Use a peeler to remove the waxy skin and a knife to chop off the ends. Cube the cucumbers with a knife to make them easier to work with. You can either use a hand grater or a box grater, depending on whichever is easiest for you to work with. Grate the cucumbers into a bowl to avoid losing any shreds. Bring the water and sugar to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Once it boils, the sugar should break down into the water, making it a little thicker. Turn the heat down to medium-low or medium and simmer the mixture for approximately 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Heating the cucumbers together with the water and sugar combines the flavors more thoroughly than mixing them cold. Allow it to cool slightly, at least until it stops bubbling and steaming. Blend it on high speed until it resembles a puree with very few noticeable chunks of cucumber remaining. Blending releases more of the juice trapped inside the cucumber. The cheesecloth should be large enough to drape over the sides of the bowl. Go slowly to prevent the sides of the cheesecloth from slipping down into the puree. Knot the cloth or tie it to secure the ends in place. Once the juice stops dripping out on its own, squeeze the cheesecloth pouch to wring out any excess. When squeezing the pouch no longer produces juice, remove the cheesecloth and discard or save as desired. Stir to combine. Salt takes off the bitter edge that cucumber juice naturally has, but the bitterness may already be less obvious due to the sweeteners. Save any extra inside the refrigerator up to a week.
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One-sentence summary -- Peel, slice, and chop the cucumbers. Grate your cucumber chunks into fine shreds. Pour 2 cups (500 milliliters) of water and 2 tablespoons (28 1/3 grams) of sugar into a medium-sized saucepan. Add the grated cucumber to the boiling sugar water. Remove the cucumber mixture from the heat. Transfer the cucumber mixture to a blender and add 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) of honey. Spread cheesecloth inside of a large glass bowl. Carefully pour the pureed cucumbers into the cheesecloth. Once the puree is inside cheesecloth, bring the sides of the cheesecloth together into a tight bundle. Allow the cucumber juice to drain out of the cheesecloth and into the glass bowl. Add salt, to taste, into the cucumber juice. Serve the cucumber juice in glasses, either chilled or with ice.


The ball of clay should be about 3 inches (7.6 cm) in diameter.  Make sure that the clay is well kneaded, first. Kneading the clay makes it soft and easy to work with. If you do not knead the clay, it will be more likely to crack and break as you work with it. Form the ball into the shape of the pipe bowl as you attach it to the dowel. Use your thumb to create an imprint in the ball, making “walls” around your thumb and creating a bucket inside the center. Cut the wire to your desired stem length. Place the pipe baking parchment paper. The clay needs to be baked in an oven preheated between 210 to 220 degrees Fahrenheit (98.9 to 104.4 degrees Celsius) for 45 minutes to an hour.  Check the clay frequently as it bakes to make sure that it is not burning. The exact amount of time you will need to bake the clay varies by brand, but it usually falls out to 15 or 30 minutes per 1/4 inch (0.625 cm) of thickness. Place the clay pipe on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, wax paper, or parchment paper when you bake it. Apply a coat of light to medium brown acrylic paint to the clay pipe after it cools. The color should be brown like wood, but you can use colors like green or orange for extra embellishment. Use a soft cloth to rub a coating of clay varnish onto the paint after it dries. Make sure you allow the varnish to dry completely. While a homemade leprechaun pipe can add whimsical charm to your costume, if you are short on time or crafting supplies, you can usually find an old-fashioned pipe in a costume store, thrift store, or online.
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One-sentence summary -- Roll polymer clay into a ball. Use thick wire to create the stem of the pipe. Remove the wire when you are satisfied with the design of pipe. Bake the clay to harden it. Paint the clay pipe. Apply clay varnish. Alternatively, buy a leprechaun pipe instead of making one.


Do not rub, just blot so as not to spread the blood stain. Repeat the blotting process until you cannot get anymore of the blood. Make sure to change the cloth when needed.  If you don't have a spray bottle, get a clean cloth, dip it into the salt solution and blot it on the stained area. If you are working on a large stain, start on the edges and work your way towards the center; this is a strategy to contain the stain and to prevent it from spreading.    When the silk fabric is dry and the blood stain is still visible, do the removal method for tough blood stains.
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One-sentence summary -- Lay the stained silk item on a flat surface. Blot the excess blood with a cloth or paper towel. Mix 1 teaspoon of salt with 1 cup of cold water and put the solution in a spray bottle. Spray the salt solution on the blood stain. Blot the area with a dry cloth, Repeat the spraying and blotting process until the blood stain is gone or the cloth is not absorbing anymore blood. Rinse the affected area with cold water. Launder the silk item as you normally would. Lay it flat on a dry towel and allow it to air dry.


For a sturdier drum, you can use a garden pot or planter pot. This activity requires a bit more skill. It might be fun to use with slightly older children. To begin, gather the necessary supplies.  You will need a garden pot or planer made with a terra-cotta covering. It should have a seven inch diameter. You should be able to find this at a local gardening or craft shop.  You will need a plastic lid big enough to fit over the pot. You can use a disposable food storage lid.  You will also need another lid that goes with a sturdy plastic container. The pot should be able to sit comfortably on this container. You can buy a plastic container at a local craft shop. However, you can also use a deli container or a takeout container for soup.  You will also need dry beans, twine or string, medium weight twine, a glue gun, craft glue, and brown acrylic paint. To start, loop the twine around the planter in a zig-zag pattern. To do this, use the glue gun to add a dab of glue to the top and bottom of the string on the points forming the zig-zag. Press down on the string for a few seconds after applying glue to make sure it stays in place. If you're working with a child, help him during this process. It can be helpful to show him zig-zag patterns online to get a sense of what he should be creating. A child should not operate a glue gun without supervision. If your child is very young, it's best to operate the glue gun yourself. Once the zig-zag pattern is created, you can add the top of the drum. To do this, you'll need your plastic lid.  Apply a thin line of glue running along the rim of the storage container lid. You can have your child do this as well, with your supervision.  Press the lid onto the top of the planter. Hold for a few seconds. The plastic container will form the bottom of your drum. This should be painted brown to match the pot. You can have your child paint the container or you can do so yourself if your child is too young. Allow the container to dry completely before continuing. How long the drying process takes depends on how much paint you used and the specific brand. Once the paint is dry, you can create the base of your drum. To start, apply glue to the bottom of the planter. Use a generous amount. Press the bottom of the plastic container against the bottom of the planter. Hold until secure. From here, fill the container at the bottom with dry beans. this will weigh down the drum, allowing it to be more stable when played. Seal the container with the lid when you're finished.
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One-sentence summary --
Gather your supplies. Make a zig-zag pattern around your terra cotta pot using twine. Add the top of the drum. Paint the plastic container. Create the base of the drum.