DIY Life

Crochet a wedding cake

M.E. Williams — 2008-07-31T17:00:00+00:00

Filed under: wedding, weekend projects, crafts, knitting and crochet

Here at DIY Life, posts about weddings are always popular, but often, posts about knit and crochet patterns come in a close second.

I thought it might be interesting to combine the two, by looking at a few free patterns for wedding cakes made from yarn. (Hey, they don't have to be frozen, and they never get stale!)

Crochet Today's Crochet Confection cake pattern (PDF download) is, at 4"x8", life-sized. It's an easy, single-tier cake that you can display on a stand over a form.
Berroco's Buttercream is also life-sized, but this one is a tiered cake with flowers; it can be used to store dishes. It's made in their Ultra Alpaca, but any other worsted-weight yarn should work just as well.
On the miniature side, there are the Norma Lynn Cake Sachets. Several of the designs here, like the Two-Tier Cake and the Clumsy Cake, seem wedding-appropriate, though they're part of a collection of desserts. The second page of cake sachet patterns has a triple-tier wedding cake with flower toppers and ruffled trim.

Suggested uses? The sachets would make great giveaways at a bridal shower; they'd also make nice package decorations for gifts. Some of the projects might make cute gifts for attendants, in the right kind of wedding. They would be fun commemorations of a special anniversary, or whimsical decor in the right kind of room. Professional wedding planners could also probably appreciate them.

Outside of the wedding framework, you can always choose different colors, changing the "wedding cake" into a "birthday cake" -- or merely making a cute trinket for a friend who loves sweet desserts.

And if you're looking for more patterns like this, check out an older post of mine -- Amigurumi-o-rama: Crocheted Food.

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Water-repellent preservative: make your own!

Kelly Smith — 2008-07-31T15:00:00+00:00

Filed under: home decor, weekend projects, outdoor, painting

There's a lot of wooden objects that you just don't want to bring back indoors: patio furniture, picnic tables, planters, etc. One thing they have in common is the ability to stand up to wind, heat, and rain. You don't have to buy the expensive stuff, just make your own!

Water-repellent preservative recipe

As with any other time you mix various potentially hazardous or flammable materials, take precautions and ventilate the area properly. Mix together:

2 gal. Mineral spirits, Turpentine, or #1 or #2 fuel oil
5/8 qts. Boiled Linseed Oil
3/16 lb. Paraffin Wax
1 qt. Penta concentrate 10:1
1 to 3 fluid oz Color Pigment / gallon of the above mix

The paraffin must be melted in a double boiler; if you try to use a regular pan, fire is a very real possibility (keep an extinguisher close.) Let your concoction age overnight before applying it and stir it well; the pigments will settle.

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Interview with Bug Labs

Victor Agreda, Jr. — 2008-07-31T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: miscellaneous, geek it yourself, electronics

We've reported on Bug Labs before. They make a sort of gadget LEGO system so you can easily build stuff like a GPS-enabled alarm clock. Not useful? Ask the guy who kept missing his train stop by falling asleep!

I spoke to Bug Labs founder Peter Semmelhack about what the company is up to, and how the future of DIY is shaping up.

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Construction Chronicles: Trade your tile for beadboard, Part II

Bill Volk — 2008-07-31T13:00:00+00:00

Filed under: weekend projects, remodeling, Construction Chronicles

This is the second part of my article on installing beadboard in a kitchen area, after the demolition of some '70's era wall tile. You may see the first part here. We now move on to the carpentry work itself, and I'll show you a couple other things I did in the ongoing process. Take quick look at the gallery to see where I'm going.

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First off, safety: I was working with a jig saw, compound miter saw, hammers and nails. Especially when cutting small pieces of trim, pay attention to where your fingers are with relation to the saw blade. Remember, if it'll cut wood, it'll cut you. If you are working near known (or unknown, for that matter) electrical circuits, be certain you interrupt the circuit at the breaker box -- you really don't want to be surprised by a live 110 volt line; not that anything like that has ever happened to me.

The materials:

Beadboard -- I calculated the square footage of the project, added 10% for cuts and waste, and rounded up to the next full sheet; in my case that was three, 4' x 8' sheets. Cleverly (or luckily), I finished the work with about a quarter sheet remaining, mostly in little pieces. It's really not a big deal, you can always get more at about $17 a sheet; I just hate to waste materials.
Trim (see the gallery) -- cost me, on average, about 60 cents a foot and I used about 125' of it; I did have some left over, given that I bought the longest sticks -- 16' -- of the PVC base shoe I could find (to minimize the visible joints and help preserve the water-tight integrity of the junction at the beadboard and the counter top.) To determine the total footage needed, I measured all the joints I would have to cover, added 10% and rounded up to the nearest stick length -- usually 12' or 16' lengths.
Finish nails -- 2" 6d (6 penny) and 1 1/2" 4d; a box of each. I used the 2" for the beadboard and the other for the trim. They run about $2.80 per one pound box.
Painter's and silicone caulk -- generally, the difference is that painter's caulk is white and can be painted, and silicone is clear (or color tinted) and, depending on the variety, may or may not be paintable, so read the label. The painters caulk runs about $1.35 and the silicone anywhere from $4-6. (If you have a project that requires just a bit of caulk, look at what Diane recommends.)
Outlet covers -- I replaced the original ones with new, over-sized ones for about $1.05 each -- OK, not for the reason you think; my penetration cuts were very tight; the bigger ones just look nicer and I got the almond tint to better go with the future paint color. So there ... .

The time for the project: it took me about 17 total hours to put up the beadboard and trim, but I took my time.

The tools for the work:

Jig and compound miter saws (allows you to easily make angle cuts, should you need them).
Caulking gun.
Hammer
Screwdrivers
Electricians pliers, for the range hood project. These guys are not required, but they sure are handy.
Framing square -- optional. You can also use a carpenters square or just be fastidious (your word of the day) with your layout lines.
Measuring tape.
Carpenters pencil. You can use anything that will make a mark; I just am accustomed to using them.
Nail set, so you don't dimple the wood when sinking the nail below the surface of the beadboard or trim.

The process:

I took the initial measurements (twice), laid out the beadboard with a framing square, and made the cuts with my circular saw. I generally made the cuts about a half inch smaller than the measurements, given that I was going to use one inch(+) trim and that would cover it easily. No problems in that regard.
When I had penetrations to deal with -- outlets, switches, and the like -- I was very careful with my measurements and made the cuts with very close tolerances (1/4"). If you goof up a penetration cut, that piece of wood is likely useless and you get to begin all over again -- lucky you. Keep in mind that over-sized covers are only so big and certainly won't cover a hole way out of position.
I marked the locations of the framing lumber, behind the old sheet rock, so that I could easily find the 2 x 4's to put my fasteners into. The studs were not always on 16" centers (imagine that), so I had to make sure I knew where they were so as to not be nailing into air, if you get what I mean. I did this in two ways -- marking the counter top and the cabinet bottoms.
I placed the beadboard into position, tacked it with several of the 2" finish nails, checked the fit and alignment (near perfect, of course!) and stuck the wood into position with more nails. The only problem I encountered was in one corner, when I joined two pieces together only to discover, a few seconds later, a stream of water jetting out from the wood. Well, that certainly couldn't be good! I quickly removed the piece of beadboard, found where I had put a finish nail into a vertical copper water line (where it shouldn't have been, both by code and common sense), shut the master water line valve off (always good to know where that is) and plugged the leak with plumber's epoxy. What a lifesaver; given the location, there was no room for any other kind of repair. I would have had to cut into both walls and the studs and the water line ... .
Then I cut the trim with my miter saw -- love that saw. I made careful measurements and precise cuts and the work turned out well. I nailed the trim with my 1 1/2" finish nails; I set all the finish nails (beadboard and trim) with my nail set.
Lastly, with the painters caulk, I caulked the lap joints of the beadboard, the joints in the trim pieces, and the nail heads. The only thing remaining is to sand, prime, and paint the work. Finito!

I also did one other little project in the course of the work; I installed a range hood. Now was the time to take care of this, as I had access to the area to easily run the electrical wiring. Fortunately, the ducting was in place from a previous installation, so the whole job only took me about two hours in total, but had I had someone to help me with the final part of the work -- securing the hood in place, overhead -- I could have saved a few minutes. I was conspicuously short one of the three hands needed to move that part of the project along in an efficient manner.

That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it. All in all, a fun job and one that can be easily accomplished in a weekend, including the multiple trips necessary, to the home store, for stuff. You can do it.

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Avant Yard: Crabgrass control

Diane Rixon — 2008-07-30T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: gardening and plants, landscaping, staying green, Avant Yard

I am not a weed vigilante. I do not obsessively seek to control the weeds in my yard. "Live and let live" is usually my philosophy.

Some weeds, however, are just begging for a fight. They spread everywhere and are super-tough to eradicate. Crabgrass (Digitaria spp.) has to be one of the top weeds on most gardeners' lists. It's pretty harmless-looking, pretty even. But it spreads relentlessly by seed, taking over patches of lawn and spreading into garden beds.

Got a crabgrass problem? Check out the following tips and reign it in!
1. Grow a healthy lawn. A thick, healthy lawn means that weeds -- not just crabgrass -- can't grab a hold. What? Lawn not thriving? Crabgrass can only spread where it can get a toe-hold. If your lawn is not thriving in a particular area and crabgrass (or other weeds) are starting to take over, consider planting something else in that spot.

Remember to pamper your lawn if it is struggling. Add a little fertilizer in the fall, and over-seed bare spots to stop weeds from getting established. Water less often, but when you do crack out the hose, give it a deep soaking to encourage strong roots.

2. Consider the location. Often the problem is too much shade. Consider replacing the grass with some other low-growing groundcover such as ivy. If the problem is too much sun -- perhaps on a tough, dry slope -- consider heat-loving perennials such as daylillies or ornamental grasses instead.

3. Mow low. It's recommended that lawns be mowed fairly high to prevent stress to the individual grass plants. If you can, however, mow areas of crabgrass really short over summer. This prevents flowering and re-seeding.

4. Hand-pulling. It's not high-tech, but it works. Wear gloves, grasp each plant at the base, as close as possible to the soil, and pull slowly but firmly. Always wait until right after a generous rainfall before hand-pulling weeds. That way you can coax the entire plant, roots and all, out of the ground.

The only problem is, some weeds are easier to get out of the ground than others, and crabgrass is one of the tough ones. You can try grasping them with a pair of pliers for better leverage.

5. Try herbicides. Crabgrass can be chemically controlled with pre-emergent herbicides applied in late winter, before new growth begins in spring. "Weed-and-feed"-type products often contain pre-emergent herbicides for crabgrass control. The website About has excellent, detailed advice for using pre-emergent herbicides on crabgrass.

If it's already spring or summer and you're staring at a big sprawling patch of crabgrass, you might want to use a regular herbicide such as Roundup. Just be careful where you spray it, because this stuff will kill your lawn, too!

For more weed control tips, check out Gary's step-by-step guide to removing tough weeds. While you're at it, click over and read Dan's post on DIY weed killers.

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Invent your own sport and win big bucks

Bethany Sanders — 2008-07-29T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: recreation, health and wellness

DIY fans already know and love Instructables. But in the tradition of two-great-tastes-that-taste-great-together, the how-to site has paired up with active wear company Horny Toad in an invent a sport contest. Whether you're an inventor with a flair for athletics, or an athlete who loves to be creative, this contest is for you.

Simply come up with the rules for your original sport, make a list of necessary equipment, and if you're really enthusiastic, make a video. Send the information about your invented activity to Horny Toad and they'll post it on their website. The winner will receive a $350 gift card to spend on Horny Toad active wear.

If you need a little inspiration, or if you just want to try some of these newly invented sports yourself, check out some of the recent entries, including Crazy Croquet, WiFi Hunting, or this cool and inexpensive DIY skating or snowboarding sail. If you're the more visual type, check out their slide show of invented sports, some of which definitely belong in our Don't It Yourself category!

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Decorate notebooks for back to school

Debra McDuffee — 2008-07-28T15:00:00+00:00

Filed under: kids, crafts, scrapbooking, papercraft

Notebooks are a necessity for school, but your kids may not get excited about the plain white paper and solid-colored cover. Sure, they are likely to plaster the front of their notebooks with the likes of "I [heart] David Archuleta 4-eva'," but why not suggest a venture slightly more creative than that?

There are some fun ways kids can decorate their notebooks for back-to-school, and make them uniquely theirs. For instance, using spare scrapbooking supplies, your kids can make their notebooks fit their favorite theme, whether that be cupcakes or super heroes.

Or, get some stencils, gel and glitter pens, and construction paper to embellish those notebooks and unleash those kids into a decorating frenzy.

A project like this one could go in so many directions; only time and creativity are the factors. So let your kids use the backs of their notebooks for their love graffiti, and proudly show off their artwork on the front covers.

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Olympic crafts to get you in the spirit

Maggie Vink — 2008-07-28T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: kids, crafts

Back in the 1964 Winter Olympics, my uncle won the only gold medal for the US team. Even though it took place before I was born, it's still something the family is so proud of. We're a family that gets pretty excited about the Olympics... because we know that it's a dream that can really come true.

You can get your family geared up for the Olympics with some of these simple crafts:

Use some red, yellow, and orange tissue paper to create an Olympic torch. If you have kids, this is a great time to teach them about the history of the torch relay.
Have a family gathering during the Olympics. Set up some fun games such as relays, swimming, soccer, basketball and so forth. Then hand out home-made gold, silver, and bronze-painted medals to the winners.

Use crepe paper to make multi-colored streamers -- you can make them with the colors of the Olympic rings or choose colors to support your country.
Create international flag pins with safety pins and small beads.
Make a folded fan to celebrate this year's host country.

Some simple crafts can help make watching the Olympics even more fun. And, if you have kids, these crafts are great ways to pique their interest and they provide a great opportunity for education about the spirit and history of the Olympic Games.

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Become a beekeeper

Debra McDuffee — 2008-07-25T15:00:00+00:00

Filed under: backyard science, gardening and plants, nature

It's been all over the news for about six months now: there is a bee shortage. While this probably means catastrophic things for our planet in general terms, more specifically, it leaves us with a lack of honey for cooking and body care products, and less beeswax than we'd like to make lip balms and other lovelies.

What about the long-term effects the dwindling bee population could have on our plants? Without bees to pollinate them, our blooms could fade into just a memory.

Have you thought about becoming a beekeeper?

My husband has, on many occasions, and I wonder if the bee crisis will be the impetus for his actually starting a hive, right here in our own backyard.

The University of Kentucky shares basic beekeeping operations with us, including tips on choosing a hive location, what to look for when examining the hive, how to feed bees, and honey collection.

What do you think? Are you ready to start a hive, repopulate the Earth's bees, and have bountiful honey and beeswax?

[via Make]

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More staycation ideas

Debra McDuffee — 2008-07-25T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: kids, recreation, entertaining

Earlier this week, I 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.

Whatever you decide to do on your staycation, it seems that the common themes are relaxing and enjoying the people in your life. What's your favorite staycation activity?

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Perpetual Remodeling Syndrome: Deck building design

Kelly Smith — 2008-07-24T15:00:00+00:00

Filed under: weekend projects, entertaining, Perpetual Remodeling Syndrome

With the high price of gasoline, we're all looking for ways to stay home, rather than loading up the car with the kids and heading off to have some summer fun elsewhere. One solution kills two birds with one stone: building a deck will give you a place to hang out and entertain, and add equity to your home.

Of course it's no secret that DIY deck building takes some careful planning, some tools that you probably already have, and lots of elbow grease. What you might not know is the construction details and tricks that the pros use. Read on and you'll be an expert!

Primary considerations in deck design

As I mentioned before, prior planning before putting shovel to soil is the key to getting the deck that you and your family will really love and use frequently. As you slide into this stage of the project there are a few important things to keep in mind.

Building permits. Yes, this one is one of the biggies. Violate this one and you can really get into deep doo-doo with the city authorities and end up with some monster non-fans. Never miff a city construction inspector!
City easements. Once again, this is Big Brother getting into your business. Usually, city easement on your property is restricted to the area adjacent to the street or sidewalk at the front of your property line, but why take a chance? Check it out.
Zoning ordinances. These details might tell you what percentage of your property may contain an outdoor structure. In most cases this is not an issue.
Your neighborhood association. This one is my pet peeve; I think they ought to be strictly opt-in organizations; they tend to take on a life of their own. As with city inspectors, miff them and spend the remainder of your days in Hades.

Location, location, location

It's not just a rule with restaurants. Although most homeowners do have a bit of latitude to work with, the importance of location involves more than Feng Shui. What's important to consider for your deck are things like sunshine. When will you use it?

If breakfast is your primary concern, you're going to want subdued morning light, not stark rays in the old eyeballs. If afternoon grilling is your thing, you'll want the prevailing breeze not blowing smoke into the back door.

Another concern is privacy. Do you have inquisitive neighbors? You can either orient the deck a certain way or plan to put up a vine-wound trellis. Most often, the home's back door is the primary entry point for the deck, so that's a huge consideration. The deck layout might have to use that for a starting point.

Sketch it out on paper

Once you've got a good idea, sketch it out with pencil and paper. You'll get ideas on more embellishments as you do this. Add railings, box seats, maybe a different level. Here are a few things you need to include on the sketch:

Where's your backyard faucet?
Where's your buried underground utilities? This is very important and you might have to call the company out to locate them. First, you don't want to cut through anything like a gas line when digging post holes. Secondly, you might want to decide early on how to orient the planks so you can pull them off to service a line.
Sketch in any shrubbery and trees in the area. Why not incorporate them in your design?
Make note of any view you want to take advantage of. Are you going to hang out on the deck and take in the sunset? Sunbathe?

And where's that hot tub going to be? This is where the nosy neighbor factors in.

Conventional deck design types

There are several basic deck design concepts. For simplicity's sake, you can just put one of these in. But wouldn't it be a whole lot more fun to mix and match? Try these basic ones on for size:

The hot tub deck. This is what a lot of folks go for. What a way to relax under the stars, or...
Multi-level deck. This design is eye-pleasing and especially good for entertaining. A step up of six inches or so and some tiki lamps around the sides, and it's party time!
The basic deck. This is as simple as it gets. Usually either square or rectangular, it's an entry-level deck that leaves the option for later expansion open when more discretionary funds are available.
Basic deck with corner cutoffs. This is an enhanced version of the basic deck. The two outer corners are cut off at a forty five degree angle. Steps down to the lawn at one or two cutoffs make for easy access to the grounds.
Wraparound deck. Remember when we talked about the sun? A wraparound deck addresses this issue by forming an "L" around the rear and side of the home.
Freestanding deck. This deck can be one or a combination of any of the previous basic designs. Freestanding simply means that it sits apart from the house and not attached to it with a ledger board.

All of this should give you an idea of how to actually find out what you want from your deck before you jump in with your checkbook (or debit card) in hand. Chew on this for a while. Next week we'll start talking about the actual construction phase.

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Don't-it-yourself: Cracking a safe the hard way

Debra McDuffee — 2008-07-24T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: miscellaneous, Don't-it-yourself

I can imagine that cracking a safe under pressure would be somewhat frustrating. If you are unsuccessful, though, it is probably not a good idea to leave an angry note.

News of the Weird reports that not only did the amateur thieves express their displeasure at being unable to cut into the safe ("[expletive] you and your safe"), but that they were caught speeding away from the scene, license plate in full view of the on-the-ball security officer.

Now, I'm not saying it is easy, but I wonder if this father and son team did their research before they tried to break into the safe at the Iowa golf club they attempted to rob. A simple Google search will get you videos on how to crack a safe and a complete guide on how safe-cracking works.

Perhaps these would-be robbers should have started small, and read Francesca's post on how to crack a combination lock in twelve seconds. They might have gotten away with at least a cool bike or something....

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Roof: Repair or Replace?

Tom Kraeutler — 2008-07-23T20:00:00+00:00

Filed under: preventative maintenance, remodeling

Your roof is wearing out - right now. Thanks to the UV radiation that bakes roof shingles until they are brittle, the summer sun takes more years out of a roof's life than any other environmental factor. If your roof is looking a little worse for wear, the summer is also a good time to think about having it repaired or replaced.

On my national home improvement radio show, roofing ranks among the top ten most asked-about topics; of those questions, the decision to repair or replace is a frequent area of confusion.

First, roof leaks can almost always be repaired without replacing the roof. Most roofs leak due to flashing problems, typically at an intersection of two roof components; roof and plumbing vent, roof and chimney, roof and wall, etc. An easy way to help pinpoint that leak is by strategically rinsing down each area with a hose until the offending spot is found.

To learn more about replacing a roof, read on.

Replacing a roof, on the other hand, is something that has to be done periodically, and is seldom done because of an obvious leak. More commonly, the shingles have dried out and become cracked, brittle and deteriorated to the point where the roof remains saturated under the roof shingles, causing slow decay rather than an obvious stick-the-bucket-under-it leak.

While spot repair may be possible if the majority of your roof surface has plenty of mileage left in it, if your roof is approaching the 20-year mark (or so), replacement is a better way to go.

If you do replace your roof, do you add another layer, or do you completely replace it? Here are the pros and cons of that decision:

A brand new roof provides the opportunity for secure sealing, the latest in underlayment materials and flashing, and a longer guarantee of material integrity for a lifespan of 20 years or more.
On the other hand, applying a new roofing layer on top of the old is possible only if your existing roofing is one layer thick and in good condition, has strong decking, and has shingles compatible with the new application. Longevity isn't as extensive with this option, being around 25 percent less than that of a new roof. The reason for this is because the old layer holds a lot of heat, and that heat helps the new roof dry out that much more quickly, shortening its life.

If your roof's condition provides the opportunity to choose between these options, consider the number of years you plan to stay in your re-roofed home. If a long haul is in the cards, a whole new roof is the wise choice, while a shorter stay justifies saving cash with the second-layer option.

Tom Kraeutler is the host of The Money Pit Home Improvement Radio Show and the Home Improvement Editor for AOL. For more tips, sign up for Tom's free e-newsletter here. Tom's latest book, My Home, My Money Pit: Your Guide to Every Home Improvement Adventure, is available in bookstores everywhere and online.

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Dye wool yarn with food coloring

Anna Sattler — 2008-07-23T19:00:00+00:00

Filed under: kids, knitting and crochet

When I was a youngster, I remember days where I was bored beyond measure. I would listen to the click-clack of my Mother's knitting needles as she would tell me stories of her youth in Germany, while I would unravel the ball of yarn for her.

Most kids won't sit long enough to help with mundane tasks, but I bet you could get yours to sit still on a rainy day if you ask them to help you dye yarn with food coloring. Suse of Pea Soup has a tutorial showing off her gorgeous pictures of yarn that she dyed with the help of her 8 year old son.

You'll need a box of food colors, a microwave-safe bowl, the child(ren), wool yarn, and vinegar, which helps set the dye. Adult supervision is needed when handling the hot water, so that the kiddos don't burn themselves.

For more help dyeing wool and other fabric, check out how to dye with fruits and vegetables, and how to dye with Kool-Aid.

[via: Whip Up]

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Pasta tree makes a unique centerpiece

Debra McDuffee — 2008-07-23T16:00:00+00:00

Filed under: home decor, crafts, gifts

OK, I usually don't go for the "household item" craft projects... oftentimes, they look just like what they are. The pasta necklaces? They're nothing but macaroni on a string.

Better Homes and Gardens has changed my mind, though, with their pasta tree centerpiece project. This fancy little number is hip and funky, and doesn't look like old pasta at all.

All you need are a few simple materials; BHG promises that the project will cost less than ten dollars.

What makes it so stylish is that once you glue your pasta tree together, you spray-paint the entire thing black, then paint the separate colors, allowing the black paint to show through in the crevices.

Another thing you could do is make a few of these and customize them:

one for Fall, using burnt orange, olive green, sienna, and other complimentary colors
a Christmas tree, with all shades of greens and reds and silvers and golds for a modern look
match your dining room color scheme
give one to a friend as a housewarming surprise!

There's no limit to the stylish trees you can create, so let your imagination take you to new heights of home decor... by way of the pasta aisle in your supermarket.

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Kiddie Crafts: Paper cup creations

Francesca Clarke — 2008-07-23T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: kids, Kiddie Crafts

I know, paper cups are bad, and I am bad if I use them. What if I reuse them? Can I redeem myself just a little?

If you've got paper cups kicking around, there are all sorts of ways that they can be re-purposed into cool Kiddie Crafts. Just this afternoon, I went to the pantry for some dried pasta and realized that there was only a very little bit left. I also came across some leftover party cups that I'd stashed away. What do you do with pasta and paper cups? Make maracas of course!

After the break I'll tell you how, share another paper cup craft that we tried, and point you to a few more that I think pass the kiddie craft test (simple, inexpensive, fun, and easily modified for different ages).

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Paper cup maracas
Debra tells us that music is key to raising imaginative children. I agree with her 100%. Providing children with the opportunity to explore music, particularly in an experimental, non-structured way, is one of the greatest gifts you can give your children. Making their own instruments is a great way to encourage this.

You'll need two cups, tape and something to shake around inside. We used pasta and rice, but you could let your children scavenge the house or backyard finding other interesting materials. If you want to make a more traditional maraca, try using bits of seashell.

After you've gathered various things, spend some time together wondering what each filling will sound like. How will small grain rice differ from a large heavy pasta shell? What happens if they are mixed together? Test your hypothesis together and notice why things happen the way they do.

When your Kiddie Crafters have decided on their material of choice, simply fill one cup 3/4 full, place the other one on top, and tape them together. If you're using plain cups, they can paint them, adding glitter, stickers or other embellishments that make the instrument personal. Our cups already had a licensed character (something I swore I'd never buy!) because they were leftover from my three year old's birthday, but my boys still added foam animal and letter stickers.

Paper cup baskets
Any kind of crafted carrying case is a big hit at our house. They fill them, empty them, and re-fill them with all sorts of little treasures. If you have collector-type kids, these little paper cup baskets are a great craft.

You'll need the paper cups, scissors, a hole punch, and a pipe-cleaner. Here's how to make the baskets:

Snip all the way around the cup, making each slit about one inch long with a 1/4 inch between them.
Fold the pieces down so they fan out around the rim of the cup. If your child is old enough to use scissors, let them do the cutting. If they make a slit too long, you can just patch it with a piece of tape on the inside.
Punch a hole on either side of the cup
Thread one end of the pipe-cleaner through the hole and tie the end. Loop it around to the other side, making a handle.
Decorate the basket. Leave the final touches up to the crafter. My boys left the cups as they were, but probably would have painted plain ones.

The white paper cup basket over at CraftBits is actually quite pretty. If you used a piece of wire or delicate ribbon instead of pipe-cleaner, I can imagine they would make a cute little gift basket. We used the same bright colored cups, so they looked sharp when paired with red and yellow pipe cleaner. You can check them out in the gallery.

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The paper cup maracas and baskets used up our extra cups, was a fun activity for the afternoon, and gave us some great new things to play with. If you still have cups leftover, there are no shortage of crafts that allow you to re-purpose them. Here are a few of my favorites:

Flower pot hanging
This is suggested as a Mother's Day craft, but I wouldn't put that limitation on it. I think it's perfect as a gift for any occasion, or simply as decoration in the house. Basically, you cut the cup in half and mount in onto a decorated paper plate. You'll stuff the cup with tissue or construction paper flowers, and hang it on the wall or from a door knob.

String phone
Paper cups make great ear-pieces for string phones. If you haven't shared this classic activity with your kids it's a fun backyard science experiment.

Mosaic cup
Even your littlest crafters can make this one. Tear pieces of colored construction paper, or color on plain paper, and tear it into pieces, then glue it to the cup. Kids could make an image in the mosaic or simply enjoy the colors. I think this would make a fun birthday party activity where the kids can make and use their own cups.

Ball in a cup game
This game will keep them entertained for hours, trying to land the tinfoil ball in the paper cup.

Well, I think these should easily use up any extra paper cups that you've accumulated from summer barbecues, picnics and parties. What should you do if you need a paper cup and don't have one handy? We've got you covered there too!

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Bat-Pod: a DIY job for The Dark Knight's creators

Diane Rixon — 2008-07-23T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: cars and transportation, miscellaneous, audio and video

Batman kicks butt in his latest movie, The Dark Knight, a gloomy yet action-packed flick that scored big at the box office this weekend. A summer blockbuster has been born, to be sure. The stunningly cool vehicles used in the movie are attracting interest all on their own, especially the sleekly menacing Bat-Pod motorcycle.

It turns out the bike was a bit of a DIY job on the part of the film's creators. According to an article in Popular Mechanics, the 'Pod is actually a motorcycle-ATV hybrid, all wrapped up with plumbing parts and some creative duct-work. The entire exhaust frame was custom built especially for the movie, while those massive wheels suffered blow-out after blow-out until the steering was just right. Another cool little factoid: the footrests disguise the bike's radiator.

Speaking of The Dark Knight, the movie's star, Christian Bale, seems to have gotten himself into a spot of bother with the police. Read all about it at our sister site, Cinematical.

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Five-minute flower arrangements

Debra McDuffee — 2008-07-23T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: home decor, wedding, gardening and plants

Leave it to Better Homes and Gardens. Somehow, they're able to inspire me without making me feel like a second-rate Martha Stewart wanna-be.

Since we joined our CSA farm last year, it's been a pleasure to have new fresh flowers in the house every week. BHG has created a gallery of flower arrangements that can be done in five minutes, and that look positively stunning. Some of their winning combinations:

poppies surrounded by hosta leaves
geranium leaves, roses, and trailing vines
lavender stems and geranium leaves
hydrangeas with bachelor buttons
mounded zinneas with bleeding heart foliage

What I really love about BHG's arrangements is that most of the blooms could be found in your own garden, or even in a wild flower field. That makes these arrangements economical, too.

I've been combining wild yarrow with daylilies and daisies for a pretty display on my kitchen's center island. What's you favorite quick and easy flower arrangement?

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Eggshell trinket box makeover

Anna Sattler — 2008-07-23T10:00:00+00:00

Filed under: crafts, gifts

I saw some very nice trinket boxes at the thrift store the other day, but I let them go without a second thought. Too bad I did, because I now want to make over one for my daughter for a Christmas present, and maybe a few as gifts for other special people.

Using cleaned and broken white egg shells, decoupage and white paint, Jane Lake over on All Free Crafts, made over a plain trinket box. Jane put the eggshells into a plastic bag and used a rolling pin to crush them into fairly fine pieces. After removing the hardware, she then decoupaged the box lid, sans where the holes for the hardware were.

Jane alternated the decoupage and the broken egg shells, then allowed the box to dry overnight. After the box was dry, she used two layers of shimmery white paint, allowing one coat to dry before she applied another. She says you can apply pearl beads to the bottom of the box. Apply the hardware, and call the makeover finished!

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Don't-it-yourself: man blows up apartment in bug spraying mishap

Diane Rixon — 2008-07-23T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: recalls and safety, Don't-it-yourself, health

Here's a noteworthy story I just spotted on the Reuters website, titled "Man blows up apartment spraying for bugs?" The New York Daily News originally reported the story about a New Jersey man who, while spraying insects in his apartment, somehow let the contents of the spray can ignite. (Spraying near a lit gas burner, perhaps?)

The mishap caused an immense blast that blew the windows out of the unfortunate man's kitchen. The explosion then started a fire that destroyed eighty percent of his apartment. The man, Isias Videl Maceda, was unhurt.

I guess the question mark in the title of the article indicates the incident is still under investigation, but I think it's fairly safe to say that whatever this gentleman was doing, he was doing it all wrong! The episode is a good reminder for all of us that chemicals -- especially those contained in aerosol cans -- must be kept away from heat sources.

[via Reuters.]

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