help much with the drainage. The soil that you are using actually acts like a sponge that absorbs the amount of water the plant needs while eliminating any excess. Just make sure that there are enough holes at the bottom of your container.

Give your plants enough sun. Plants need sunshine for them to grow which means you need to make sure that they get ample sunlight and shade at the same time. This is one of the reasons why you should learn which plants require plenty of sunlight and which ones thrive in the shade. It will help you get the right combination for a beautiful container garden.

These are just the basics of starting your own container garden. From choosing the plants that you will grow, to the pots that you will use, all the way to their placement in your garden, everything must be taken into account to get the best results.

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Not everyone has the luxury of visiting a spa whenever they want to. Usually, the closest some people can get to a spa is a nice, long, warm, bath. Having a bath is a great, simple way to relieve stress. The warmth of the water relaxes your muscles and the scent of the bath soothes your nerves. A good bath can help reduce cramps, improve muscle elasticity, and relieve tension headaches. Some even claim that the effects are nearly as beneficial as the effects of a massage. The best part is that baths don’t have to cost you much or anything at all. Since it’s the easiest way to relax, you might as well go all out in making your baths as comfortable as possible. Here are eight easy hacks that will make your bath better than it ever was before.

Hack #1: Secure your phone.

It’s very bothersome to always wipe your hands dry before you can reach for your phone. And even then, you have to be very careful so you don’t risk getting any moisture on your phone which may cause immediate damage. To stop getting water damage anxiety, simply keep your phone in an airtight plastic bag. This way, you’ll be able to reach for it immediately and use it without fear even if you’re soaking in a bath.

Hack #2: Know the right temperature.

There is an unspoken rule that baths should be warm. After all, how can your muscles relax if you’re soaked in cold water? But how warm should warm be? The perfect temperature should be barely above body temperature at around 37°C (100°F). A temperature higher than this would rev up your nervous system, making you feel alert rather than relaxed.

Image from YouTube

Hack #3: Use a bath bomb.

You can get bath bombs for an affordable price and they’ll truly transform your bath into an at-home spa. There’s a whole variety of scents you can choose from. Simply throw the bath bomb in your bath and let it dissolve into bubbles. The lovely scent will soothe you even more and the fizzing bubbles will surely relax you. If you don’t want to spend a lot, you can make a batch of bath bombs yourself.

Hack #4: Use scented bath oil.

If you’re not fond of bath bombs, you can use scented bath oils instead. They come in a variety of floral scents such as rose, jasmine, and lavender which can help you reach a relaxed state faster. Simply pour the oil into the bath when it’s halfway full so the oil is evenly dispersed throughout the water.

Hack #5: Soak in a bath of tea.

Tea is loaded with antioxidants that are very beneficial to your skin. These antioxidants will help counter the damage that free radicals have done thereby preventing premature skin aging. It can also help in detoxification by allowing your body to release the build-up of harmful toxins that can cause body pains and strains.

Image from TheSpruce.com

Hack #6: Pour in some bath salts.

Bath salts are very relaxing and rejuvenating. Soaking in a warm tub with bath salt will do wonders to your skin. It is also very effective at relaxing your muscles. You can also use the salt to exfoliate your skin in order to get rid of the dead skin cells on the surface of your skin that causes dry and dull-looking skin.

Hack #7: Light up some candles.

The bright lights in the bathroom can actually prevent your body from feeling relaxed, the way gadgets do when you use them before going to sleep. Turn off the lights and light up a few candles instead. The scent of the candles and the mood they set will further drift you into relaxation.

Hack #8: Make a bath caddy.

A bath caddy will make your bath-times a whole lot easier. You can make it from scratch wood and use it for your book or magazine, your gadgets, candles, drink, and more. This will lessen the risk of accidentally ruining your items as well.

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Glass bangles are one of the best accessories that you can use with any type of wardrobe but the problem with them is that they can break when they’ve been worn down so much. Most will throw their old accessories away but if you don’t have the heart to throw them away just yet, why not repurpose them instead?

Repurposing is a great way to breathe new life to your old stuff which, in this case, are your bangles. How can you change them? Here are some examples of what you can do with your old accessories that will certainly make you love them even more.

Curtain rings. Here’s one idea when it comes to recycling your old bangles. Look for bangles that have a small slit in it where you can hook your curtains. Afterwards, just slide the bangles on your curtain rod and that’s it. You have a new way to hang your curtains at home. You can also loop the curtains on the bangles to add accent to your bedroom if you like.

Wall display. With a little bit of imagination and creativity on your part, your discarded bangles can be transformed from broken down into works of art for the walls at your home. You can start with binding the bangles together using craft wire and arrange them in any way that you like. You can have them stacked or lying side by side, whichever you prefer. Let your creativity loose with this project and you’ll have a unique piece to hang on your wall in no time.

Image from orientals.nl

Candle holders. Another idea for repurposing your old bangles is creating candle holders out of them. You can start by stacking them all together and gluing them together or bind them using wires. Loop them around your candles and make sure that the bangles are connected to one another to prevent the candle from toppling over.

Mosaics. Here’s one that your inner artist will surely appreciate. Breaking your glass bangles into small pieces will give you more materials to work on your art. You can combine these glass bangles with your mosaic kit if you like to make your art pop out. Other materials that you can use in your mosaic are broken glass and broken plates.

Wool wrapped bangles. Who said that you can no longer wear broken bangles? You can still make this accessory part of your outfit by breathing new life to its look such as by wrapping the bangle in wool. This will give it an entirely new look which you can mix and match with your outfit.

Bangle butterflies. How about making some outdoor decorations out of your old bangles? Piece together broken bangles to create the wings of a butterfly, wrap it with a fabric that is see through, add some decorations and you now have a butterfly ready to be displayed outdoors or indoors.

Hanging mobiles. What else can you transform your old bangles into? How about hanging mobiles? You can use either a cord or fishing line around the discarded bangles to create a huge mobile. Start with the main bangle and from there, tie the bangles in different heights. You can add other decorative accessories if you like to complete your mobile.

So you see? Your old bangles don’t have to end up in the trash once they are broken because believe me when I say that there are a lot of ways in which you can transform these accessories of yours into something new to enjoy. All you need is a bit creativity and the desire to repurpose and you’ll find plenty of projects to do with them.

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Most kitchens have plenty of pots and pans on hand and if you’re doing spring cleaning, chances are you’ll be throwing away any pots and pans that have outlived their uses. This isn’t really surprising given that the constant wear and tear can cause your kitchen utensils to deteriorate overtime. However, instead of disposing your broken pots and pans, why not repurpose them into something else? If you don’t want to add to the already growing landfills in your area, here are some ideas that you can do to convert your old pans and pots.

Flower pot. What’s great about small to large pots is that they can be converted into almost anything you have in mind. One of the best ways to repurpose them, however, is to transform them into flower pots. You only need to drill holes at the bottom of the pots so that there will be enough drainage for your plant. Fill the pot with soil and your choice of plant. Make sure that you pack the plant in nicely before watering.

Candy holder. This is a good idea especially come Halloween where you will be giving some tricks or treats to the ghouls and monsters that will be knocking on your door. You can cover it up with some scary decorations, fill it up with your choice of treats, and you’re done. You’ll have candies on hand for the little trick or treaters.

Bring them when camping. Another way to reuse your old pots and pans is to bring them when you go camping instead of your new kitchenware. This way, they will still serve the same purpose as before.

Image from The New York Times

Kitchen decoration. If you have been using copper cookware at home and have decided to buy a new set of pots and pans, don’t throw your cookware just yet. You can use them as decorative pieces in the kitchen for a more interesting look in your cooking space.

Kids toys. Another way to repurpose your old pots and pans is to let your kids use them during play time. Children love to play pretend and giving them your old cookware, the lighter ones of course, they will feel like a real chef with their plastic spatula, knives, and the like. Just hold off on the real ingredients unless of course you are teaching them how to cook.

Kitchen themed gift. If your old pots and pans are still in good condition, why not use them for your kitchen themed gift? Just make sure that you clean your old pots and pans thoroughly and fill them with your choice of kitchen gifts. Wrap them up nicely and you’re done. This is a nice idea for someone who is just moving to a new house or are looking for new kitchen items to fill their space with.

Towel holder. Remove the handles of your pots and install them under your overhead cabinet for easy access to your hand towels. You can pain them the same color as your cabinet too or in a different color for it to pop.

Hanging pots. Another idea to convert your old pots and pans into is to make them into hanging pots. Tie some sturdy rope on the handles of your pots, fill them with soil and your favorite plant then hang them on a tree or post.

These are just a few ideas on how you can recycle your old pots and pans instead of just simply throwing them away. You might be surprised to find on how far your creativity can go with these items.

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Ladders come in handy at home especially when it comes to reaching objects that are placed higher than your normal reach. They are often used in fixing your home too to get to higher places like the roof or ceiling. But just like with any other type of equipment, ladders can get broken too or replaced with a newer one. With you ending up with an extra ladder that is just taking up space in the garage and gathering dust, why not repurpose it instead?

The good news is that there are plenty of ideas that you can use to repurpose ladders. Here are some that are worth taking into consideration.

Wall décor. If you have a blank wall in the living room that you want to utilize, why not hang your old ladder horizontally? You can use it to hold picture frames and other wall decorations for a unique wall décor.

Image from Pinterest

Shoe rack. Here’s another idea that you can use with your old ladders. If you don’t have space in your closet for your shoes, your old ladder can be repurposed into a shoe rack. Use the steps to hold the heels of your shoes so you can simply grab them as needed.

Kitchen catch-all. Install your old ladder in your kitchen and use it as a towel rack. You can hang your aprons too if you like for easy access not to mention add more decoration to your space.

Clothes hanger. Another way to repurpose your old ladder is to make it into a clothes hanger. Just hang your ladder from the ceiling, add hooks to hold your hangers and you can simply hang your newly washed clothes for drying.

Image from Pinterest

Herb garden ladder. Add some flair to your garden by utilizing your old ladder and transforming it into a herb garden ladder. Just open the ladder and use its steps to hold different pots containing your favorite herbs. This will certainly be an eye catching piece in your garden.

Pot suspender. For sure you have a lot of stuff in the kitchen that you need to find a place for such as your pots and pans. A good way to convert your old ladder is to use it as a pot suspender where the rungs of your ladders will be holding your pots and pans. Just place the ladder near your kitchen counter for easy reach.

Ladder bookcase. What else can you do with your old ladder? How about a ladder bookcase? Install the ladder on one side of the wall and secure it in place. Just add book holders for each rung so your books won’t fall.

Lantern suspender. If you are looking for ideas on how to make your dining or porch area look more beautiful, suspend your ladder from the ceiling and hang lanterns of different sizes on it. This will certainly catch the eyes of your guests plus it will help give illumination to your eating area at night.

Image from DIY Enthusiasts

Ladder shelf. For those who need extra shelves in the house, you can use your old ladders to create new shelving. Just open your ladders facing one another then add some planks with the rungs holding them in place. The heavier items should be placed in the middle of the plank to avoid toppling the shelf.

Who would have thought that there are many uses for old ladders? With a little bit of creativity on your part, you can transform your old ladder into something useful for the home without you spending anything for decoration at all.

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If you are looking for a weekend project that you can do with your kids, or if you want to give your friends something unique, or perhaps you need a better bookmark to use when reading books, making a Japanese doll bookmark is definitely worth doing.

This bookmark project is not that difficult to do. As a matter of fact, you will definitely have fun making one that you will probably be buying more materials for this. How to make one for your own use? Here’s what you will need:

Chiyogami or any Japanese paper with dimensions of 5.5 x 12 cm.

Paper for the obi-jime. You can use chiyogami or Yuzen if you like but other types of paper will do too.

Paper for collar and obi about 1.5 cm wide.

White card to create the head which is around 2cm in diameter and body at 3mm wide.

Japanese or standard crepe paper for the hair.

Sticky tape

Double sided tape

Scissors

Here’s what you need to do:

Cut a small strip of collar paper and fold it into two. Fold the collar paper around the body with the left portion going under the right which is how kimonos are worn. Place a strip of tape on the length of the body and leave it for the mean time.

With the wrong side of the collar paper up, fold one edge by 1cm. Flip your collar paper over and fold about 0.5cm back over. This will be the collar of the kimono.

Get the body of the doll with the under collar wrapped around the neck and tape it on the collar paper. Make sure that a small strip of the under collar can be seen.

Start folding the collar from the left but press down on the top part of the collar paper only. The rest of the paper should be folded over so that there will be a straight edge going down the kimono. If there is an excess paper on the corner of the collar, remove it. Do the same with the right side of the collar paper.

Next, you will need to place the obi paper on top of the folds of the kimono to hide them. Tape the obi paper at the back.

Cut a strip from your obijime paper and put it on top of the obi. You can add layers here if you like.

Now for the head. Get a small piece of crepe paper and position it half way from the head that you made. Take note that the grain of the crepe paper should be going downwards to simulate hair. Flip the head around and trim the edges. You don’t have to worry about the edges being perfect as this will be covered by the rest of the crepe paper that you have.

Tape the head of your doll to the neck. Use double sided tape to so that the rest of the hair can be put in place. Now place the back of the head onto the hair paper leaving room at the top. You should then fold the hair to create an angle up to the middle. You can add more volume to the hair by making several folds. Repeat with the other side of the crepe paper. Twist the top hair and fold it backwards. You can secure it in place if you like.

Image from Omiyage Blogs

And you’re done! You can alter the shape of the hair if you like or use different papers for the clothes of your doll now that you know the basics.

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With the huge variety of ingredients and flavours across the globe, you can’t expect every single person on Earth to share exactly the same palate. Often, people from the same country or place appreciate the same kinds of foods because those are the foods that are common in their place and those are the flavours they’ve gotten used to. A certain food that might be normal to you could be unusual, verging on revolting, for someone on the opposite side of the planet. Of course, every country has an exquisite cuisine to boast but that doesn’t mean they don’t have exotic flavours to share either. Here are nine of the most bizarre foods from around the world.

Chicken’s Feet – South America, South Africa, East Asia, Caribbean

Since chicken’s feet are a common dish in quite a lot of places, it might not be as bad as it sounds. The texture of the skin is somewhat gelatinous but it’s pretty tasty if it’s flavoured right. After a while, you might find it weird to be chewing on all those bones in the feet.

Image from Japan Info

Fugu – Japan

People usually take extra care in preparing their dish so that it’s completely clean from any toxins or bacteria that can harm the consumer. However, in Japan, death is a known risk if you eat their dish Fugu. Fugu is basically a Japanese puffer fish that contains enough poison to kill around 30 people. Chefs who prepare Fugu are trained for years to learn how to properly prepare the dish. It can be served grilled, in a stew, or as paper-thin sashimi.

Escamole – Mexico

In Mexico, ant larvae from a venomous species of ant are considered to be quite the delicacy. The larvae can be harvested deep down in the roots of the maguey or agave plant and is sometimes termed as “insect caviar.” People say it tastes like butter but that it is somewhat nutty with a consistency similar to cottage cheese.

Shirako – Japan

Shirako is Japanese for “white children” but it is actually a dish made from the sperm sacs of certain fishes such as puffer fish, cod, or angler fish. It looks like a tiny brain but it is said that it tastes sweet and custardy.

Haggis – Scotland

Haggis is basically made from the major organs of a sheep. It is the minced lungs, liver, and heart of a sheep mixed with oatmeal, onions, and suet, which is cooked inside the sheep’s stomach—with salt and spices seasoning. It certainly doesn’t get any more appealing than that.

Image from The Daily Meal

Fried Spider – Cambodia

Fried insects are delicacies in different parts of the world but in the town of Skuon, Cambodia, they specialize in serving fried spider of the tarantula variety. The spiders are deep fried in garlic oil until the outside becomes hard and crunchy while the inside becomes gooey. This snack is very rich in protein and is even said to make the consumer more beautiful.

Balut – Philippines

Balut is made from fertilized duck egg which is boiled and eaten from the shell with salt and vinegar. Expect the embryo to be partially developed inside the egg. Depending on how many days the balut has been fertilized before cooking, you might consume a nearly fully formed duck with all of its bones, feathers, and all.

Black Pudding (Blood Sausage) – Asia, Americas, Africa, Europe

A large number of people find black pudding quite the delicacy and is in fact delicious but still, a large number of people find it revolting. It is basically made form solidified blood that has been thickened with agents like breadcrumbs and suet, and flavoured with natural ingredients. Everything is stuffed into a sausage skin for serving

Jellied Moose Nose – Canada

Apparently, in Canada, someone had the idea of boiling up the nose of a moose with spices, removing the hair, boiling it again, slice it, and set it into a jelly by covering it with a broth which created the local delicacy, jellied moose nose.

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