INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Dyeing clay can be messy. Make sure your hands and your work surface are protected from staining. Only work on disposable or washable surfaces, like a sheet of wax paper over a counter or a plastic cutting board. Wear plastic or rubber gloves, especially if you're working with oil paint or food coloring. Disposable gloves are best. Spend some time kneading and pressing the clay with your hands before you add the colorant. This will help it soften so it can absorb the color more quickly and evenly. Kneading means to repeatedly press your fingers into the clay.The time you spend kneading will depend on the temperature and altitude you're at, but it shouldn't take more than 5 minutes. You'll know it's done when the color is distributed evenly all through the clay. Be careful adding additional colorant--you shouldn't add more than a drop at a time. Be sure to knead the clay thoroughly after each drop!

SUMMARY: Set up your work surface. Knead the clay before adding colorant. Continue adding one drop of colorant until the clay is the color you want.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Avoid generic texts like "Hey," "What's up?" or "What are you doing?" since they're not ideal for starting conversations. Instead, try to personalize the texts to your crush. This will make you stand out in a positive way and shows that you're interested in them as an individual. Try referring to the last conversation you had with them. For example, if they mentioned a big test or work project, ask them how it went. Talk about their interests. If you know your crush is a fan of a specific band, ask about their new album. If they have a favorite sports team, talk about a recent game. Use your texts to show your crush that you're fun to be around. Keep the conversation focused on pleasant topics, and don't be afraid to send a joke or two. Remember that comedy and sarcasm can be hard to decipher in texts, so make it clear when you're joking by using an emoji or a phrase like "lol" or "haha." Unless you know your crush enjoys them, you should probably avoid crass jokes. Even if you don't intend to, crude jokes or comments might make your crush uncomfortable or nervous. You don't need to write out an elaborate paragraph when texting. However, people are more likely to say yes to a date if your message has good spelling and grammar. Doublecheck your message before you send it to make sure there are no obvious mistakes. If you haven't heard back from your crush, don't bombard them with texts. They may be busy or trying to decide what to say, and a bunch of texts can be overwhelming. If you haven't heard back in a day or two, you can try sending another message to see if they respond. If they still haven't answered, they may not be interested. You don't want to overwhelm your crush, so show a similar level of enthusiasm. Sending three long texts back for every short text they send will make you seem overly eager. Instead, try to match your message lengths to theirs.

SUMMARY: Make the texts personal. Talk about happy things. Use correct spelling and grammar. Give your crush time to respond. Send a similar amount of texts as your crush.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Make stacks with one piece each of cut pineapple, banana, and strawberry. Press a popsicle stick through each stack. Place the fruit popsicles in an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze them for one or two hours, or until they're solid. For best results, use a banana that's slightly unripe or just turning ripe. Your bites will eventually turn out mushy if your fruit, especially the banana, is too ripe. Place the coconut oil and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, then repeat until the chocolate is completely melted. If you prefer to use a stovetop, heat the chocolate and oil over low heat and stir constantly. Start melting the chocolate when the fruit becomes solid. Remove the chocolate from heat once it's melted. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper, so you'll have somewhere to put your chocolate-dipped popsicles. Dip one side of each fruit stack into the melted chocolate, then let the excess drip. If you're using chopped nuts or shredded coconut, immediately dip the chocolate-covered fruit popsicle into a bowl of the nut topping. After dipping, place each popsicle onto the parchment paper and let them rest until the chocolate hardens. After the chocolate is completely hard, transfer the bites into an airtight container or freezer bag. Place them in the freezer overnight, and store them there until you're ready to serve. If you pack a lunch with them or want to serve them at an outing, it's a good idea to transport them with an ice pack to prevent a melted chocolate mess.

SUMMARY: Assemble the fruit onto popsicle sticks. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil. Dip the fruit popsicles in the chocolate. Freeze your banana split bites overnight.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Many dye packages come with a soda ash solution, which helps the dye to bond with the fabric of your shirt. Dissolve the soda ash solution into a bowl of water, and let your shirt soak for around twenty minutes. If your dye did not come with soda ash, you can soak the shirt in lukewarm water. You can also choose to buy soda ash separate from your dye kit at a local craft store. Do not use cold or hot water, as they will make the dyes less effective. If you don't want the dyes to spread very far on the shirt, don't get it wet before adding the color. Dying a damp shirt helps the color to travel further, faster. So, if you want your color to be relatively isolated, dye it while it's dry.

SUMMARY:
Soak your shirt.