DIY Life

I suppose some computer keyboards are more expensive than a wallet itself, but if you've got a spare one laying around, this is a super fun project that requires a bit of know-how and a lot of creativity! Ready to get started?:



Here's a few more tips from the expert himself!:

1. PC keyboards work best, since you can open most of them with a Phillips-head screwdriver. Macs generally require a tiny Allen wrench that can be hard to find.
2. If the rubber key springs are attached individually to the circuit sheets, remove each one carefully with a razor blade.

And of course, a bit of history to enhance your keyboard knowledge!:
The history of the keyboard dates back to the first typewriter, which New York-based Remington Co. mass-marketed in 1877 to compensate for the drop in gun sales after the Civil War.

Cool, right? You'll have the oldest (and coolest!) technology-inspired wallet in town.

Etsy seller Ideaka loves take out food enough to incorporate the packaging into a fun new DIY lighting kit. Chow mein never looked so good (unless you're on a diet, of course).

To win this lighting goodie, comment below with your favorite take-out-food-inspired DIY and keep your fingers crossed. Good luck, and hurry -- contest ends Friday!

CONTEST RULES

• To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us your favorite take-out-food-inspired DIY project!
  
• The comment must be left before 5pm ET on Friday, September 11, 2009.
  
• You may enter only once.
  
• One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
  
• One winner will receive one Take Out Light (valued at $40).
  
• Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
  
• Click here for complete Official Rules. Winners will be notified by email, so be sure to provide a valid address!

I have two dogs, and although neither of them could fit into a sock, I just had to share this cute tutorial for all of you pet-lovers everywhere. And although I don't necessarily promote the act of dressing your animals as if they were human, I suppose the cooler weather could cause a tiny sock-sized dog to shiver:



Adorable, right? And sooo easy to do! If you're looking for a cute sock to use for this project, might I suggest Sock Army (everything is 50% off at the moment!)? I'd love to tackle the tutorial with this cute pattern, or perhaps this design for the preppiest of dogs.

And if you're looking for a few other fun pet-inspired projects, check out How to Sew a Dog-Collar Pouch, and of course, Help Your Dog Rise to the Occasion with a New Tie! OK, I now officially draw the line at dog-friendly formal wear...

In need of something to do this week with your newly-acquired free time (now that The Bachelorette is over, of course!)? Good news -- Weekend Sewing author Heather Ross is sharing a quick and easy tutorial for you crafty chicas that still have some planting to do before school starts!

My gardening gloves are disgustingly dirty (beyond washing machine-dirty, guys) and I've been dreaming of a new pair all summer long. And alas--- Heather comes riding in on her dahlia-colored horse with the perfect pair... that I can make myself, nonetheless.

If you're less selfish than I am, you could make a pair for a friend and partner the gift with these sweet little cricket gift tags (also created by Heather). Can you handle the cuteness? Me, neither.

Download the gardening glove tutorial right here. In need of fabric inspiration for your new cuties? You can design your own with Spoonflower, or, if you're not quite that crafty, peruse FabricShoppe on Etsy for some great threads at a decent price.

After all, store-bought gardening gloves are sewwwww 2008.

OK, I usually don't go for the "household item" craft projects... oftentimes, they look just like what they are. The pasta necklaces? They're nothing but macaroni on a string.

Better Homes and Gardens has changed my mind, though, with their pasta tree centerpiece project. This fancy little number is hip and funky, and doesn't look like old pasta at all.

All you need are a few simple materials; BHG promises that the project will cost less than ten dollars.

Every week, I eagerly look forward to Wednesdays and head over to Design*Sponge to see what has been created that day. Derek and Lauren never cease to amaze me, and this week is certainly no exception. Once again they have come up with an excellent DIY project.

A simple piece of wood, a clock mechanism kit, and a wood-burning tool are materials necessary in making this gorgeous little clock. Derek and Lauren provide complete and detailed instructions and pictures describing the process of putting the clock together.

My two local thrift stores are full of kids' games and adult board games. Most of the games are missing pieces, but that's OK with me, since I like to use them for craft projects.

Laura, otherwise known as The Scrabble Gal, is great at re-purposing materials some people would send to their local thrift store. She recently had her fingerprint mini-mosaic tutorial made from Scrabble tiles featured on Junk Creation, and sent us the link.

Laura took some old Scrabble tiles and painted them white. She arranged them in a pattern around the non-painted tiles. She then dipped her fingers in a non-toxic ink pad and transfered her prints onto the white tiles.

The possibilities of what you can create are endless. Magnets, scrapbook keepsakes, wall art: the list goes on. For more ideas on how to use Scrabble tiles, either as a kid project or made to give as a gift, check out M.E. Williams's post on making Scrabble tile coasters.

I love to cuddle, so I can usually be found hugging a pillow if my 3-year-old or my husband are unavailable to be squeezed. Pillows are so comforting, and I just can't own enough of them.

Any project that requires time sitting at the sewing machine gets put on the back burner for me, especially in Summer. I found the perfect no-sew pillow project over at Craft Bits. All that is needed to make the pillow is fabric, filling, scissors, and plenty of patience.

You can use down feathers or other loose filling to plump up your pillow. Polar fleece is a soft, super cuddly material that doesn't fray. Lycra and knit fabrics do not fray, either. Young kids who know how to make knots would be helpful for this project; keeping them occupied on a rainy day.

Make a sprinkler? Why on earth would you do that when you can go out to just about any store and grab a cheap one for less than ten dollars?

I'll tell you why:

• You could be reusing waste materials from other projects to make your sprinkler.
• It's an easy and fun project you could even do with the kids.
• Speaking of kids, you could make an impressive play sprinkler for them to romp about in.
• You could create a system that would water your entire lawn.

OK, so maybe you can't do the whole project with the kids (unless yours are old enough to help drill holes), but you can work with them to plan an elaborate sprinkler that will entertain them on hot summer days.

Being the mom of a toddler doesn't let me sit for extended periods of time, so I have to pick and choose DIY crafts that are not so mind intensive that I get lost in them and end up totally ignoring my child. I know that will end when she goes to preschool, and I can focus on more intricate projects.

One of the first on my list for that time will be this paper cutting tutorial. I am decent at drawing, and pretty good at sitting for a long time, when necessary. The fact is, Heather makes it very easy to fall in love with her artwork, so her "cut tut" should definitely be added to everyone's crafting "to do" list.

Heather gives instructions detailing her drawing of the design onto thin white paper, used sticky tape to adhere the white paper to a piece of black construction paper,and then sat for hours cutting out the intricate design.

This project takes extreme patience and some seriously steady hands, both of which I don't really have right now. If you happen to have that patience and steady hand, I'm sure your not so crafty friends will be amazed to receive your gorgeous gift.

[via Whip Up.]

The birds are back. I know this, because every morning at 4:30, they sing me awake. Hundreds of them. It was cute at first, but now I am thinking I really need to stop sleeping with the windows open....

I jest, because I really do enjoy having a yard full of birds. Our bird feeder is crowded daily with goldfinches, robins, sparrows, chickadees, cardinals, and other species of feathered friends. The conservation land our house borders has special houses just for the bluebirds, which are always a spectacular sight.

You can build a bird house from scrap wood for your yard, and hopefully attract some of the fascinating and colorful birds pictured in the gallery. You'll need a hammer and nails, waterproof glue, scrap 1/2-inch and 1/4-inch plywood, and some dowels.

The step-by-step instructions at All Free Crafts are very clear and there is a helpful diagram included. A good tip they mention is to think about the size of the hole you make, as that will determine what type of birds you attract.

Happy hammering!

This is Part IV of the five part series (getting close to the end!) of a backyard transformation at the home belonging to my son and his wife. You may see the first three parts, here, here, and here. They covered the initial stages of design layout, prep, and paver installation.

Because the paver work was the biggest part of the project, we want to back up just a bit and look at the detail involved in the installation. It'll be helpful, especially if this is your first experience in laying pavers. Check out the gallery for some good information and we'll get started.

Bandanas: they may keep the sweat off your forehead and look darned cute around your dog's neck, but they can actually be useful with a little creativity.

Anna has posted about bandana projects before, including no-sew window valances, toddler clothing, and pillows. If you are looking for a few more creative projects that use bandanas, here are some that might interest you:

Using two bandanas and some fabric scissors, you can create a bandana tote bag that requires no sewing.

Some canvas strapping and four bandanas are all you need to sew this star-spangled bandana tote.

If you can fold a bandana, then you can make this unique bandana visor.

Ten bandanas, some denim scrap fabric, eyelet lace, and two yards more fabric will get you a bandana baby blanket, something not every baby on the block will be sporting.

Bella Online has more ideas for bandana sewing projects: another tote, small appliance covers, and a ragdoll bear or kitty, just to name a few.

With all of these bandana ideas, you've got to have a favorite project that you are going to start working on -- this very minute. Which is your favorite?

If you are cut from the same indecisive cloth as I am, then you acquire a multitude of paint sample strips when you are choosing a new color to paint a room or a piece of furniture. Then, because you are also a packrat, you can't bear to throw them away.

Sure, you can give them to the toddler to play with, but isn't there a better use for these colorful strips? They are made from sturdy paper and the colors are true and deep. I know there is an art project in there somewhere.

Jackie of Jackie's Space agrees with me, because she has created some beautiful cards using old paint sample strips. I love that she has used the coordinated colors of the paint sample strips with three dimensional elements, like ribbon, gems, and a silk flower.

She's got me thinking, that Jackie: what if the paint sample strips were paired with a watercolor design in complimentary colors? Or maybe some copper wire and beads woven through the strips?

The possibilities are endless, and wasting the paint sample strips as mere trash is a thing of the past. What do you do with your old paint sample strips?

In this age of doing-it-yourself, handmade gifts are becoming more and more popular. The trouble with that is making sure your gifts are original and unique.

Making a spoon rest out of clay can be as one-of-a-kind as you want it to be, or you can make it simple and use a cookie cutter so your kids can help with the project. The article suggests making a heart spoon rest, but you could make anything you wanted to -- freehand, or use a cookie cutter or stencil of your choice.

You'll need air-drying clay, acrylic paint, both in colors and clear, and any tools you will want to use to work the clay. Suggestions about how to make hole to hang the spoon rest and how to make it rest on a flat surface easily are included in the instructions. You can paint it when it is dry and even put felt on the bottom for a nice base.

If your kids -- or you! -- know your way around a can of Play Doh, you can easily make a clay spoon rest as a keepsake gift for any occasion.