DIY Life

Sure, herbs smell great and taste even better --- but have you ever considered decorating with them? Kelly Edwards has the scoop:



Why should you decorate with herbs? It's easy --- not only are they super functional when cooking, but they happen to be gorgeous and smell fantastic. Plus, they last longer than flowers, which is great for someone who always forgets to throw away their dead plants (hanging my head in shame over here...).

Want some fresh (pun intended!) ideas on storing and displaying your own little interior herb garden? Try placing a few small herbs in a teacup or mug for an unexpected look. Or, double up on functional storage by placing a potted herb in an ice bucket when not in use. Even better? A cake stand doubles as a decorative element to create a circled montage of your favorite herbs. The possibilities are endless!

Thanks, Kelly!

Whaddya know? A guy attempts a little DIY traffic calming on his own street and gets attention from the cops. No, it's not because he was pointing a radar gun at passing cars, but because of the pink tricycle he planted on the side of the road. Hmm.

If you have a problem with speeding cars on your street, I'll concede it's not really practical to stand out there all day with a radar gun anyway. So here are some suggestions that might really work to solve your traffic issues once and for all.

1. Invest in a brightly colored "kids at play" driveway sign. I'm willing to bet these signs are more effective than the presence of actual children. Why? It's because the signs are designed to be all official-looking. Responsible drivers react automatically when they see a "go slow" reminder.

I'm thinking of switching up the holidays this year and gifting presents for Thanksgiving, rather than Christmas. Why not offer up some DIY pumpkin facial masks to a few of your favorite lady friends? The tutorial is simple and easy to do:

Pumpkin Face and Body Mask
* 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
* 1/4 cup bentonite clay (available at health food stores)
* 1 tbsp honey
* 2 tbsp water
* 1 tbsp almond oil
* 2 tsp cinnamon

Mix together and apply evenly to your face or anywhere else you'd like to smooth. Leave on 10 minutes before rinsing. Almond oil moisturizes, clay draws out impurities, honey replenishes collagen and cinnamon improves circulation.

And guess what? "Pumpkin contains antioxidants such as vitamins A and C, as well as phytonutrients that help keep you looking young," says Michelle Schlekewey, spa director at Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego.

An extra serving for me, please!

Sure, a vegetable-inspired cupcake sounds like heresy in the minds of dessert lovers everywhere, but with one bite of this corn-on-the-cob, you'll quickly change your tune. Go on; I dare you. The Martha Stewart video gives you step-by-step coverage, including a written tutorial, so the process couldn't be easier. And the ingredients, unlike many Martha Stewart creations, are far from gourmet. Here's the list:

* Vanilla Frosting
* Yellow liquid food coloring
* 24 Vanilla Cupcakes, baked in white paper liners
* 3 1/2 cups small yellow, cream, or white jelly beans, such as Jelly Belly
* 4 pieces yellow fruit chews, such as Laffy Taffys or Starbursts
* 1 tablespoon black decorating sugar
* 1 tablespoon white decorating sugar
* 8 sets of corn holders (optional)

Go ahead; call your family and tell them you'll be bringing corn-on-the-cob for Thanksgiving dinner year. One less vegetable to make Fido scarf down underneath the table, and one more dessert to enjoy later! It's a win-win!

Neighborhood Walgreen's not offering the swine flu (H1N1) shot? Never fear. The much-discussed national vaccine shortage is a reality ... sort of. (The government says it's more of a logistical problem than an actual shortage at this stage.) But it doesn't necessarily rule you or your kids out of the running for a dose.

First, though, are you eligible? As of right now, the vaccine is on offer to folks considered high-risk for H1N1: pregnant women, those 6 months old through 24 years, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months old, healthcare and emergency medical services personnel, and people 25 through 64 years old with certain illnesses.

Important Thing 1: People aged 65 and older are not included in the high-risk group unless they qualify via one of the other risk categories. Babies under 6 months of age are too young to receive the vaccine.

My Rubbermaid containers have lived through one too many pasta casseroles and are starting to smell like it, too. Naturally, I researched a few options on how to take the scent out of plastic and stumbled upon a great solution that I can't wait to try on my next set of Rubbermaids.

Turns out that if you sprinkle a bit of salt in an empty airtight Rubbermaid container before you store it, you'll keep the smell at bay. Go on --- give it a shot and report back. ;)

And yes, I realize we're talking salt yet again here at DIY Life, but honestly --- can you ever get enough of the kitchen hacks? I certainly cannot, and just to show you how necessary a bit of sodium really is, here's another handy (and salty!) post to whet your whistle:
-Make Your Own Toothpaste (YES! With salt!)

Convinced?

I'm all for innovative storage, especially when it comes to displaying my books. Face it -- bookcases can be so dull, especially when your budget calls for Billy after Billy after...Billy. Luckily, ShelterPop has a great solution for a DIY bookcase I can pretty much guarantee you've never seen!:

Enter a fun and flexible (pun intended!) solution. Originally created for Design Showcase 2009 by Pete Oyler, the S T R E T C H Shelf is slated to hit boutiques any minute now with an approximate price point of $120.

Eek. That certainly breaks the bank for me. But what if we used Oyler's product as inspiration for our own rubber band shelving system? I can imagine them working quite well in a modern, industrial space using brightly-colored heavy duty rubber bands and a few stainless screws.

Or try a few animal rubber bands in your child's room as a great way to display light artwork. And for a long, floor-to-ceiling rubber band bookshelf, why not use a bright resistance band used for exercising?

Forget the Billy and book it (ha! another pun!) to your nearest office supply store for the coolest rubber shelving in town. Stretching your dollar never looked so chic.

You shop the sales. You've already reduced your holiday spending budget. But let's face it: the holidays are still going to cost you. Really smart budgeters contribute small amounts all year round to holiday savings accounts. For the rest of us, it's not too late! Here are some last minute ways to put money aside for holiday gifts.

1. Open a holiday account. No, it's not too late. Do you have any free funds sitting in your checking account? If so, transfer them immediately to your holiday fund. It's a start.

2. Cut the lattes. Yes, it's annoying when budgeting experts keep reminding us not to fritter money away on expensive little luxuries. If you like to indulge in little treats for yourself, however, now's the time to go cold turkey. Not forever. Just for the next few weeks, and put that money aside. It will add up over the next few weeks.