DIY Life

I've got apples on my mind this week, and it's not just because I visited an orchard yesterday. There's something about fall that makes me crave the delicious red fruit in any shape or form, whether it be bobbing for apples, sipping a warm cup of cider or engaging in a few, fun apple-icious crafts! I've rounded up a few of my favorites (for every room in your home!) below for your autumn enjoyment. Let the apples begin!:

In the kitchen:
For a delicious apple recipe, try apple and cheese pancakes. They sound a bit odd, but are both healthy and indulgent at the same time. I love waking up to a Saturday morning batch of these yummy pancakes when the weather turns colder!

In the bathroom:
Try Grandma's Apple Pie lip balm! All you need is a few key ingredients, including apple scented oil, beeswax and jojoba and aloe vera oils. The tutorial is right here and is easy as pie. Grandma's Apple Pie, to be exact.

In the craft room:
Have a spare paperback book? Why not turn it into a statement piece with this easy paperback apple tutorial from Cheeky Magpie. Better yet, surprise your favorite teacher or librarian with this homemade gift. They'll be touched... if not offended you've defaced literary work. But probably just touched.

In the bedroom:
You've closed your windows with the cooler weather, and now your room smells stuffy and stiff. Mix equal parts apple cider vinegar and tap water into a spray bottle and mist your room with the solution. The vinegar will absorb any unwanted stenches and replace the odor with apple cider goodness!

In the backyard:
Of course, there's a use for rotten apples, as well. Ever heard of apple golf? Pretty self-explanatory, so head to your backyard driving range and let the games begin! (Watch out for disgruntled neighbors and play fair. No one wants surprise apple juice on their property...)

In the living room:
Want instant artwork with pizazz? Take a cue from this first grade classroom's recent art project and create apple prints worthy of framing. Put your own spin on the craft by experimenting with colors, textures and frame sizes.

The arrival of Chirp magazine is a happy day in our house. Each month, we pore over the pages of stories, games, and activities. With every issue, there is at least one project that we just have to try. This month, Chirp has us making Bug Snacks.

All you need are some pieces of dried fruit, and a handful of toothpicks. Let your children experiment, making different creepy-crawlies and other creations. This is one kids' activity that you won't just want to supervise; dig in and make some snacks of your own.

We started out making bugs, but with my Kiddie Crafters as creative directors, the possibilities were endless. Check out the gallery to see what we made, then follow me through the break for more ideas.

A new juice bar just opened in our neighborhood. They serve any blend of fruit and veggie juice that you could imagine. They use fresh, organic ingredients, and present the drink in a trendy, branded cup.

For this, you'll pay $5.50. Seriously, for blended carrots, I just can't.

Vegetable juices are popular on health detox and other cleanses, but they taste great too, and can be a healthy part of an everyday diet.

To make this carrot juice, you don't need a juicing machine; any food processor or blender will do just fine. You'll find more information after the break.

To all the aspiring iPhone tinkerers in the world, one of the coolest additions to one of the most popular cellphone handsets in 2007 has been trying to add GPS capability to the unit. The Apple iPhone has some of the coolest features found on any cellphone -- including Google Maps -- but can't do navigation in real-time without GPS, even with a data connection present. What to do? Why, add your own GPS, that is.

The hard work has has already been done by LOCOGPS, and you'll be able to get one of these babies all assembled and everything come next February. This product will require a "jail broken" iPhone (from AT&T's death grip), but once you have that ready, you'll soon have access to a GPS solution for that beauty.

If you're ready to turn that phone-of-all-trades into a GPS receiver (like, if you're into geocaching or driving directions), check this out and you may finally have the killer solution for iPhone GPS you've been looking for within a few short months. The module is $89 (on pre-order). Is it worth it for your $400 baby, though? You make that call.

[via Engadget]

These fabric ornaments are simply designed, easy to sew, and sure to impress. If you're looking too add a little country charm to your home or give that memorable teacher gift, try your hand at this fabric apple ornament. Here's what you'll need:

1. 1/4 yard of fabric
2. Scraps of felt
3. Scissors
4. Sewing machine (you could hand-stitch them too)
   
5. Thin cording
6. Any added decorative items (beads, glitter, buttons)
7. Hot glue gun

The instructions are simple and you could sew a whole batch this afternoon. Adding some tasteful embellishments will make each one unique. If it's a teacher or grandparent gift, you could let your child add sequins and glitter, making it their own special creation.

Dried apples and cinnamon give that cider smell that is so closely associated with the Christmas season. I wanted to add a little spice to the house and try a new craft so I decided to make a dried apple wreath. This was not as easy as I had anticipated. The main reason being that I seriously lacked common sense when reading the directions! The first dried apple recipe that I found suggested baking them at 350 degrees for an hour. I should have been able to predict the outcome, but I didn't realize how dumb that was until my smoke alarm went off! I did eventually find some better instructions (that's what Moms are for) and was able to perfect the dried apple slices, and that's the one I'll share with you here.

How to dry apple slices

1. Core small red apples
2. Slice them 1/4 inch thick
3. Soak the slices in lemon juice
4. Pat them dry with paper towel
5. Brush the apple with cinnamon or other spice (optional)
6. Put them in the over at 150 degrees
7. Flip them every 2 hours
8. They should be ready in 6-8 hours, just keep checking on them

The galleries show how to make the dried apples. I included a couple of disaster shots so you can have a little laugh at my expense! Once you have your dried apple slices, you're ready to get creative. the second gallery shows how to make a wreath and the third, a quick and easy centerpiece. I'll tell you about both of these after the break.

Over a million Americans have purchased the Apple iPhone and are probably using it every day for phone calls, music listening and web browsing. With all that usage comes a nightly battery re-charge for many of you.

But, due to the nature of the iPhone, the internal battery can't be replaced by the customer (without technical expertise and warranty voiding), but in 2008, some iPhone users will inevitable find that they need to replace the battery inside that $400 wireless phone. Instead of paying Apple some major dollars to swap the battery inside that iPhone for you, are you up to the task of doing it yourself?

If you're a true DIY'er, you're probably not concerned with voiding warranties. Otherwise, you'd never get to play with the innards of all those cool gadgets and products. So, with all that, if you're really interesting in replacing the iPhone's battery yourself, the video above will hook you up with the details. The Gear Live folks claim no responsibility if you mess up your iPhone in the process, and DIY Life doesn't either. Proceed at our own risk!

Every week, the sites Knitting Pattern Central and Crochet Pattern Central post new free patterns that they've heard of or that have been sent to them. Several dozen patterns are often posted each week, and sometimes it can be tedious to look at them all to find the good ones... so I've done it for you. Then I've categorized them, alphabetized them, and written brief descriptions for each.

These patterns were all posted to the aforementioned sites in October, 2007, though some may have made their initial appearance on the web somewhat earlier. A few may have been posted in late September or the first few days of November: they were interesting enough to include here!

If you prove to like this feature, I'll continue to do it for you every month. You'll find patterns of all kinds after the break: sweaters for men, women, and babies, handbags, scarves and shawls, hats, toys, animals, socks, mittens, you name it.

Last week I tested out a homemade deep conditioner. It was an avocado and mayonnaise concoction that had impressive results. Days later, my hair felt great!

This week I tested a homemade face mask. I tried out the Autumn Apple Face Mask. The results were a little less impressive, but I'll share the recipe and experience with you, and you can see for yourself.

The Autumn apple face mask
This seasonal mask is designed to combat dry flaky skin that tends to creep up on us with the changing season. The apple and oatmeal recipe helps you get rid of dead skin cells, invigorating your skin, creating a bright, fresh complexion.

Gallery: Autumn apple facial mask

Over at Halloween Tree, a site "dedicated to the fun, creative, family aspects of Hallowe'en," there's a list of Halloween program instructions from a brochure put out in the 1930s in Delaware, OH. It made its way to a Works Progress Administration program in Fresno, CA, so it must have been pretty popular around the country at the time. (Delaware, OH, is now one of the further-flung suburbs of Columbus, but it was a little more isolated 75 years ago.)

The selected parts of the brochure that have been posted include a section on superstitions and another on fortunes. The superstitions might be good inspiration for decorating your house or creating a party theme. The fortune activities would make good party games, at least for younger guests (the whimsy means they might be a hard sell for adults).

Catch some details, suggestions, and a word on bobbing for apples, all after the break!

Do you keep that shiny-n-thin iPod nano in the car a lot for listening to tunes from your car's aux-in connection? Perhaps you use an FM transmitter to get those iPod tunes from your iPod to the car stereo (like in a leased car or SUV).

Long gone are the days of toting around a CD case full of music for many of us. And CD changers in cars? That is sooo 1990s. But, if you leave that iPod in the car when you park, are you afraid of snooping eyes and possible window-break-theft? I am.

Most people who aren't Jewish usually don't know what Rosh Hashanah is all about: we tend to think that Hanukkah is the big Jewish holiday, and forget about the others. But Rosh Hashanah -- New Year's Day for people, animals, and legal contracts -- is extremely important in the Jewish faith, as it begins the ten-day period before Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. This year, Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on September 12th.

The traditional symbols associated with Rosh Hashanah are a shofar (a ram's horn, blown to "awaken" people, both in literal and figurative senses) and apples and honey (which represent hopes for a sweet new year). Round challah bread with raisins is also popular.

The great UK blog Crafty Crafty has put together a nice post with a list of links to Rosh Hashanah-themed crafts for kids. There's a little paper shofar made out of a birthday horn, instructions showing how to make apple prints for cards, and links to several different sets of coloring pages, among other things. It's all a fun way for kids to celebrate, or maybe for kids who aren't Jewish to learn a little about the culture of some of their friends.

Shana tova!

At the grocery store this weekend I noticed how many people were buying lunch box snacks. The boxes of crackers, granola bars and fruit cups were packed in carts as people were trying to get prepared for the start of school and other September busyness. While there are lots of good healthy and often inexpensive options, some people discount what they can make themselves and the goodness of having healthy snacks on hand. I've scouted out these great recipes to share with you.

Trail mix cookie bars
These are full of good stuff to fuel kids at recess or keep you going over that 3:00 hump in the day. You could replace the chocolate with yogurt coating if you prefer. Also, make sure you check with your child's school about their nut policy. Many schools are now "nut free zones".

Apple Oat bars
Another healthy and hearty snack. Keep some of these frozen so you can just grab it and go if you're in a hurry. It will be ready by the afternoon and you won't be stuck choosing something from the vending machine.

Hummus and pita
Hummus isn't just good for you, it's delicious and easy to make. If you want to keep it lower fat, replace half of the oil with a tablespoon of light peanut butter. Also, I've blended sun dried tomato in there and it adds a great flavor.

Fruit Kabobs
Children will have fun helping with this one. They can choose their favorite fruit and put it on a skewer. It's a great way to offer some variety without fussing with fruit salad in a bowl and a fork.

All of these snacks should be paired with balanced meals of course. I find homemade snacks to have much more substance than the store bought ones and often offer more nutrition. Most people aren't going to spend their evenings baking for the following day, I am definitely not, but with a little planning you can make sure you have some good snacks on hand. Double your recipes and freeze your baking too. If you're curious about how your pre-packaged snacks measure up, check out this interactive lunch box. Share some of your favorite recipes for grab and go snacks.

For me, the phrase "think differently" immediately brings to mind that late '90s Apple marketing campaign featuring famously renegade thinkers. Next I think about how that slogan was actually "think different," rather than "think differently," and how it isn't as ungrammatical as it is grammatically unorthodox -- itself an instance of thinking different. And that's about as far as my slapdash noggin will go before flitting off to something equally inane but entirely unrelated.

Which just goes to show that I'm someone who could really benefit from "Twelve Ways to Think Differently," author/blogger Dave Pollard's essay on how to broaden your thinking.

Pollard refers to his 12 tips as "mental stretching techniques" that help you condition parts of your brain that probably aren't getting enough exercise. They're supposed to make you more creative as well as more understanding, and I'm all for that.

Some of his suggestions are very concrete: learn a new language, read/write fiction. Others less so: do "impulsive and serendipitous things," reconnect with your intuition. And one would make Timothy Leary proud but put Nancy Reagan's knickers in a twist. And if that's not enough to get you to take a look, you just might be beyond help.