Winter weather and a lack of outdoor space don't have to dash your gardening dreams. It turns out, you can harvest kale right in your living room, or carrots in your kitchen. Indoor gardening is a fun, cost-effective, and eco-friendly way to grow your own food. According to Jasmine Jefferson, the founder of Black Girls With Gardens (blackgirlswithgardens.com)—a collective that provides education, support, inspiration, and representation to Black women and women of color through gardening—there are other benefits, too. “It’s really nourishing physically, spiritually, and...

You don’t need holiday magic to turn your paper recycling—cardboard, newspaper, and brown packing paper—into bright, happy ornaments. Just some paint and a few household supplies. These fruit and fungi are a feast for the eyes, but once you get the hang of papier-mâché (essentially using tape, glue, and water to create long-lasting paper sculptures), you can customize any ornament you want, taking “reduce and reuse” to a whole new level. What You'll Need Stiff cardboard Pen Scissors Newspaper Masking tape Lids or bowls for tracing circles: 3" lid for citrus (parmesan or...

Want some ideas for inexpensive gifts you can make with love and easily send to all your friends? We’ve got you covered with a sassy tassel keychain, a big-ass scrunchie, and a daisy chain necklace—small, simple, lightweight DIYs that won’t cost you a mint to mail. You know what they say about good things and small packages.  The No-Hassle Tassel  Turn embroidery floss into a cute little trinket that will liven up any ol’ set of keys. Just add beads and a lobster claw clasp.  MATERIALS Lobster claw keychain...

As we finally eat the last of those Thanksgiving leftovers, we can officially announce that it’s go-time for the Christmas season. Every year someone around the world is wondering what to get for the ones they love most. Maybe another bag, another sweater, or another perfume gift set, but what about for the feminist friend? You could purchase another mug that says “Feminist” or another photo of Beyoncé in her “Formation” outfit throwing the middle fingers, or you could be daring and try one of...

In the Survival Skills for Badass Bitches series, writer Melanie LaForce walks you through everything you need to know to survive the outdoors, tough situations, and/or the forthcoming apocalypse.  2020 has taught us that we can expect the unexpected. The universe has spoken, and plainly stated that “All bets are fucking off.” Amidst pandemic, violence, wildfires, hurricanes, and oh yeah, fucking cannibal hornets, you’ll need some strategies to take the chaos in stride with a fat smile. We’re here to give you some real-world bad ass witch skills,...

Add some magic to your favorite photos by getting a little knotty. The often feared but oh-so-fabulous French knot is easier to ace than you might imagine. It’s also the perfect embroidery stitch to transform your fabric-printed photos into wall-ready works of art. Have a yearbook photo that needs a makeover? A group portrait you want to add some extra joy to? Thoughtful placement of a few French knots can highlight trim on an outfit, punctuate the center of a flower, or fill the air with...

Lots of people talk about making podcasts, but don’t follow through. Maybe time, funding, and patience – or confidence – are in short supply. None of this should stop you. Unique, personal experience is what makes a podcast work, along with good sound quality and some careful planning. With all the big changes happening in society right now, your podcast can serve as a message in a bottle to those at a distance or for future generations. It can help you build community and make...

We all have that favorite pair of perfectly broken-in jeans we couldn’t imagine living without. And we have all probably experienced the heartbreak when a hole appears in the worst of all places—the crotch! Thankfully, with a patch and a sewing machine, the dreaded crotch blowout is a pretty easy fix (especially if you catch the hole in the early stage). And since the jeans aren’t really wearable without a mend, it makes a perfect project for practicing your sewing skills!  Materials  Jeans to be repaired, scrap...

None of us could have predicted we’d be here, in our homes, quarantining from a global pandemic the first third of the new decade. But here we are. Dow is down, kids aren’t in school, Trump is being Trump, there are no gloves, thermometers, hand sanitizer, or even mouth masks on the shelves. But of all the shortages, there is no damn toilet tissue. When the shortage hit and viral videos of shoppers fighting over packs appeared online, BUST’s own Debbie Stoller asked “Am I...

When it comes to tidying up like a witch, there’s a lot more to it than just wiggling your nose at something messy. Here, BUST’s resident occultist shares how to add a touch of magical intent to your cleaning routine. Everyone knows spring cleaning is a thing, but for witches, it’s a whole-ass ritual. Typically it’s done on Ostara, the celebration of the spring equinox, which generally falls between March 19th and 21st. But you can adopt some of these pagan-inspired procedures any time you feel...