To keep germs and grime from building up on your sponges, you can just snip a little hole in them and slip them on the faucet. Handy dandy!

The sponge will drip-dry and grunge won't build up, as it does when you lay it wet on the edge of the sink.

Whitson Gordon at Lifehacker got the idea for it after seeing the Robert Audroué's circular sponge, which has a hole built into it for this express purpose. But why pay for a fancy sponge when you can do it yourself?

Another thing you can to do keep sponges clean is nuke them in the microwave for two minutes. A study published in the Journal of Environmental Health found that doing so kills 99% of all pathogens. Just make sure they're slightly moist when you put them in, to minimize the risk of fire.

Keep Sponges from Getting Grimy with One Cut [Lifehacker]

RELATED Microwaving Sponges Kills 99% Of Pathogens

Filed under: Art / Design, Lists, Own It

Etsy

Etsy is the only place on the internet that might actually induce menstruation within the first thirty seconds of browsing; but don't worry, someone is probably selling homemade tampons.

Some of you might have seen the Xzibit needlepoint that's been floating around the internet these past couple days, and if you're like me you probably found yourself wondering, "Hey, is there any other crazy internet crap that I could be hanging on my walls?"

Well, I've scoured the marketplace and come up with ten of Etsy's finest wall hangings. I promise we'll give prizes to anyone who sends a family Thanksgiving photo taken under a Pedobear cross-stitch.

"Exhibit Awesome" by steotch Xzibit Meme Asks, 'Where's My Urlie, Dawg?'

"Fry Sees What You Did There" by itsastitch

"Keyboard Cat" by RachelMckay Breaking: Play Him Off, Keyboard Cat Is Our New Obsession

"Haters Gonna Hate" by RachelMckay Our 26 Favorite "Haters Gonna Hate" Images

"Saved By The Bell" by DefiantDamsel I'm So Excited About This "Saved By The Bell" Mashup

"Teh Ineffable" by steotch Urlesque's Catfight!

"All The Way" by steotch Vlogger Yosemitebear Cries at a Double Rainbow, Has Over 200 Videos of His Awesome Life in the Mountains

"Lollerskates on a Roflcopter" by RachelMckay

"Felt Pedobear Collage" by pixlphsr A Beginner's Guide to Pedobear, the Internet's Favorite Pervert

"OMGWTFBBQ" by evilstrawberry

previously:// The 24 Craziest Finger Puppets on Etsy
previously:// Etsy Shopper Requests Goatse Coffee Cup

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Go fly a kite! No, I don’t find you annoying and I certainly don’t want you to take a hike. But if you’re at the end of your rope trying to control the purse strings, then perhaps it’s time to reach for the sky and get high as a kite! This past weekend I rediscovered the fine art of frugal kite flying. A friend of mine had the brilliant idea to launch a Kite Flying Party to celebrate nothing in particular, except recycled materials and wind. I must admit that getting together with a group of friends to stare into the clouds was the most fun I’ve ever had with a recycled garbage bag and a spool of fishing wire.

I am so inspired with kites given the cost (free) and endless fun involved, that I’ve decided to share one of Carl’s winning kite designs with you. It’s not the prettiest kite in the sky, but it flew the highest and longest for the least amount of money. At the party everyone wanted to know how to make a kite like Carl. So here’s how to build a kite using a printable kite pattern. This is an easy and super fun project for both adults and kids.

Free Kite Plans Download: How To Make a Kite Materials You’ll Need:

2 wooden dowels, 90cm (35″) and 120cm (47″) long. The longer dowel is the spine of the kite, the shorter dowel the crosspiece. Plastic sheeting or recycled garbage bags Strong tape, such as packing tape or electrical tape Twine Kite string or fishing line

Tools You’ll Need:

Tape measure Scissors Pencil

DIY Instructions: How To Make A Kite This Do-it-Yourself project takes about an hour to complete. Having enough wind to make your aircraft fly is totally up to you! Feel free to get creative by decorating your kite in a unique way using paints, markers, or stickers. 1. Download the printable kite pattern and get your kite building materials together. Having a friendly big-eared dog watch you is entirely optional.

1. Measure and locate the middle point on the crosspiece, mark with a pencil. Place the middle point of the crosspiece at right angles on the spine, about 30cm (12″) from one end.

2. Fasten the two dowels together using twine and tape. It is important that they remain at right angles to each other, and the mid point of the crosspiece is directly on the spine.

3. Run twine from one end of the crosspiece, to the top end of the spine, to the other end of the spine. Fasten at each end using tape. This will help keep the dowels properly at right angles to each other. Lay the frame flat, with the crosspiece facing up.

4. Cover the frame with plastic material. Use tape to secure to the dowels and the twine, with extra reinforcement at the ends.

5. Punch two small holes along the spine for the bridle. It’s a good idea to reinforce these holes with tape.

6. To make the bridle, feed a length of twine through the hole at the top and tie it to the spine. Do the same with the other end of the twine at the other hole. The bridle should be long enough so when you pick up the kite by it, it’s at least 20cm (8″) from the kite’s surface.
7. Attach the kite string to the bridle. By choosing where you attach the string, you control the angle at which the kite flies. This will require some experimenting to find the best spot, but start at a point near the top of the kite.

8. Attach a length of twine (about 120cm/4′) to the bottom end of the spine as a tail. Tie ribbons of left-over plastic at regular intervals to it.

9. Find some wind, and GO FLY A KITE!

Trying my best not to blink. Wearing terrible pants, but having lots of fun. Troubleshooting: Ways to Fix Your Kite If you’re having problems getting your kite off the ground or it’s spinning out of control, then try some of this kite-fixit-ideas!

1. Problem: Failure To Launch If your kite won’t lift off well and flies fairly flat and limply, try moving the point where the kite string attaches to the bridle a bit towards the tail of the kite.
2. Problem: Spinning Out of Control If your kite spins or dives uncontrollably to one side then the next, move the bridle attachment point a bit towards the front of the kite, or add a few more ribbons to the tail.
3. Problem: Not Enough Wind I can’t help you here. Have you tried beans?

Kite flying parties are an amazing amount of frugal fun for all ages. I highly recommend finding an open field, throwing a kite design contest, or trying to engineer the best flying machine you can muster. Now go grab your friends, your kids, or your grandchildren and take them outside for a fun day of kite flying.

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50 Ways to Save $1,000 a Year How to Write a Resume (series) How I paid off my $17,000 debt in six months How To Buy Life Insurance Without Getting Screwed Free Printable Workout Log Download your free eBook: Frugal Food & Fitness

Feeling creative? Nothing’s more eco-friendly than transforming junk headed to the landfill into something useful, or using everyday items to create clean, green energy. If you’ve got things like plastic bags, floppy disks, cardboard and old tires laying around, you can use these 15 eco-DIY tutorials and project examples to make things like shoes, furniture, handbags and even greenhouses.

DC Bicycle Pedal Power Generators

(images via: MakeZine) The folks at Science Shareware figured out how to convert a regular bicycle into a pedal-powered generator. They set up 24 of these green power machines at the 2007 Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, to charge cell phones. Plans are available at the Science Shareware website. Magazine Coffee Table – No Cutting, No Glue

(images via: Yanko Design) You wouldn’t think six copies of a magazine would be enough to create a stable, strong 3-D piece of furniture, but this design by Vered Zaykovsky proves that it’s possible. The pages of six copies of Domus magazine were intricately woven together, and when a metal base and glass top were added, they became an incredibly creative and eye-catching table. No cutting or glue was involved, so it can be disassembled at any time. Plastic Bottle Greenhouse

(images via: CleanTechnica) Got a lot of plastic bottles laying around? You could transform them into a greenhouse with a $5 set of electronic instructions from Blue Rock Station. Aside from over 1,000 2-liter plastic bottles, you’ll need straw bale, 2 55-gallon rain barrels and lots of used tires for the rammed-earth foundation. The instruction booklet covers details like site prep, drainage and insulation. Planner Made from Trash

(images via: Green Upgrader) If you still feel the need to have a paper planner, this tutorial will help you make one with stuff you already have laying around instead of buying one new. It uses scrap paper from the recycling bin, a USPS box, a Tyvek envelope and some twine to create a weekly planner. Super simple, and very practical. A Shipping Envelope from a Shopping Bag

(images via: Team EcoEtsy) No matter how hard you try to remember your reusable bags every time you go to the store, sometimes, you’ll end up with a paper or plastic bag anyway. Turn it into a sturdy, nice-looking shipping envelope with a sewing machine, some scissors and this easy tutorial by Team EcoEtsy. Hamster-Powered Cell Phone Charger

(image via: Ananova) 16-year-old Peter Ash of Somerset, England invented a hamster-powered cell phone charger for a school science project. For this incredibly innovative DIY project, Ash attached a generator to his hamster’s wheel and connected it to his phone charger. “I thought the wheel could be made to do something useful so I connected a system of gears and a turbine,” he said. “Every two minutes Elvis spends on his wheel gives me about thirty minutes talk time on my phone.”  For all that effort – and the recognition he’s gotten on the internet – Ash received a C for the project. Recycled Cake Pan Centipede

(images via: nemomatic) What to do with a bunch of old bundt cake pans, bicycle brake levers and vacuum parts? Why, make a centipede sculpture, of course. Nemo Gould creates works of art made entirely from found materials, painstakingly welding materials together and sanding out the seams. This sculpture is backlit with six green cold cathode tubes, along with some LEDs in the eyes and mouth. Plastic Bag Pom-Pom Gift Topper

(images via: Creature Comforts) Eco-friendly gift wrap doesn’t have to be ugly or boring, as evidenced by these fun DIY instructions for creating a ‘pom pom’ gift topper out of plastic bags. It’s amazing how something so common can be transformed into something beautiful, with a few snips of scissors and some knots. Cardboard Stool

(images via: Dangerously Fun) All you need to make this cardboard stool is some glue, sheets of cardboard, a compass, a box cutter and a straight edge. The result is surprisingly sturdy, and has been tested by people weighing up to 200lbs. Jus don’t tilt it or lean on it, or all your hard work will be for naught when the thing collapses. Floppy Disk Bag

(images via: Instructables) If you’ve still got a box full of floppy disks sitting in your closet because you’re not sure what to do with them and don’t want to throw them away, perhaps you could turn them into a bag like this one. You could even take it a step further and use cables as a strap. Beer-Bottle Solar Water Heater

(images via: Ananova) Ma Yanjun, a farmer in the Shanxi province of China, wanted to find a low-tech, low-cost way to heat water for his mother’s showers. 66 beer bottles attached to a board on the roof of his home turned out to be enough to provide hot water for all three members of his family every day. The bottles are connected, and sunlight heats the water as it slowly passes through them before flowing into the bathroom. Blown Tire Flip Flops

(image via: Instructables) There are way too many tires littering the earth, both inside and outside landfills. People are getting really creative with ways to reuse this ubiquitous waste material, including turning scrap tires into shoes. This tutorial also uses scrap carpet from a dumpster, old plastic shopping bags and some glue. They may not win any fashion accolades, but they’re non-slip, eco-friendly and practically free. Tetrapak Coin Purse

(image via: Esprit Cabane) There’s been some controversy lately over the eco-friendliness of Tetra Pak containers, given that facilities that recycle them are few and far between. Instead of tossing that soup box, wine box or other Tetra Pak container into the trash or the recycling bin, turn it into a coin purse, wallet or card holder. It folds up into surprisingly convenient little pockets, and a little Velcro makes the perfect closure. Plastic Bag Crochet

(image via: Cristen Rene)

If you’re hoarding a big collection of plastic bags and aren’t sure what to do with them, Cristen Andrews can show you how to transform them into ‘plastic yarn’ for use in crochet projects like the ones she’s modeling in the video. Hats, backpacks, drink cozies, purses, bracelets – there are all kinds of things that can be made from the very same bags that once littered your community. Washing Machine Drum Ottoman

(image via: Esprit Cabane) When your washing machine gives up the ghost and trying to repair it just isn’t practical, don’t toss it – use the drum to make a modern, industrial-looking ottoman. Eyelets around the rim make it easy to add wheels and a lid for the top, and once topped with a cushion, it’s as comfy as any store-bought ottoman. It can also be used for storage, as a toy chest in a child’s room or for blankets in the living room.

Yesterday I passed by a Godiva store in midtown Manhattan and saw that it was packed with frustrated looking men in suits lined up to the door. It reminded me of how manufactured this particular holiday is. After all, these men hadn't all shown up at the same store, on the same day and for the exact same reason, spontaneously; it took years and years of conditioning. But is there room in the new Poor America for the sort of spendy nonsense that Valentine's Day demands? The New York Times takes a look at how people are cutting costs, and ignoring mass-marketed fauxmance for cheaper and more personalized experiences. Most of the examples in the Times article are anecdotal, and focus on people facing reduced budgets due to layoffs or salary freezes, but they also cite some actual numbers, like how "diamond jewelry sales are down 20 percent to 30 percent." Last year, consumers spent an average of $122.98 on Valentine's Day gifts and merchandise, up from $80 in 2003, according to the National Retail Federation. With men, Professor Close said, "a lot of it had to do with the whole one-upmanship." This year, however, the average expense is expected to drop 17 percent, to $102.50 this year, the federation said. Maybe, for the next year or so at least, demonstrating your love frugally will be considered more attractive than blowing a wad of badly-needed cash on store-bought trinkets. "Days of Wine and Roses Are Over This Valentine's" [New York Times] (Photo: Axel Bührmann)

(source: ferarricostruzioni) With the sky falling of late, everyone is looking for ways to save money. It may not sound glamorous, but gardening is a great way to develop self-sufficiency. Besides, how cool is creating your own food? You can do it anywhere, even in an urban environment, and it only takes a little money to get started. All you need is soil, sunlight, water, a container, and seeds. Try these five easy to grow foods - start them out on your kitchen windowsill, in your dorm room or even the den.

Squash

(Image via tinyfarm) You never know when you’ll need to distract your landlord from a late rent check. What better way than with the gift of produce? And we’re not talking about smokable herbs. Squash is seriously the easiest thing ever. The great thing about squash is that it is unrelenting. One squash plant could probably feed an entire city block including rodent population. Yellow crookneck is a really mild flavored one if you’re not into green zucchini. The only trick to growing squash (aside from reading the seed packet instructions) is to wait until the weather warms up. If you’re growing indoors, which can easily be done, just keep your seedlings in a warm, very bright place. Total time to go from squashlet to Parmesan fried deliciousness? Only 45-50 days. If you’re growing indoors, stick to one plant - they get big (plan for at least 6 square feet). This plant will provide more squash than you know what to do with. Trust us. Peas

(Image via mytinyplot) Green beans are pretty easy to grow, but peas just taste better. Their sweet flavor goes with everything (especially cheese) and they have lots of fiber, stress-busting selenium and even a little protein. And nearly everyone likes peas. Pisum Sativum needs a little shade, so indoors is great. Peas like good, relatively deep soil and plenty of water, but they don’t need fertilizer. Plant a 3 foot square planter and you’ll have 6 pounds of green peas about 3 months later. Nothing, nothing beats fresh peas. Plus, like squash, peas are really versatile. You can have them with meat or eggs, tossed with pasta, melted with cheese, fried with tofu, mixed in salads, added to soups and stews, or just plain. Tomatoes

(Image via backinstafford) Tomatoes are intimidating. You hear a lot about tomato travails and tribulation. The problems: usually, people plant them at the wrong time (too cold) and don’t give them enough structural support (hey, holding up tomatoes is hard work). Follow the planting directions, give your tomatoes some compost love, and forget the rest. Since you’re probably growing indoors, you won’t have to worry about blight and bugs and other pestilence. What tomatoes need: support, rich soil, full sun, a deep planting and lots of warmth - if you can afford it, buy an inverted (hanging) tomato planter. Otherwise, prop them up with some sticks or wires to help give them strength. Water frequently! Warning: you’ll never be able to eat the poor excuse for a tomato that comes on your cheeseburger again. Carrots

(Image via tinyfarm) Beets, lettuce and peppers are easy to grow. So are onions. And maybe carrots don’t immediately seem to reek of Awesomeness. But anything delicious and edible - even raw - that is also cheap and easy seems pretty awesome indeed. Sure, it’s not the Buddha’s hand, but it’s saving you money. And it’s really, really easy to grow. The only trick with the carrot is that you need a fairly deep planter, since, well…you are growing a root, after all. When mature a carrot can be up to one foot in length. Carrots aren’t picky. They can grow in cold apartments and noisy dorm rooms. They don’t need a lot of sun or water or love. You can plant them almost year-round and as long as the soil drains properly you’ll find it almost impossible to mess up your carrot crop. The hard part will be waiting for them to go from aww-cute to dinner-sized, but have patience; it only takes another week or two. Harvesting and enjoying couldn’t be easier. Herbs

(Image via kitchenandtabletop) Once you’ve had fresh herbs, you will never want the dried stuff or any lousy condiment again. Most hardware stores and big box chain stores now sell herb kits and you can find them online, too. In addition to being great in cooking (rosemary and basil go with literally everything, from beans to chicken to steak to burgers to pasta to sandwich spreads to sauces to salads), herbs have healthy benefits. They can improve immunity, boost your antioxidant intake and even offer some aromatic benefit, too. And a fresh sprig of rosemary covers a multitude of cooking sins. Some of the easiest to grow: basil, mint, rosemary, oregano. They’re happy sprucing up a kitchen window sill or a bedroom night stand, as long as they have a well-draining pot to live in and some sun. Don’t give them too much heat, too much cold, or too much of anything for that matter. Think Goldilocks.