DIY Life

What happens in the movies can't always be accomplished in real life. For instance, jumping out of a window in a movie looks easy, but if you try it for yourself, you might not walk away like that cute actor did.

If you have seen someone (whether in reality or not) open a door with a credit card, then you may want to keep that particular ability in the front of your memory, as it really can help you to get in your house if you have misplaced your key.

Keep in mind that you really have to work hard to make the credit card open the lock, so you may want to use an old beat up credit card or gift card that is no longer valid.

Nothing says 'fresh' and 'modern' like graphic artwork. It's a perfect pick-me-up to a drab decor, or it can add a funky flair to a traditional decorating scheme. However you choose to use it, graphic is "in."

You could spend a fortune and buy some canvases from a trendy artist, or you can do it yourself. I vote for me!

Plaid has a very easy tutorial showing how to create your own graphic artwork: a set of three coordinating canvases that you can make, using stencils and four colors of paint.

After painting the base color on each of the canvases, just use stencils to paint on the designs. They will have your own personal touch, you can make them to match your own decor, and they will give your room an instant face lift. They'd also make a cherished housewarming gift for a special friend.

If you fear art, as some do, and this project is more than you can handle without an accompanying Margarita, you can try framing some handmade paper instead. A block print design will give you a similar look, and you can still say that you did it.

I have always loved giving photographs as gifts. In my young and single days, I'd elegantly frame my own photographs of landscapes, flowers, or architecture. Now, people get pictures of my kid. He's pretty cute, so it works out on all fronts, but I think the gift is most appreciated when the photograph comes with a classy frame, made by you.

Every Dad needs pictures of his kids at the office, right? For this cute "Dad" frame, all you need is some oaktag or poster board, scissors and glue. The holes in the letters D-A-D frame photos of your kids -- cute! Martha Stewart has a similar project with a template for the D-A-D.

A rustic photo frame made from twigs can go with just about any decor, from country to modern. Using twigs, twine and a little glue, you can make one is a few short minutes. You could frame your child, but this type of frame would also look nice around a woodland landscape that is somehow meaningful to the recipient.

Score points this Valentine's day with something truly romantic, original and best of all, homemade. Handmade gifts aren't always received with the excitement that we imagine. Sometimes they are a total flop. So, what differentiates the gift that she calls all her friends to brag about from the one that gets tucked away in the junk drawer?

I think that all romantic DIY gifts should pass a three-point check:

1. Is the gift personal?
   Even if beautiful, something that could have easily made it into a Secret Santa exchange probably isn't going to blow her away. It should be obvious that this gift was made just for your special someone. Personalizing it with a name or picture is the obvious choice. More subtle: try incorporating an inside joke, or choosing a theme using project elements that have significance for the two of you.
   
   
2. Did the gift take time to make?
   She said she'd like something homemade. You raided the kids craft cupboard and made a card. She's not impressed. Are you surprised? The more time and planning that goes into the gift the more you'll get out of it. People love knowing that they were thought of, and taking the time and energy to plan ahead for a handmade gift shows that you truly wanted it to be something special.
   
   
3. Is it really any good?
   We only make a big deal out of poorly painted, ceramic ashtrays when they come from our children. While some failed projects can still be appreciated for the romantic intention, there really isn't room for the ugly, the tasteless, and the poorly crafted ones. Don't knit him a toque out of leftover yarn in colors you know he'd find hideous and then expect him to wear it proudly because it was made with love. Think seriously about what your significant other would like. If you want it to go on display, consider how it would work with their current decorating scheme.

With these three guidelines, I've put together a list of romantic DIY Valentine's day gifts. Some are old favorites-- tried, tested, and true for generations of lovers. Others are new and inventive, but they are all incredibly romantic and sure to make him or her putty in your hands. Follow me through the break and I'll share them with you.

When you go to the grocery store, do you buy fresh herbs or do you head to the spice aisle? Not all of our recipes call for fresh herbs, so many people just buy the dried herbs, but it is so much easier to make your own herb garden so that you can have fresh herbs all year around. Cheaper too!

You can have freshly dried herbs all winter long when you make your own herb dryer. To make the dryer, you will need recycled metal fly screens, four trays, pull handles, and a crate or pine frame. You can paint the frame with Estapol paint so that it will look attractive wherever you set the herb dryer.

You'll want to place the frame where you can observe it on a continual basis, as herbs dry fairly quickly. Gather your herbs in the morning, and place them in airtight containers when they are dry. You'll have freshly dried herbs all winter long, and save lots of money in the process. Don't forget to make your own basil butter!

The most important advice that I think anyone can get when embarking on a new DIY project is: "Don't Panic!"

A perfect example was my creation of a custom framed mirror. My wife and I couldn't find one at a retail location that had all the right qualities. It had to be the right size, color, style, price, and lack of ugliness. We found many that had on or two of these factors, but never one with3 or more out of the 5. So I declared that I could easily make one. Visions of slapping a mirror to the wall with mastic and then gluing molding around it danced in my head. She agreed.

3 days later after intense negotiations and molding shopping I was left needing to create from scratch a framed mirror that had its own backing "in case we decide to move it later". So much for "slapping" it to the wall with glue!

Circuit boards don't belong in the landfill. They can be dropped off at your local recycling depot but before you do that, try your hand at recycling them into something useful. These 10 creative ways to reuse circuit boards are sure to inspire your creativity. While they've also been turned into consumer products, go ahead and make your own. A circuit board business card case will help keep you organized. The photo frames or coasters would be fun projects, and would make a great Christmas gift for the computer geek in your life.

If you still have more than you know what to do with, and you'd take huge pride in being known as the guy with the geekiest ride then this circuit board car is your ticket. You are sure to turn heads in this uber-geeky automobile decorated entirely from recycled circuit boards. While nothing quite compares to Jason's homemade wooden spoilers, this circuit board car comes awfully close.

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]

If you're too old for frat parties, then it's really time to get rid of that Klimt poster you have "decorating" your living room wall. Dorm room decor is not acceptable outside a dorm room, even if it was inspired by great art.

Really, no matter how much you love your family, framed photos of them will only get you so far. Here are a few interesting, cheap, and easy ideas to spruce up your space without regressing to freshman year:

Is your refrigerator boring? Marble magnets are one of those fun, simple craft projects that have become very popular in the last few years. They've shown up on plenty of craft communities, shows, and books, sometimes with a theme. Once you learn how to make them, you can churn out a nearly endless variety, and you can also find other ways to use the pictorial marbles. But there are a few potential pitfalls in the process, so it helps to have someone show you how.

First of all, what are they? Flat glass marbles, sometimes called half-marbles or cabochons or glass pebbles, have long been sold to line plant pots and fish tanks. At some point, someone noticed that the marble acts like a lens if you place it over a picture or printed design. Eventually, people started gluing these pictorial marbles to things, particularly magnets, and an endless craft trend was born.

They're a great project because they're easy and inexpensive, but also relatively unique. They make good gifts: you can tailor them to the recipients' tastes, and they cost very little to make, so for $10 a teenager can cover presents for a whole group of friends.

To learn how to make pictorial marbles for magnets and other projects, join us after the break!

A basic clock is pretty easy to make: you just need a clock kit, which has the workings and the hands, and something to be a clock face. Clock kits usually cost less than US$10 in craft stores. Clock faces can be almost anything (flat-ish) you imagine, from a porcelain plate with a hole carefully drilled through the middle, to an old vinyl record, to your friend's wedding photo, to an actual, formal clock face.

IKEAhacker posted a great clock hack of this nature from the November Dreams blog, which involves only making a few holes: a space for the clock parts, and holes for the hands. If you don't happen to have an IKEA near you, no problem. You won't be able to duplicate the project exactly, but you'll be able to find very similar items at almost any craft store.

Be sure to check out the IKEAhacker post for links to four other fun, easy clock projects!

Photojojo has a tutorial for making photo frame wine glasses. You stick a picture to the bottom of your wine glass and see yourself, your honey or even your dog, if you so choose, staring back at you.

This could be an interesting way to make sure everyone knows who the guest of honor is at your party or a good prank for an unsuspecting guest of honor. I guess you could even make these for your wedding dinner if you have a quirky sense of humor.

The project seems easy enough and like it would be fun to do. I'm just not sure I would want to keep my eyes open while drinking out of one of these glasses. When I first saw this one I wasn't sure if it was creepy or cool. As of now I still can't decide so I'll leave the judgement call up to you.