For the bored, locked-down and lonely

Tutorial: Make an upcycled belt

Alright pals, I have to confess something: I can’t find my upcycled belt anywhere in the giant wilderness that is my wardrobe, so I can’t show you how cool it looks. You’re just going to have to imagine how cool an upcycled belt made out of an old bike inner tube would look on my child-bearing hips.

Nonetheless, this super-fun project is a brilliant way to make yourself a brand new accessory for FREE or just the cost of a couple of doohickeys.

YOU WILL NEED:

  • A sturdy material that doesn’t fray to make the belt out of, for example: old inner tubes, old leather from a worn-out jacket, heavy-duty shopping bags (the vinyl-coated woven fabric kind), PVC, doubled-up duct tape…even an old waxed tablecloth would work!
  • Sharp scissors
  • Some scrap cardboard (i.e. from a cereal box)
  • Two rings slightly wider than the belt width you want, an old belt buckle or some velcro
  • Some strong glue

For this demonstration I will be using some lime-green duct tape because I mean wouldn’t you if you had lime-green duct tape?

Activity: Make delicious teas

Since we’re all spending a lot of time with our kettles these days, we deserve to enjoy the full spectrum of wonderful hot beverages the world has to offer. Here are some ideas for tea blends you can make as a single cup or mix in large batches (following the same proportions) to have a stash of warming ‘artisanal’ brews for whenever the need arises. A jar of homemade tea mixture is also a great gift!

Refreshing floral tea

For people who think tea can’t be refreshing – this tea will prove otherwise. The flower petals give a really uplifting fragrance to the cup. Combine 1 tablespoon (2 parts) Chinese black tea with 1 scant teaspoon (just under 1 part) dried flower petals – such as rose, cornflower or lavender – and pour freshly boiled water over. Add milk if you like!

illustration for floral tea

Fragrant jasmine blend

This simple tea blend has the perfumy crispness of Earl Grey but is a little less conventional. Combine 1 tablespoon (2 parts) black tea with 1 teaspoon (1 part) jasmine tea and pour freshly boiled water over. A splash of milk works here too!

illustration for jasmine blend

Toasty redbush brew

This is such a warming, nutty cup of comfort. And since it’s caffeine-free it makes a perfect evening bevvy. Mix 1 tablespoon (2 parts) redbush tea with a teabag of ginger tea or a teaspoon (1 part) of looseleaf ginger tea in an infuser – for a large batch, it is best to use looseleaf redbush and looseleaf ginger tea so you can mix up a whole jar. Brew with a slice of lemon and a trickle of honey to taste.

illustration for redbush brew

Spicy chai

NOTE: This recipe is hard to make in smaller quantities than this, so these quantities make enough for about 5 servings.

Whip up a blend of 5 tablespoons black tea, 1 teaspoon of cloves, 1 crumbled cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon of cardamom pods and half a teaspoon of peppercorns. You’ll need one tablespoon of this mixture per cup. You can either pour boiling water over the mixture or simmer it in a pan of water to infuse (the second method is more traditional!). Add milk and sugar to taste.

illustration for chai tea

Happy belly tea

Feeling a bit overstuffed? Got stomachache? Queasy? This tea is soothing to the guts but also tastes darn delicious. Combine 1 tablespoon (2 parts) fennel seeds to 1 teaspoon (1 part) cardamom pods (gently bashed with a pestle and mortar) or a handful of fresh mint leaves. Infuse with boiling water and add honey to taste.

illustration for belly tea

Tangy citrus tea

This tea goes great with pan-asian food and tastes super fresh! Rather than mixing up a dry batch, you can pack tablespoons of the mixture into the indentations of an ice cube tray and freeze it – then just pour boiling water over one block of tea blend whenever you like!

Combine 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh ginger, 2 chopped lime slices and 1 inch of chopped lemongrass in an infuser (or one ice cube tray compartment). Infuse in boiling water and add honey to taste!

illustration for citrus tea

Fruity iced tea

Maybe you’ve drank enough hot beverages for an entire lifetime and are ready for something different. Make a carafe of this tasty fruity iced tea and keep it in the fridge for an ‘artisanal’ alternative to sodas and other sugary bottled drinks.

Brew up 2 tablespoons of rosehip tea, a handful of fresh orange slices and a generous drizzle of honey in hot water. Allow the infusion to cool and then strain out the solids and pop it in the fridge – it will keep for a couple of days.

illustration for iced tea

Tutorial: How to make beeswax wraps

Beeswax are the eco-friendly alternative to clingfilm and aluminium foil – because your sandwiches, blocks of cheese and carrot sticks deserve ONLY THE FINEST. Also – and this is the best bit – they are super easy and fun to make, and a perfect way to upcycle old shirts or duvet covers. It’s a vaguely addictive activity – one morning you’ll wake up and realise there is no one left in your social circle to gift a set of beeswax wraps to.

how to make beeswax wraps tutorial

Click here to download a high-quality printable version of this tutorial.

SHIT TO DO is here!

The global pandemic has been hard on all of us – but while kids and families have all manner of resources and support to get through it all, the rest of us have been left to deal with things as best we can. SHIT TO DO is here to make that easier. We’re a free online repository of activities, recommendations and stuff to read, curated to help adults spend their free time being creative, having fun and trying out new hobbies.

Are you a writer? A crafter? A maker? A creative type? Or do you have a particular skill, like bike repair or wildflower identification? We’re looking for all kinds of contributors to create either beginner-level tutorials, articles or creative writing for our repository and weekly newsletter. 

For example, we plan to launch SHIT TO DO with content including:

  • A writing activity for people who might not have tried out creative writing before
  • A tutorial on how to get started with nail art
  • A tutorial on how to make your own beeswax wraps
  • Cooking tips to help people get creative in the kitchen
  • A how-to on making dried flowers with ideas for using them in different crafts
  • A tutorial for making a mini moss garden to keep on your windowsill

With this project we hope to provide a diverse resource for adults of all ages who are bored, lonely and/or feeling low due to the lockdown.

If you would like to contribute or are interested but not sure how to get involved, get in touch with us at contributions@shit-to-do.com!