DIY Life

Everyone has had the experience of a light bulb breaking off in the socket. Getting the bulb out of the socket can be a real challenge.

Have you ever heard of the potato trick? You take half of a raw potato, push it into the bulb base, and then turn the potato to remove the bulb. I guess this would be effective if I had potatoes on hand, but I usually don't. Also, potatoes can be messy and I picture a lot of moisture, something which doesn't seem like a good idea around electricity.

There are other more effective ways to get the broken light bulb out of the socket. So get out your toolbox.

I am not a weed vigilante. I do not obsessively seek to control the weeds in my yard. "Live and let live" is usually my philosophy.

Some weeds, however, are just begging for a fight. They spread everywhere and are super-tough to eradicate. Crabgrass (Digitaria spp.) has to be one of the top weeds on most gardeners' lists. It's pretty harmless-looking, pretty even. But it spreads relentlessly by seed, taking over patches of lawn and spreading into garden beds.

Got a crabgrass problem? Check out the following tips and reign it in!

My husband has a freakishly organized tool box. I tease him that it's because he spends all his time in front of the computer instead of working around the house, but the truth is, he just likes to keep things tidy so that he can easily find the tool he's looking for. Part of me admires him -- you know, the part that's not too busy teasing him!

Whether you're cleaning out an old overstuffed tool bag, setting up house for the first time, or putting together some dorm room necessities, you'll want to include these 11 must-have tools. Including the essentials, like a hammer, level, pliers, and screwdrivers, Dustin claims that these tools will get you through basic household repairs and simple projects.

People must feel passionately about their tools, because the comments bring out some heated discussions about the validity of these recommendations, and argue for tools that didn't make the cut. I wouldn't add any tools to the list, but I think every family toolbox needs the the ever-important duct tape, crazy glue, and some other useful odds and ends like zap-straps and string.

What are your household handyman must haves?

My bead addiction is a little out of hand. I order online, and anything that even looks halfway interesting somehow ends up in my collection. It is a little too easy just to click "Add to cart", I guess.

So I ended up with an assortment of crackle glass beads. They are two-toned, and I could never quite figure out what to do with them.

Inspiration struck last night, and I am thrilled at the way my design turned out. In fact, I made pairs of earrings with almost every color of the beads I had, just to see how they looked. My favorite pair are the ones made with the black beads, but with the right outfit, the pink and the red would be appealing too.

Join me after the break to learn how to make crackle glass earrings.

Luckily, there's a quick and easy way to fix your tire without having to go to a tire repair shop. Most good auto parts stores will carry a small kit (here's an example of one brand) for tire repair, which includes a rasp, a needle, and several thick, sticky black threads. The tools have either a T-handle or a screwdriver-type handle (T-handles are best, in my opinion).

Get the kit, and get ready to fix your tire. First, block the other tires for safety. This should be done every time you raise your car, to prevent accidental slippage.

Read on for detailed instructions on how to fix your tire.

St. Patrick's Day is coming up on March 17. Need some fun craft ideas? Read on.

Bring a bit o' good luck to you or someone you care about this St. Patrick's Day: make a shamrock bookmark. It's pretty easy, with instructions and photos over at Squidoo. The one and only item you'll need for this project is flexible, green-colored wire. The Squidoo project relies on crafting wire from WigJig (who I think submitted the idea), but anything similar will do. As for tools, just a pair of skillfully-wielded pliers will do the trick.

Note the shape you're aiming for here is the traditional shamrock with three leaves, not the lucky four-leafed clover. Why? Because three leaves are a lot easier to bend into a pleasingly symmetrical shape, that's why!

Other wiry St. Pat's Day ideas can be found here, such as green and gold bracelets and shamrock-shaped earring and necklace sets. Or pop over to About.com for a ton of other St. Patrick's how-to projects, including necklaces, bracelets, and lucky charm key chains.

My son has a pair of light-up sandals. Everywhere you go, there are kids sporting these shoes with light flickering on every step. How often have you wished they made such cool things for adults? Why wait until they come around? Hack together your own pair of light up shoes.

What you'll need

1. Craft knife
2. Heavy-duty scissors
   
3. Pliers
   
4. Soldering iron
5. Electric drill
6. Glue
7. Old kid's shoes with lights (can get cheap worn out ones at the thrift store)
8. Your shoes of choice - Are you going to spice up your work shoes or add some light power to your favorite clubbing shoes?

DIY adult light shoes are a great way to add a little originality to your step and stand out in the dark. The full instructions and pictures along the way will walk you through the whole transplant process. I wonder if your kids will still think these shoes are cool when Mom and Dad are sporting the same ones?

The vise-grip: every toolbox should have a pair. A garage without a pair of vise-grips is like a kitchen without a can opener. Why? They are incredibly strong and versatile, yet compact and inexpensive. I'm amazed at how many sticky situations my vise-grips have helped me out of. For those of you who are not familiar with VGs, they're like a heavy pair of pliers that lock onto whatever small object needs loosening or turning. The grip is incredibly powerful -- it enables even DIY-beginners with weakling muscles to get leverage on things that are stuck tight.

My top use for vice-grips is loosening stubborn screws and nails. If you can get the VGs to lock on at all, you can almost certainly get the job done. Vice-grips can also be used to clamp just about anything: small pieces of wood for sawing, or any object that is being glued, for example. I even use this thing in the garden to unscrew the hose from the sprinkler or from other sections of hose. Want more ideas on vise-grip uses? Click here.

Ahh, vice-grips, is there anything you can't do?