Be an enterprising greenie and making your own water filter. You'll get fresh water for the least money down. At minimum, gather up some know-how now in case of a disaster that damages your water supply. (I live in Florida's Panhandle where the hurricanes have taught me this: it happens.)

As this Planet Green post explains, a purifying water filter is not something you have to purchase except for the sake of convenience. Nope. You can make your own water filter from fairly simple components. Including, um, cow manure and coffee grounds. Hmm... back to the drawing board for those of us without access to cow manure.

Another solution comes from this You Tube clip, which explains how to make a $3 water filter from PVC pipe. This one is cheap to make and it works to clear dirty water and make the water taste better. The down side: it doesn't filter pathogens, so water must receive chemical treatment to kill all the bugs. Mmm, chlorine.

If you need drinking water in quantity (say, for more than one person), you can consider a large in-ground filtration system. Green Trust tells you how to filter water using a large container like a 35 gallon drum. So drink up! On the science of water filtration, that is. Should disaster ever strike, you might be glad for the DIY knowledge.

Short on holiday decorations, but long on old CDs? 'Tis the season to be crafty:



Step 1: Glue CDs on ring
Arrange the CDs in evenly spaced intervals completely around the craft ring, shiny side facing out, and glue them into place.

Step 2: Glue the second row
Glue a second layer of CDs so that they're evenly spaced between the CDs on the first layer.

Step 3: Attach the hanger
Glue the picture hanger to the back of the ring so the wreath will hang properly.

Step 4: Glue the lights on
Glue the battery pack for the Christmas lights to the back of the wreath, opposite the hanger. When the glue dries, wrap the strand of lights around the outer edge of the wreath, with the lights hanging over onto the CDs. After positioning the lights, glue the strand to the backs of the CDs to hold it in place.

Step 5: Attach the bow
Glue the bow or tie the ribbon to the bottom of the wreath to give your creation some holiday flair.

Step 6: Hang it up
Before displaying your wreath, remove any stray bits of glue with your hands or a plastic scraper. Tap a nail into your door and hang your wreath. If you can't use nails, use an over-the-door hanger. Turn the lights on and bask in the colorful glow.

Bored with traditional strings of lights in your yard? Break out with these 5 fresh ideas for decorating outdoors with electric holiday lights. They're guaranteed to make your home's entrance-way sparkle ... easily and inexpensively. What better way to spread comfort and joy in your neighborhood?

1. Paper Doily Wreath. From Martha comes this stunning wreath invoking flickering candle lights in snow. It's surprisingly simple to make, too. White holiday lights are strung on onto a wire frame and covered with decorative paper doilies. Beautiful ... but don't leave this one unattended.

No time for fussing with doilies? Here's an alternative for the time-pressed decorator: just string a bare ready-made twig wreath with lights. It's easy and costs only a few dollars.

Baby, it's cold outside. Really, really, really cold. So cold, in fact, that my go-to ensemble of jeans and a cardigan simply won't do. Luckily, Craft Stylish has a simple tutorial for bulking up your average layer -- perfect for keeping the winter chill at bay.

An important note before you get started? Don't confuse lining and interlining. Lining is the thin layer of fabric that hides interior seams and finishing details in a garment; it's slick so it slides against other fabrics. Interlining is the insulation layer between the surface fabric and the lining; it traps air and retains body heat. Some of the most popular trademarked synthetic interlining products are Thinsulate by 3M and Primaloft, but natural-fiber interlining materials are also available.

There you have it! Good luck, crafters, and be sure to check out the simple tutorial at Craft Stylish. Happy sewing!

I'm one of those crazy holiday decorators who enjoys donning my Christmas tree with a themed decoration each year. Weird, I know ... and costly, too. After all, if you can't re-use your ornaments to decorate with, what can you use?

Items from around the house, of course! Over at Holidash, I've been showing a few different thematic Christmas tree decor schemes that you can build using mostly junk items you've stashed in the pantry, basement, attic or garage. Ready? Our fashionista tree is waiting in the wings!

THE PLAN:
Last year, my niece outgrew her Polly Pocket phase and I inherited the bin of teeny plastic clothing. I can't wait to spray-paint the tiny hangers and dresses sparkly gold and adorn my tree with fashionable fun!

THE ACCENTS:
Add lace, ivory ribbon and pearls to adorn your metallic and oh-so-stylish Tannenbaum. Top off the look with your favorite sparkly brooch and your tree will have an outfit that will outshine your entire wardrobe.

THE BONUS:
Your child will learn the joys of upcycling, and you won't keep unearthing tiny pink pants in your favorite vacuum attachment.

Strike a pose!

I love a good Christmas wreath, and each year I try to craft a different one from the year before (with a tight budget in mind!). This year, I've been saving my wine corks to tackle this cork wreath from Good Housekeeping. Adorable, festive and textured, this would look lovely in a modern kitchen or outdoor space. Better yet? It's super easy to make!:

1. Take about 22 corks of the same size and 22 small (3/8 of an inch) red bells bought from a crafts store.
2. Drill a small hole (just big enough to fit your wire through) 1/4 of an inch from the top of each cork and another 1/4 of an inch from the bottom.
Note: It is very important to make sure all the drilled holes at the top line up with the holes at the bottom.
3. Using long, green floral wire, push the wire though all the bottom holes of the corks. Leave enough wire at both ends when finished for tying closed later.
4. Cut another long piece of floral wire to string the tops of the corks together, alternating with the bells.
5. Tie ends of wire at the top and bottom, twisting to close and make a wreath shape. Hang with length of ribbon.

Happy crafting!

I just purchased a new home last week (yay!!!), and the living room fireplace is one of the ugliest around. Fortunately, with these key ideas from our resident decor expert Kelly Edwards, I'll transform it into eye candy in no time!:

Here's the breakdown, straight from Kelly herself:
1. The first step is to thoroughly clean the inside of your fireplace.
2. Next, use a heat resistant paint to paint the inside of the fireplace a dark color. Black is a good choice.
3. For a rustic yet modern look, fill the interior of the fireplace with wood.
4. Or, cover the fireplace with a mirror to dress up the area, and to open up the room.
5. Lastly, for a fresh and airy look, try putting a few flowers and plants inside the fireplace.

With a bit of paint and some styling tricks, your fireplace can light up the room in no time. Thanks, Kelly!

Next to Father's Day, I'd say Christmas is the second-most dreaded holiday for eligible necktie-wearers across the country. What to do with all of those festive snowmen, reindeer and Santa ties that have been collecting dust over the years? Lifehackery has a few fun ideas right here, but my favorite of all? Bind each year's Christmas cards with a tie from that year.

The idea is simple enough, and the memories will last longer than your grandmother's fruitcake. Why not put those ugly ties to use and give your husband a break from donning them year after year? You could even start a new tradition --- thrift for the ugliest tie you can find to bind those cards! He'll be happy he's off the hook, and you'll have a fun, quirky and stylish new way to organize all those overflowing card boxes.

Happy tie hunting!