DIY Life

Stephen Fanuka of TV show Open House to the Rescue dishes on contractor/client relationships. The "contractor to the stars" also shares his list of essential tools everyone should own. -- Shelterpop

Mmm. Make your own vanilla extract. Specifically, make lots, pour it into funky glass bottles and let it steep for a few weeks. You'll have a wonderful (and thrifty) holiday gift lined up for all your friends and co-workers. -- Bethany Actually

Speaking of cooking: Learn how to make authentic southern-style backed beans. The Pioneer Woman offers up step-by-step instructions along with luscious photos. Darn tootin.' --The Pioneer Woman

Dust off unused terracotta pots and turn 'em into a mighty budget-friendly birdbath. All you need is glue! This one's posted at Tipnut, but the concept is originally from Patricia's Pots. -- Tipnut

Attracting birds to your yard can bring so much enjoyment. They are so much fun to watch, and my son loves naming the different types he sees at our birdfeeder -- goldfinch, robin, sparrow, blue jay....

We've shown you how to build a bird house with scrap wood; now I'll share some ideas on how to build a bird bath with materials you may have around the house.

You could use some chicken wire and cement for the bath part, some metal for the support post, and rocks for the edges, suggests Las Pilitas. Or how about an old cake pan, an old garbage can lid, or even a beat-up hubcap? If those are too crazy for you, a soft, flat rock or even a terra cotta pot's saucer will make an effective birdbath.

Each week, Diane Rixon brings you Avant Yard, a look at all your lawn and garden could be. Diane shows you how to give life to everything inside your fence. We promise that your yard will be the greener "other side" and the neighbor's envy to boot. Alright, we don't really promise, but you get the idea.

Is there a dead tree in your yard? Let it live on -- repurpose it! Here are a bunch of suggestions, with an emphasis on projects that are both easy and inexpensive.

LEAVE IT ALONE
1. Leave it standing. If it's not a danger to people or structures on your property, of course. Let it be a home for birds, bugs and assorted critters.
2. Leave it standing and turn it into yard art -- hang colored bottles from the branches or string it with colored lights that change with the season.

CUT IT UP
3. Use planks for fencing.
4. Build a big brush pile, which is a fantastic refuge for wildlife.
5. Use it for garden mulch. You will need to hire a mulching machine or mulching service for this, however.