HOW TO: Make your Own Cleansing Facial

Get this: 2-inch long fresh turmeric, 2-3 lemons, blender or mortar and pestle
Do this:
1. Wash the lemons and turmeric first, then without peeling them, chop them into small pieces.
2. Use a mortar and pestle or a blender to mix the ingredients together into a paste.
3. Strain the solution and dispose of the solid bits, keeping the liquid to be put into a jar. It can be stored for two months.
4. Apply the solution to your face. Be careful not to apply to your eyes or mouth. Leave it on for 30 minutes, and then rinse off with water.

HOW TO:Make a Stuffed Doll or Pillow

Get this: fabric, scissors, thread and needle, pins, polyester cotton, printed pattern on A3
Do this:
1. Choose a shape and print it on an A3-size piece of paper. Tip: When doing a google image search for your pattern, just add the words “clip art.” For example, “rabbit clip art.” You can also just make a square version of this to make a pillow.
2. Lay your pattern down onto some fabric. The fabric should be twice the size of your pattern since your pillow has two sides.
3. Fold the fabric with the patterned side facing in and pin the pattern together with both layers of fabric.
4. Cut through both layers of fabric following the pattern.
5. Remove the pattern paper but leave the pins as they are, so the fabric pieces don’t move when you stitch.
6. Sew shut the doll’s body but leave a gap of at least 1.5 inches, so you can stuff the empty rabbit with polyester later.
7. Once you’ve stuffed the rabbit with the polyester, do another double stitch to close up the open seam.

HOW TO: recycle Your Old T-Shirts

Get this: two old T-shirts, needle and thread, scissors, pins
Do this:
1. Take an old T-shirt you really like. Save the pattern part of it by cutting it out.
2. Pin the cut out pattern to another t-shirt you’d like to decorate.
3. Double stitch the pattern onto the shirt that you’d like to decorate.

HOW TO: Build a tire swing

Get This: 15 to 18-inch old tire, thick rope, old t-shirt
Do This:
1. Acquire a tire. Many auto shops are happy to give out old tires. A 15-inch tire works best for youngsters, 18-inches for adults. The tire shouldn’t contain any steel belts as these can injure children.
2. Acquire some thick rope. HomePro offers a selection suitable for the job. You should choose the thickest possible diameter in order to ensure strength.
3. Search for a strong, low hanging branch on a tree containing only green leaves. Sling the rope over the branch and apply weight to the rope to test. The branch should stay completely stationary under load. It is wise to put an old T-shirt or rag at the point of contact between the ropes and branch to avoid erosion or excessive wear to the branch and rope.
4. Use a box knot (see how to make one here: http://tiny.cc/tl8nj) to secure the tire to the end of the rope after the rope has been tied to the branch. Make sure to test the swing before letting youngsters have a go. By Cole Pennington, photo by Tim Samoff

HOW TO: Get Ice-Cold Beer Without a Freezer

Get this: six bottles of beer, tall ice bucket with a cover, 3 handfuls of rock salt, crushed ice, water
Do this:
1. Place the beer bottles in a bucket, leaving enough room for ice.
2. Fill the bucket about half full with ice, followed by one handful of salt.
3. Fill up the bucket with ice, followed by the rest of the rock salt, and water.
4. Cover up the bucket, then shake the bucket in circular motion, for about 10 minutes.
5. Check on your beer and consume at your desired temperature. Make sure to drink it before it becomes frozen solid. Tip: Too much salt can lower the temperature too quickly and cause the beer bottles to break.

HOW TO: MAKE THE PERFECT CAPPUCCINO

Get this: Your own espresso coffee maker. Try Lavazza’s LB1000 model for B29,900 (Great Earth International, 2/F Alma Link Bldg., Ploenchit Rd., 02-655-1551. www.great-earth.net) or a more affordable Severin’s 5954 model (B2,540) at Verasu (83/7 Wireless Rd., 02-254-8100). You also need good coffee—pick the best ground beans your pocket allows, but arabica coffee is richer in flavor than robusta, so it is better suited for milky coffee drinks like cappuccinos.

Do This:
1. The cappuccino is built on top of an espresso. If your espresso is not perfect, the cappuccino won’t be either. A normal espresso uses just 7 grams of ground coffee. Boiler pressure should be between 0.9 and 1.2 bar and the time between you pressing the button and some coffee dripping out should last 5-6 seconds.
2. The crema (top layer) of your espresso should be golden. If it’s brown, then you just burned it!
3. Fill a pitcher halfway with cold milk. Insert the espresso machine’s nozzle into the pitcher, beneath the surface of the milk. Steam to 75°C. You may need a thermometer before this becomes second nature.
4. Before pouring the foamed milk, knock the pitcher, hard, a couple of times on the table to set the milk.
5. Make sure to pour the milk from high above your cup to let more air into the milk. And pour it into the center of the espresso.
6. Create cool designs by swirling around the milk while pouring to leave the white outline of the milk. Photo: Mark Prince & CoffeeGeek.com

HOW TO: Stencil your wall

Get this: color sprays, cardboards, A4 papers, cutter, glue, pencil
1. Design your own pattern or download one from www.spraypaintstencils.com for free.
2. Print out the pattern on paper and then glue it to a piece of cardboard.
3. With a cutter, cut out the stencil from the cardboard.
4. Tape your stencil to the object you want to paint, and spray paint the stencil. Don’t overdo it or the paint will run.
5. Wait for it to dry a little. Repeat #4.
6. Wait for it to dry completely. Remove.

HOW TO:Make your own FLESHLIGHT

What you need: empty potato chips can, sponge pad, lubricated condom, bottle ring, elastic band or elastic wrist band, scissors, ruler and marker
1. Cut the sponge pad down to the size of the can. Try rolling the sponge pad just as if you’re making sushi, to see if it fits. Make sure you’re able to fit at least three fingers or the estimated size of your weiner through the space in the middle of the roll.
2. Once you have the right size for the pad, get a condom and mark the length of the condom on the spongey pad. Cut the pad again to match the condom’s length.
3. Position the bottle ring at the bottom of the condom, and then lay it on one edge of the pad and roll the pad around the condom, again like sushi, as if the condom is the filling and the pad is the seaweed.
4. Stuff your condom roll into the potato can. If you like, use red or pink marker and color the sponge to make it more realistic. Pull and roll the top elastic portion of the condom around the can of the mouth, and then secure it with an elastic band.
5. Use it with a water-based lubricant and enjoy your new toy!

HOW TO: Make Good Use of Your Holiday in the City