Problem: Article: If you want to make henna yourself by using the leaves from the henna plant, gather or purchase either fresh or dried leaves from a henna plant. This is also a good way to assure that the henna you use is the most natural and produces the best color.  The henna plant is also called Lawsonia inermis or mehendi plant.  If you do not have a henna plant at home to gather your leaves, you can purchase them from plant stores or reputable online vendors such as Green Field Exports or Herbs India. If you are using fresh leaves to make henna, you’ll need to first dry them in the sun so they can be turned into a powder. The leaves are dry when they have a crisp consistency, like a potato chip. By removing any branches and twigs from the dried henna leaves, you assure that your henna will render the purest and most intense color. In order to turn your dried leaves into henna, you’ll first need to make a powder out of them by pulsing them either in a blender or a mixer. Blend and pulse your leaves until they are a fine powder. This will ensure that your henna isn’t fibrous and help your final henna paste mixture be smooth. You don’t want to expose your henna powder to any liquid until you’re ready to use it. Likewise, you want to keep it as fresh as possible by keeping it in an airtight container in a cool and darker place. In order to use the powder you made, you'll first have to turn it into a paste by following the method for making henna from a powder. After about a day, your henna mixture has released its dye and is ready to use either on your hair or body.  If you want to use the henna paste for mehndi, or henna body painting, Rupal Pinto’s website http://www.rupalpinto.com/mehndi/four.html#powder is an excellent source. If you want to use the henna paste to color your hair, the blog Tabouli Bowl https://thetaboulibowl.wordpress.com/2013/10/02/how-to-make-and-use-henna-hair-dye/ is an excellent source.
Summary: Gather or purchase fresh or dry leaves from the henna plant. Dry fresh leaves in the sun. Separate branches and twigs from the dried henna leaves. Turn leaves into a fine powder with a blender or mixer. Store in a dry, airtight container in a cool place until ready for use. Make your henna powder into a henna paste for use by following the above steps. Use your henna mixture!

Problem: Article: Rabbits are natural burrowers, and when kept in captivity they may need to exercise these hardwired instincts to dig. You can make a quick and easy box for your rabbit that lets him feel like he's digging and burrowing in the wild.  Find a large box. It can be a deep cardboard box if you don't have any other options, but an old dish bin, wicker basket, or litter box will last longer.  Fill the box with hay. If you don't have hay or don't want hay inside your house, you can shred newspaper or magazines instead.  If you're comfortable letting your rabbit get a little dirty, you can also use a flower pot or a litter box filled with clean topsoil. Just be careful where you leave this box, as your rabbit's digging may send soil flying all over the room.  Try giving your rabbit a litter box filled with clean, child-friendly sand. But just like the litter box filled with topsoil, this burrow box could get messy if you're having your rabbit play in a carpeted room.  If your rabbit tends to dig at the carpet in a certain spot in your home, you may want to cover that spot with the burrow box until your rabbit gets used to using the box as an outlet for his digging compulsions. In the wild, rabbits tend to dig tunnels underground. If you build an artificial tunnel for your rabbit, he will probably take a liking to it immediately.  Buy a cardboard concrete tube. You should be able to find one at most building supply stores, and it shouldn't cost much money. If you can't find a cardboard concrete tube, try using a long, narrow cardboard box instead.  Stuff one end of the tube (or box) with crumpled up newspapers. Your rabbit will either hide in the tube or shred and "dig" at the newspapers, making him feel like he is tunneling in the wild. If your rabbit tends to dig at the carpet, try laying out a grass mat on the floor. It will allow your rabbit to scratch and "dig," without damaging the rug or floors of your home.  Lay out a pile of polar fleece blankets for your rabbit to dig and burrow in. He'll love being able to scratch at the plush blankets, and the fibers on polar fleece are short enough that they won't cause digestive issues in the event that your rabbit swallows some of the blanket fuzz.  You can also try laying out old magazines for your rabbit to scratch at. Just be sure that your rabbit doesn't eat any of the paper, and make sure there are no staples in the binding that could injure your pet.
Summary: Make a burrow box. Build a tunnel. Lay out a scratching surface.

Problem: Article: In a small container, combine equal parts oil and powdered pumice to form a thin paste. Apply a conservative amount of the abrasive paste to the affected area before buffing it thoroughly with extra-fine steel wool scrubbing pad. As you polish, the scratch will vanish before your very eyes.  You can snag a bag of powdered pumice for just a few dollars from any major hardware store, as well as some beauty supply stores. The abrasive action of the steel wool and pumice together will gently wear away inconsistencies in the outermost part of the finish while the mineral oil nourishes and protects the wood. Pour 3–4 tablespoons (44–59 mL) of hot water into a mug, then add a bag of strong black tea or a scoop of instant coffee. Let the liquid steep for about 5 minutes, then soak up a small amount with a cotton swab and press it firmly into the scratch.  When applied to bare wood, natural compounds in the coffee or tea known as tannins will essentially act as a natural stain, darkening the exposed wood by a few shades.  Only black tea will produce the desired effect—green, herbal, and other varieties of tea won’t impart enough color to disguise most scratches. Saturate a cotton swab or small sponge brush with iodine and coax it into the heart of the scratch. Iodine dries to a dark brown color that’s ideal for camouflaging imperfections in woods like cherry, mahogany, rosewood, walnut, and teak. Concentrate the iodine inside the scratch itself as best you can. It could stain if it ends up on a neighboring section of the piece. This one couldn’t be easier. Just take a walnut, remove the shell, and work it back and forth over the scratch with about the same pressure you would use to erase a pencil mark. Walnuts are rich in earthy oils that can make a fine substitute for finishes of a similar color.  You’ll get the best results cracking your own raw walnuts, which typically contain higher concentrations of natural oils. If you don’t happen to have any walnuts on hand, another type of oily nut, such as pecans or peanuts (or even peanut butter), may also do the trick.
Summary:
Even out shallow surface scratches with mineral oil and pumice powder. Use coffee or tea to mask thin scratches. Hide scratches in dark wood surfaces with iodine. Rub a shelled walnut onto the scratch to magically erase it in seconds.