Nothing makes you happy like something you’ve made with your own hands. This is especially true when it turns out to be just the thing you need when you don’t have your devices to hand.
Bright Side has come up with 11 unusual things you can make in just a few minutes.
#1. A homemade shaker
How to make it: Take an empty Pringles tube. Use something sharp to make a large number of holes in its base. You now have something you can use to sprinkle food with spices, salt, sugar, or anything else.
#2. A chopping board that won’t slip
How to make it: To stop your chopping board from slipping along the kitchen surface when you’re cooking, attach ordinary erasers to each corner. They work really well to hold it in place.
#3. An amplifier
How to make it: Take an empty Pringles tube, and cut off the bottom. Cut an opening in the middle, and place your smartphone inside it. To make your amplifier more durable, attach it in place with pushpins. This simple construction will amplify the sound of your device several times over.
#4. A bottle holder
How to make it: Take several large erasers, and stick them to the table with glue. They should be placed around the bottle and press up against it firmly. This holder will prevent your bottle from spilling if you accidentally knock it.
#5. A stress ball
How to make it: Making your own stress toy is very easy. Take a balloon, fill it with toothpaste, and tie it closed. To make it a little tougher, place the balloon inside another one, and tie the second up as well. Your stress ball is ready!
#6. A key ring hook
How to make it: Grab a large eraser, and attach 2-3 pushpins to it using glue. Attach the eraser itself to the wall or the edge of a table. You can attach your headphones or car/house keys to it to stop you losing them.
#7. A popcorn machine
How to make it: You need 2 empty soda cans. Cut them open as shown in the photographs, and place one on top of the other. Put some popcorn in the top one and a candle in the lower one. In about 10 minutes, the can will heat up and the corn will start popping.
#8. A mug made from a bottle
How to make it: Take a 2-liter plastic bottle, and cut it open as shown in the photograph above. You’ll end up with a ring that you need to bend downward and attach to the base. You can make a simple mug like this in just 5 minutes.
# 9. A foam toy
How to make it: Grab a small bottle, and cut it in half. Attach some fabric or a piece of sock to the upper half. Hold this construction in some soapy water for a short amount of time, then pull it out and blow into the bottle neck. A lot of soap bubbles will form. A toy like this can keep a small child occupied during bath time.
#10. A flame gun
How to make it: Take 2-3 cigarette lighters, and attach them together with sticky tape. Attach them to an ordinary nail gun, and press on the trigger. The flame can be regulated depending on how hard you press the trigger. This is very useful for lighting campfires if it’s wet outside.
#11. A juice squeezer
How to make it: Take 2 plastic bottles — a large one and a small one. Cut off the upper part of the larger bottle, and place the smaller bottle upside down inside it. Fasten the construction together with the help of wooden skewers or chopsticks. Your miniature juice squeezer is ready.
Photographer: Roman Zakharchenko for BrightSide.me
