DIY Life

Get some seasonal Halloween fun started with this DIY burlap "Boo" banner. I love it. Stylish, yet so affordable to make. – Everyday Chaos

Moss in your gutters? Why toss it or compost it when you could make these adorable moss pots. Row them on your front steps or bring 'em inside. Just be sure to keep them moist and shaded. – Chez Larsson

New no-drill decorating ideas always grab my attention. Here's a new product for mounting curtain rods without the pesky drilling part. Special brackets clamp onto the corners of your window frame. Easy as pie. – Ready Hang

Impatient for those golden and red leaves to start falling? Make this Whimsical Autumn Leaves Windcatcher while you wait. Easy enough for kids to do with help. You supply colorful fabric leaves and beads and let them have at it. – Centsational Girl

Pasted with vintage maps, any object becomes a unique and eye-catching collectable. A chic headboard or a stack of antique books. How about paper butterflies crafted from old music score sheets? A collection of photos to inspire you. – Bromeliad Living

The Young House Love bloggers are working hard on a sleek nursery design for blogger John's sister's house. The emphasis is a decidedly non-prissy nursery, with nary an iota of pastel pink or blue in sight. Instead, contemporary lines and colors rule ... all on a tight budget. – Young House Love

Embroidery hoops become inexpensive wall frames. Yes, really. But instead of holding family snaps, they look super-stylish holding fabric swatches. Use them just for decoration or as message boards. Clever idea, yes? – Shelter Pop

Love your cat? Hate to scoop? Toilet training your kitty can be done. It does take patience and just the right technique, though. Are you up for it? Check out this step-by-step kitty potty training guide. -- karawynn

Say "sayonora" to that ugly view. Learn how to sew Japanese tissue paper into "noren" or paper curtains. The tissues have a fabric-like durability, yet possess a delicate beauty. Finished curtains may be used to cover windows or doorways. – The Paper Place

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

Thrifty Décor Chick yearned for a Ballard Décor decorative pear ... but she wasn't wild about the hefty price tag. Learn how she made her own version using an $8 thrift store find and a little DIY ingenuity. – Thrifty Décor Chick

Make a pretty little potted topiary for yourself or a friend. Start one now and you'll have a terrific, budget-friendly gift ready when the holidays roll around. – Design Sponge Online

Fishbowl jelly: a guaranteed kiddie-pleaser. Martha tells you how to make this ingeniously simple dessert for your next children's party. – Martha Stewart

Create a stylish bracelet using just elastic and old buttons. Don't you love it when DIY crafts look cooler than the store-bought versions? – DIY Network

Now here's a creative way to upcycle those old books: Make a headboard out of them for sweet dreaming. -- CasaSugar

Make that vacation memory permanent by creating a quilted postcard out of your favorite photo. -- Craftster

Lamps are a complete mystery to me, but this restored lamp looks so great, it makes me want to learn. -- CraftyNest

Not sure to do with those old jeans and t-shirts that aren't in good enough shape to donate? Give them new life as a cute and colorful rag rug. -- eHow

Impress your kids during your next beach trip by building them the sandcastle of your dreams. Howcast shows you how.

If it's not the heat, it's the humidity. If summer's making you sweat, check out Lifehacker's best tips for beating the heat.

So you can't afford a house on the beach ... who can in this economy? With a little creativity and some treasure hunting, however, you can bring the beach to your house. -- Shelterpop

All your favorite fruits are in season right now. Buy them up at your local farmer's market right now while the price is low, then freeze them to enjoy all winter. TipNut will teach you how to freeze them for best flavor.

World's easiest fix: Worried about oil rings on your beautiful granite countertops? Dish it -- or keep them in easy reach, but safe and sound on an attractive dish. -- Young House Love

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" opened on Wednesday. Get your fix with some of these fantastic ideas for Harry Potter DIY gear and crafts. -- Instructables

Gear and crafts aren't going to cut it for your Harry Potter fan? Then here's more: How to play a real life game of Quidditch and how to make pensieve punch.

Got a green thumb but no place to garden? Grab yourself an inexpensive shoe organizer and create a vertical garden. -- CasaSugar

Bring an old dresser back to life with a fresh, pretty paint job and an interesting design. Better than a brand-new piece of furniture. -- ShelterPop

It's mid-July, and your air conditioner is probably working hard. Here's how to give it a yearly check-up so that it'll keep you cool year after year. -- Lifehacker

Mmmm ... sushi. Only you can't eat this felt sushi, it's just pretty and fun to play with. -- Craftster

Keep the kids busy this weekend with a project that requires them to slow down a little -- egg shell people. -- eHow

This is going straight to the top of my "want" list. Remember those cute little kitschy suitcases you used to carry as a kid? Now you can make one -- wait for it -- for you laptop. -- Craftzine Blog

Looking for a fun summer project? Here are 20 DIY projects that make good use of items you already own. - AOL Home

Remember those paper-mache piggie banks we used to make when we were kids? Here's a grown up version, only this one makes a beautiful light fixture out of cotton yarn. -- CasaSugar

Everyone's got one stuck in their drawer somewhere: A tee that's just too big or doesn't fit right. With a little scrap fabric, you can turn it into an adorable tank top instead. -- Crafster

Hey, wine lovers: Here's a trendy, stylish trivet to brighten up your summertime table ... and make good use of all those wine corks. -- Craftynest

Everyone knows how to go on a picnic, right? Well here's how to have the perfect picnic -- good food, good company, good fun. -- eHow

Your garden needs a water feature, so how about a fountain ... built out of bowling balls? -- Instructables

Too busy spending time outside or on your favorite projects to watch your favorite TV shows this summer? Good for you! If you can't bear missing them, though, check out Hulu's desktop downloader to save and view your favorite shows. At your convenience. -- Lifehacker

Love to cross stitch? Heck, even if you don't, you'll love these amazing designs. And did you know you can even get a cross stitch pillow of your favorite Tweet? Amazing. -- Shelterpop

Rather than pay for pricey reusable bags, make your own out of your old pillowcases. -- Craftzine Blog

It's not too late to add some flair to tomorrow's big July 4th barbecue. For some excellent ideas on the ultimate July 4th party, go visit ShelterPop.

So the boss just handed you an impossible deadline ... what now? According to Lifehackery, the answer is a mix of time management, caffeine and strategy.

Drain cleaners are not only an inefficient way to unclog your bathtub or sink, they're terrible for the environment. There's a better way, and Lifehacker's got it: DIY Drano.

Keep the kids busy times two: Day one, build a kite. Day two, fly it. -- eHow

Forget ants ruining a picnic ... what happens when they're climbing your dining room table? Instructables has easy tips for getting rid of ants for good. -- Instructables

Not only do fresh herbs add flavor to your dinner, they're also an attractive addition to your yard's landscape. Learn how to plant, grow and maintain herbs in your own backyard. -- DIY Network

Want to invest more into your wine collection than your wine fridge? Here are some simple instructions for turning a mini-fridge into a wine refrigerator. -- WikiHow

If you're really on a budget, though, pinch pennies by storing your wine in this Fed-Ex wine holder. -- Craftzine.blog

Now I know what I'm doing this weekend! Check out this stylish but simple craft: Turn a plant stand and lazy susan into a side table. -- Craftynest