DIY Life

OK, I usually don't go for the "household item" craft projects... oftentimes, they look just like what they are. The pasta necklaces? They're nothing but macaroni on a string.

Better Homes and Gardens has changed my mind, though, with their pasta tree centerpiece project. This fancy little number is hip and funky, and doesn't look like old pasta at all.

All you need are a few simple materials; BHG promises that the project will cost less than ten dollars.

What makes it so stylish is that once you glue your pasta tree together, you spray-paint the entire thing black, then paint the separate colors, allowing the black paint to show through in the crevices.

Another thing you could do is make a few of these and customize them:

• one for Fall, using burnt orange, olive green, sienna, and other complimentary colors
• a Christmas tree, with all shades of greens and reds and silvers and golds for a modern look
• match your dining room color scheme
• give one to a friend as a housewarming surprise!

There's no limit to the stylish trees you can create, so let your imagination take you to new heights of home decor... by way of the pasta aisle in your supermarket.