Have a garden? Show it off! Share your pics here.

Posts with tag cool

Hide your air conditioning unit

Box air conditioning unit in a window, as viewed from inside. From randyr.net, Flickr.
The box air-conditioning unit is a necessary evil for many apartment dwellers. (Those of you about to head off to college, take note!) These things come with a few big cons: they are noisy, they are unsightly, they block the view out of your window, and they are a pain in the neck to install and uninstall.

At least the unsightliness factor is something you can fix! Here are a few suggestions for hiding your air conditioning unit from New York Magazine:

  • Decorate it with something pretty like wallpaper scraps.
  • Build a decorative cabinet around it, but be careful not to block air flow.
  • Disguise it from view with a sheer curtain.
  • Hide it with a screen.
  • Cover it with artwork and frame it.
[via Apartment Therapy]
  • Read
  • 0 Comments

The Scentual Life: Minty summer drinks

flourishing mint plant

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.

The mint in my yard is running wild just about now, begging to be plucked and used. That sure is handy, since it's hot outside! I could really use some cooling fresh mint in my beverages, to combat this sweltering heat.

I'm sure you must also have some peppermint essential oil around the house, right? You've got to have some left over, after making your chocolate mint lip balm and ant repellent, so pull it out and add some cool to your summer drinks.

After the break, I'll share recipes for simple syrup with mint, which can be used for a number of summery delights, and other refreshing minty recipes to keep your beverages interesting -- as well as hydrating.

Gallery: Minty drinks

mint strawberry drink_070308mint tea_070308mint lime drink_070308watts cooler_070308mint julep2_070208

Continue reading The Scentual Life: Minty summer drinks

  • 0 Comments

Ceiling fans run counter-clockwise for maximum chill power

Small ceiling fan-light fixture in silver with black wooden fan blades attached to a white tongue-in-groove wooden ceiling
Aaahh. The cool breeze of the ceiling fan is absolute heaven here in Tallahassee, Florida, where the summers are swelteringly hot and humid. In fact, this fair town -- Florida's capital -- was just voted 3rd sweatiest city in the country. A dubious distinction if ever there was one....

Anyway, when it's this hot, ceiling fans really help cool you down. Plus they help save you money: the more you rely on your fans, the less electrical juice you'll need running the a/c. Anyway, to get the best from your fans, make sure they are set to rotate counter-clockwise in summer.

Most ceiling fan-light fixture combos can be easily adjusted by flicking a small switch on the electrical housing somewhere on the unit. For example, the switch on one of my ceiling fans is clearly visible in the above photo.

Want more ceiling fan advice? Check out Dan's post on how to silence a noisy fan. For tons of helpful info on choosing and installing ceiling fans, click over to Kelly's post, 'Install a ceiling fan now!' or this one from Bill: 'Ceiling fans: how cool are they?'

[via Lifehacker.]
  • Read
  • 0 Comments

Avant Yard: Toadily easy toad houses

closeup of toad house made from terracotta flowerpot and river rocks, by Diane Rixon
At an upscale garden center the other day I saw the cutest UFO-style toad house for sale. For, like, $90. Ack!! Really nice if you have the money for something like that. However, you can actually encourage toads for just pennies down. Any small, toad-sized container offers toads the shelter they need to feel safe. Meanwhile, something more elaborate need only set you back a few bucks.

Need inspiration? Check out these photos of toad villages posted by readers of About.com. These are so cute, aren't they? Personally, though, I'm into a more naturalistic look, something I think might be more likely to attract wildlife, too. In the photo above you can see the toad house I made using polished stones. I'll talk more about that in a bit, but also be sure to check out my gallery for step-by-step photos!

Before going any further with the toad houses, however, let's backtrack a little. Why encourage toads in the first place? Well, first of all, toads are suffering as human habitats (cities and suburbs) suck up more and more land. Second, toads are also being harmed by exposure to chemicals used in landscape maintenance. By giving a toad or two a safe place to hang out, you're helping boost their numbers.

Gallery: Toadily Easy Toad House

Rocks and potsRiver rocksStart gluingProgress!Include the Rim

Continue reading Avant Yard: Toadily easy toad houses

  • Read
  • 6 Comments

USB fan from a broken CD drive


My husband has bins of random old computer parts, and I've begged him repeatedly to get rid of them. He has always said that you can never be sure when you might need one of those parts. I'm sure he's got useless stuff in there, though, like maybe a broken CD drive. Who needs that kind of junk? Well, apparently a broken CD drive isn't necessarily junk after all.

This instructables tutorial teaches us how to make a USB cooling fan for a notebook with a old CD drive. If you've got a bin like ours, you probably already have everything you need for this project.


Continue reading USB fan from a broken CD drive

  • Read
  • 0 Comments

DIY lightning globe

Lightning globe by Instructables user NK5.If you have an old monitor sitting around (and come on: I know you do), and if you only kinda value your life, you should immediately go make this Lightning Globe, created by Instructables user NK5. It uses a light bulb, metal screening, a plain plastic plant pot... and a high-voltage power supply.

I say, "only kinda value your life," because in order to complete this project, you'll have to get the high-voltage power supply out of an old monitor, and you'll have to discharge the high voltage on your own. I'm not keen on the idea of our readers winning Darwin Awards, but this project is too cool to not post about it.

Keep in mind that this is not a plasma globe. The lightning will not flow to your fingertips if you place them on the globe. Your hair may or may not stand on end, but if it does, that's probably not a good thing: some of the other Instructables users report getting a shock after their globes were up and running. (This is one of those cases where the reader comments are particularly interesting and instructive.) If you do this project, please be extremely careful.

  • Read
  • 1 Comment

DIY Lists

About DIY Life

Do Life! DIY Life highlights the best in "do-it-yourself" projects.

Here you'll find all types of projects, from hobbies and crafts to home improvement and tech.


Powered by Blogsmith

DIY Life Contributors

#ContributorPostsCmts
1Erin Loechner390
2Diane Rixon201

Most Popular

  1. Reduce Speeding on Your Street
  2. Daily DIY: Nail Polish Hack
  3. ShelterPop Swap: Stretch Your Bookcase -- Literally!
  4. Daily DIY: How to Make a Pumpkin Facial Mask
  5. DIY & Save: Last-Minute Holiday Saving Strategy

Featured Galleries

An easy way to insulate and skirt an elevated structure
USB analog gauge overview
USB analog gauge circuit
Basil harvesting
Bug snacks
Fabric scraps projects

 

Sites We Love