I love DIY hacks in the kitchen. One of my favorites is this easy secret about cutting onions. To prevent the waterworks show when slicing this potent vegetable, simply hold your tongue on the roof of your mouth (but don't breathe through your nose!). You'll still be able to breathe, don't worry, but you won't have to explain to your guests that really, nothing's wrong -- it's the onions.

Of course, there are a ton of other onion hacks for the kitchen, and most can be found right here at DIY Life. Let's take a look, shall we?:
-For an instructional video including 5 tips for slicing onions without crying like a baby, visit How to Dice an Onion.
-Sure, onions are full of flavor, but did you know they could juice up your iPod (literally?). Find out more at Charge Your iPod With an Onion.

Clearly, onions just got a whole lot sweeter.

Recently, I've written about projects you can make using fabric scraps, from fabric flower cards to hair curlers. More, more, more, you say!

How about fifty more? That's how many fabric scrap projects TipNut has compiled. Is a diaper case something you've been needing? Maybe an iPod cozy or even a rag rug is more what you are looking for.

I love the trim boxes: cute fabric boxes on a small scale that you can use to store any tiny things that tend to get away from you. But the first thing I am making from this list is the fabric envelope -- no sewing and so classy!

Will you make the door draft dodger, or the layered fabric photo mats? Tell us about your favorite project using your fabric scraps.

Every single person that lives in my home is a comic book fan. We have some sort of superhero (or super-villain) memorabilia lurking in every corner of our apartment. When my husband told me he wanted me to make a cozy for his Zune, I knew I should make one using some sort of superhero theme.

I scored when I found this tutorial: How to make an iPod, Zune, or cell phone cozy using a children's sock.

You can use any style of sock, but I found it best to use a sock with the longest ankle part, and only used the ankle.

You simply measure the item you are going to store against the sock (eyeball it), and cut off the excess. Turn the sock inside out, and sew up the bottom.

There are lots of interesting sock choices in children's departments everywhere. You may not be into superheroes, but you can find many other styles. Be sure to also check the girls' section for other options. My sister-in-law had a fit when she saw my husband's, and now I have to make her a Tinkerbell one. These make an excellent gift: they are quick, cheap, and easy.

My sister sent me her iPod telling me it's locked up: the hold button switch stopped working. It was stiff and felt like a piece of grit was in the switch. With the hold switch broken, all the other buttons stopped working as well, even while the screen indicated that the device was on.

I first tried the farmer method of fixing things, by adding a micro-drop of mineral oil to the switch....wrong, that didn't do anything. I tinkered a little more, and found out the actual switch on the circuit board was busted.

Hit the continue for more on this.

Over the holidays I got a Nike+iPod Sport Kit so I could start tracking my treadmill work. Unfortunately, I didn't have a pair of Nike's to support the device, which requires specific shoes which have a little recessed well in the sole of the shoe to hold the pedometer/transmitter. Instead, also over the holidays, I got the shoes I prefer: a pair of New Balance 779's. What to do but DIY, right? I've compiled a list of "hacks" for the Nike+iPod, all of which will somehow attach the transmitter to your shoe. Unfortunately, all of them tend to damage the shoe in some way. Next week I'll show you how to make a simple, effective pocket for your transmitter that will not harm the shoe in any way.

Simple and cheap: The 99-cent DIY shoe mod takes a simple strip of adhesive Velcro (the hook side) and allows you to latch to your shoelaces, while also slipping the unit under your laces. My problem with this? The Velcro will ultimately chew up your laces (I treasure the laces on New Balance, so unlike the slippery junk Nike's come with) and the transmitter, while tiny, can hurt when pressed against the top of your foot in this way.

(more on the next page)

I think I live in the Dark Ages, because I don't own most of the gadgets people have. I am okay with that though, because you seriously don't miss what you don't need. I live out in the sticks anyway with a dial up connection, so most of those gadgets won't work where I live, at least not without costing me an arm and a leg to make them work. I tell ya what though, if I had an iPod, I would seriously dress it up for winter.

Head over to clickertyclick and knit an iPod hoodie. When I saw the cute little hoodie, I burst out laughing and just had to share the tutorial with you. I guess your iPod can get frigid and cold too, so maybe make a few for your good friends in the colors they like. The instructions are simple and easy to follow, and it should not take you very long to make this cute little hoodie at all.

Guys, I know that you don't want your iPod wearing a hoodie, so why not make your own statement with a bike inner tube iPod case.

Time to geek out for you iPod-heads out there -- there may be a way to add internal Bluetooth capability to your beloved digital media player without having some awkward dongle hanging off the stern of the ship. It's been a dream of many iPod owners to use Bluetooth headphones with their iPods and do away with the cord mess that comes standard issue with using corded headphones.

But, it will take some work, soldering finesse and a decent chunk of luck to ensure you can add internal Bluetooth to your iPod without toasting it in the process. And forget that bulky hard drive -- this addition seems to require a standard hard-drive based iPod (not a nano or anything flash-based). The hard drive must be removed and replaced with a flash memory solution so the new Bluetooth circuit board can fit inside the iPod's casing.

Think that is beyond your capabilities? Nah -- off-the-shelf parts will make it easy to snuggle a CompactFlash card (or microdrive, probably) into the vacated hard drive cavity. So, whew -- here you are. Get some patience from the kitchen cupboard and begin here. This will drive your iPod buddies nuts once they see you have wireless headphones on you iPod and they're using the ubiquitous white-cord goofiness from the good old days.

That iPhone or iPod touch is the coolest and neatest gadget you've seen, right? For owners of one or the other (or oddly, both), the WiFi-ness of having wireless internet access, MP3 and iTunes tracks and other multi-touch goodness at your fingertips probably has you thinking life is good. What if you could turn that button-less gadget into a home automation center with lighting control, security control and more?

Software such as Cinemar's Mainlobby will let the iPhone or iPod Touch's built-in AJAX-compliant web browser to tap into Cinemar's web server (called "MLServer") to control all that home theater gear, lighting and more from that precious, WiFi-equipped iPhone or iPod Touch.

We doubt you'll wall mount your baby on the wall, but making cell calls, browsing the web in its full glory and controlling all that remote-controlled gear in your home from a single touch screen device sounds like a dream come true for those that like devices that can take over tasks from a slew of other devices.

Need something cool that'll thrill the socks off the techie in your life? Stumped as to what that perfect item might be? Check out MAKE Magazine's open source hardware gift guide for ideas.

No, "open source hardware" doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. Nope, it's not a cool or sexy term. But the idea is cool and sexy, however. Open source hardware refers to hardware and software that anyone can make or modify. No rules or regulations included. The purpose is to encourage the free and healthy spread of ideas. Says MAKE Magazine: "Each of the kits, projects, and open source hardware gifts in our guide represents more than just a holiday gift: they're a chance to support this nascent hardware movement. If you know someone who likes to make things, or wants to learn, these are the gifts for them!" Now, that is pretty cool!

So, what do the writers at MAKE suggest? First up, it's the Daisy -- an open source make-your-own MP3 player. At $114 for the kit, you can build a player with sound as good as an iPod and access to 65,000 tracks! Or how about a make-your-own iPod charger. At only $19.99, the MintyBoost (so-named because it's housed in a mint tin) is small but powerful and runs on two AA batteries. Then there's the Chumby: a tiny computer with an even tinier Linux OS, housed in a beanbag. Final pick: the Firefly -- a wee DIY guitar amplifier...for only $19 (PCB only).

iPod hacks are wildly popular right now. Innovative ways to charge iPods are particularly the rage because they appeal to our geeky DIY attitude and turn everyday items into functioning charging tools. This video shows how to charge an iPod with an onion and electrolytes.

What you'll need

1. 1 white onion
2. 2 cups of Gatorade or Power-aid
3. Screwdriver
4. iPod and charger

Assuming that your onion has absorbed at least one cup of energy drink after following the instructions in the video, it should be able to charge your iPod for 15-20 min. I wonder what your co-workers will think when they see your iPod sitting on your desk plugged into an onion via USB. If nothing else, it's a fun experiment and a conversation starter, and really the only reason to do this is to prove it can be done.

The iPod case has become a fashion accessory of its own. If you're looking for a cute, custom, handmade case then follow this tutorial and craft your own. The felt case has buttonhole stitching and is adorned with a precious sheep character. The great thing about these tutorials is that you can follow it exactly or use your own creativity. Add your own characters and change the colors for a truly custom look. You can make one to match every outfit! Once you've made one for yourself, make them for friends and stock up as stocking-stuffers.

You'll find all the materials and instructions in this easy to follow tutorial.

Are you a Halloween procrastinator? Never fear! You can still whip up a last-minute homemade costume for tonight's festivities. Surfing around, I discovered that Fox News has posted some make-it-yourself costume ideas complete with photos and instructions. Among the suggestions: all-in-black dancer from the iPod commercial, mummy, jellyfish, Hershey's Kiss, bag of jellybeans, spam monster and sudoku.

Okay, okay: the downside? Their photos shown are most definitely of nicely-made costumes. They are not of people sporting the last-minute, homemade costumes described in the article. Let's get real. You are probably not going to look that fab unless you are a Martha Stewart clone. However, if you follow the instructions and aim for the look depicted in the snapshots, you will most definitely look suitably festive.

Time is of the essence here, so pick one that's really easy to do with materials you already have on hand. For that reason, I'd suggest ruling out more involved ideas like mummy or jellyfish in favor of the super-easy spam monster costume. Here's what you do:

SPAM MONSTER COSTUME
You will need: one old hoodie sweatshirt, scissors, duct tape, printer and paper.

AOL Money has an interesting article: Top 5ive Things Never to Repair. Although you'll need to check the article itself to understand the reasoning behind it, if you're curious, the five items are:

• Computers
• Digital cameras
• MP3 players
• Microwaves
• Cell phones

Read more about it after the break!

IPods, digital music players and even older CD players have the capability to sound incredible, but often don't thanks to the cheaply-made earphones that generally ship with these types of products. The signal-to-noise ratio of many portable audio and video players is superb, but it's all lost on those cool-but-shrill-sounding white iEarphones.

Sure, you can divvy up some cash for a pair of $100+ earphones from the likes of Etymotic or Shure, but why would you spend as much for those items as the audio player itself? Audiophiles will tell you that a good set of earphones is easily worth the money, but for most of us, the investment doesn't hold up. Enter the noise-canceling earphone set for $20.

After watching the video below, are you up to the task? The required items are inexpensive and easy to find at a local Radio Shack or hardware store, so off you go, if you're up to it. Be prepared to never be audibly disturbed again while listening to those precious tunes.



[via Lifehacker]

Now that you have a new iPod Nano, you will want to keep that bad boy safe. Considering how small they are, you are bound to lose it or even break it. They are not designed to withstand much torture. I do not have an iPod, but if I did, it would probably end up broken or even in the toilet. It is not that I don't take care of my things, it is just that I can get forgetful sometimes, especially when my attention is focused on my 2 year old.