Want to replicate that cool effect when you can watch Christmas lights flash in time to music? It's easy! You'll need a set of speakers, an outlet adapter, excess power cord, a solid state relay and, of course, Christmas lights! Once you've gotten all your project pieces assem ...more
General Electric isn't known for their Christmas lights, but maybe they should be, because their GE Color Effects are pretty awesome. Especially the LED Color Effects G-35 String sets. And especially when someone named Darco hacks them. Darco, whose real name is Robert Sun Qu ...more
Want to be more like Carson Williams this Christmas? Well, that means having a highly decorated house, full of Christmas lights and other holiday decorations, but that's not all... having your Christmas lights synchronized with your favorite holiday jingle or Yuletide tune is ...more
Why settle for static lighting when you can bring on the big guns? Learn how to make a Christmas lights controller so your lights blink. Happy holidays!
Kip "Kipkay" Kedersha is known for his intriguing and clever how-to and prank videos, even when he teams up with MAKE Magazine. He will show you how to tweak, hack, mod, and bend any technology to your hacking needs. No electronic device, gadget, or household item can stand th ...more
This video covers the steps for creating USB Christmas lights. Take battery powered Christmas lights and convert them to USB powered to decorate your office. Take apart the battery casing. You have to rewire this. You also need to cut open a USB cord and do some soldering.
Some people put up their holiday decorations as soon as Thanksgiving is over. Some wait until Christmas Eve. Right now, the only thing in my whole apartment that would tip you off is a tiny little fake tree on the counter. I've been planning on decorating all month, but I have ...more
The most annoying thing about Christmas lights is when one bulb blows, the whole string stops working. There's no easy way to tell which one is out when it's a huge strand, so it can take forever to fix. Mehdi Sadaghdar figured out that zapping the Christmas lights with a pie ...more
Christmas is the time to splurge— not just with presents and food— we're talking decorations. It's that time of year when verdurous fir trees take up half of your living room, when waving elf figurines silhouette your front windows, when Rudolph flies from the rooftops, Santa ...more
It's finally that time. Stranger Things 2 dropped today, just days before Halloween. And to get you in the mood, Snapchat has quietly launched a spooky new filter that lets you immerse yourself in the world depicted in the hit Netflix series. Using the World Lens feature laun ...more
A presenter from The Home Depot gives you several tips and professional secrets on how to hang your indoor Christmas lights making this tricky process a little bit easier. She takes you through the selection of lights, planning and the installation of lights. -It's easier to ...more
Learn how to create a string of 3D, multi-colored Christmas lights and turn them into a custom pattern brush that you can draw with along any path. Make Christmas lights in Illustrator. Click through to watch this video on layersmagazine.com
Got a box full of Christmas lights but don't exactly have a picturesque rooftop to hang the lights from? Or, have too many Christmas lights and too little space to decorate with? To bring festive cheer to your living space, you can place Christmas lights on top of fireplace l ...more
This video shows us how to make quick and cheap ematches from Christmas Lights. • First we need to break the top of the Christmas bulb tubes without damaging the filament inside. • You can use a file for this procedure. Rub the tip of the bulb on the edge of the file till it ...more
In this video, we learn how to hang outdoor Christmas lights from the experts at Home Depot. First, you want to start out the planning process, and figure out where you want lights to be hung out. Then, decide how many lights you need and what kind you want to use. Then, go an ...more
Learn to play Coldplay's "Christmas Lights" in this tutorial for the piano. The chord progressions to this December 2010 single from Coldplay are eagerly demonstrated on Yamaha M06 in this enthusiastic video tutorial.
Does your desk need some holiday flare? Do you have an extra USB port on your computer? Then check this out. This video will show you how to make a USB-powered Christmas light set that will spruce up your desk and not require an outlet.
Halloween is just around the corner! Check out this instructional decorating video that demonstrates how to use Christmas tree light bulbs to illuminate a jack-o-lantern pumpkin. This tutorial explains how to prepare typical Christmas lights for elucidating a pumpkin. Follow t ...more
You can create a really beautiful set up on your home using C9 bulbs. Line your roof line or accentuate your gables, and you can customize the lights as you wish. Use multicolored bulbs, and always be careful when splicing your wire. Set up outdoor Christmas lights on your roo ...more
This clip demonstrates the process of creating a model of a strand of Christmas lights in Blender 2.5. The tutorials covers modeling and how to use array and curve modifiers to create a strand of lights that will automatically lengthen as needed. Whether you're new to the Blen ...more
Capture the magic of the holidays with these tips on how to properly snap pictures of holiday lights with a digital camera.
Taken with Samsung Epic 4G Touch (Galaxy S II) used Little Photo to "Double Expose". I used to do this for real with an old camera on Black & White Film this is so much easier :-)
So what is Bokeh? Well, the word comes from the Japanese term "boke" (bo-keh) which means fuzziness. Bokeh describes the character of the blur in an image, but is often used specifically to refer to points of light rendered as fuzzy circles. These "circles of confusion" come f ...more
During the darkness of the winter months some bright and spirited holiday decorations can really add holiday cheer to a home. This Christmas, try making this festive tree and light table piece because you can never have too many decorations. Step 1: Clean and dry baby food ja ...more
You've found the perfect tree — or so you think. As hard as we try to display an ideal tree each year, both plastic and pine can disappoint, especially when you're shopping on the cheap. Whether you use an artificial or authentic Christmas tree, sometimes you discover gaping, ...more
Now this is one how-to video you probably don't come across often. While most jewelry makers and welders probably purchase their soldering irons, it's actually possible to make your own soldering iron out of graphite pencil, car battery and jumper cables. We know it sounds lik ...more
Christmas decorations aren't cheap. From outdoor lighting to fir trees, decorating for the holidays can break the bank. That's where ingenuity comes into play, like hacking battery-operated Christmas lights, modifying lighting patterns and building Christmas tree ornaments fro ...more
Don't toss out those cardboard tubes just yet. Whenever you have one leftover from a roll of paper towels, toilet paper, or wrapping paper, hang on to it, because it's got some great DIY potential. Cardboard tubes of all sizes can be handy for a variety of uses, from storing ...more
Want to liven up your game of beer pong? You could always add more cups or play with paddles, or you could make your own custom table with 500 LED lights that flash in sync with your favorite tunes like Redditor did. Video: . First come the lights. This one was done by hand, b ...more
In this tutorial, we learn how to make a festive Christmas garland from fresh greenery. You will need: fresh greenery, wire cutters, floral wire, pruning clippers, and gloves to do this. The base should be made of holly, and then you can use different firs that you can find. Y ...more
Notes: My guides are setup like old Lego instruction booklets; picture intense/text lacking. Just remember you're building from the ground up, each step is a layer to go onto the previous layer. Any stone block can be replaced with blocks of your choice. Mycelium is used in ...more
Broken glass Christmas ornaments? Evergreen wreath falling apart? Before you throw away or donate Christmas decorations you no longer need, see if you can reuse or recycle them for better use year-round or for next year's holiday season. Christmas ball ornaments can be used t ...more
Forget those boring evergreen wreaths with the thick red ribbon and the pine cones that everyone else has hanging in their homes. Make your own DIY upcycled wreath using newspaper, paper shopping bags, cardboard coffee cup sleeves, toilet paper tubes, or even that trashy paper ...more
WonderHowTo is made up niche communities called Worlds. If you've yet to join one (or create your own), get a taste below of what's going on in the community. Check in every Wednesday for a roundup of new activities and projects. This week: Create a redstone calculator in Min ...more
Video games and art have somewhat of a sticky relationship. Many video games have large teams of talented artists doing amazingly creative work, and yet the art community is only just beginning to utilize video games as art (sometimes). Perhaps if video games were shown not ju ...more
In this how to video series, learn how to string Christmas lights on a Christmas tree from expert Matt Cail. Matt will show you how to test Christmas tree lights, how close to an outlet to put a Christmas tree, how to untangle Christmas tree lights, where to start stringing Ch ...more
If you want to avoid the hassle of going out on New Year's Eve, you can always host your own New Year's Eve celebration at home—and it doesn't have to cost a lot, either. A few basic tips: Host your party after dinnertime so guests don't expect full entrees. Limit your guest ...more
The holiday season wouldn't be the same without decorations. Ornaments and fancy lighting brightens up a neighborhood and helps spread the holiday cheer. While decorations and Christmas lights are fantastic, why not get a little more creative and some fun in the process? One ...more
'Tis the season for Christmas tree decorations and everybody's favorite board game— SCRABBLE! Okay, that was too ebullient on my part. I have to admit, as much as I love a good game of holiday Scrabble, I consider myself to be somewhat of a Christmas grinch. At least, when i ...more
The holidays are here and all of us here at Phone Snap hope you're spending them under a nice warm roof with some yummy food and great company! For this week's Phone Snap challenge, we want you to utilize your cell phone to capture some holiday spirit. Whether it be the gifts ...more
You've probably tried just about every method of hanging your holiday decorations: nails, thumbtacks, sticky hooks, and, in desperation, even tape. Each method can leave a host of complications when removed, though, from chipping paint to visible holes. Your holiday adornment ...more
An accordian fold scrapbook is a great way to make use of minimal space. If you've got a bunch of pictures you'd like to organize all in one album, expand your spatial possibilities by creating accordian fold pages rather than regular turnable pages. This accordion fold style ...more
Holidays can be challenging, especially around Christmastime—but not if you invoke your inner MacGyver spirit. In my latest "life hacks" guide, I show you 10 amazing tips and tricks that'll hopefully make your holiday season a little more merry. Video: . If you're in need of s ...more
Plastic red cups are synonymous with college parties, beer pong, and generally a good time. The reason these cups are so rampant in the party scene is because they're cheap, easily disposable, and, well... who wants to drink out of a blue cup?!? Oh, to be young and in debt. O ...more
If you're tired of using the same old ornaments on your Christmas tree year after year, then it's time to experiment with borax snowflakes. It's not only a fun decoration to make, it's a great science project to try out with family and friends. All you need for to make DIY cry ...more
No matter how big or small your Christmas tree might be, you can use this tutorial to make an attractive and festive holiday tree! You will need Christmas lights, wire and your favorite ornaments, tinsel, ribbon and other holiday decorations.
Want to add a little holiday cheer to your living space without breaking the bank? Get a clear glass bowl, fill it with extra Christmas ornaments or clementines, and you have an instant holiday-themed centerpiece for your table. Ta-da! Illustrated below are 8 more DIY holiday ...more
Watch this instructional crochet video to crochet a miniature holiday Christmas tree. Use any type of thread and crochet needle to complete this project. You will also need a tapestry needle to sew the Christmas tree into a hanging ornament. Add small embellishments with red y ...more
John White, Dona Ana County Extension Agent, Teddi Peters, Master Gardener, and Southwest Yard and Garden demonstrate how to make a Christmas tree from a tomato plant cage for the holidays. The cage will already have a tree like form. Attach electrical tape around the prongs. ...more
In order to make a miniature baby doll bottle to be used in a dollhouse, you will need the following: orange paint, white paint, a paintbrush, and a light bulb from a string of white Christmas lights. The light bulb must be a standard light bulb. It can't be a replacement bulb ...more
It's the most wonderful time of the year. Christmas lights are up, stores are crowded, tacky knit sweaters are making an appearance, and there's the constant smell of something delicious baking in the oven. In this week's Phone Snap Challenge, spread some holiday cheer by show ...more
This handy instructional video teaches the budding paper-design-enthusiast how to construct a three-dimensional paper word design. All you need is paper, an Exacto knife, a ruler, and a pen. Now you can make any word you've ever wanted to make stand up do it more quickly and e ...more
You don't have to go the boring route with Christmas lights this year. Try hacking them, or better yet see if you can replicate this Tron-themed optical illusion made by WonderHowTo favorite Brusspup. Good luck... looks like it took some serious time and patience to get it rig ...more
Chestnuts are roasting on an open fire, which can only mean one thing: Christmas is nearly here. It's the time of year we're supposed to spend with family and friends, but usually we spend it stressing out over what to buy everyone on our list without going over budget, or sho ...more
If it's your first Christmas, you might be wondering what the best way to decorate the tree is. While every tree and set of decorations will be different, this tutorial shows you a few basic principles (such as always put the Christmas lights on first) to decorating a lovely a ...more
No matter what your holiday preference, you're probably aware that Christmas is now just days away. By now, you've already decked your halls with boughs of holly (either physically or virtually), thanks to our last holiday app roundup. With that in mind, let's take a look at ...more
This year, there's no need to waste time and energy stringing colorful Christmas lights all over your home and yard. All you need is the Circuit Marker from AgIC, a Japanese technology company, and you're ready to deck the halls. Video: . The marker, along with special circuit ...more
Congratulations to Bryan Kiguchi for Dreaming Little Bird, our winning shot of the Phone Snap Double Exposure Challenge! Thanks to all of you who participated. Of course, we have a new challenge for you this week, and it has already begun! Start reminiscing on some good times ...more
This holiday season, don't go the old-fashioned route when decorating for Christmas, stay in the present. To see how to joyfully adorn in the present, and no I did not say "presents," just check out this video on how to decorate a Christmas tree in a contemporary style. Timot ...more
Are you expecting a lot of guests for an upcoming holiday party? To make your home smell like the holiday season, simmer orange peels, cinnamon sticks, cranberries, and cloves with water on a stovetop for several hours to make your indoor space smell really good. You can also ...more