Last fall, we polled the Facebook community to let them choose the type of beer we’d make for an article on DIY beer. And we were thrilled when readers chose stout!

Self-proclaimed beer enjoyer Rick Schuler made a smooth, creamy milk stout for the how-to home-brew feature. Try making milk stout for yourself with his recipe below, and read his thoughts on how it turned out in our new issue.

For the mash – 60 min

• 7 pounds Maris Otter; Crisp
• 1 pound roasted barley; Briess
• 12 ounces caramel Malt 60L; Briess
• 12 ounces chocolate malt
• 12 ounces Munich Malt; Best Malz
• 10 ounces Barley Flaked
• 8 ounces Oats Flaked

Liquor: 3.5 gal
Strike: 187.04°F
Target: 152.0°F

For the fly sparge
Sparge volume: 4.5 gal
Sparge temperature: 180°F
Runoff: 6.25 gal

For the boil – 60 min

• .35 ounce Magnum (14.5%) - boiled 60 m
• 1 Whirlfloc Tablet (Irish moss) - boiled 10 m
• 1 ounce (74.1%) East Kent Goldings - boiled 10 m
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient - boiled 10 m
• 1 pound lactose – boiled 5 m

Yeast: 1098 British Ale

OG: 1.058
FG: 1.014

Yields: 5.5 gallons of bee

We all have general aches and pains, but we don’t all have a massage therapist on call. Now you can do it at home with these DIY massage tips from expert Michele Maruniak, who suggests using household items—like a tennis ball—to work out your pain.

• Baby got back-ache? Lean against a door frame with a tennis ball behind your back. As you move around, the knots will work themselves out. The size of a tennis ball gives you the least pressure, and decreasing the size, such as a racquetball or golf ball, will increase the pressure. 
• On your feet too much? Put the tennis ball under your foot on the floor. Roll your foot around from your toes to heels to loosen the plantar fascia, the tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes.

Find more DIY massage techniques in our latest issue.

Get creative this Valentine’s Day with a homemade scratch-off card for your loved one. When we saw it in this month’s Better Homes and Gardens, we knew we had to share it with you in our February/March issue.

Would you believe the silver part is made with metallic paint and dishwashing liquid? Print out the template for a last-minute DIY gift.

We will definitely be taking advantage of this resourceful, cheap and adorable DIY gift wrapping idea this year. 

Tape together old newspapers to use as wrapping paper, then add a ribbon in a festive color or pattern and a gift tag marked with the recipient’s initial in the same color scheme as your ribbon.

The single color scheme and personalized gift tags turn the entire look from simple to striking. 

(via jordanyounis)

Our next submission for the costume contest came from within the Facets team, and while not eligible to win the Halloween-themed gift basket, this costume was too good to keep to ourselves. We give you: the Box of Franzia costume.

Here’s how to make your own:

1. Buy a cheap white cardboard box, or take one from your parent’s basement, that’s large enough to fit around your person. Cut holes in the sides for your arms.
2. Google image search “Franzia,” and then draw the front of the box of wine on the front of your cardboard box costume. Use different shades of pink, red or purple depending on what type of wine you prefer.
3. Shamelessly buy an actual box of Franzia. Make sure to coordinate the type of wine depending on what color is on your costume.
4. Open the box of wine and remove the plastic bag that actually contains the wine. Use duck tape to secure the wine bag to the inside of the front of your costume, so that the wine spout pokes out at the bottom.

You are now equipped with a DIY costume that is less about fashion and more about function. Encourage your friends to take part, and may you all enjoy Halloween responsibly.

The lovely Amelia, of xameliax, just emailed us an update on her Pumpkin costume. Check out her orange dress with the black appliqué pumpkin face. We can’t wait to see the finished product!

Think this idea is great? “Like” it to cast your vote! And don’t forget to submit your DIY costume ideas through Tumblr or to info@thefacetsmag.com.

One of our all-time favo(u)rite English girls, Amelia, of xameliax, sent along the second DIY costume idea for our contest going on this week—a Pumpkin.

“I’m going as a pumpkin this year!” she said. “I have an orange dress, a green wig, some orange and black stripy tights and black shoes! I am sewing black interfacing onto the front of my dress (two triangles and a smile), and I’m also making a necklace and bracelets with artificial ivy.” Check her out in this adorable green wig from Wonderland Wigs. Thanks for the submission!

In case you missed the debut DIY costume from yesterday, take a look at the creative Taco Bell hot sauce idea. And don’t forget to submit your DIY costume ideas through Tumblr or to info@thefacetsmag.com.

Think this idea is great? “Like” it to cast your vote!

(via xameliax)

Well would you look at that—we have our first DIY Halloween costume idea! For those of you who can’t deny an 89 cent crunchy taco, try out this easy Taco Bell Hot Sauce costume.

This one, submitted via email from Courtney A., is “easy if you happen to have hot sauce-colored clothing (orange, yellow, red, etc.) lying around.” If you find yourself without an orange shirt or a red dress, pick up a cheap T-shirt or other colored clothing items from a local store.

Use white fabric paint or iron-on letters to add either ”MILD,” ”HOT,” “FIRE,” or “ZESTY” to the shirt or top of your costume. Then attach the Taco Bell symbol at the bottom for more decoration.

She suggested that it works best if you arrange a group costume with each person in the group as a different flavor. For even more fun, have one friend in the group dress up as a taco or burrito to go with the sauces.

Think this idea is great? “Like” it to cast your vote!