Changing your appearance can give you a boost in confidence and help you out of an appearance rut. It can also be fun!  Change your hairstyle. Cut it, part it differently, give it highlights or dye it pink. Give yourself dark smokey eyes or wear bright red lipstick. Go for a free makeover. Make your way to the makeup counter of your local department store and ask for some assistance trying new colors. If you always wear shades of plum, tell the sales associate to break out the peach tones for a completely new look. You'll go home with a fab new take on your face.  Picking out a new item of clothing can change your entire wardrobe: a new shirt, skirt, or even a scarf. Clothes that you feel comfortable in are better than clothes that may be the height of "fashion" but which you don't enjoy wearing. Your uncomfortableness with yourself will show. Check that your clothes fit correctly. It's hard to be comfortable when your jeans dig in too tightly at your waist, or your bra leaves marks on your skin. Giving yourself some time alone to do something relaxing can give you a boost in self-esteem and also help you relax, which in turn helps keep up your positivity.  Feel pretty all the way down to your feet with an at-home pedicure. Go as wild as you want! Wear a toe ring or two. Paint each nail a different color, use glitter or sample a shade that you're not quite ready to wear on your hands. Give your skin some extra special care. When you pamper yourself, it shows. So give yourself at-home facial for skin-smoothing results. Healthiness is not only considered attractive, but it also means that your mind is healthy, too! It can help with depression and with keeping you from getting sick. It's hard to feel pretty when you've got a cold.  Sleep is a huge factor in healthiness. Too little sleep strains the nervous system and can make you more susceptible to depression and illness. If you can't get the recommended 8 to 9 hours each night, make sure to catch a nap during the day.   Exercise releases endorphins and serotonin which boost your mood and your body. There are lots of different ways of exercising: yoga, dance, taking a walk or run, aerobics, zumba. They can be a lot of fun.  Learn to meditate. Meditation can help with retraining your brain to let go of negative thoughts. It also can help with depression, eating disorders, and stress.  Laugh. Grab a friend and reminisce about a funny event you both witnessed, or watch your favorite comedy. Laughter can do things like relieve pain, help you cope with difficult situations, and improve your mood.  Soak up some rays. Sunshine's known to be a major mood-booster. In fact, in some Northern European countries where the sun rarely shines during winter, people go for light therapy to fight depression. (Take care when being in the sun, and be sure to wear sunscreen.)
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One-sentence summary -- Change your appearance. Wear clothes, make-up, and accessories that make YOU feel pretty and confident. Pamper yourself. Work to be healthy.


Plastic water, milkshake, or soda bottles are great for making maracas. Empty the bottles and clean them out thoroughly with hot, soapy water before you use them. Make sure that they are completely dry before you begin filling them.  2 plastic bottles will make 2 maracas. Get more plastic bottles if you want to make extra maracas. Check that each bottle has a secure lid. Leave the maracas for at least 12 hours so that the paper mache has enough time to dry. Avoid touching the paper mache while it's drying. If it’s very humid, the paper mache may take longer to dry. Repeat the process of adding extra paper mache layers over the maracas. Let the maracas dry overnight again and then check that the paper mache feels firm before you begin decorating. Once the paper mache has fully dried, pick your favorite colors of paint and decorate them however you see fit. Use multiple bright colors if you want your maracas to stand out, or stick to just 1 color for simple decoration. You can also paint patterns or pictures on the maracas if you prefer.  Wait until the paint dries before you use the maracas. Feel free to decorate your maracas with other craft items too, such as plastic beads, buttons, ribbon, or washi tape.
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One-sentence summary -- Get 2 plastic bottles that are approximately 15  fl oz (440 ml). Let the maracas dry overnight. Add 3 more paper mache layers and let the maracas dry again. Decorate the maracas with paint.


It needs to be tall enough to extend from the bridge of your nose down to your chin, like a surgical mask. The mask needs to be long enough to wrap around the front of your face. If it extends past your jaw, trim it shorter. Fold the mask in half lengthwise, and make a mark along edge side edge where the fold is. Unfold the mask, then fold it in half widthwise. Make another mark along the top of the folded edge. Unfold the mask when you are done.  You will have three marks: a mark along the top-center of the mask, and a mark on each side edge. Make sure that you are making the marks on the same side of the felt. Cut straight down from the top-center mark to the side-left mark. Repeat this step for the right side. You will have something that looks like a house. Fold the mask in half so that the narrow side edges match up again. Cut a > shaped notch into the side edge. Start at the bottom corner and finish at the top, right before it goes into the diagonal angle. Unfold the mask when you are done. Totomato's symbol is a large circle with a diagonal line going through it, like a non-smoking sign. The symbol should be almost the same height as the mask, with a 1/4 to 1/2-inch (0.64 to 1.27-centimeter) border at the top and bottom. Cut a piece of thin elastic so that it is long enough to loop over your ear. Thread it onto a needle with a large opening, such as a yarn needle or tapestry needle. Tie a knot onto the end of the elastic.  Try to use black elastic, if you can. You can use ribbon or string, if you want, but the measurements have to be exact. Turn the mask so that the back is facing you. Push the needle through the top corner of the notch. Pull it until the knot is against the fabric, then bring it through the bottom corner of the notch. The elastic needs to be long enough so that it can loop around your left ear. Once you are happy with the length, tie a knot into the end, then trim off the excess. When you are done, you will have two loops: one on the left side of your mask, and one on the right. Place the mask over your face, so that it covers your mouth and nose. Slip the left loop over your left ear, and the right loop over your right ear.
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One-sentence summary --
Cut a piece of light blue felt in half lengthwise. Find the center of the top edge and the two side edges. Cut off the top corners. Cut notches into the side edges. Draw Totomato's symbol in the center with a black marker. Thread some elastic onto a yarn or tapestry needle. Run the elastic through the left side of the mask to make a loop. Adjust the elastic, then tie it into a knot. Repeat the process on the right side. Wear the mask.