DIY Life

El Día de los Muertos (All Souls' Day) is coming up, November 1 and 2. Observing the holiday yourself? Or just want to teach your kids what this Latin American celebration is all about? Either way, simple craft activities are a key way to engage children. Here are 5 easy (and inexpensive) crafts suitable for kids of all ages!

1. Skull face masks. Keep things simple with these face masks made from paper plates. Just pencil out a design, cut holes for eyes and then let the kids have at it with colorful paints. Thrifty Fun has full instructions, including the link to a page of templates.

No time? Cut corners with these printable skull (calavera) mask designs courtesy of Flickr member, Tiki Chris. These ones are kind of scary looking, making them more suitable for older kids or teens.

I love the timelessness of silhouettes, yet how the ways in which silhouette projects materialize are so, so versatile. This project from Time Out New York is a fun, quirky example of implementing a seemingly-stuffy concept into a more lighthearted environment.

The steps are easy enough:

You'll need:
• Old photographs or a camera and printer to make new ones
• Black construction paper
• Scissors
• Tape
• An assortment of picture frames

Step-by-step:
1 Find a photograph of a loved one in an active pose. Or gather friends and stage new shots specifically for this project. The more dynamic the photo, the better.
2 Cut out the figure from the photograph.
3 Trace the figure onto black construction paper and cut it out.
4 Tape the new silhouette onto white paper and insert into frame.
5 Repeat the process and arrange the frames so that each silhouette seemingly interacts with the adjacent figures.

That's it! Get to it, folks!

With the swine flu in full swing and some sort of horrid cold roaming around my household, cleanliness is on the forefront of my mind this week. And after reading this article re: the transmission of bacteria on your shower head, I'd hope it's on the forefront of yours, as well. Luckily, our friends at ShelterPop have the scoop on how to get the cleanest showers in town.

A quick tip from the article? You can make a fantastic homemade shower cleaner with 1 cup of vinegar, 1/2 cup baking soda, 1 cup ammonia and 1.5 gallons of hot water. Be sure to use rubber gloves, scrub well (use an old toothbrush for those tough tiles!) and rinse with hot water. Wipe dry. Also, tackle your glass shower door with white vinegar to prevent streaks and mildew at the same time. Bonus!

After all, cleanliness is next to awesomeness, right?

The Sunday paper and a pair of scissors: that's how I've traditionally gotten grocery coupons. Technology is changing that, though. There are new ways to save money using computers and cell phones, among other things, to access deals on everyday grocery items. Here' s a quick primer:

Printable coupon websites are a great way to access new savings. Use these sites to download and print paper coupons. Popular sites include Coupons, Smart Source, Red Plum and Wow Coupons. Make a point of checking once a week for the brands you regularly buy.

Next stop, bookmark sites like Retail Me Not and Coupon Cabin. In addition to printable coupons, these sites identify coupon codes redeemable at specific websites. Use the codes for discounts or free shipping on your online purchases. Like printable coupon sites, they are totally free to use. (Yes!)

Summer may be long gone, but I'm still allowed to dream of astroturf, right? Especially after seeing this lovely DIY AstroTurf couch in a recent ReadyMade mag issue. The perfect outdoor seating would look just as smashing on a front porch or sunroom, and I'm half tempted to strike a deal with the husband -- if he helps me build an AstroTurf couch, I'll let him use the leftovers for his very own backyard golf course. Good deal, right?

And you know what? Turns out I don't even need his help to build it! The instructions couldn't be easier:

1. Take removable cushions off of the sofa. Lay AstroTurf down on the sofa and cut into pieces just large enough to cover each area with a slight overlap.
2. Using the staple gun, attach AstroTurf, stretching as you go for a snug fit. You don't need to cover the bottom of the sofa, but try not to leave any gaps where water might seep in.
3. Cover removable cushions separately.

Super fun, right? So excited to try it!

I suppose some computer keyboards are more expensive than a wallet itself, but if you've got a spare one laying around, this is a super fun project that requires a bit of know-how and a lot of creativity! Ready to get started?:



Here's a few more tips from the expert himself!:

1. PC keyboards work best, since you can open most of them with a Phillips-head screwdriver. Macs generally require a tiny Allen wrench that can be hard to find.
2. If the rubber key springs are attached individually to the circuit sheets, remove each one carefully with a razor blade.

And of course, a bit of history to enhance your keyboard knowledge!:
The history of the keyboard dates back to the first typewriter, which New York-based Remington Co. mass-marketed in 1877 to compensate for the drop in gun sales after the Civil War.

Cool, right? You'll have the oldest (and coolest!) technology-inspired wallet in town.

'Tis the season of the pumpkin. We carve them, make delicious pies from them and puree them for baby food. We even toast the seeds for a crunchy snack. But if you're bored with all that, maybe it's time to find some fun new functions for your pumpkins! Here are a few suggestions to get the creative juices flowing:

Sticking in the food realm for just a moment, why not branch out and try something other than pie? For example, pumpkin chili is fun to make. Or do as the Native Americans did and make pumpkin leather for winter snacking. Yum.

Feeling crafty? Pumpkins and gourds can be fashioned into all sorts of objects once hollowed out and dried. For example? How about drums and shakers for homemade music time? Or turn them into bird feeders, fun decorative bird houses ... or even use gourds to create real birdhouses for nesting yard birds like wrens.

It's time to pack up those pool accessories and face the facts -- cooler weather is here to stay, whether we like it or not. Still, you can have a bit of a last hurrah with those old pool noodles you've got scattered around your back patio. Why not transform your average noodle into a fabulously unique chair with this tutorial from Instructables?

One tip from our expert designer? "The chair's joints are cast aluminum, made using the lost styrofoam process. I know most people don't have access to a foundry, and getting custom work cast is expensive. However, the joints could just as easily be made out of wood, hopefully something that provides a nice contrast to the plywood"

In other words, get creative with a few inexpensive and crafty materials to keep the bill low and the work unique. Sometimes having a budget is the best way to ensure you have a one-of-a-kind piece!

Happy crafting!