What’s worse than getting caught in the rain? Having to endure the awkward moment when you, bone dry and under your umbrella, must walk past an unfortunate soul who has forgotten his or her own!

There’s a terrific opportunity for April altruism here.

Play the part of the silent hero (bonus points if you have a trench coat) and use the opportunity to hand-out a poncho. Stock your purse with some inexpensive “emergency” solutions and pass them out when you happen to catch someone up the creek without a poncho. (You can find them at many drugstores for under a dollar!)

If you want to go the extra mile, you can customize the labels with fun and inspiring messages. We included a few “Poncho Printable” templates and instructions here to help get you started. But feel free to customize with your own unique words of encouragement!

Here are a few ideas:

· Real men wear ponchos.

· Congratulations! You’ve had a “stroke” of luck!

· Throw ponchos, not punches!

· Went to work without an umbrella and all you got was this lousy poncho…

· Today, you’re the head poncho!

· Umbrellas are overrated.

· Free recyclable shower curtain.

· Well, the rain dance worked.

· Don’t worry. This doesn’t legally obligate you to join my cult.

· Hey Rain Man, don’t be a hero.

Have any more ideas to help brighten someone’s day? Comment below to tell us what your “Rainy Day Rescue” might say!

We love how PubliQue Living transforms plain sheets of recycled paper into charming table pieces for every occasion. (Check out the products on their website.) But in the Pilgrim spirit of “making do,” this Thanksgiving, we just had to try the idea ourselves… DIY-style!

We armed Intern Steph with some Bristol Paper and an X-Acto knife, and told her to re-create the Mayflower for our Thanksgiving table… After a good cry, she got right to work and this was the result!

Say what you will of her historical accuracy (or the judiciousness of giving an intern a knife), we think Stephanie did the pilgrims proud on this one, and here’s how you can create your own!

Materials:

• Large sheet of bristol paper or poster board
• X-acto knife
• Pencil
• Silhouette drawing or clip-art

Instructions:

First, draw or trace a simple line rendering onto your canvas, using your imagination or clip-art. Position the image somewhere around the corner of the page, an inch or two from each edge.

When creating your image, be sure to account for “negative space” by drawing closed, polygonal shapes within the overall outline.

Next, carefully use your X-acto to cut out these interior shapes, little by little, with a cutting board underneath.

After the interior shapes have all been removed, trace the overall outline with your X-acto, leaving the image’s bottom horizontal line uncut.

Finally, fold the image upward (along the bottom horizontal line) to bring your pop-up to life!

Materials:

• Empty aluminum soda cans
• Self-adhesive magnets (or double-sided tape)
• A strong pair of scissors
• A mechanical pencil

Start by carefully cutting the tops and bottoms off of the soda cans and flattening out the remaining aluminum.

Next, draw an autumn leaf pattern onto the material with your mechanical pencil. This can be done free-hand, or by tracing actual leaves you’ve collected from the neighbor’s yard. (Only kidding!)

Now, cut out the pattern and engrave your leaves with life-like veins by retracting the lead in your mechanical pencil. Using the point to draw lines from the tips of the edges to the base of the leaf, you can achieve a deeper grove if you place a towel under the aluminum while carving.

Finally, stick a self-adhesive magnet, or some double-sided tape, onto the back of your leaf. Make as many magnets as you’d like, arranging them in a whimsical wind-swept pattern across your fridge.

Now you’ve got yourself a sustainable fall fridge-scape, made faster than you can say “cranberry sauce”!

Well snap out of it! Halloween is no time to neglect your friends, or your crafting either. You’ve got no time to waste going to the store to buy more candy and party supplies, so you’ll have to make do with the bare essentials…

Don’t just stand there! Grab that old pad of construction paper, and find some scissors and tape, pronto! Today we’re making decorative fun-sized candy bags. Even though you still have a tummy ache, and your tongue has yet to return to its original color, with these cute little favors, your guests might just overlook your stinginesss with the sweets!

Directions:

1.  Cut a standard sheet of construction paper in half, lengthwise.

2.  Fold the longer two sides inward to meet at the middle of the page.

3.  Make a fold (inward) at about 4.5 inches from the edge of the page, on each end.

4.  Cut the paper on the four creases created in the middle, stopping at the edge of the folds.

5.  Glue or tape the outer edges of each side together.

There you have it. You now have your very own miniature party favor bag, in any festive color that you want! Think of it as a blank canvas. Now, using more construction paper, you can customize the bag to look like just about any Halloween character imaginable.

For our motley crew, we created an owl, a mummy, a bat and, of course, Frankenstein. But the possibilities are endless. This Halloween, if you want to save your guests a trip to the dentist, give them these bite-sized party bags. (And enjoy the extra treats ’til Turkey Day!)

Mood Beams Series – Suprised Glowing Friends 

A memoir that is more of a guide to many lost pastime arts, like how to tan a skin or palm a coin or learn the Latin phrases that every boy should know. Or a collection of wisdom about useless skills such as how to write in invisible ink – along with useful skills, like how a boy can prepare himself for his inevitable encounters with girls.

The Dangerous Book for Boys, $15

Whether it’s how to turn a perfect cartwheel or an answer to the eternal mystery of what boys are thinking (assuming they are, in fact, thinking)… This book is a manual for everything a girl needs to know.

I know, I know. It doesn’t sound daring whatsoever. The publishers did promise adventures, so maybe…

Daring Book for Girls, $15

Terrible, terrible display of public affection here.  Shame on them! These Hug Salt + Pepper Shakers come as one set only (one couple, not two).  $19

Fred wants huge, manly shoulders and pecs. What did you think ‘huge’ described, huh? Lift Salt + Pepper Shakers could also work as a gentle reminder for getting back to the gym. $15