DIY Life

As a Southern girl now living in the Pacific Northwest, I rarely skip my weekly Mexican food fix. There's nothing that can't be cured with chips, salsa, and a frosty margarita. But, I hate paying $8 or more for a cocktail. And, given that an authentic margarita has just three ingredients, I think I can manage to shake it up and save a few bucks.

Our ShelterPop sisters not only supply the perfect margarita recipe but they also make suggestions on how to throw the perfect summertime margarita party -- including how to make this DIY cocktail umbrella lamp. The weekend's just a few days away, and I'm thinking it's margarita time for this mama!

It's pouring down rain, the kids are getting restless -- time for a craft to keep everyone busy! The perfect kiddie craft -- in my opinion, anyway -- is one that you can create out of items you've already got laying around your house. And it's also really helpful when you create something that can make your life easier down the road.

Today's craft achieves both those goals. A marker cap pencil holder is made from the caps of used up markers and one lone sock -- things you can rescue from the trashcan. And when it's complete, it'll make an adorable place for your kiddo to keep their pens and pencils organized while they're doing homework this fall.

Difficulty rating: Easy

You'll need:

• a clean, dry tuna can
• several marker caps
• one old sock
• felt
• ribbon
• various embellishments
• glue

Take a look at the gallery below for easy step-by-step directions.

Michael Jackson is being remembered this week via online arts and crafts forums. Some items up for viewing (and often for sale) predate the superstar's June 25 death but are now receiving renewed Web exposure. An array of brand new Jackson-themed works are also appearing as crafters and artists begin paying tribute to the performer.

Some gems in the mix include this Blue Planet Creations black canvas tote bag with sequin glove design. While you're over at Etsy, check out this nicely designed mini toss pillow cover by piece of melon. The off-white cover features Michael Jackson's face, dramatically hand-stenciled in black ink.

This leather purse by Craftster member Karen Louise M. is definitely worth a look. Originally shared with the Craftster community back in 2007, the bag features the "Thriller" album cover on what looks to be dark brown leather with brown blanket stitched edges.

My no-dig vegetable garden is still in its infancy. I have a big ole pile of grass clippings mixed with kitchen compost, as per the instructions of veggie guru Patricia Lanza in her wonderful book, Lasagne Gardening.

Problem: This decaying pile is located in my front yard. A real visual treat for my neighbors, I'm sure. Honestly, it looks like I got halfway to the curb with a ton of garden waste then simply gave up and dumped it all on the lawn.

As a considerate citizen, I want to tidy things up with a low retaining wall. Trawling the Internet in search of easy-to-follow instructions, I cried "Hallelujah!" when I stumbled upon popular blogger Pioneer Woman's post, "Build Your Own Raised Flower/Vegetable Bed."

Frappes. Slushes. Sangria. Just the sweet sound of these drinks conjure up visions of deck parties, frosty pitchers, and those cute little drink umbrellas.

Instead of opting for the same old soda for the July 4th picnic this year, why not stir up these summery drinks to keep your guests cool and refreshed? It's drinkwise-DIY at its simplest: refreshing, thirst-quenching, and made from natural, low-cost ingredients. Cheers!

Have you ever stumbled on a truly brilliant do-it-yourself solution and wished you could share it with everyone you knew? You might mention it to your best friend, blog about it, or spread it via megaphone at the kids' school drop-off lane. Okay, perhaps not that last method, but what if you could broadcast it to a wider audience in an equally creative way?

Well, if you're the creative sort, then you could possibly earn some dough (like, $2,000 worth!) for your discovery. The good folks over at Howcast are looking for -- as they put it -- the coolest, baddest, flat-out flyest how-to video you can create in three minutes or less. All you need is an SD or HD video connection, an internet connection, and creativity galore.

There are a lot of great reasons to pick up a six pack of some cold, icy beverage in the summertime -- grilling, boating and lounging at the beach, for instance. But before you toss out those six pack rings or that cardboard six pack bottle holder after your brew is gone, consider the idea that you could put them to work for you instead.

Six pack rings, especially, are dangerous to marine wildlife. Birds and fish can get tangled in the rings, leaving them unable to eat or swim. Cutting the rings before disposing of them is one way to make them safer, and cardboard six packs can always be recycled. But as DIYers know, reusing is more frugal and more fun!

Here are six great ways to reuse a six pack holder:

Plans for homemade hammocks range from the complicated to the super-simple. Let's focus on the latter: those made and hung in an hour or less using easy online instructions. You can have it done in plenty of time for your 4th of July get-together!

You will need an eight or ten foot length of any sturdy fabric and about 50 feet of equally sturdy rope. Both must be tough enough to suspend your weight without snapping.