Thank you, DIY Network!

The DIY network will surely go down in history as Man's Best Invention of All Time. Should it ever crumble, so will civilization as we know it. There is not a more noble cause that I can think of, except maybe vagina weights. To further illustrate this point, I've selected five of my favorite features, taken word-for-word from the DIY Network's handy-dandy website. I hope you find this information as important, positive and as useful as I do! Enjoy!

(In no particular order.)

1. "Vintage" Marriage License Pocket Page (From "Scrapbooking" episode SCB-501)

Most marriage licenses are large or legal-size documents that won’t fit on a scrapbook page--and forget looking pretty! Give your own marriage license a vintage look and develop a pocket page perfect for a wedding album. Store a true-to-size version of the license, your invitation, a note from your bridesmaid(s), and the handkerchief your father gave you so wouldn’t run your makeup before you walked down the isle--or any other special memento you want to remember.


2. Germ Exposure (From "Talking Dirty With the Queen of Clean" episode DQOC-147)

It doesn't matter where you go or what you do: germs are an everyday part of our lives. If your house is spotless, you still have germs. Just by venturing outside, you come in contact with all kinds of these minuscule creatures; it doesn't matter where you go: the gym, the mall, the grocery store, even the door knob you use -- all are loaded with germs. Depending on the organism, germs and viruses can live on objects anywhere from 20 minutes to two hours. Viruses need a living cell to stay alive, so they die more quickly than bacteria or fungi. So, with the help of microbiologist Janice Jones, we're looking at all the places germs lurk and learning how we can limit our exposure to these tiny terrors.

– Shopping carts To prevent coming in contact with germs left behind from children's diapers, hands and shoes, wipe off the seat portion of the cart with alcohol-based wipes. To protect them from shopping-cart germs, put babies and young children in "floppy" cloth seat covers designed to fit over the seat and handle portion of the cart.
– Remote controls, cell phones Wipe them down with alcohol wipes on a regular basis. If they're used by multiple users, and during the cold and flu season, consider doing this daily.
– Money Always wash your hands after handling money.
– Airline blankets and pillows Try never to use airline comfort items. If the previous user had any type of skin infection, the organisms could be transferred to your skin.
– Razors Never lay them down on a bathroom counter without capping them when traveling. Germs from the counter can transfer to cuts and nicks on your skin.
– Hotel bedding When traveling, keep in mind that three million people a night stay in U. S. hotels, and you can't guarantee that all the bedding is washed after each guest leaves. If possible, remove bedspreads and comforters or request additional sheets to place over the top layers of bedding. You can also purchase portable black lights that illuminate the protein stains in body fluids. Turn out the room lights and turn on the black light to check for stains on bedding and carpets.
– Hotel floors Never go barefoot.

3. Recycling Jeans Into Dolls (From "DIY Crafts" episode DIC-145)

Professional artist Judy Mulford has come up with a great way to recycle old jeans that you've outgrown or that have gone out of style: turn them into life-size dolls that can serve as decorations around your house.

– These soft "people" are great fun to make and place around your house. You can make one in less than a day.
– If you're a woman and drive long distances alone, leave the legs off a male doll, and place him in your passenger seat.
– To make the dolls look more real, purchase a lifelike head mask

4. Breezy Bottles (From "DIY Crafts" episode DIC-145)

Crafter Margaret C hapman shows a wild and whimsical way to make a "wind spinner" out of recycled plastic soda bottles. The directions come from the McCall's Creates series of booklets produced by the McCall Pattern Company. They're available in craft and fabric stores.

5. Glitter 101 (From "Carol Duvall Show" episode CDS-817)

– Use Designer adhesives on any surface suitable for stamping or embossing. Dries Clear adhesive dries clear and is used under either transparent or opaque glitter. Designer Dries white adhesive dries white and is used under transparent glitter only.
– Think of transparent glitter colors as the watercolors of glitter. Use Dries Clear adhesive to make sheer colors or Designer Dries white adhesive to make opaque colors.
– Think of opaque glitter as house paint. The color of the background will not show through these glitter colors. Use with Dries Clear adhesive only.
– The opaque glitter with Dries Clear adhesive may be used on any type of paper.
– Use white or pale pastel-colored cardstock when using Dries Clear adhesive.
– Use Designer Dries clear to make the glitter sheer or when you want the background to show through. For example, the clear glue will reveal rubber stamping, color of the paper, or marker colors.
– Use Designer Dries white adhesive to make snow, Santa's beard, fur, marshmallows, popcorn, white writing, etc. The white will block out rubber-stamped lines and all background color. Use it to make transparent glitter act like an opaque or to block out the color of darker papers.
– Work on folded cardstock.
– Glitter will slide straight down into the glitter tray. To keep colors crisp and to avoid color pollution let each color return to the glitter tray by following the same path made when it was applied.
– When glittering, let the glitter fall off the tip of the spoon, like a waterfall, in narrow strips. Twisting the tip of the spoon controls the width of the glitter strip.