MAKE MOSS ‘PAINT’ FOR THE GARDEN • Wouldn’t it be nice to simply paint some moss between the cracks of your stone walkway, on the sides of flowerpots or anywhere else you want it to grow? Well, you can. Just dump a cup of plain active-culture yogurt into your blender along with a handful of lawn moss and about a cup of water. Blend for about 30 seconds. Use a paintbrush to spread the mixture wherever you want moss to grow—as long as the spot is cool and shady. Mist the moss occasionally until it gets established.
MAKE A FACIAL MASK • You don’t have to go to a spa to give your face a quick assist. Try these:
To cleanse your skin and tighten the pores, slather some plain yogurt on your face and let it sit for about 20 minutes, then rinse clean.
For a revitalizing face mask, mix 1 teaspoon (5 ml) plain yogurt with the juice from 1/4 slice of orange, some of the orange pulp, and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) aloe vera. Leave on your face at least 5 minutes before rinsing thoroughly.
RELIEVE SUNBURN • For quick, temporary relief of mild sunburn, apply cold, plain yogurt. Yogurt adds much needed moisture and, at the same time, its coldness soothes. Rinse with cool water.
CURE DOG OR CAT FLATULENCE • If your pet has been a bit odoriferous lately, the problem may be a lack of the friendly digestive bacteria that prevent gas and diarrhea. The active culture in plain yogurt can help restore the beneficial bacteria. Add 2 teaspoons (10 ml) yogurt to the food of cats or small dogs weighing up to 14 pounds (6 kg), 1 tablespoon (15 ml) for medium-sized dogs 15 to 34 pounds (7–15 kg), 2 tablespoons (30 ml) for large dogs 35 to 84 pounds (16–38 kg), and 3 tablespoons (45 ml) for dogs larger than that.
MAKE PLAY FINGER PAINT
Ready for some messy rainy-day fun? Mix food coloring with yogurt to make finger paints and let the kids go wild. You can even turn it into a lesson about primary and secondary colors. For example, have the kids put a few drops of yellow food coloring and a few drops of red in the yogurt to make orange finger paint. Or mix red and blue to produce purple.