All homes have exterior surfaces that are designed to protect the home from the elements. There are many different types, but the two general ones are brick and siding. Some homes have a combination of the two.

If you're giving your home a face lift, you have choices. Let's talk about the many types of siding.

Cedar Siding for the Home

Western Red Cedar siding is the type most commonly used. It's a natural product, known for its beauty and durability. For energy efficiency, rigid foam sheathing may be applied prior to installing the siding. If this option is taken, kiln-dried cedar siding should be used, because of its stability.

I love the look of outdoor terra cotta pots and planters: a little bit rustic with a European flair, yet simple to blend in with your landscaping and house style. Sometimes, though, I wonder about embellishing them a little with some paint, just for fun.

Can it be done in a way that the elements will not destroy all of my hard work? The Artistic Garden says yes, and it is simpler than I thought. All you need are water-based acrylic paints. Why didn't I think of that? Painting terra cotta pots with craft store acrylic paints is recommended, and the article suggests that you really do not need specially formulated patio paint at all.

I was delightfully surprised to see that no sealers or top coats are needed. Since the paints are about a dollar for a two-ounce bottle at craft stores and they dry in about an hour, I cannot think of an easier project. Now, to decide on my design....

If you are looking for other ideas on how to spruce up your outside pots and planters, try Diane's spray paint makeover for plastic pots and Francesca's flower pot fun with the kids, using stencils and sponges.

I was in desperate need of shelving to display my goods at upcoming craft fairs. I did quite a bit of searching on the good old internet, looking at what other people were using. I really needed to take price into account: I'm always one to pinch pennies where I can.

I noticed that in a lot of people's display pictures, they were using basic plastic shelving. I had seen that type of shelving for sale at stores like Wal-mart and Target, where it mostly comes in drab plain old white. I did see a few sets in black, but I really want my items to pop off the shelves, and with the black shelving, my items would just sort of meld into the background.

For a moment I considered trying to find something else, but then something clicked inside my head. I'd recently made over my plastic patio furniture using Krylon Fusion spray paint, so why not just paint the shelving whatever color I want?

I was going to go for gray, but when I saw the Krylon Fusion For Plasic Fusion Hammered in silver, I couldn't resist. And the painting was easy: full coverage in only two coats. It took about two cans for a set of four shelves, so the price is nice.

I've since decided to use this shelving in my craft area when not vending at craft fairs. It looks too good to just store away!

When it comes to decorating their bedroom, we let our kids choose the paint color, and some fun bedding. With our voice of reason we've managed to avoid painting a large Lightning McQueen on the wall, but we still needed to personalize the room in a way we could all live with. We wanted something that wouldn't quickly become a symbol of last year's kiddie trend, but was something that they would love to look at, feel proud of, and be somehow a reflection of their own little uniqueness. We decided to make our own photo mural. This project is great for any age. Make it yourself for over baby's crib, let your preschoolers help make one for their room or let teenagers use it to express their own individuality. This is super simple, quick and easily changed over the years. Get them involved in choosing the supplies. Here's what you need to get started:

1. Tacks
   The push-pin style will be safer in case there are little ones in the room. If you'd rather avoid tacks all together, poster gum will achieve the same thing. I personally like the look of tacks, especially in a variety of bright colors.
   
   
2. Picture frames
   Get a few in bright colors, or better yet, let your kids paint and decorate plain ones. This is a great way for them to add that personal touch.
   
   
3. School border
   These come in many themes. We chose a space border, because the boys love space, but you'll find princess, sports, seasons, and other choices at your local office or school supply store.
   
   
4. Photos
   This is the really fun part. Let your children choose pictures of themselves and their friends and family. If you want to, take some pictures of them with their friends dressing up, or making goofy faces. If you have younger children, you might want to choose pictures of important people in their lives, like Grandma and some special friends. If you have older ones, let them put together a collection of pictures that reflects their life at that stage.

After the break, I'll explain how to put this all together.

Curbly's ModHomeEcTeacher, Shelly Leer, dropped us a line to let us know about a nifty project she designed. This upholstered nightstand cost her less than $25 to purchase and overhaul, and with attention to detail, you can do it too.

Shelly was nice enough to give us a bunch of extra photos of the makeover process. I've set them up in a gallery, below, where you can watch it all come together.

Please join me after the break for a few more notes about methods and supplies, like the name of the fabric used in the tutorial and at least one place where you can purchase it.

Summer time is vacation time. Some people are trying to travel as much as they can while the weather is nice, and some people have to finish their trips before the kids go back to school. Either way, why not inject a little crafty fun into your jaunts by decorating your luggage?

At the Baxter Bulletin, DIY superstar Kathy Cano Murillo suggests several ways to spruce up your bags. Whether you go with polka dots, rubber stamps, or glitter, you'll find something to set your stuff apart at the airport claim area.

If your luggage is nice and new-looking, and you don't want to follow Kathy's suggestion of picking up a small carry-on to decorate instead, you could try customizing your luggage tags. You can experiment without fear: the project is so small that the stakes are very low.

At best, you'll have a tag you love and the courage to work on your new luggage too, or to pick vintage luggage up from a thrift store and give it a new look. (You can see something like this in the photo above.) At worst, you'll wind up buying a new tag.