DIY Life

It seems that purchasing headboards are a thing of the past with countless tutorials, exemplars and crafty ideas to tackle the project yourself. Our friends at ShelterPop couldn't agree more with Eugenia's latest take on fabric headboards -- cheap and stylish!

Paris-based interior designer Frédéric Méchiche wooed design lovers with this glorious take on an otherwise boring bedroom. Complete with a graphic, bold swag of fabric as a stand-in for a headboard, the look is equal parts dramatic and luxurious. Even better? We'd dare say the cost of re-creating the aesthetic would be well under $100. Try a more gauzy fabric for a romantic look, or dress it up with linen for a nature-inspired touch.

Forget pricey headboards; get creative and get to work. To inspire and give you a push in the right direction, here are a few of my favorite headboard techniques and tutorials... right here at DIY Life:
-DIY Headboards to Inspire Your Dreams
-Fabric Covered Headboards
-Don't Get Bored With That Headboard; Get Creative

Maximize your dollars by making good use of your freezer. It's amazing how much you can save by freezing on even a small scale. For example? I now buy cheese in bulk at Costco or when I spy a good sale, and I freeze it in small batches. I was surprised to learn that cheese freezes beautifully ... and I now regret years of tossing moldy cheese!

Cheese is actually just one of many foods that freeze surprisingly well. So get creative and start using your freezer for more than just meats and casseroles! Here's a handy list for you to keep in mind next time you're shopping:

Yes, Freeze Them!

Fresh whipped cream, butter, milk, cheese, root ginger (grate it as you need it), nuts, grated coconut, homemade pancakes, herbs (e.g. fresh rosemary and basil) and spices, meat or vegetable stock, cooked rice, tomato paste, bread dough, pizza dough, cookies, cakes, pies, sauces, Chinese takeout, vodka (and rum and tequila – the alcohol won't freeze, but the cold keeps them chilled).

So, your cutting board is antique, beautiful and a family heirloom... but incredibly blemished. After all, it's been through countless salads, pastas and dinners and once hosted your aunt's prize-winning ham. Now that you've finally got it in your kitchen, your can lighting has revealed quite a few nicks from the years. Don't worry; here's a quick tip for covering any unsightly dings. And you'd never have guessed the surprising fix is in your pantry...

Split a walnut or pecan in half and rub it directly onto any wooden surface with dings and/or nicks. Feel free to snack on the remaining half while the oil from the nut absorbs into the wood. Your wood's blemish will disappear right before your eyes, making the original, pesky nick virtually nonexistent.

How's that for a snack? Boosting your protein and making over your cookware -- all in one step? Those are some pretty brilliant nuts.

Today's how-to video comes from Home Depot, and I love some of the tips shared in this helpful tutorial. Although I'm not a massive fan of sponge painting or glaze, I love the look of color blocks, argyle and stripes using just a bit of chalk and painter's tape. Check it out!:


My favorite decorative painting technique? Stripes on stripes. Choose your favorite shade of paint in both matte and hi-gloss and tape off some vertical stripes using painter's tape. Alternate between hi-gloss and matte paint for a beautiful effect that adds both dimension and drama to the room. The look works great in a home that may need a boost in architectural elements.

The possibilities are endless with a can of paint and a few tools, and paint is one of the fastest (and cheapest!) ways to transform a room. Get to work!

My husband was walking an underground tunnel in Jerusalem a couple years ago when his flashlight died. Thanks to the LCD screen on his digital camera, he was able to get enough light to see where he was going and find the exit.

Yep, just like cell phones, digital cameras are handy little gadgets to have on you. They're definitely not just for taking family snapshots anymore! Let's explore some of the ways they can help out in a pinch:

1. Flashlight. As I've just noted, digital cameras make a pretty decent light source when you get stuck.

As the weather turns colder, our showers are turning hotter. Beat the morning mirror mist with this handy tip I learned from my aunt...

Buff a thin layer of shaving cream (not gel!) directly onto the mirror after a cleaning. Surprisingly, the mirror won't look any differently than before, but the steam from your super hot shower won't fog it up!

The effect should last about a week, and the trick is to use very little shaving cream and rub the cream into the mirror for over a minute. You'll be amazed at how much time this handy tip will save you in the morning -- and you'll never have to take an open-door shower again!

For more incredibly useful bathroom tips, check out a few of my favorite DIY Life bathroom reads:
-Daily DIY: Curtain Call
-$5 and 5 Minutes: Fix a Running Toilet
-Low Flush Toilet Hack

School is back in full swing and chances are, your schedule is bursting at the seams. Why not delegate snacktime to your children with these easy, handy-to-make treats for your kiddies?

1. Ants on a Log
Keep a few strands of celery available in the refrigerator. Add peanut butter and raisins to the "log" for a fun and nutritious snack!

2. Crunchy Apples
Store some sliced apples in your fridge, along with some granola and peanut butter. Have your children roll the peanut-butter covered apples in loose granola over wax paper. It tastes delicious!

3. Tortilla Rolls
Roll ham, turkey, cheese and lettuce in tortilla wraps. Add your favorite condiment or sandwich spread to spice it up!

4. Cinnamon Toast*
Place a slice of whole-wheat bread in the toaster, top with butter and sprinkle cinnamon and sugar sparingly.

5. S'Mores**
You know the drill; graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows make this fun treat. Place in a microwave on medium temperature for ten seconds.

6. Parfait
Add some vanilla yogurt, loose granola (or GrapeNuts cereal) and fresh blueberries or strawberries into a cup or mug. Top with whipped cream for a sweet surprise!

7. English Muffin Pizzas**
Divide an English Muffin into halves and spread tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni (or your favorite toppings!) onto each half. Microwave for twenty seconds and enjoy!

8. Banana Dog
Spread peanut butter onto a hot dog bun and sandwich a banana between each side of the bun. I've never met a kid that didn't love this recipe!

9. Trail Mix
Encourage your child to create their own trail mix by keeping pretzels, peanuts, granola, dried fruit and yogurt chips on hand.

10. Frozen Grapes
This takes some prep time, but teach your child the art of preparation with this handy treat. Place a bag of grapes in the freezer overnight, and by the time they arrive home, frozen snacks will await them!

With these yummy recipes, your kids will stop badgering you about dinner and start helping themselves to nutritious snacks. A win-win situation if you ask me!

*requires use of toaster
**requires use of microwave

Impatient for those golden and red leaves to start falling? Make this Whimsical Autumn Leaves Windcatcher while you wait. Easy enough for kids to do with help. You supply colorful fabric leaves and beads and let them have at it. – Centsational Girl

Pasted with vintage maps, any object becomes a unique and eye-catching collectable. A chic headboard or a stack of antique books. How about paper butterflies crafted from old music score sheets? A collection of photos to inspire you. – Bromeliad Living

The Young House Love bloggers are working hard on a sleek nursery design for blogger John's sister's house. The emphasis is a decidedly non-prissy nursery, with nary an iota of pastel pink or blue in sight. Instead, contemporary lines and colors rule ... all on a tight budget. – Young House Love