. Jewelry is always a welcome gift but you don't have to pay a lot for it if you make your own.  Buy an inexpensive cotton cord from the craft store along with some multi-colored beads.  Make paper beads out of gift wrap or their favorite magazines. Just ask their permission first! They are also available in any craft store for a small amount. Cut 48 inches (121.9 cm) of the cord and start threading some beads into it. Rub some glue around the sewing tip to make it stiff. You will have a nice long bead necklace for the teenagers and friends on your list. Get a water bottle and cut around it to make a bangle. Glue thick ribbon on the inside. Glue a map to the outside of the bangle, get some Mod Podge and put 3 to 5 layers over it every 20 minutes, letting it dry between layers.
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One-sentence summary -- Make a necklace Make a bracelet from plastic bottles.


You don't want to keep filing once you get down to the natural nail, since you could damage it. Signs that you're close to the natural nail include the following:  A big reduction in dust that is produced from filing the gel. Visibility of the natural ridges in your nails.
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One-sentence summary -- Look for signs that you are close to the natural nail.


The world of food is wide, diverse, and exciting, but you can't tackle it all at once. Think about what you really want to cook, and make an effort to "master" a certain type of food -- Italian, Indian, brunch, soups, etc. The good news is that most kitchen techniques are universal, and will translate to any type of food. Focusing on similar dishes now, however, lets you master the flavorings, techniques, and workflow without worrying if it will taste good. You'll improve cooking stills while mastering 4-5 recipes you'll have for the rest of your life. Then you can expand. Buy 1-2 cookbooks in a cuisine you love, then commit to working through them. Each recipe will teach you a little more about your chosen foods and ingredients, even if it is just a novel way to eat them. In-season means that the vegetable is naturally harvested at the time you're shopping, meaning it is the freshest it can get. Better ingredients lead to better dishes, and in-season vegetables are the best way to get surprisingly great flavor out of even the simplest meals. Going to your local farmer's market can help, as they only carry things in season, but you can do a little research before hitting the supermarket, too.  Check out this handy "Seasonal Veggie Chart" for help shopping. Join your local CSA, a vegetable sharing group, to get in-season vegetables delivered right to your door. Many home cooks want to just experiment, putting together ingredients based on intuition. This is a great way to get used to cooking and learn how ingredients are used, but it won't turn you into a good cook. Think about it -- would you rather make poached eggs 5 times on your own, hoping to learn the secret to a good batch, or learn from cooks who have already done all the work for you?  When reading recipes, write in the margins! Give yourself tips and notes as you work to make the next cook even better.  Experiment! Make yourself try 1-2 new recipes a week to expand your horizons. As you get better, try recipes that require new techniques, like braising, deglazing, spatchcocking, etc. The best way to cook good food, anytime, is to understand the principles of cooking, not the basic steps. For example, you don't need a chemistry degree to make sense of the Maillard Reaction (the golden-brown, sweet flavored crust that forms at high temperatures), but knowing that water gets in the way of it teaches you to pat your foods dry before grilling them. Reading through a cookbook, all of it, is a great way to pick up useful bits of information.  Be curious -- do you know why milk curdles when mixed with acids? Why do you need to proof the yeast before baking? Let Google be your culinary school and you'll be a pro in no time. Check out food blogs, like America's Test Kitchen or Serious Eats, that focus on the art and science of cooking, not just the ingredients and recipe.
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One-sentence summary -- Focus, at first, on the 1-2 types of cuisine you want to cook the most. Know what is in season to find the best vegetables available. Read recipes, and then actually make them according to the instructions. Dig into the "how" and "why" of cooking, not just the recipe, when reading cookbooks.


If you can't afford lessons, video tutorials are a great alternative. While they're not as helpful as learning from a teacher, tutorials can teach you basic ballet if you practice several days a week. Look for tutorials for moves you want to try, then follow along carefully.  Subscribe to ballet channels that you find helpful. Keep in mind that you'll likely need lessons if you're wanting to become an advanced dancer. However, video tutorials are a great way to start and can help you enjoy ballet as a hobby. Video lessons are available on DVD or streaming sites. These lessons are taught by professional teachers, so they can teach you advanced moves. It won't be the same as working one-on-one with an instructor, but these lessons will help you develop your dancing technique.  Look for video workouts online. Watch a preview of the workout before you buy it to see if you can follow the instruction. Pick a video that's at your level. If you're a beginner, look for a step-by-step video to help you learn. Attending classes with an instructor allows you to get feedback on your form so you can make improvements. Additionally, you'll learn ballet faster and safely proceed to more advanced moves. Attending classes will also give you the opportunity to learn choreography and perform in front of an audience. Look for classes in your area by searching online. If you've been practicing at home and can't afford classes, ask the school if they have a scholarship or internship program. You may be able to earn a scholarship if you show talent and dedication, or you might be able to get a class discount if you help out around the studio.
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One-sentence summary --
Watch ballet tutorials online using sites like YouTube. Follow along with a video lesson. Take classes in person for personalized instruction.