Diane Rixon

- xtcmxon Flickr
- DIY Disasters!

- articnomad on Flickr
- 16 Unusual Uses for Microwaves

- shawnzlea on Flickr
- Daily DIY: The Original Dryer Ball
Links We Love: Stylish Wine Bottle Wrap & Cookie Exchange Invites
- by Diane Rixon (RSS feed) on Nov 20th 2009 12:00PM
- Filed under miscellaneous
Photo: All Things G&D
These cookie exchange party invitations are simply inspired. Vintage-style tags are tied to sweet mini cookie spatulas. – Brooklyn Limestone
In a similar holiday vein, tiny muslin baggies make perfect containers for homemade hot cocoa mix. Ideal for gifts or party favors. Decorate the bags with fabric transfers ... or just tie-on labels. – Cathie Filian
Continue reading Links We Love: Stylish Wine Bottle Wrap & Cookie Exchange Invites
Hammer Nails Painlessly
- by Diane Rixon (RSS feed) on Nov 19th 2009 12:00PM
- Filed under fix-it
Photo: jolien_vallins, Flickr
1. Grip it right. Hold the hammer near the middle of the handle to start a nail. This gives extra precision that will (hopefully!) protect your fingers.
2. Tap gently, swinging from the wrist. This gets the nail started in a hole. Remove your hand from the nail.
3. Swing firmly from the elbow. This will drive the nail into the hole.
Still banging your fingers ... or missing the mark completely? Frustrating! But here are a couple of tricks to try:
Continue reading Hammer Nails Painlessly
5 Thanksgiving Tension Taming Tips
- by Diane Rixon (RSS feed) on Nov 18th 2009 12:00PM
- Filed under entertaining
Photo: cardamom, Flickr
If you're dreading another unpleasant Thanksgiving dinner, why not try some of the following tension taming tips. Who knows? Perhaps you'll become the family peacemaker this year!
1. Have a seating plan. The atmosphere will be oh-so-much improved if you can match like-minded family members at the table. Here's how to do it without sounding like a bossy boots: have the kids make and decorate cute place name cards. If you emphasize it was the kids' contribution to the big day, you'll boost the odds that everyone will obediently sit where you would like.
Continue reading 5 Thanksgiving Tension Taming Tips
DIY & Save: Home Strength Workouts For Pennies
- by Diane Rixon (RSS feed) on Nov 17th 2009 12:00PM
- Filed under health and wellness
Photo: adifansnet, Flickr
1. DIY Ab Bench. A step-by-step guide tells you how to make a simple abdominal strengthening bench. This one requires just a sturdy plank and PVC pipe screwed to the rail of someone's deck. – Fitness Training at Home
2. Bulgarian Training Bag. An inner tube filled with sand makes a versatile – and cheap! – half-moon shaped training bag. It's a fraction of the cost of dumbbells but can be used in just as many different ways. – DIY Strength Gear
3. DIY Medicine Ball. Stab a basketball, fill with sand then glue it up with Liquid Nails and tape with duct tape. It ain't pretty, but it does the job of a real medicine ball ... without the expense. – Washington Post
Links We Love: Aussie-style Xmas Wreaths & Hot Home Colors
- by Diane Rixon (RSS feed) on Nov 13th 2009 12:00PM
- Filed under miscellaneous
Photo: Absolutely Beautiful Things
Planning a room redo? Shelter Pop predicts next year's hottest home colors. – Shelter Pop
Give little ones a worthy seat at the kids' Thanksgiving dinner table this November. This example in Country Living shows how it's done. –via It's the Little Things That Make a House a Home
Blogger Nicole reveals the yummy and relaxing paint colors used throughout her home. Pretty pinks and "Chocolate Froth" really speak to me. – Making it Lovely
Continue reading Links We Love: Aussie-style Xmas Wreaths & Hot Home Colors
Landscaping Ideas for Winter
- by Diane Rixon (RSS feed) on Nov 12th 2009 12:00PM
- Filed under gardening and plants
Photo: la fattina, Flickr
Hardscapes are what you need. These are permanent, solid objects that complement the planted landscape. We're talking garden benches, pergolas, stepping stones, boulders and picket fences. All of these things define and beautify your garden through the barren months of winter ... and they are effective in hot, drought-prone zones also.
Click on my slideshow to get hardscape ideas for your own yard!
Top 3 Facebook Privacy Tips
- by Diane Rixon (RSS feed) on Nov 11th 2009 12:00PM
- Filed under computers and internet
Photo: Gauldo, Flickr
1. Create Friends lists and use them to customize access to your profile. Go to your Friends page then, under Lists, click on Friends and start sorting. Lists keep co-workers and casual acquaintances from hearing all about your wild spring break party or close-friends-only baby shower -- without hurting anyone's feelings. Good to know, right?
2. Restrict access by other FB users. Your default settings probably allow other users (people you have not "friended") to view parts or all of your profile, photos and status updates. A quick tweak of your privacy settings fixes that, however. Go to Settings, then Privacy Profile, then alter all the drop-down boxes to "Only Friends."
Continue reading Top 3 Facebook Privacy Tips
DIY & Save: Faucet Aerators Cut Utility Costs
- by Diane Rixon (RSS feed) on Nov 10th 2009 12:00PM
- Filed under plumbing
Photo: Joe Shlabotnik, Flickr
Was your home built prior to 1989? Do the fixtures date to that era or earlier? Then chances are high your faucets need the addition of aerators. Turn on the cold water and observe: does the water gush out fast and unrestricted as, say, water from your garden hose might? Or does it flow fast, yet feel somewhat lighter and fizzier in your hands?
If it's the former, you probably need aerators. Unscrew the faucet spigot (the nozzle where the water comes out) to double check. The latter means you probably have them already.
Continue reading DIY & Save: Faucet Aerators Cut Utility Costs
DIY Lists
Daily DIY: Five Ways to Re-Use a Plastic Bag
Welcome the Fall With Apples Galore!
DIY & Save: 20 Foods That Freeze Surprisingly Well ... and 20 That Don't
Unusual Uses: Digital Cameras - 22 Clever Uses
10 After-School Snacks Your Child Can Make
About DIY Life
Do Life! DIY Life highlights the best in "do-it-yourself" projects.
Here you'll find all types of projects, from hobbies and crafts to home improvement and tech.
DIY Life Contributors
| # | Contributor | Posts | Cmts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erin Loechner | 45 | 0 |
| 2 | Diane Rixon | 22 | 3 |







