The best way to remove seeds from a vanilla bean is by using a small paring knife. If your vanilla beans have become too dry, soak them in water for about 10-15 minutes to soften them up.

Cut the bean in half widthwise then split the bean down the center. Just make sure to keep the tapered end of the vanilla beans connected or intact.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMbLSp62GYs 

After splitting, you'll probably notice that a few seeds have already made it onto your knife. Scrape these off into a bowl.  Using the back of your paring knife, scrape the remaining seeds out of the vanilla pod. Place these into your bowl and move on to your next vanilla bean.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMbLSp62GYs  

Once you have five or six empty vanilla pods, place them into a small jar or bottle and fill the bottle with either vodka or rum. Refrigerate for about two months. Once the pods have steeped in the alcohol for that period of time, you will have your own homemade vanilla extract.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMbLSp62GYs