April fool’s Day- DIY

Who doesn’t like a good joke? I recently learned how to make fake blood, so now I can have all kinds of fun! Since it’s made out of edible ingredients, you can eat it too. But be careful because it can stain clothing (if you add detergent it won’t stain, but you can’t eat it). With April fool’s day coming up, this could help you with the great practical joke you had trouble thinking of!

What you need:

Chocolate Syrup, Corn Syrup, Red Food Coloring, Water, bowl, Spoon, Tissue (Optional), Different Colors of food coloring (optional)

To Make:

1.       Grab your bowl, pour water into it. (The more water you add the drippier the blood will be.)

2.       Add some corn syrup. (This will make the blood thicker.)

3.       Add drops of red food coloring. (To give the blood its red color.)

4.       Add some chocolate syrup. (If you add too much, it won’t look like blood anymore, and will start to take on the color brown. No amount of red coloring will salvage it.)

5.       Mix!

Tips and Tricks:

-Having different colors in there like green or blue, can give your blood a richer color. But like the chocolate syrup too much will ruin it from actually looking like real blood.

-If you dip a lot of tissue in your fake blood it will look like gory flesh.

Please don’t scare your family too much. You can also use this for things like a Halloween costume (with

laundry detergent it won’t stain), or a play that involves blood. Have fun making it!

- Zakiyyah Mandisa 

Read More

Jewelry-Making

Whenever I have free time, I like to spend it by doing something creative. Recently, I got hooked on creating my own jewelry. At first it started with simply beads on string, to complicated weaving of friendship bracelets, and now it’s a mixture of both. Since I’m allergic to the “fake metal” in most jewelry I decided to use cord, and the great thing about cord is it is very durable. When I don’t have ideas on making a bracelet, I go out and buy a book to teach me. I’m one of those people who learns quickly by instructions so, once I read it, I do it, and then I have it. And when I’m done making it, I like to wear it, showing off what I accomplished. Also when I give it to someone, like my sister or my mom it’s really satisfying to see someone else wearing something I made, that I put my hard work into. I have to say Michaels is my go-to store for all things art & crafts, and that is where I get all my beads. So far, I’ve only done bracelets, I find that, the more basic the weaving is, the less “pretty” the bracelet actually comes out. So I’ve stuck to more difficult time-consuming designs, and I’m so pleased with them. I hope that I can make a bunch, to give to my friends and family. Try something new, instead of buying your jewelry; make it for yourself, it’s so relaxing and fun.

- Zakiyyah Mandisa 

Read More

DIY: The Perfect Top Knot

 The Top Knot is an easy and simple hairstyle that anyone can do. From simply throwing your hair up to a messy bun, to making it neat and pristine, everyone has been following this trend, this fall. With school, we hardly have any time to create a cute hairstyle after picking an outfit, eating breakfast, and for some of us, doing our makeup. So our hair is often neglected. Recently, I purchased something called a Foam Hair Foundation, which is basically a foam piece shaped into a donut. You wrap your hair around it, to get a fuller bun. I went home, tried it out, and was pleased with the results, but then I realized I could make this product myself. Personally, I believe it is more satisfying when you make something yourself, that way you can make it exactly how you want it. I have really thin hair, and can never seem to get that really full bun look, so this is a fast and easy way for me to get the perfect bun. If you don’t want to have to spend money for this, there is a simple way to make one yourself. Here is how you do it:

Step 1

Find a pair of old, and hopefully clean socks.

Step 2

Using any amount of socks; combine all of them into one.

Step 3

At the bottom of the sock, cut a small opening.

Step 4

Roll the sock inside out, so that it looks like a small donut.

To put it in your hair, gather it up into a high ponytail, and slip it through the hole, and wrap your hair around the sock. For added protection, you can secure with bobby pins, (people with long hair usually don’t have to use them), and it would hold fine.

Comments from Baruch Students:

Kristal, a 9^th grader says: “I like it, because my hair doesn’t get in the way.”

Kristina, a 9^th grader says: “I feel comfortable.”

Hope you have fun with this easy DIY!

               

 -Zakiyyah Mandisa     

Read More