DIY Life

The younger set is getting ready for new experiences as well. Preschoolers will be moving on to elementary school. Kindergarteners will be moving up the ranks to first grade. What better way to recognize this milestone than with an official graduation cap, complete with tassel? I'll tell you more after the break.

Last year, we hungrily watched the strawberry patch we had planted the year before. Finally, one June day, the berries were nearly perfect. We decided to give them one more day to ripen, but when we went out the next day to pick them... GONE.

The birds had eaten every last one. I've yet to forgive them.

This year, the strawberry patch is bigger; we've added a fairly large veggie garden as well. I'm a lazy gardener, which means that I want the highest yield possible for the smallest amount of work. That also means that I don't share with birds.

I'll net the berries in a week or so to keep them safe, but that's an impractical solution for the garden. Instead, I need some great ideas for discouraging birds in the first place. I'll tell you what I've got in mind after the break.

CDs and DVDs get scratched, and CD-Rs sometimes burn incorrectly and become useless, yet it seems so wasteful to just throw these shiny silver circles into the trash. You might try fixing them first, but if that doesn't work... what then? Surely something can be done with them, right?

Hints and Things has more than a few clever ideas. In fact, they have over 100 uses for CDs that are otherwise headed for the landfill. Some of my favorites include:

• Greendisk, for recycling or for Discsfordogs.org.
• Make a switch plate.
• Use as a pooper scooper.
• Create a "rear view mirror" on your computer.
• When painting, use as an artist's palette.
• Make place tags at a party.
• Use as a stencil.

If you're feeling especially creative, you could also build a CD tower lamp. Finally, if you need a project for all those leftover CD cases as well, check out these ideas for creating wall art or a calendar out of them.

Real Simple has some great tips for making the most of your ceremony, including your vows to each other. They suggest that if you think you'll suffer from stage fright, or if you just need to have traditional words spoken during your ceremony, then you should probably go ahead and choose traditional vows appropriate to your beliefs.

But if you want to be unique, you can always write your own vows. Real Simple has a few recommendations for writing your own wedding vows, which I'll share with you after the break:

Chemical air fresheners have come under fire in the last few years for containing chemicals called phthalates, which can affect hormones in the body, as well as other potentially dangerous components. Some have even been found to reduce lung capacity, which is one of the reasons we don't use them at our house.

But just because you've decided not to use chemical fragrances doesn't mean that you don't like things to smell pretty. I'll show you how to make a simple, natural air freshener that is chemical-free, as well as inexpensive and easy to make after the break.

I lead a pretty tame life...the kind of life that doesn't leave me worried that someone's spying on me with a hidden camera. Oh, I suppose that every now and then, a security camera at the grocery store zeros in on me to make sure I'm not stuffing mangoes in my pocket, but really, does that even count?

Just in case, however, I'm going to file away this Instructables post on how to detect a hidden camera. It's simple, really. You just find yourself a cardboard tube (think toilet paper or paper towel) and a flashlight. Put the tube up to your eye, then turn the flashlight on and hold it at eye level. Scan the room for any points of light being reflected at you. When you find one, investigate.

Of course, they could also be harmless pieces of floating dust, reflections off glass and home decor, or anything else that bounces light back to you. That's what I found at my house when I tried it. But if your life is more exciting than mine, you might just discover that you're being watched.

City dwellers and those who want to compost year-round can still compost food items, however. You just need some little critters to help the process along. I'm talking about composting with worms.

Worms? Really?

When you provide worms with an appropriate home, they'll work their way through your food scraps and create a dark, rich, moist material that your garden will love. I'll talk more about what types of worms to use and how to build a home for them after the break.

Some DIYers do it themselves out of necessity. Others do it for fun and entertainment value. And sometimes, they do it for love. Take Bill Bramanti of Illinois, who loves Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. A lot. So much so that he designed his own coffin to look exactly like a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Mr. Bramanti isn't going anywhere anytime soon, at least to his knowledge, though he has crawled inside to test his coffin out. Instead, for now, his custom-designed coffin will serve as a beer cooler, which he'll naturally fill with his favorite beverage.

Bramanti ordered the coffin from a local funeral home and then had a local sign company create the giant beer can. Bramanit put them together to create one giant conversation piece and a guarantee that he'll spend the afterlife with his favorite brew.

Fairies or (faeries) are mythical creatures with wings and often, supernatural powers. Interestingly, though fairies are often thought to be tiny, innocent, and typically feminine, folklore has it that fairies were often known to be mischievous or even malicious.

Either way, modern fairies are often associated with nature and are pretty popular right now, both with children (think Tinkerbell) as well as older kids, teens, and adults. Chances are that if you don't already have a doll house hanging around your attic or playroom, you can get your hands on one at a garage sale or rummage sale for a few dollars or less.

Once you do, you can spend an afternoon converting that plastic plaything into a fairy fantasy land. All you need is some gray or brown spray paint, a hot glue gun, and then an assortment of natural materials of your choosing. It's bound to thrill the fairy fanatic in your life!

I don't fold my sheets. There, I said it. It's not that I don't know how. I do know how; I helped my mom with laundry all the time when I was a kid. But I don't really know how to do it by myself. What do you do when no one is holding the other end? So, I just sort of do a half-hearted fold, then wrap them all up until they fit into my linen closet.

Now you know one of my deepest, darkest secrets.

Ok, I kid (about the secret, not about not folding my sheets). The truth is, neatly folded sheets just aren't a priority for me. I mean, they're sheets. When I use them, my eyes are closed. Who cares if they're wrinkled?

Picture frames are popular Mother's Day gifts, there's no doubt. They're also popular gifts for aunts, grandmothers, and cherished caregivers.

Rather than plucking a picture frame off of the shelf at your favorite store, however, why not give your mom a keepsake photo gift that she can treasure forever? DIY Network has directions for a fold-out memory book for anyone who treasures pictures of loved ones.

The album is made from envelopes, which are glued together in a "chain" by adhering the flap of one to the back of the next. After that, quotation stickers and other embellishments are used to decorate the envelopes. Mat your photos and journal on the back of each, then fold it all together for a thoughtful, sentimental gift.

This is also a perfect gift for those who live far away, because it's small and easy to mail!

Though environmental groups have been warning us about the dangers of bisphenol--A (BPA) for years, a recent study by the National Toxicology Program that confirmed those findings has manufacturers of plastic bottles finally sitting up and taking notice.

BPA, which is a known endocrine disrupter, can leach into food products. In lab studies, it's linked to precancerous tumors and early puberty. Because BPA is in everything from plastic bottles to dental sealants to baby bottles, it's hard to avoid.

When the news broke about the most recent government study, Nalgene, a popular maker of plastic reusable drinking bottles, announced that they'd be pulling their bottles made with BPA off the shelves and replacing them with BPA-free versions.

When the Mexican militia finally ousted the French army from the city of Puebla (on their way to attack Mexico City), there was reason to celebrate. After all, the French had supposedly come to Mexico only to collect on debts owed to them. Instead, they brought along a ruling prince and set themselves up to be in charge.

The French believed that the Mexican militia could never defeat their modern army, but they did, changing Mexican and perhaps American history forever. The battle took place on May 5, 1862. Every year since, Cinco de Mayo (or 5th of May) has been considered a holiday.

It's a day to party and to celebrate, and also a good time to get a taste of Mexican culture. I'll give you plenty of tips on how to throw your own Cinco de Mayo party after the break.

There are a lot of reasons why the lowly bean bag is still a popular piece of furniture, even after all these years. They're comfortable (ergonomic, even), easy to clean, and low maintenance. They're portable, which makes them perfect for college students. They're also versatile and can be easily stored, then pulled out for quick seating. Finally, they sit low on the ground, perfect for watching TV or playing video games.

Bean bags are also inexpensive to buy, but even more so to make. By making your own bean bags, you also can create custom seating that matches your decor perfectly. To make a bean bag, you'll need:

• a sewing machine
• 3.8 yards of fabric of your choice
• 3.8 yards of inexpensive fabric (for the inner bag)
• 50 cm zipper
• beanbag filling
• scissors
• thread
• pencil

Ready to get started? WikiHow will show you how. Before you know it, you'll be sitting back relaxing in your own, personalized bean bag chair.

Last night, as I sat working at my computer, I heard a noise that sounded like a cross between a cricket and a squirrel. It didn't register immediately, but then suddenly, alarm bells went off. I knew exactly what makes that noise -- a bat.

I peeked out my home office door. There on the floor, slightly trapped under the basement door, was a bat. It looked right at me, opened its mouth, and squealed. I squealed back and slammed the office door. Luckily, my husband's pretty handy with a coffee can, or I might have been stuck in the office all night.

The safest way to get a bat out of your home is to close off the room it's in and open the windows. Barring that, you can cover it with a coffee can or similar container and gently slide a magazine underneath, then take the animal outdoors.

After the break, I'll discuss how to keep them from getting in in the first place.