DIY Life

Our friends at ShelterPop are back at it again with excellent DIY-able advice. This week? Learn to make these kid-friendly, colorful bookshelves that you can arrange and re-arrange to your heart's content.

What you'll need:
- A jigsaw or similar saw
- Sandpaper/electric sander
- Wood screws
- Powerdrill and/or screwdriver
- Lumber
- Wood glue
- Paint
- Measuring tape
- Pencil and paper


The Plan:
1. Use your saw to cut your lumber pieces to the length that you need.
2. Use a vice or clamps to hold the pieces together and use wood glue to join the corners of the lumber together. When they are dry, drill wood screws into each corner for reinforcement.
3. Sand down all of your edges.
4. Paint your boxes. Laura used high quality spray paint, but any thick, interior household paint or craft paint for wood will work just find.
5. Stack boxes into alcove and enjoy!

Isn't the look adorable, colorful and unique? I can't wait to try it myself!

So, it's time to paint over that bold red in the kitchen that has become a bit... much over the years. But how do you choose the right paint color when there are dozens of different shades, all under the umbrella of what you and I would label to be nothing more than white?

Our AOL home decor expert Kelly Edwards suggests grabbing a sample of a paint swatch you like, painting a foamboard of poster board and affixing it to the wall you'd like to paint over for several days. You can see what your wall will look like in the morning light and evening dusk -- a change that can make or break a space.


Want more killer painting tips? View the above video for more tips on how you can choose the right paint for your room... every time. And don't worry if you mess up; you can always join our Messy Paint Mishaps gallery and bask in your disasterous fame!

1980s music and '80s-style skinny jeans have popped back into fashion of late. '80s-style home decor trends have most definitely not. So if you've recently purchased a home that retains an '80s interior, or if your old house needs a style makeover before going on the market, check out these tips from MSN Real Estate on how to de-'80s your home.

The fastest and most budget-friendly way to de-'80s a space, say MSN's style gurus, is to completely rid yourself of the dreaded "Miami Vice" color palette. The hues now considered waaay outdated are hunter green, salmon pink, gray, and teal. Next, upgrade your light fixtures, particularly anything with a shiny gold (fake brass) finish or anything involving etched glass.

Next, replace outdated bathroom medicine cabinets and faucets. If you don't have the time or budget to replace the entire medicine cabinet, at least pull the old one out and hang an attractive mirror over that spot. Next, upgrade the faucets at your kitchen sink. There. The whole house looks better already, doesn't it?

I have a large flower garden in my backyard. Last year, my son had just moved in with me (I adopted him from the US foster care system). I was never able to get him very interested in the garden. This year, however, he's been a bit more involved. He's enjoyed seeing the plants spring up from their winter slumber, and he's even potted his "own" annuals.

Working in the garden has been a great learning experience for him. We discuss everything from flowers to bugs to environmental responsibility. When I stumbled across this article about dyeing flowers using food coloring, I knew it was a fun experiment my son would enjoy.

All you need is white flowers (carnations work well, but almost any long-stemmed white flower will do), food coloring, glasses or vases for each color, and water. Simply color the water and insert the freshly cut flower, then wait for the magic to happen. While it's fun to see the color change, don't forget to take advantage of the educational aspect. PBSKids has some information on how the process actually works.

Last year, my neighbor bought a new patio set, and I inherited their rusty, out-of-style set. Now that summer is near, it's time to spruce up that patio set and breathe some new life into it. I've purchased new seat covers and will start sanding and painting soon. But to really give it some flair, I want to add some colorful pillows.

Obviously, being made for the outdoors, the fabric needs to be water-safe. Martha Stewart Living recommends using inexpensive vinyl tablecloths. I think it's a great idea. A reader also suggested using shower curtains. So this weekend, I'm on the hunt for a cute vinyl tablecloth or shower curtain that will make my patio set pop with color.

These photo pencil covers are a creative way to spice up regular pencils, personalizing them with your own photos.

You can use one picture so that each pencil has a piece, coming together to reveal the whole image. you can also do separate images for each pencil, try pictures of lemon for your yellow pencil crayon, grass for the green and lavender flowers for the purple. There are no rules here. A set of photo pencils would make a great gift for your artist pal, or a fun back-to-school project.

You'll want to use regular paper as opposed to photo paper. Basically, you mark out and cut the photo strips, cover the back with glue, and wrap it around the pencil. Secure the edge with matte scotch tape, and you're ready to more on to the next pencil in your series. You'll find the full tutorial and other creative ideas at Photojojo!

Teenagers assert their independence in a variety of ways. I truly believe that the ones that aren't putting them in danger should be encouraged. This holds true for room decor. Give them some authority over their bedroom and the way it's decorated, no matter how hideous! A teenager won't feel relaxed in a space that was decorated by Mom for the ballet-loving daughter she knew 8 years ago. They will feel more comfortable and more empowered if you let them take the reigns and make the room more personal.

This doesn't mean that you should hand her a can of black spray paint and let her mood guide the decor. There is a middle ground that you can both live with. Teenage taste changes weekly, so it can be hard to predict what she'll want, but this article will give you a place to start. It lets us in on what teenagers really want in their rooms: storage and sanctuary are high priorities.

Want colorful flowers this spring? No time to read that 500-page gardening book you got for Christmas? Well, time-pressed gardener, here's how to grow masses of beautiful pansies in 10 easy steps.

1. Know your zone. Is now a good time to plant? The answer depends upon your zone. Check the USDA's plant hardiness map. Pansies are grown as annuals in zones 2 to 11 (i.e. most of the US) during spring and fall. From zone 9 south to zone 11 (south Texas and most of Florida), they will grow right through winter. North of zone 9, they may die down during winter, but come back in Spring. Further north, the cold will kill them stone dead. Bottom line: if the weather is warming up for Spring and you don't expect any really hot weather anytime soon, you're probably good to go.

2. Buy smart. Don't be sucked in by the brightest blooms. Instead, buy dense, sturdy-looking plants with lots of healthy, green leaves and buds. These will give you more blooms in the long run once they get established. Another buying tip: it's better value to buy whole trays of baby pansies rather than pint-sized pots of mature ones. Be patient and those tiny plants will soon grow to full size.

The instructions for this quilting project say that "there is no wrong way to put the fabric together". This is my kind of project. You can use scraps of fabric that are left over from other crafts, or head out in search of the right pieces to compliment you room. Either way, you'll just love to get creative, mixing and matching your own crazy quilt pillow.

You can use a machine or hand stitch it, but bright colored thread and contrasting seams will add to the funky look. Along with a creative eye, here's what you'll need for the quilted pillow:

• Fabrics of choice
• Colored thread
• Needle
• Stuffing

This would be a great first sewing project for your teen who is decorating their own room. You could personalize it even further by adding patches and decals. Ultimate authority over the design and simple sewing instructions make this crazy quilt pillow a simple project with a funky result.

I don't spend a lot of time in upscale hotel suites, so learning that the 2008 trends in home decorating will follow a boutique hotel style didn't mean a whole lot to me. Still, the more I read about these design techniques the more interested I am. You can achieve that rich, eclectic New York style at home. This article tells us how. The idea that stands out for me is mixing and matching furniture styles. That plain, simple, and matching look that you'll find in most current living-rooms is fading out in favor of more adventurous styles.

Mixing furniture style, and choosing different but complimenting pieces will give your room added character. Choose a variety of wood textures and don't be afraid of mixing new with antique. Use bold colors and patterned fabrics wisely, but don't shy away from them. If you want to highlight something, go ahead.

With tips on hiding your big ugly TV and bringing color into your rooms, these ideas will have you living in hotel style in no time.

Before you know it, Thanksgiving will be over and it will be time to send out Christmas cards to family, friends, and acquaintances. Making our own Christmas cards is a tradition I want to start with my youngest daughter, and it will be made easier with these instructions from wikiHow.

To make the Christmas tree pop-up card, you will need heavy card stock or construction paper, a ruler, a paper clip, a pair of scissors, and some art supplies to decorate your finished card. WikiHow gives you step-by-step instructions on how to construct the card, including the pattern for the tree.

I think this would be an ideal project for youngsters in school to give to their parents for Christmas. The art teacher could print out the paper, have the kids cut and decorate the card, and then make a fancy envelope to put their decorated card in. I know that I would have a happy heart if my little girl gave me this card for Christmas. How about you?

The rainbow is one of nature's more beautiful occurrences. It doesn't matter where you're headed or the hurry you're in, a rainbow has the power to stop you in your tracks and take a moment to look in awe. If you love photography, you catch that awe inspiring moment on film. All too often, I develop my film only to find that I failed to capture the true wonder on film.

The wet fall days and clear crisp skies mean that rainbows are plentiful and the opportunities to practice photographing them are in abundance. How to photograph a rainbow gives you tips on taking the best picture.

A tip that I found particularly useful is this one about positioning the end point of your rainbow.

End Points of the Rainbow - the point where a rainbow hits the ground/horizon is an important point in any rainbow photograph. This is a natural point of interest so think about where you'll put it in the frame. You might want to zoom in on this spot or even quickly change your own position so that it lines up with some other object in the scene.

The tips address everything from foreground to composition to filter. Read through their suggestions and go searching for your subject. By the end of this rainy season you'll have a collection of rainbow photos.

[via: Lifehacker]

Manicured nails make a great impression. For most of us, long nails dazzled with jewels just don't match our DIY'er lifestyle. In this edition of DIY spa treatment, I'll show you how to achieve a spa quality manicure that you can live with and easily maintain.

What you'll need

1. Nail brush
2. Soap
3. Nail clippers
4. Emery board
5. Q-tips
6. Nail polish remover
7. Colored polish
8. Clear top coat polish

After the break I'll give you the step by step for your at home manicure. While I am now painfully aware that I am not a hand model, the gallery pictures illustrate each step along the way.

This clever article at WikiHow shows us how to make marble painting out of shaving cream. You can use the result for just about any paper craft, but I think it would make a great decoration for the front of a greeting card. Play around with the designs and see what you can create.

What you'll need

1. Cookie sheet
   
2. Shaving foam
3. Squeegee (The Dollar Store has some great mini ones)
   
4. Card stock
   
5. Liquid food colors or tempera paint - any colors you choose
   
6. A chopstick or something to draw the design

After the break, I'll summarize the steps for this project.