Photo: pjbeardsley, Flickr

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Photo: Holidash

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One herb a day keeps the flu at bay... Photo: Amy Mac

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Get creative with your Zhu Zhu Pets! Photo: Toys "R" Us

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Ants on a log is a child's favorite; switch up the recipe with low-fat cream cheese and dried fruit. Photo: Martha Stewart

Try English Muffin mini-pizzas for a tasty microwave treat. Photo: Taste.Com

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Anyone who has ever tried to outfit their bedroom knows that bedroom furniture is not cheap. So what do you do if you are short on cash, yet long for a stylish room? You do-it-yourself, of course.

There are a few things to consider before you begin. Think about your decorating style. Are you looking for something as a short term solution or are you looking to invest the time and energy into making a headboard that will last your for the long haul. How much time and energy do you really want to spend making a headboard? Do you want to make your headboard from items that you already own, then look around your house, garage, or attic at things that you have laying around that could be repurposed.

Here are some ideas to get you started.

Think beyond the metal scroll screen. There are many types of screens out there that can suit your own personal taste. You can even use vintage shutters hinged together.

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An old door can be made into a fabulous headboard that will be the focal point of your bedroom. You can sand and paint the door.

Or even leave it in its found state for that rustic, shabby chic look.

By now we have all seen how a section of picket fencing can be made into a quaint headboard that is perfect for a little girl's garden themed bedroom. But what about for a little boy? Look at this headboard made from baseball bats! I know quite a few sports minded little boys who would love this.

An interesting and contemporary twist on the traditional upholstered headboard. This can easily be recreated with 12" x 12" squares of plywood that you upholster yourself in fabrics that coordinate with your bedroom. Another twist on this would be to buy 12" x12" stretched canvases and paint them. I have also seen identical picture frames used as a faux headboard. Each frame was matted and had black and white family photos. While I thought it looked nice, I am not so sure I want to have my children's faces in 12" x 12" hanging right there over my bed. But maybe that's just me, I don't know.

Turn an old fireplace mantel into a unique headboard. I love that there is then a shelf above the bed for decorating.

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Not everyone has a dedicated mudroom for storing their coats, shoes, backpacks and other paraphernalia. However, even the smallest coat closet can be made into an effective and organized space. Many people like to keep the coat closet relatively empty for guests. Unless you're entertaining daily, reclaim your coat closet and instead get a coat tree for your front hall for hanging guests coats.

Reclaim your coat closet in these three easy steps:

Step One: Remove. Pull everything out of the closet. Yes, every single thing. As you pull the items out, segregate them into piles. Kids' coats, grown-up coats, hats, kids shoes, etc

Step Two: Assess. Decide what actually needs to live inside the closet. Can your vacuum cleaner move to a different location? What about all of your dress coats? I have many and realized one day that they don't all have to be in the front hall closet when I have a walk-in closet in my master bedroom. Move any of these items to their new home.

Step Three: Purge. Go through your items and get rid of anything that you don't need, like coats that no longer fit, mismatched gloves and mittens, scarves you never actually wear, and boots that are too small. Donate whatever is still usable to a shelter and throw away the rest.

Now you are left with the things that you have decided actually belong in your closet. It's time to organize.

Consider how you live and use your things. For example, if you live somewhere rainy, you don't want your umbrellas stored in a basket on high shelf out of reach. This system will just frustrate you and cause you not to use it.

Try hanging the rod higher than normal. This will give you room underneath the rod to either hang another rod, install some shelving, or even use some drawers to store the kids' socks and mittens. Remember if the kids can't reach it themselves, they aren't going to be able to put it away. One of the best things that you can do for them, and yourself, is to teach them to be self sufficient.

Think outside the box. An over-the-door shoe organizer doesn't have to be for shoes. Use it for scarves, mittens, and hats. It can also be a great place to store a pen and some note cards for those last-minute notes you need to send off to school.

Think like a child. They do not like to put stuff away. Make it easy for them. Instead of a second lower clothing rod, try some coat hooks. They can hang up their coats and backpacks themselves.

Alternately, hooks on the back of the door are perfect for hanging backpacks and purses. A set of hooks down low for the children and another set up high for the grown-ups.

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Looking at your child's messy room, wondering where to start? A good basket or bowl can make organizing a cinch. Baskets don't come cheap, though. Yarn bowls, though, aren't just great family fun -- they're an inexpensive way to help your kids keep their odds and ends organized.

The best part about a yarn bowl is that it can make use of all that leftover yarn you've got laying around from other projects. If the bowl is going in your child's room -- the crazier the colors, the better. If you'd rather display your bowl in a more grown-up area of the house, it's easy enough to choose coordinated colors instead.

Here's what you'll need:

• Several yards of yarn, cut into foot long pieces. For interest, try using a variety of different colors or textures.
• A play ball or a blown-up balloon -- the size of the ball will determine the size of your bowl.
• Glue -- you'll need plenty of it, especially if making a large bowl.

Check out the gallery below for instructions on creating your yarn bowl.

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• Bowls -- Preferably different shapes and sizes to add interest. Glass bowls won't be stained by the food coloring. Low bowls -- even flat pans like pie plates -- work best, because you'll use less water and therefore need less food coloring.
• Food coloring (various colors)
• Water
• White art paper
• Dish soap

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Do you ever look through the magazines with envy? How do those houses look so nice? Where do they have all the detritus of life stored? Where are all the fingerprints? And WHERE are the toys?

Well, it turns out that you do not have to sacrifice style just because you have children. Your house does not have to look like a toy store showroom threw up everywhere.

First and foremost, consider how you live-- how you really live, not the way you wish you lived. This means if you live in a house with messy people who spill things (and really doesn't this describe most children?), you will want to step away from the white silk furniture. If you have young children you are going to have different needs than if you have teenagers. Having both, I will tell you that I am not sure who is harder on furniture.

Washable paint is your friend. Paint comes in several different sheens. Flat, eggshell, semi-gloss and high gloss are examples; each paint manufacturer may have slightly different names for the type of paint. They like to confuse us like that. No matter how much you love flat paint, don't use it. It will be a mistake.

Children touch walls. They will walk down the hall and drag their dirty little hands on the wall. They will rub their bodies against the wall. There will come a time when you will see dirty footprints on your wall five feet in the air. Don't even bother asking, just rest comfortably in the knowledge that you can wash the wall without damaging the paint.

Create an area just for your children within the room. Children like to be with you. Young children don't like to be off all alone in a separate playroom somewhere. They will drag their toys from the playroom to be where you are. Embrace it. Look for ways to store the toys attractively.

Do you have a corner of the room where you can put down a small area rug to delineate their space? Place a child- sized table there for them to work on games or color. A low bookcase can be turned into a comfortable window seat by adding a cushion to the top. Some floor pillows next to the bookcase can make a perfect place for relaxing and reading books.

The same floor pillows work well for teenagers to lounge on the floor while watching TV or playing video games. Teenagers travel in packs. Have enough places for all of them to sit. Make them comfortable so that they will want to hang out at your house.

Containerize. A place for everything and everything in its place. Make it easy for your children to take care of their own things. Containers do not have to be ugly, primary colored, plastic eyesores. Wicker baskets are functional AND attractive. They also hide the toys when the children aren't actively playing, creating a clean and uniform look to your shelving. Get rid of the the plastic DVD cases and store your DVDs in attractive binders.

Choose multi-functional furniture. This could be something as simple as a coffee table that opens for storage inside. Upholstered ottomans that open for storage can do double duty as additional seating spaces. Once you have teenagers, there are never enough places for all of their friends to sit. Cabinets with doors in which to hide board games, legos, art supplies are also perfect choices.

Think durable. Children are rough of furniture. Choose upholstery that can withstand abuse and hide spills. Thinking of buying new furniture, you might want to check out the color of the stains on your current furniture before choosing a color. Alternately, you can buy washable slipcovers. They are easy to wash and replace should they get stained. So you can't have that white couch, you can have bright and cheery throw pillows.

Find a large coffee table that can withstand dings and bangs. We have one that is already "aged" so that the inevitable marks are relatively unnoticed. It is the perfect place for sitting around to play board games or for holding snacks during movies. Teenagers love their snacks. I have a friend who had plexi-glass cut to fit the top of her coffee table. Now she no longer worries about scratches or spills.

Don't forget about safety. For a house with small children look out for sharp corners on furniture. Make sure that there is ample room around the furniture for running around. Bolt bookcases and other heavy furniture to the walls. Your children will try to scale the furniture to get something out of their reach no matter how many times you tell them not to do it. Glass tabletops are a thing of the past.

Continue to decorate with things you love. No need to put all of your pretty decorations away. Of course if you have anything extremely valuable or irreplaceable, you don't want to have it sitting out in the line of fire. But vases, picture frames, and other breakables need not be relegated to gated off rooms. Children learn to appreciate beauty by living with it. Yes, things will occasionally get broken. Having pretty things to look at will make you happy while you try to overlook the stained furniture, the dings on your coffee table, and the fingerprinted walls.

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• toilet paper or paper towel tubes, one for each child
• poster paint -- preferably white
• paintbrushes
• multiple colors of tissue paper, cut into small squares
• paper plate or cardboard
• glue (optional)

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Once July 4th hits, it seems like we truly are in the throes of summer -- especially if you're experiencing the heat riddling a good part of the southern U.S. right now. Chances are the kids are feeling the heat right now, too, as they spend more time outdoors looking for things to do.

Here's an idea that combines all three -- round up the kids and make these patriotic popsicles. They're a great treat to have on hand for your Independence Day celebration, they're a refreshing alternative to soda for beating the heat, and it's a great DIY project to keep the kids busy for a few hours.

Check out this video for full instructions. We'd also like to hear from you. What are some easy, refreshing summer treats you enjoy making with your kids? Share your ideas in the comments section below and we may feature them in future How Now posts!

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By Debra McDuffee

I recently wrote a post with some ideas for planning every family staycation. As I was browsing the Internet today, I found that lots of other people have great ideas, too, but that the most unique ones came from Better Homes and Gardens.

BHG put together a gallery of their 25 best staycation ideas. Some of their more unique activities include:

• turning your home into a spa -- Make some spa-quality products at home and let the pampering begin: for your face, your hands and body, and your feet.
• going on a family bike ride
• flying a kite
• having a field day for the kids -- Or, create your own summer camp.
• organizing a block party -- You coulc choose to do this in a Mexican or Hawaiian theme, some of BHG's other party ideas.

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By Debra McDuffee

When I was a kid, many of my friends had slides going right into their pools. Cool. Not quite as cool as a water park, but it did the trick. Can you replicate the water park experience at home?

Homemade water slides are great fun... big fun... huge fun... if they're done right. I should probably write a Don't-it-yourself post on the contraption I have rigged in my backyard right now: a Little Tikes climber with the slide going right into my son's kiddie pool. Yes, it is wobbly and completely unsafe. Don't try this one at home, folks.

Instead, try making this water slide (reminds me of the old Slip 'N Slide from my childhood) from a piece of 4-ply plastic and a sprinkler. Stake it down every 4-5 feet so the plastic is stable, and send the kids whooshing. Rather than just hitting a patch of lawn at the bottom, you could always set up a trap to make a small "watering hole."

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By Debra McDuffee

Make a sprinkler? Why on earth would you do that when you can go out to just about any store and grab a cheap one for less than ten dollars?

I'll tell you why:

• You could be reusing waste materials from other projects to make your sprinkler.
• It's an easy and fun project you could even do with the kids.
• Speaking of kids, you could make an impressive play sprinkler for them to romp about in.
• You could create a system that would water your entire lawn.

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By Diane Rixon

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By Maureen Carter

It's summer and kids get bored. They want new things to play with and new things to do. Hey! How about playing in the sand. If you live in a landlocked state as I do, sand may be hard to find. So, why not make a sandbox?

Little woolgatherings has an awesome photo tutorial on how to make a sandbox in two hours or less. That means that in two hours your kids will have a new place to play and can quit saying "I'm bored!" for maybe two hours after that.

This look amazingly easy and fast especially if you are the DIY construction type. All you need are a few boards, tarps and sand. Check it out and make your kids an awesome new sandbox to keep them busy for a few extra hours this summer.

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By Maggie Vink

With skyrocketing gas prices, and the subsequently rising costs of food and what seems like everything else, most people just don't have quite as much room in their budget for vacations as they used to.

It's no surprise that staycation seems to be a major buzzword this year. This summer, my son and I are sticking quite close to home. If you ask my son, his favorite "vacations" of this summer may be the camping trips we've had in our own backyard.

I know it sounds silly, but there's something about setting up the tent and bringing out all the gear that's just thrilling for a kid. Even if the scenery is the same thing you see every day, somehow it looks new through the mesh window of a tent.

With a little creativity, you can make this no-cost activity actually feel like a vacation. Just think of the things you would do if you were camping away from home, then recreate the experience as much as possible. I'll share some ideas after the break.

• Set up your campsite. Involve all members of the family in the process. Blow up the air mattress, roll out the sleeping bags, and set the whole site up just as you would at a campground.
• Unplug. Of course you're still going to use your bathroom, but let go of other things, if possible. Turn off the computer, pack a cooler with supplies, and ignore the ringing of the phone. As much as possible, treat the night or weekend as if you're away from home.
• Light your fire. If it's allowed where you live, start a campfire in a traditional or portable fire pit. If you can't have the real thing, you can still create the ambiance with a fake campfire.
• Take day trips. Don't go back to "normal" life during the daylight. Instead, visit areas of your town and engage in activities that a campground might offer. Some ideas: Try a game of tetherball at the local playground, go fishing in a stream, hike along a wooded trail, or go swimming in a lake.
• Outdoor dining. Be creative and come up with meals that you can enjoy outdoors. Even if you can't have a real campfire, you can still enjoy some traditional camping favorites; use your outdoor grill to cook hot dogs and burgers, and make s'mores in the microwave.

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By Francesca Clarke

S'mores are traditionally melted over a blazing camp fire. I enjoyed these summer evening treats when I was younger, and want to pass on the ooey-gooey tradition to the sweet toothed kids in my life. We just can't get out in front of a campfire this year, but that isn't going to stop us from indulging in the graham cracker goodness.

When I first heard about microwave s'mores, I was horrified at the whole idea. I really thought that s'mores should be left where they belong: on the campgrounds.

After trying them, it's all I can do to not microwave one for myself right now.

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By Francesca Clarke

Before I had children, my Dad got some pretty good Father's Day gifts. Home Depot gift certificates and cool tech toys were among his favorites. When our oldest was born, 5 years ago, we started giving framed pictures instead.

As our family has grown, the photos have become more abundant, and the frames cheaper. He loves having pictures of the grandchildren, but I wanted to come up with something a bit more creative this year.

With nearly every visit to my parents' place, Grandpa takes the children up to his garden to check on the plants. My boys love to notice how Grandpa's garden is growing, and to report on the changes since their last visit. My dad loves to garden, and sharing that with his grandkids has become a sort of ritual. This Father's Day, we decided to build on that and make him a stepping stone.

After the jump, I'll tell you how we made this garden stone, and offer some tips for making your own.

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• 8 lbs of cement mix
• Stirring stick
• Plastic mold
• Large bucket for mixing the cement (hopefully something you're not too attached to)
• Measuring cup
• Water
• Waterproof acrylic paint
• Decorative stones and other embellishments
• Pencil, toothpick or skewer for writing (or better yet, some concrete stamps)
• PAM or WD40 (if you are using a homemade mold)

1. Pour 2 cups of water into the mixing bucket.
2. Pour in 2.5 lbs of cement and mix for one minute.
3. Add another 2.5 lbs of cement and mix for another minute.
4. Adding the rest of the cement, stir for three minutes, making sure it is mixed thoroughly.

1. If you are using a homemade mold, you will need to grease it first with WD40 or PAM. If not, skip this step.
2. Pour the cement into the mold.
3. Gently shake the mold, working out air and forcing bubbles to the surface.
4. Smooth out the bubbles by patting the surface with the mixing stick.
5. Run the long side of the stick over the surface of the cement, scraping away any imperfections and giving it a polished finish.

1. Add decorative stones: after 5 min., add in stones or any other items that get pressed into the cement.
2. Write and draw in the cement: after 15-25 min., draw in the cement using a pencil or skewer.
3. Make handprints: after 20-30 min., press handprints into the cement.

1. Flip the mold upside-down onto a cloth or towel.
2. Working your way around the edges, gently peel the mold away from the cement.
3. Tap the bottom of the mold to release the stone.

• Don't add too much water: It will be really hard to mix -- it is after all, cement. But don't be tempted to add more water. This will give you trouble the whole way through, causing the writing and imprints not to take, and causing it to take longer to set in the end.
• Choose a different mixing tool: The kit came with a paint mixing stick, which is also what is recommended in other instructions I've found. I don't think this stick was strong enough to give a good stir and thoroughly mix the cement. I'd suggest using a sturdier wooden stick or other utensil that you're comfortable tossing out afterwards.
• What if there is too much water? Even if you didn't add too much, there might still be a thin layer on the top. This will prevent the stone from having that partially-set top texture, making it very hard to write or draw on. Scrape off as much as you can with the mixing stick. If the top layer is still too moist, place a paper towel over it, and pat gently, absorbing some of the water. Do this a few times, until the surface rock has a tacky texture.
• Plan your stone ahead of time: Our original plan was to etch the words "Grandpa's Garden" at the top of the stone, and have each little handprint in the space bellow. Clearly, there wasn't enough room for that (I guess our babies' hands are larger than we thought!). We would have been wiser to draw out our design on paper, first, and plan how everything would fit together.
• Invest in some concrete stamps: Before we realized that there wasn't going to be enough space for our wording, we tried etching it out with a pencil. No matter how careful we were, the lettering looked messy. Concrete letter stamps would have made the inscription look crisp and polished.
• How do I get the concrete out from under my fingernails? Sorry, I've got nothing here. I was hoping you could answer that for me!

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