DIY Life

Join me each week as I explore the naturally aromatic side of DIY. Helpful recipes for your "scentual" pleasure: from essential oils, herbs, and other botanicals to soap-making, body care products and other useful blends.

I know what you are thinking: Why, oh why, would I want to own that smelly tea tree oil? I certainly can't make something aromatic with it, so what aromatherapeutic good is it to me?

It's true, tea tree oil doesn't smell as pretty as some of the essential oils (it sure doesn't stink like some oils -- neem, for example), but it can enhance some blends, especially mints. For all of the following reasons, you'll want to have some tea tree oil around:

During our kitchen renovation last year, I drooled over glossy magazine pics of sleek stainless steel backsplashes. Yes, stainless looks fabulous, but a real-deal stainless backsplash was out of the question for budgetary reasons. Here's how I got the look without the expense: I found a magnetic noticeboard at Ikea that does the job admirably. Total cost: about $5. The one I got is made of thin, rolled steel painted a glossy grey that blends in nicely with our stainless steel kitchen appliances.

The particular one I used is no longer available, but Ikea does have one called IMPERATIV that's a very reasonable $18 for a 30 x 24-inch-sheet or $20 for a 37 x 15-inch-sheet. The Container Store has one that's 15 x 21-inches for $34.99. Can you say: Very Thrifty?! Okay, okay, so it's not as good as a real stainless backsplash cut for a custom fit. But it's affordable, easy to clean and durable. Best of all, you can install it all on your own, assuming you're confident drilling holes. Voila! No installation fees required.

Do you love the look of graphic patterns hung as artwork? It adds a contemporary twist to any decor, and if you find the right pattern, it will easily spruce up a tired room.

You can easily replicate the look at home, framed or not, for a fraction of the price.

How, you ask?

To make it the most affordable, use handmade paper. Cut your paper to the size of an affordable frame, and frame it as you would any other artwork, as I did in this photo.

You can also get the look of expensive patterned material stretched on canvas using handmade paper. Simply wrap the paper around a budget-conscious frame -- it can be ugly for this -- and staple it to the back. Just be careful to fold the corners neatly. Looks just like it is stretched on canvas, with a lot less work and money behind it.

You could also scour the clearance racks at your local fabric store and see if you can get any bargains on patterned material and do the same with fabric.

How's that for a quick and cheap room pick-me-up?

One of my favorite aspects of a summer patio, other than colorful flowers, is the sound of trickling water. My family happens to live on a mesa in the landlocked Rocky Mountains so naturally occurring water is hard to find. To combat this problem we have created small water features that offer the tranquil sound of water without wasting this precious resource.

When we first began our effort to create a water feature we looked at kits in home improvement stores. Unfortunately, the kits did not suit our needs. They were either too deep, too complicated or too expensive. After looking at the kit contents it became apparent that they were basically a pump, a container and something decorative. Since I am notoriously cheap and resourceful I decided we could create a better water feature on our own and for a much more affordable price. The process is as follows: