How to Have a Relaxing Spa Day at Home

Having a spa day at home can be just as relaxing and beautifying as a day spent somewhere expensive. Pick a day when you won’t have any interruptions, turn off your cell, and light some candles to set the scene. Then take a long, hot bath, give yourself a facial and complete the day with a mani/pedi.

EditSteps

EditTaking a Restorative Bath

1. Draw a hot bath. Fill your tub with water at just the right temperature, whether you like it piping hot or just this side of warm. While the tub is filling, dim the lights and light some candles. Beyond that, you can help yourself relax even further by doing a few of your favorite things. For example,
   
   • Pour yourself a glass of wine or make a cup of tea to enjoy while you soak. If you are a kid, you can pour yourself a glass of hot chocolate, apple juice,grape juice, fruit punch or just some water!
   • Put on your favorite music.
   • Light some incense.
   • Set out a fluffy towel or bathrobe.
2. Add bath salts, essential oils and other ingredients to the water. This is a great way to enhance your bath and give you the benefits of aromatherapy as well. You don’t have to limit yourself to bath salts. Feel free to add bubble bath, bath oils, bath beads, bath bombs, and anything else that helps you relax.
   
   
   • If you want, you could add milk and oatmeal to your bath, since these have a moisturizing effect and are great for dry skin.
   • Or try adding almond oil, jojoba oil or even a spoonful of coconut oil. You’ll come out of the bath with baby-soft skin.
3. Try a skin mask. At a spa you might be offered a choice between a seaweed mask and a mud mask. The former isn’t easy to do at home, but you can easily make yourself a “mud” mask using cosmetic clay. After it sits on your skin for a few minutes, you rinse it off. It leaves your skin feeling refreshed and smooth.
   
   
   • Mix up ½ cup of cosmetic clay and of water to make a thick paste.
   • Rub it over your arms, legs and torso.
   • Allow it to dry while your bath is running.
   • Rinse it off in the bath.
4. Massage your sore muscles as you soak. With all the hard work you do between spa days, you might have a sore back, legs, arms or neck. Take time to knead your muscles with your fingers to loosen yourself up in the warm water.
   
   
5. Exfoliate your skin. Use a loofah or a body scrub to completely exfoliate your arms, legs, and torso. Your skin will feel soft, smooth and healthy when you get out of the tub.
   
   • Use gentle circular motions to slough off the dead skin.
   • If you’d like, shave your legs and other body parts after you exfoliate.
6. Dry your skin and apply a nourishing lotion. Use a towel to pat your skin dry, then seal in the moisture by applying a lotion or body cream to your arms, legs, and torso. After your body is covered in lotion, put on your bathrobe to give it time to absorb into your skin before you get dressed.
   
   

EditGiving Yourself a Facial

1. Gently exfoliate your face. Wet it with warm water and use a washcloth or a facial brush to scrub away the dead skin. Be sure to use a gentle circular motion instead of applying pressure, since your facial skin is sensitive and could stretch and wrinkle if you handle it roughly.
   
   
   • Facial scrubs also work well. Buy one at the store or make your own by mixing up the following ingredients: olive oil, 1 tablespoon ground almonds or ground oatmeal, and 1 teaspoon water. Use it to scrub your face, then rinse it off with warm water.
2. Give yourself a steam treatment. Fill a small pot with water and heat it on the stove until it begins to steam. Drape a towel over the back of your head and hold your head over the pot to allow the steam to caress your face. Hold it there for two to three minutes to get the full benefits of the steam.
   
   
   • Be sure not to hold your face so close that it feels extremely hot. Your face should feel very warm, but not uncomfortably hot.
   • Increase the pleasure of a facial steam by adding a few drops of essential oil to the pot. Lavender, tea tree oil and rose oil all have a relaxing effect.
3. Do a face mask. Doing masks at home is a lot of fun, and they leave your face as soft as a baby’s skin. Use a facial mask from the store or mix up a recipe using household ingredients. Apply it to your face for fifteen minutes, then wash it away. Here are a few popular mask options:
   
   
   • For dry skin: Mix 1 teaspoon honey and 1 teaspoon olive oil and
   • For regular skin: Mix 1 teaspoon honey and 1 smashed banana
   • For oily skin: Mix 1 teaspoon honey and 1 teaspoon cosmetic clay
4. Moisturize your face. Trap in the moisture from your facial treatments using a good cream on your face to end the process. You can use either a storebought cream or a little facial oil, like jojoba, argan, or almond oil. These oils balance your skin without causing acne.
   
   
   • If your skin is very dry, use coconut oil. However, if you’re prone to getting clogged pores, coconut oil might lead to pimples.

EditDoing a Mani and Pedi

1. Remove your old polish. Start with a clean slate by removing the old nail polish from your fingernails and toenails. Use acetone-free nail polish remover if possible, since acetone dries out your nails.
   
   
2. Soak your fingers. Prepare a bowl of warm water and soak them for five minutes with your nails completely submerged. This will soften the nails and cuticles to make them easier to shape.
   
   • Don’t use oils or soaps in the bowl of warm water. It’s better to use plain water so there won’t be residue on your fingers when you paint them.
3. Trim and file your nails. Use fingernail clippers or scissors to shape each of your nails into crescent shapes, rounding off the edges. Use a nail file to smooth rough spots and even out the shapes, so that all of your nails look professionally trimmed.
   
   
4. Push back your cuticles. Take a cuticle pusher or orange stick and gently push back your cuticles so they’re no longer visible on your nails. Be very gentle, and do not rip or trim the cuticles, since you need them in place to protect your fingers from infection.
   
5. Apply your polish. A good manicure has at least three coats: a base coat, a color, and a topcoat. Some people like to apply more than one color coat to ensure maximum coverage. Let your nails dry completely between coats to prevent smudging.
   
   
   • The best method for painting your nails neatly is to paint one stroke on either side, then fill in the middle.
   • If you want to paint a design on your nails, do it after the color coat, then add the top coat last to seal it in.
6. Soak and exfoliate your feet. Feet often get neglected in daily care, but this is your spa day, so take the time to do it right! Soak your feet in the tub or in a bowl filled with warm water. If your feet are dry or callused, use a pumice stone to remove the rough spots.
   
   • Some tough calluses need extra help coming off. Try a callus shaver or another instrument designed to remove dry skin.
7. Trim and polish your toenails. Shape your toenails with clippers, making sure to round off the edges to prevent ingrown toenails. Either go all out and do a three-coat pedicure, or simply apply a coat of clear polish to protect and enhance your toenails.
   

EditVideo

EditWarnings

• Be careful when applying the facial mask; don't get it too close to your eyes.
• Read the warning labels on the body scrub. Some are not okay for children.
• Never use peppermint essential oils. It makes you very, very cold.

EditRelated wikiHows

• Have a Relaxing Spa Day at Home

EditSources and Citations

• Videos provided by Jennifer Chiu

from How to of the Day http://ift.tt/2gdZY85

How to Get a Blood Test

Doctors order blood tests for a variety of reasons. This is because there is almost no better indicator of overall health than the number of levels and other factors that can be measured through a blood test. Unfortunately, for many people taking a blood test is a very nerve racking and uncomfortable thing to do. Not only is someone sticking a needle into your veins and causing you pain, but they’re extracting blood (sometimes in large quantities) from you before your eyes. Thankfully, having your blood taken is a relatively short event. It’ll be over quickly, and afterwards you’ll be able to rest assured knowing that your doctor will have important information about your health.

EditSteps

EditGetting a Blood Work Order

1. Talk to your doctor. The best person to determine if your signs or symptoms demand a blood test is your doctor. If you need one, she will prescribe it and provide you with a blood work order.
   
   • If your doctor orders blood work, make sure you have it done as soon as possible.
   • If you’re afraid or anxious about the blood work itself or the potential results of the blood test, talk to your doctor. She can reassure you — the best way to treat what is causing you heath issues is to identify the problem. The results of your blood test can help you begin proper treatment.
   • Make sure to listen to and talk to your doctor about any special instructions and things you may need to do before the blood is taken.
2. Discuss blood work with a nutritionist. You might need your blood work ordered for non-medical purposes. One of these purposes is to ascertain if your diet and nutrition is what it should be to support your overall health. In this instance, consult a nutritionist and see if he wants to order blood work to determine your vitamin and mineral levels and to find out if you have any deficiencies that should be addressed. You might consult a nutritionist in the case of:^[1]
   
   • Pregnancy
   • The advice of a medical professional
   • You have diabetes, absorption abnormalities, and/or food sensitivities/allergies
   • If you are a vegetarian, vegan, or subscribe to any other non-traditional diet
3. Talk about potential blood work with a sports medicine doctor. If you're an athlete, suffer from certain muscular problems, or have suffered some sort of muscular injury, your sports medicine doctor might also order blood work. Blood work can tell your sports medicine doctor a lot of information about muscular health and potential problems like arthritis and similar afflictions. Ultimately, your sports medicine doctor will be the best person to decide if you need blood work related to skeletal and muscular health.^[2]
   
4. Consult with your naturopathic specialist about blood work. Naturopathic specialists or doctors combine natural remedies and medical science to treat an array of afflictions. Depending on the reason you are consulting a naturopathic specialist, he or she might order blood work to help them determine how to treat you. Naturopathic doctors might order blood work in order to help them determine:^[3]
   
   • Gluten intolerance
   • The treatment of headaches
   • Hormonal imbalance
   • An array of other problems
5. Have your blood tested without a medical professional. Today, many labs are increasingly allowing individuals to have their blood drawn and tested without an order or prescription from a medical professional. If you for some reason want to have your blood tested, you may be able to find a lab that will test your blood without any blood work order. For more information, contact local blood testing labs in your area. Just because you have this option, however, does not mean you should do it; getting your blood tested without the help of a medical professional is not recommended. Consider the following:
   
   • If you order your own blood work, you won't have the ability to have a doctor interpret it for you and then prescribe a treatment, if needed. Many tests need to be interpreted by a medical professional.
   • Information on the internet is not always credible. You may want to get your blood drawn and use information you found online to interpret the results but, this is not a reliable way to read test results.
   • Even if you read the test results correctly, you may be unable to get the treatment necessary without a doctor to write a prescription.
   • Some labs only offer a handful of blood tests without a doctor-prescribed blood work order.
   • This service might not be available in your area.^[4]

EditHaving Your Blood Drawn

1. Prepare for your blood test. Depending on the type of blood work your doctor or other medical professional has ordered, there are a number of things you need to do to prepare for the test. This is necessary to make sure that the diagnostics performed on your blood provide accurate data. Some preparations could include:
   
   • Not eating or drinking for up to 12 hours.
   • Discontinue use of certain medications.
   • Other preparations as ordered by your doctor.^[5]
2. Take your prescription to a hospital or lab. After your doctor has evaluated whether you need blood work or not, take your prescription to a hospital or lab. You’ll likely wind up at a specific lab that specializes in collecting blood work and other specimens from people. The lab will either run the blood there or send it off to a central location for testing. ^[6]
   
3. Provide the phlebotomists with information. When you are called in at the lab or hospital, a phlebotomist (a person trained to extract blood from patients) will sit you down and may ask you questions. Cooperate with the phlebotomist. She is not there to cause you trouble or to harass you. The phlebotomist is just doing her job. Questions she might ask you could be for a variety of reasons, including:^[7]
   
   • To verify your identity
   • To find out if you have allergies to latex
   • To calm you down or relax you
4. Relax your arm. When the phlebotomist goes to take your blood, you need to relax your arm. Try to stay relaxed, otherwise the phlebotomist will have a tougher time finding your vein and taking your blood. Staying rigid and not relaxing could cause unneeded pain to yourself and exacerbate an already uncomfortable situation.
   • Do not clench your muscles.
   • Your palm should be facing up.
5. Let the phlebotomist draw your blood. After you relax your arm, the phlebotomist will then draw your blood. Ultimately, this is the moment you've been waiting for. The actual blood being drawn won't take too long, so relax.
   
   • The phlebotomist will locate a vein from which to take blood, then clean the area with an alcohol swab.
   • The phlebotomist will create and tie a tourniquet on the arm to help blood collect.
   • The phlebotomist will position the needle at a 15 degree angle and stick it into your skin.
   • You'll feel a slight stinging, but nothing significant.
   • The blood being drawn will take from 30 seconds to a couple of minutes, depending on how much blood and how many samples (tubes) the phlebotomist needs to take.^[8]
6. Avoid making yourself anxious. As the phlebotomist is drawing your blood, try to avoid doing things that might cause you anxiety, and push negative thoughts aside. If the sight of blood makes you feel faint, don’t look at the blood being drawn out of your arm. If you’re fascinated by it, feel free to look. Just remember, this is a normal and necessary procedure that needs to be done to determine your health. The blood drawing procedure itself won’t hurt you.^[9]
   
   • Close your eyes and hum if that helps.
   • Think about something else if you get anxious.
   • Joke with the phlebotomist or talk about anything but the fact that blood is being drawn out of your arm.

EditKnowing Why You Should Get a Blood Test

1. Get a blood test for routine monitoring. It is recommended that most people have blood work run every year or two to monitor their blood levels and other vitals. As a result, blood work is often ordered as a part of routine annual physical exams. Ultimately, blood work is one of the only ways to determine if a person’s health is stable or failing. Some important levels that bloodwork monitor include:
   
   • Blood sugar levels. Blood sugar levels can indicate the onset of diabetes or other metabolic disorders and diseases.
   • Cholesterol levels. Cholesterol levels are indicative of cardiovascular system health.
   • Red and white blood cell levels. These are indicative of your overall immune system’s health.^[10]
2. Have a blood test if you have an unidentifiable illness or pain. Often times doctors will order blood work if you have been ill and they have been unable to identify the cause of your illness or if you have been experiencing pain and the source cannot be identified. In this case, blood work will help your doctor figure out what is causing your sickness or pain and then prescribe the appropriate medication or treatment to treat you. ^[11]
   
3. Run your bloodwork if you’ve been exposed to dangerous contagions. One reason why you might need blood work is if you’ve somehow been exposed to a viral or bacterial contagion. In this event, your doctor will order blood work in order to determine if you’ve contracted an illness and what type of illness you have contracted. Some examples of contagions that a doctor might order blood work for include:
   
   • Hepatitis
   • Mononucleosis
   • Bacterial infections — A blood test might be able to help your doctor determine what bacteria is causing your sickness.
   • Other rare viral infections
4. Check your blood for other potentially life-threatening ailments. Sometimes people exhibit signs or symptoms of life-threatening diseases or other ailments. One of the only ways to determine if you’ve contracted one of these diseases is to have blood work done. Such ailments include:^[12]
   
   • Cancer
   • Diabetes
   • Thyroid disease
   • Kidney disease
   • Liver disease
   • Pancreatic malfunction
   • Gall bladder dysfunction
5. Submit to a blood test for drugs or other controlled substances. Sometimes doctors or employers will have blood work ordered in order to determine if employees have taken illicit drugs or other controlled substances in the recent past (though a urine-based DNA gas analysis test is usually more accurate and commonly used). In the case that an employer orders a test, he will refer the employee to a doctor who will order the blood work. Blood tests can detect many types of controlled substances, including:^[13]
   
   • Amphetamines
   • PCP
   • Marijuana
   • Cocaine
   • Opiates
6. Test your blood for various non-life threatening reasons. Doctors will order blood work for a variety of non-life threatening reasons. Ultimately, there are a large variety of reasons a doctor will want to order blood work. As the best indicator of overall health and genetic makeup, blood tests are invaluable for such monitoring. Some reasons include:
   
   • Testing for pregnancy
   • Testing for vitamin or mineral deficiencies
   • Genetic testing
   • Thyroid level testing
   • Amino acid level testing

EditVideo

EditWarnings

• Any time the skin is pierced allows for risk of infection, as our skin is the first layer of defense against infections. Piercing the skin breaks the barrier. Keeping the site clean and and dry will help avoid infection. Signs of infection can be redness, swelling, pus/drainage from the insertion site, fever and general weakness and/or fatigue.

EditRelated wikiHows

• Determine Your Blood Type
• Draw Blood
• Check Your Blood Pressure with a Sphygmomanometer
• Prepare for a Health Insurance Physical

EditSources and Citations

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from How to of the Day http://ift.tt/2g5GiCJ

How to Make Fairies in a Jar

Ever wanted to capture some fairies? This article will show you several ways on how to make your very own fairy jar using ordinary materials that, with a little bit of imagination, can look just like tiny fairies!

EditSteps

EditMaking a Basic Fairy Jar

1. Plan to make the project in the evening. This project will require glow sticks. Unfortunately, glow sticks only glow for a certain amount of time, so it would be best to do this project in the evening when it is already dark. This way, you will not be wasting any of your glow sticks' "glow" time.
   
2. Find a suitable jar for the fairies. You can use any size jar you want, but keep in mind that the smaller the jar is, the more glow you will get. A larger jar will have a less intense glow, and may require more glow sticks. You can also use a bulb-shaped glass bottle with a cork stopper.
   
   • Consider using a tinted mason jar. You can also tint the jar yourself by mixing a glossy decoupage glue with a few drops of food coloring, and then painting the jar with it.
3. Purchase some glow sticks. Any sort of glow stick will work, but the 6-inch (15.24 centimeters) glow sticks will have better results than the bracelets or necklaces, which do not glow for very long. The size of your jar will determine how many glow sticks you will need to buy. The larger the jar is, the more glow sticks you will need.
   
   • You will need two to three glow sticks, depending on the size of the jar. For example, a 16-ounce (473.18 milliliters) jar will need two to three 6-inch (15.24 centimeters) glow sticks.^[1]
   • Consider purchasing a long-lasting glow stick. Most glow sticks only shine for only shine for 2 to 3 hours, while others will shine for 4 to 6 hours. Some glow sticks, however, will shine for up to 12 hours. The package will tell you how many hours the glow stick will shine for. The longer the glow stick shines, the longer you will be able to enjoy your fairy jar.
   • Consider purchasing multiple colors of glow sticks. Most glow sticks come in basic colors, such as: red, pink, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and white. You can create new and exciting colors by combining existing ones. For example, if you mix blue and green together, you will get teal.
4. Activate the glow stick. Hold the glow stick with two hands, and bend it in half until you hear a "snap." This will shatter the glass tube inside the glow stick and release the chemicals that cause it to glow.
   
   
5. Hold the glow stick over the jar and cut one of the ends off. You can use a craft knife or a pair of scissors. Glow sticks are no-toxic, but the chemicals can burn and irritate your skin. Protect yourself by wearing some rubber gloves for this step.
   
   • Adult supervision is required for this step.
   • Consider placing a small, tightly-woven strainer over the mouth of the jar. The strainer will catch any bits of glass that might fall out of the glow stick. Do not use this strainer for cooking or baking after this project.
6. Pour the contents into the jar. Turn the glow stick upside down and pour the liquid into the jar. You may have to shake the tube a little bit to get all of the liquid out.
   
   
   • If there are any large pieces of glass inside the jar, you can scoop them out using a plastic fork or spoon. Discard the fork or spoon after using it; do not use it again for eating.
7. Sprinkle in some glitter. You can use any type of glitter you want, but iridescent glitter will give you the best results because it will allow the glow to shine through. How much glitter you use will depend on the size of your jar as well a your preferences. For example, for an extra glittery 16-ounce jar (473.18 milliliters), you will need ¼ cup (32 grams) of super-fine glitter.
   
   
   • Consider using shaped pieces of glitter, such as flowers, hearts, and stars.^[2]
   • Consider mixing super-fine glitter and chunky crafting glitter in different colors for an interesting effect.^[3]
8. Consider adding some filler. The glow stick fluid will cause the glitter to stick to the sides of the jar, but you can make the glitter appear as though it is suspended inside the jar by adding filler, such white tulle or organza.^[4] You can also use clear, iridescent cellophane. Simply cut a piece of your chosen filler, and scrunch it inside the jar. You want it to be big enough so that fits loosely into the jar, but not so big that it completely stuffs the jar.
   
9. Close the jar tightly and shake it. Be sure the glow stick material and glitter coats the inside walls of the jar.
   
   
10. Decorate the jar. You can make your jar extra special by painting the lid or even covering it with some glitter or pretty fabric. Read the section in this article on decorating your jar for more ideas.
    
11. Take the jar into a dark room. The glow stick fluid will shine during daylight, but it will be even brighter and more effective in a dark room.
    

EditMaking a Reusable Fairy Jar

1. Purchase some battery-operated LED string lights. The best lights for this project are the miniature LED string lights with a small battery pack. They are often used to decorate miniature villages and houses. You can also use ordinary-sized LED string lights, but make sure that they are battery operated and that the wire is not too long. Look for something with a silver or white-colored cable. You are using LED lights because they do not produce as much heat as regular lights.
   
   • If you are planning on filling your jar with moss, then consider getting some lights with a green cable instead.
2. Find a suitable jar for the fairies. You can use any sort of jar you want, but make sure that the battery pack to your lights can fit inside the mouth of the jar.
   
   • Consider using a tinted jar. You can also make your own tinted jar by mixing a few drops of food coloring with a glossy decoupage glue and painting the jar with it.
   • For a softer effect, paint the jar with a matte decoupage glue. This will soften the glow of the jar, so that you will see the lights, but not the wire.
3. Attach the battery pack to the inside of the lid. Tape your battery pack to the bottom of the jar lid. The battery pack will go inside the jar, and won't be visible once you finish decorating it. Make sure that you can still reach the switch. You could try taping the battery pack, so it will be easier to take the pack out and change/charge the batteries.
   
   • If the battery pack does not fit inside the jar or the lid, purchase a canning mason jar with a two-part lid. Get rid of the flat disk portion of the lid and keep the ring. Tape the battery pack to the top of the lid, and cover it with a piece of fabric. You will wrap a piece of ribbon or twine around the fabric after you put the lid on the jar to secure the fabric. The string of lights will go through the hole in the lid and into the jar.^[5]
4. Tuck the lights inside the jar. Spread them out so that they fill the entire jar.
   
5. Consider adding some filler. By adding some filler, such as white tulle, organza, or clear, iridescent cellophane, you can diffuse the light and make it appear softer. The filler will also help conceal the wires. Simply cut a piece of filler that is slightly larger than your jar and tuck it inside. You want the filler to be large enough so that it can be scrunched up loosely in the jar, but not so large that you have to stuff it in tightly.
   
   • You can also use some moss instead of tulle, organza, or cellophane. This will create a more forest-y effect.
6. Turn the lights on and place the lid on the jar. Flick the switch on the battery pack into the "on" position and place the lid on top of the jar. Screw the lid on tightly.
   
7. Decorate the jar. You may still see a bit of the battery pack. You can conceal it by wrapping a ribbon around the neck of the jar and tying it in a bow. For more decorating ideas, refer to the section in this article on decorating your fairy jar.
   
8. Enjoy the jar in a dark room. The lights will still be visible during daylight, but they will be even brighter and more effective in a completely dark room (especially if you made the jar look frosted).
   

EditMaking a Rechargeable Fairy Jar^[6]

1. Choose a clear jar. You can use any size jar, but make sure that the mouth is wide enough for you to be able to stick a paint brush into. You can use a glass jar or a plastic jar. A lid is not needed for this project. Whatever jar you decide to use, make sure that it is clear, as you will be painting the inside of it.
   
2. Clean your jar. Wipe the inside and outside of your jar with some rubbing alcohol. Any oil or residue left on the jar will prevent the paint from sticking to it.
   
3. Purchase some glow-in-the-dark paint. You can use fabric paint or acrylic paint, but make sure that the label says "glow-in-the-dark." Unlike glow sticks, glow-in-the-dark paint can be reactivated once the glow fades. This means that you can use this jar again and again just by leaving it in the sunlight so that it can "recharge."
   
4. Select your painting tools. You will be making little dots and speckles inside the jar with the paint. You can use a thin paintbrush to do this, or a long wooden skewer. You can even use different sized brushes and wooden skewers to create different sized dots for a more interesting effect.
   
5. Prepare your paint. Shake the bottle of paint to mix up the glow particles inside.^[7] Pour out about a teaspoon of paint onto a dish. Acrylic paint and fabric paint dry quickly, so you do not want to pour out too much paint at once, or it will dry before you finish using it. You can always pour more paint onto your dish if you run out.
   
6. Make little dots inside the jar. Dip your paintbrush or skewer into the paint and start making little dots and speckles inside the jar. If you are using multiple colors, work with one color at a time.
   
7. Let the paint dry before putting the lid back on. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours, but refer to the instructions on the paint bottle for more specific drying times. Consider drying your jar in the sun or under a bright light; this will allow the paint to "charge."^[8]
   
8. Activate the paint. Leave your jar in a brightly-lit room or in some sunlight for 10 to 15 minutes.
   
9. Consider decorating the jar. You can paint the lid a different color, or over it with glitter or fabric. You can even place some filler, such as tulle, organza, or clear, iridescent cellophane inside the jar, For more decorating ideas, refer to the section on decorating your fairy jar.
   
10. Use the jar. Once the paint has been activated, take your jar into a dark room. The paint will glow and look like little fairies. When the glow starts to fade, simply leave the jar in some like for a few minutes before taking it back into the room.
    

EditDecorating Your Fairy Jar

1. Add a filler. Adding items, such as tulle, organza, cellophane, stuffing, or even moss can help diffuse the light and make the jar look more magical. When choosing tulle or organza, go for a very soft, pale color, or white. When choosing cellophane, go for something iridescent, as it will reflect the light better. You can also use teddy bear stuffing and pieces of moss instead.
   
2. Add a fairy inside the jar. Purchase a small fairy figurine, and glue her to the inside of the jar lid using hot glue or super glue. Screw the lid back onto the jar, and turn the jar upside down. The lid will now be the bottom of the jar, making it a sort of snow globe.
   
   • Consider gluing gown bits of moss, stones, and tiny flowers to the lid around the fairy. This will hide the bottom of the lid, and give the fairy a pretty home to live in.
   • If you cannot find a fairy figurine, you can make your own by purchasing a person-shaped figurine, and gluing craft butterfly wings to the back.
3. Paint the lid. You can make your fairy jar more colorful by painting the lid. Lightly buff the lid with fine-grit sandpaper, and wipe it clean with a damp cloth to get rid of any dust. Paint the lid with some acrylic paint using a paintbrush or a foam brush. You can also use spray paint instead.
   
   • If you are using spray paint, shake the can for a few moments until you can hear it rattle. Hold the can 6 to 8 inches (15.24 to 20.32 centimeters) away from the surface and apply the paint in a light, even layer. Wait until the paint dries before applying a second layer. Make sure to spray paint in a well-ventilated area to avoid any light-headedness.
4. Add glitter to the lid. For a more sparkly lid, brush on a layer of glue onto the top of the lid. Don't paint the sides with glue just yet. Pour some glitter onto the lid. Gently lift the lid off your work surface and tap the glitter off. Wait for the glue and glitter to dry before applying glue and glitter to the sides.
   
   • Consider working over a sheet of paper. When you are done, fold the paper in half, and use it to funnel the excess glitter back into its container.
   • Consider sealing the glitter so that it doesn't shed. Wait for the glue and glitter to dry, then apply a thin, even coat of clear, glossy spray paint. Wait for the coat to dry completely before applying a second one.
5. Cover the lid with some fabric. Place the lid on top of some pretty fabric. Trace a circle around the lid—make the circle about 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters) larger than the lid. Cut the circle out of the fabric and screw the lid onto the jar. Place the fabric circle on top of the lid and push the edges down around the sides of the lid. Wrap a piece of ribbon or twine around the neck of the jar, holding the fabric in place. Tie the ribbon or twine into a pretty bow.
   
6. Embellish the lid. Take a few colorful gemstones or rhinestones, and glue them onto the lid using hot glue or tacky glue. You can also glue beads, buttons, pretty rocks, or even a figurine to the top of the jar.
   
7. Tie a ribbon around the neck of the jar. You can also decorate the ribbon by gluing a flower or rhinestone in the middle of the bow.
   
8. Use a colored jar. Tinted mason jars come in different colors, including blue, green, and purple. They can help lend a more unique look to your fairy jar. If you cannot find a tinted mason jar, you can make your own by mixing a few drops of food coloring with a glossy decoupage glue. Paint the outside of the jar with the mixture using a paintbrush or a foam brush.
   
   • You can also paint the jar with a matte decoupage glue or matte spray-on sealer. This will give the glass a frosted look, and will work best with the battery-operated string lights.
9. Add fairy-shaped silhouettes. You can print out silhouettes of fairies and cut them out using a craft knife. Tape or glue the fairies to the outside of the jar.
   

EditVideo

EditTips

• Consider using fairy colors, such as white, pink, and purple.
• Because these jars glow, they will be more effective during the evening, when it is dark.
• While fabric adds a beautiful effect, be cautious if you use LED lights. Don't let them overheat.
• Decorate your jar to make it more interesting.
• Add bits of tulle or cellophane inside your jar to help diffuse the light.

EditWarnings

• Be careful when cutting the glow stick open. Glow sticks contain tiny pieces of broken glass.
• Avoid swallowing or touching the glow stick liquid. Although the packaging may say "non-toxic," the chemicals inside can still be harmful if swallowed or touched. The chemicals can burn and irritate the skin.^[9]

EditThings You'll Need

• Jar with a lid
• Glow sticks (method 1)
• Rubber gloves (method 1, recommended)
• Scissors (method 1)
• Glitter (method 1)
• Glow-in-the-dark paint (method 2)
• Battery operated LED string lights (method 3)
• Ribbons, fabric, rhinestones, glitter, and paint (optional)

EditRelated wikiHows

• Make Glow Jars
• Make a Fairy House
• Make a Glowstick
• Make a Glow in the Dark Fluid
• Make Mason Jar Glow Stick Lanterns

EditSources and Citations

• Videos provided by BunnieClaire

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from How to of the Day http://ift.tt/1uBRu6V