What is a new house without a cool mailbox? If you are tired of the usual, then spray paint something cool. My method can be used to do other designs, although orange and hot pink tiger stripes are HOT. Some may find this easier to get a clean, complicated design than cutting a stencil from paper. ...By: shellyoteContinue Reading »
Do It Yourself
-
Most Topular Stories
-
Sexy mailbox
Instructables: exploring - living28 Jan 2012 | 12:09 am -
Cross-Stitched Hand Warmer
Instructables: exploring - living - featured27 Jan 2012 | 3:16 pmThese simple hand warmers are easy to make, and they really do keep your hands toasty warm! They are a perfect way to show your love to someone this Valentine's Day! You will need: Wool felt Embroidery floss Rice Prepare Felt and Embroider For each hand warmer, cut a piece of felt measuring 4 x ...By: molliejohansonContinue Reading » -
Loft Bed by Sarah F. Using AsktheBuilder Plans
AsktheBuilder.com10 Jan 2012 | 10:03 amAn AsktheBuilder reader uses Tim's Build A Loft Bed plans and builds a gorgeous loft bed for her daughter. -
Hit the Flight Deck
it only takes one handy couple to fix an ugly house.23 Jan 2012 | 11:00 amSo after we finished the master bedroom, we took a break and went to the USS Midway museum located in Downtown San Diego. So today we’re going to give you a little tour of that. First we ate some lunch at Lil Piggy’s BBQ in Coronado. Then we took the ferry from Coronado to Embarcadero. The Midway Museum is a parked Aircraft carrier. *photo taken from allfamouswonders.com Here is the little mini Midway tour that we’re gonna give you: Look! We’re an airplane! Kyle’s dad telling him a story: 10-4, Over. … -
Vi Hart and More Fun with Fibonacci, Plants, and “Spiraly Things”
MAKE28 Jan 2012 | 1:30 amHere are parts two and three of Vi Hart’s brilliant and dizzying exploration of the Fibonacci number, plant growth patterns, and the mathematics behind other cool, spiraly things. More: Spirals, Fibonacci, and Being a Plant
-
MAKE
-
Vi Hart and More Fun with Fibonacci, Plants, and “Spiraly Things”
28 Jan 2012 | 1:30 amHere are parts two and three of Vi Hart’s brilliant and dizzying exploration of the Fibonacci number, plant growth patterns, and the mathematics behind other cool, spiraly things. More: Spirals, Fibonacci, and Being a Plant -
NEWS FROM THE FUTURE – Drone Pilot Discovers “River of Meat Blood”
27 Jan 2012 | 5:00 pmDrone Pilot Discovers River of Meat Blood… A Dallas drone hobbyist was flying his rig around one bright Texan afternoon, scouting the skies, when he hovered across something perturbing: an enormous, oozing river of blood behind a meatpacking plant. This was one of our predictions for 2012, not the rivers of blood, but drones being used by “citizen journalists” more and more – I think this is a good example, even if accidental. My friend Johngineer posted up a great list of “The future of Drones”. -
Fused Filament Printing with Water-Soluble Support
27 Jan 2012 | 3:00 pmVeteran Thingiverse user Tony Buser has printed a model (intended to be an approximation of the fractal Hilbert curve) using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a support material. Once everything is printed and cooled, the PVA is dissolved away in a glass of water, leaving only the polylactic acid (PLA) model. This technique, when perfected, should allow RepRap-style FFF printers to produce objects with overhanging parts that are currently very difficult, or impossible, for them to print. Tony used two of MakerBot’s Mk7 extruders mounted on a Thing-o-Matic. -
Got Weekend Plans? How About a Visit to the Materials Library?
27 Jan 2012 | 11:00 amTwo years ago I wrote about what a delight it was to discover the UT-Austin School of Architecture’s Materials Lab when I was on campus there, and it seems appropriate to resurrect the topic in honor of our theme this month. Kevin Kelly just posted a roundup of major materials libraries around the USA over at Cool Tools, and I was surprised to discover that UT’s, which is decades old, was one of the first in the country. Publicly accessible materials libraries are usually associated with universities, and there is at least one major subscription-based commercial materials library… -
In the Maker Shed: Teleclaw – Telerobotic Gripper Kit
27 Jan 2012 | 10:00 amNeed a hand? Build your own with the Telerobotic Gripper Kit from the Maker Shed! This kit includes everything you need to make the Teleclaw featured in MAKE: Volume 27, right down to the batteries. Assemble the kit and attach the Teleclaw to your robot, rover, or anywhere else you could use a grip. The pre-programmed Picaxe microcontroller interprets commands from the IR remote to make the gripper open and close. Have a look at the Make: Project build for more information and directions.
-
AsktheBuilder.com
-
Cupola Roof
23 Jan 2012 | 10:01 amCupolas and weathervanes can add a touch of class to a structure's roof. However, the cupola design must be properly sized for your structure. Here are some other tips when building a cupola for structural support and standing up to Mother Nature. -
Zip System Roof Sheathing Video
19 Jan 2012 | 7:43 amTim Carter talks about a new zip system roof sheathing. This system will help seal up your home. -
Fascia Board Video
19 Jan 2012 | 7:43 amTim Carter talks about a new fascia board material that resists rot. -
Building a House in Bad Weather
16 Jan 2012 | 12:43 pmYou can build a home in the middle of winter or during the rainy season. Some special procedures for cold weather construction must be followed. Keeping the ground from freezing and getting the shell completed as quickly as possible is paramount. -
Loft Bed by Sarah F. Using AsktheBuilder Plans
10 Jan 2012 | 10:03 amAn AsktheBuilder reader uses Tim's Build A Loft Bed plans and builds a gorgeous loft bed for her daughter.
-
How to of the Day
-
How to Make Fingerless Gloves
28 Jan 2012 | 2:00 amFingerless gloves are handy gloves for keeping most of the hand warm while still allowing for freedom of movement with the fingers. They're very easy to make using a pair of existing gloves, as you'll see from this tutorial. Edit Steps Turning long fingered gloves into fingerless gloves Find a pair of gloves.Find a pair of gloves. They can be old or brand new, just as long as you're happy to repurpose them. Old ones that have holes in the ends of the fingers are excellent for this purpose, as they'll get a new lease of life. Cotton, wool, angora, lambswool, cashmere, etc. are all acceptable… -
How to Mind Map Yourself
27 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pmAn 'old school' mind mapSince the time of the Ancient Greeks, humans have been using methods to tap into the mind's ability to associate and imagine outcomes in order to find coherent solutions. Mind mapping is one modern day approach that draws on associations and imagination to create an overview of lots of seemingly separate pieces of information to find and clarify pathways, solutions and to organize issues. You may be wondering how a mind map can be of help to you personally. Indeed, it can be of tremendous help, as mind mapping can be used as a source of self-empowerment or personal… -
How to Hide That You Are on a Diet
27 Jan 2012 | 10:00 amAlthough some people love to talk about their diets, you might not want the entire world to know you're dieting. While one good reason to hide your diet intentions may be to surprise folks with weight loss, another reason could be that after trying countless diets you may not want to hear about it if you trip up. Or, you may simply be fed up discussing all the pros and cons of various diet types as the only topic of dinner table or social event conversation, or having to justify the choice you've made. In addition, studies show that the mere act of announcing your goals to others makes you… -
How to Build an LED Camcorder Light
27 Jan 2012 | 2:00 amCreate your own camcorder light to improve the visual ability of your camcorder in dim light or darkness. Edit Steps Collect the items needed to complete this project. These are listed below under "Things You'll Need". Collect the items needed to complete this project. Find some suitable elasticized fabric. Find some suitable elasticized fabric. Measure the circumference of the camcorder lens or whatever mounting point the light will attach to. Then measure the same for the elasticized fabric. Measure the circumference of the camcorder lens or whatever mounting point the light will attach to. -
The Etiquette of Inviting Your Ex to Your Wedding
26 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pmIf party planning isn’t tough enough, now you want to invite your ex to your wedding. And while there is no clear cut etiquette answer on the suitability or otherwise of having an ex at a wedding – Prince William and Princess Catherine invited ex-flames to their wedding – it is important that both you and your fiancé are comfortable with the decision and have talked it through. Having an ex at your wedding takes tremendous tact and an extremely understanding fiancé––hopefully one who is confident enough in your relationship to freely admit if he or she feels uncomfortable with…
-
Old House Web Blog
-
Salvage tips for restoring your old house
26 Jan 2012 | 3:43 pmSearching for the ideal wood flooring, windows or simple accents for your old home can lead you to many interesting places. There are the antique stores where old molding is stacked in a dusty corner. There’s the auction house where you can find that perfect door–at a staggering price, perhaps, but perfect nonetheless. There is the warehouse or junkyard where it appears whole houses were taken apart and then left out in the elements until someone came along to find that perfect replacement window, door hardware or intricate wrought-iron railing. A salvage shop. Image credit:… -
Purple? Pink? Yellow? Painting your old house
19 Jan 2012 | 12:21 pmYou’ve polished those old hardwood floors, painstakingly restored the original windows and scoured antique shops for the perfect furnishings. Your old house might be as historically accurate as you can make it on the inside, but what about the outside? When it’s time to upgrade the exterior of a historic home, many homeowners will go with vinyl siding colors and styles that are meant to mimic the look of old clapboard. Manufacturers can do a fine job of making their vinyl siding look as though it belongs in a historic district, and in many cases even historic commissions are… -
A restoration fit for Hollywood royalty
12 Jan 2012 | 12:27 pmImage credit: ColdwellBanker Among all of the celebrity homes that have hit the market lately, few stand out as a historic gem. This one in Connecticut, however, is definitely worth a look. “The Cotton Tavern” sits on 40 acres of what is commonly referred to as the “Quiet Corner” of Connecticut, where the population is surprisingly low. The Federal-style house was built around 1770, and has been added onto over time whenever the residing family needed more space. Owner Renee Zellweger recently put the house on the market for $1.5 million. A very careful restoration The… -
5 Tips for preventing ice dams
11 Jan 2012 | 7:03 pmI’ve warned about ice dams many times. It’s one of the leading causing of major damage to old homes. But, the problem doesn’t start on your roof. It starts from inside your home from leaking hot air. If you have icicles hanging from your eaves, you need to take action now. Those frozen daggers are a sign that you’ve got ice dams. The ice dam enables the trapped water to get under the roof shingles, causing water to leak inside. Here’s five tips from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority for preventing ice dams and saving you thousands… -
History in harmony at the Governor Hotel
5 Jan 2012 | 12:40 pmIn addition to being a huge fan of architecture and old houses, I have a serious weakness for old-fashioned television shows where the underdog always wins. After getting hooked on a few seasons of Leverage on TNT, I started to notice that occasional scenes were filmed in a very nice hotel, one that had more than a few historic features. Was this a real place or just a very clever set? The Governor Hotel. Image Credit: Hotels.com After a few minutes of surfing message boards, I was reminded that yes, you can find anything on the Internet. That includes the history of the Governor Hotel in…
-
Home Addition
-
2012 Housing Market Poised to Be Anemic
12 Jan 2012 | 6:10 pmBy Mark J. DonovanThe latest new home construction forecasts coming out for 2012 suggest that it won’t be much better than 2011, even with 30 year fixed mortgages sub 4%. With unemployment still at very high levels, wages stagnant for those who are working, and banks still tight in lending money, it’s understandable that the future home construction market looks flat. One report suggested one of the few bright spots will be the New York City area. Not surprising, since that’s where much of the country’s wealth resides.The only positive news out of the forecasts is the fact that there… -
New Years Eve is a Time for Reflection and Hope
30 Dec 2011 | 6:34 pmA Message of Optimism for 2012By Mark J. DonovanMy daughter commented this morning that New Years Eve is anticlimactic and that she doesn’t really understand what all the fuss and excitement is about. Though I can understand her point of view to some extent, as I’ve watched the ball drop in Time Square every year from the comfort of my sofa for as long as I can remember, I explained to her that New Years Eve represents a time of reflection and hope. That it’s a time when we think about all that was and wasn’t accomplished in the past year, and what we dream to accomplish in the year… -
Installed a New Pull Chain Light Fixture
30 Dec 2011 | 12:58 pmSpent Yesterday Morning Replacing an Old Pull Chain Light FixtureBy Mark J. DonovanWith time off this week I’ve been making a few minor home repairs around the house. Yesterday morning’s project was installing a new pull chain light fixture in the basement. The light switch pull cord had snapped off at the base of the light fixture and there was virtually no way to reattach it. Consequently I found myself running off to the local home improvement center to find a replacement. The store had plastic ones for around $1 and porcelain ones for around $4. I went with the porcelain pull chain… -
A Reflection from a Fishbowl View of Tokyo Japan
11 Dec 2011 | 2:46 amBy Mark J. DonovanAs I spend this weekend whiling away the time looking out the 14th floor window of my hotel room in Tokyo, Japan, I can’t help but marvel and reflect at the sea of concrete and people as far as the eye can see. There’s a feeling of loneliness in me as I look out at such a sea of humanity. I’m not sure quite why. I’m sure some of the reason is I simply miss my family. But I also think it’s due heavily in part to how insignificant I realize each one of us is in relationship to the Earth and as a species as a whole. Looking down at street level I see waves of people… -
Popcorn Ceiling Repair
6 Dec 2011 | 6:36 amHow to Make a Popcorn Ceiling PatchBy Mark J. DonovanRecently I began to notice in our bathroom a small patch of popcorn ceiling material falling away from the drywall ceiling. At first, the spot was only about 1 inch in diameter. However within a couple of weeks it increased to 2 to 3 inches in diameter. I wasn’t sure what the cause was due to the fact that there was no apparent water stain on or near the affected area. I went up into the attic to make sure there was indeed no water related issues that was causing the popcorn ceiling to pull away from the drywall. Again, I saw no telltale…
-
Home Improvement Blog
-
Lower Your Budget Requirements With These Energy-Saving Tips
27 Jan 2012 | 1:00 pmby Arpi’s Are you in need of some effective energy-saving tips? To stay comfortable through a Southern Alberta winter, with its harsh winds and frigid temperatures, homeowners have to use their heating systems a lot. And while higher energy bills are a reality for homeowners in our region, you can control heating costs, at least to some degree, by incorporating the energy-saving measures below throughout your home. § Set your home temperature lower. According to the government of Alberta, each degree you setback your thermostat will translate into a 2 percent savings on your utility… -
What Size Chandelier?
26 Jan 2012 | 5:00 amby Lights On In choosing the size of a chandelier, there are no concrete criteria of evaluation. Interior designers always advise to stay away from buying a small-sized chandelier for a large room. On the other side, the use of candelabras or small chandeliers allows, in certain cases, to attain an interesting compositional effect. Every-thing depends on your taste and wants. In choosing chandeliers as the source of light, some certain ratios exist, but they should not be used unthinkingly. The overall configuration and design of your room must be considered, as well as the style of the… -
How to maximize your living space
25 Jan 2012 | 12:55 pmby Asha Stuttard photo from http://ikea.com Need some more living space at home? With so many people working from home these days, for many families their home has morphed into being an office as well as a place to relax and rest your head. If you do work from home, it can be really useful to dedicate a space to work – especially if you can somehow separate it from the rest of the home. One way of doing this is by putting an all-singing, all-dancing shed in the garden. A shed with power, heating and a phone line! If that’s too much to ask, or your garden’s not big enough, the next best… -
Thinking about redesigning or just sprucing up an existing space?
23 Jan 2012 | 10:15 amby Clements Interiors Follow this fail-safe plan before you start. Unlike the homes in the magazines, most of us will never own a Schonbek crystal chandelier to tower over a twelve-seater dining table. In fact, these days we’re lucky if there’s enough floor space in our homes for a dining room at all! Multi-functional, small scale and affordable is the way many of us live. And as more people move into and vie for premium spaces in the cities, large spaces will continue to be an expensive option. We all want our homes tolook good. But money, time and resources often limit what we can… -
New Year, New Home
17 Jan 2012 | 5:00 amImportant Safety Resolutions to Start Your New Year Off Right photo by Centennialplumbing.com New year, new opportunities indicates weekly trips to the gym, carrots instead of candy and an opportunity to break bad habits. How about a resolution that goes beyond 2012 and keeps your children and home safe for years to come? This year, make it a priority to childproof your kitchen and clean beyond the countertops to keep your family happy and healthy all year long. “Your kitchen never gets a day off,” said Doug Rogers, president of Mr. Appliance Corp. “Between hot appliances and sharp…
-
The Kitchen Designer
-
La Cornue - Kitchen Le Magnifique
26 Jan 2012 | 6:26 pmI had the pleasure some weeks back of dining in New York City with Xavier Dupuy, president of La Cornue, my colleague and friend, Leslie Clagett from the blog KBCulture and a couple of PR people, always useful to fill in the blanks for a brand. I very much enjoyed this type of intimate setting. I love up close and personal meetings with manufacturers. It helps me "get" the culture of the company which always trickles down to my understanding the quality of the product and the type of people who actually manufacture the product. Mr. Dupuy spent a fair amount of time talking about his… -
Kohler
21 Jan 2012 | 1:37 pmAnd here is the last, and I hope you'll agree, the best post of the series on my trip to Kohler's headquarters at Kohler, Wisconsin. The trip was a visual feast! It was also an actual feast throughout the weekend since my trip was centered around the Kohler Food and Wine Experience - a weekend event (among many all year 'round) that I highly recommend which takes place in October of each year. The piece de resistance of Kohler Village, to me, is the Kohler Design Center. A three level building of beautiful products and room vignettes in beautiful settings surrounded by fabulous… -
Kohler Design Center - Kitchen & Bath Plumbing Products, Furniture, Tile
11 Jan 2012 | 11:26 amThe best part of my trip to Kohler's headquarters in Kohler, Wisconsin a couple of months back at the invitation of Kohler, was to visit the Kohler Design Center (how could I have said that without four "Kohler's" in the sentence??) A beautiful brick building in which all of Kohlers brands are showcased, it is a place that will take a design aficianado hours and hours to go through. There is something for everyone. First, there were selections from Kohler's furniture brands such as Baker and McGuire... There was a display of stunning Ann Sacks tile and down the road, a tile store with the… -
Kohler Food and Wine Experience & The American Club Resort
8 Jan 2012 | 6:19 pmMy weekend at Kohler, Wisconsin, at Kohler's gracious invitation, included attendance at a tempting array of food and wine related events of my choice. As I said in my previous post, I would go back to the Kohler Food and Wine Experience in a heartbeat. The vibe was fun, stimulating, insightful...and quite tasty. From beginning to end, all of my experiences, every one, were sincerely, and very solidly, positive. But first, a bit about the historic American Club Resort. (this season's winter image below) A Forbes Five-Star Resort Hotel and AAA Five Diamond Resort Hotel, the American Club… -
Thermador Freedom Induction Cooktop
6 Jan 2012 | 8:27 pm"Heat without boundaries", the holy grail for cooks, chefs, heater-uppers ... Thermador introduces a new cooktop with revolutionary natural mapping technology. What is that and what does it mean? Imagine the following: you are sauteeing ingredients for Thanksgiving stuffing-let's say onions, celery, and sausage (I'll also add apple chuncks in mine) in a large pan. Another spot on the cooktop is needed to cook the fresh cranberry sauce. Don't forget the turkey stock - the stock pot needs a place too. At different times of the cooking process each piece of cookware needs to be the center of…
-
About.com Home Repair
-
Water Heater Troubleshooting and Repair
27 Jan 2012 | 8:47 amThe water heater is an amazingly reliable appliance and one you rely upon every day. It really has very few parts that can go wrong and most are easy to repair. Of course knowing the various water heater's components and their names are essential so reviewing the Anatomy of a Water Heater is a good starting point....Read Full Post -
The Incandescent Lighting Ban
24 Jan 2012 | 3:32 pmThe ban on the 100 watt incandescent bulb is now in effect. As of January 1, 2012 the law says you cannot manufacture or import into the United States any General Service Incandescent Lamp that is above 72 watts having a light output of 1490 - 2600 lumens and a minimum service life of 1,000 hours....Read Full Post -
How to Prevent & Remove Ice Dams
20 Jan 2012 | 7:13 pmThe winter snow storms are starting up a little late this year but soon icicles will be everywhere. Although icicles may look attractive hanging from eaves of homes they signal a more ominous condition known as an ice dam....Read Full Post -
How to Repair a Hole in Drywall
17 Jan 2012 | 11:43 amHaving a hole in your drywall is never fun, although it may have been caused by having too much of a good time. Most drywall holes are small and easily repaired, but large holes can happen as a result of accidents, gaining access to wiring or plumbing or because of home renovations. And larger holes require a special technique for repair. Fortunately there are a few tricks I can show you in How to Repair a Large Hole in Drywall. For smaller holes caused by doorknobs, kids, toys and other elements of home life there is the tutorial Repairing a Small Hole in Drywall Don't have holes but just… -
PEX: Copper Plumbing's Alternative
14 Jan 2012 | 8:01 amDo you know about the home plumbing material called PEX (not "PECS" like on display in the weight lifting photo)? If you have a major plumbing repair, don't be surprised if your plumber proposes using this material....Read Full Post
-
About.com Landscaping
-
Barbarians Are Not Always Ugly
24 Jan 2012 | 2:28 amAmericans who haven't taken the advice of the well-known bumper sticker that proclaims, "Kill Your Television!" have very likely seen the Capital One TV ads that show some scruffy-looking barbarians invading and rampaging their way across the screen. I hope people don't extrapolate from these ads that barbaric invaders are always ugly. Many of the invasive plants at war with our native fauna are anything but that. ...Read Full Post -
Hardscape Ideas With Kids in Mind
20 Jan 2012 | 2:50 amI don't have fond memories of hardscape as a child. My knees seemed always to find a way to become skinned when I was around pavement. Whether it was due to a fall at recess when in school, or due to wiping out when biking on vacation, scabs weren't shy about keeping my knees company. ...Read Full Post -
Groundhog Day 2012
17 Jan 2012 | 2:56 amIn about 2 weeks, February arrives, which means Groundhog Day 2012 is right around the corner. Let's be blunt. When it comes to Groundhog Day, there are two vocal ...Read Full Post -
Fond Memories of Bayberry Shrub
15 Jan 2012 | 6:05 amPlants can be special to us for a number of totally different reasons. First and foremost there are, of course, the various horticultural considerations. For example, we may value a plant because: ...Read Full Post -
Snow, What Is it Good For?
12 Jan 2012 | 1:46 amGenerally speaking, I'm not a big fan of snow, which is why I'm thrilled my region (New England, U.S.) has not received much of it ,so far, this winter. If nothing else, there's the work involved in removing it from the driveway, etc. (and I've never been accused of being a workaholic!). No matter which method of snow removal you adopt, it's a hassle. Some prefer snowblowing to shoveling, whether they use gas snowblowers or electric snowblowers. But I say "no thank you" to both. ...Read Full Post
-
About.com Pool & Patio
-
Home and Garden Shows: Hurry, Spring
27 Jan 2012 | 5:58 pmEnough with winter already. I don't know about you, but I say it's time to bring on the home and garden shows. I want to see giant koi in ponds that I'd like to have in my backyard, and patio furniture that looks like it's part of a complete set, rather than the mismatched Craigslist orphans sitting on my balcony. There are loads of patio, pool, home and garden shows scheduled pretty much every place it's spring (that would be in March). Getting a head start a week or two earlier than most is the popular Minneapolis Home & Garden Show, which is held, appropriately, at the… -
Nominate Now: Best Book, Outdoor Living and Design
24 Jan 2012 | 7:51 pmThe About.com Readers' Choice Awards have been underway for a week now, and a new category has been added to the lineup for About.com's Pool and Patio site. The category -- Best Book, Outdoor Living and Design. Have you read a home and garden book that you'd recommend to a friend, or anyone, for that matter? Possible book subjects can include: Landscape design Outdoor kitchens Patios Porches Decks Playhouses, Treehouses and children's play structures and spaces Working with stone and other materials Outdoor DIY projects The book nominated must have been published in 2010 or later. No… -
It's Almost Here: The 2012 About.com Readers' Choice Awards
16 Jan 2012 | 4:18 pmSo, what are the best pool and patio products on the market? For the second year in a row, About.com Pool and Patio is participating in the annual About.com Readers' Choice Awards. Beginning on Wednesday, January 18th, at 12:01 a.m., we will be accepting nominations in the following categories: Best Hot Tub/Spa brand or manufacturer Favorite Outdoor Toy Best Pool Cleaner/Vacuum brand and model Best Decking Material (real wood, composite or whatever else you might use for decking) Best Patio Furniture brand or manufacturer Best Outdoor Lighting Best Book, Outdoor Living and Design After… -
One of These Books Has Your Next Playhouse, Treehouse or Shed Project
8 Jan 2012 | 11:32 pmMy 13-year-old daughter has been talking about turning her two-level play structure / gym into something more like a clubhouse where she can hang out with friends or by herself. She wants to keep the big green plastic slide, but she and my husband have already raised the roof. Cooler nights make you want to bundle-up indoors and read books that might contain your next spring or summer project. Check out this list of books I've compiled about DIY playhouse, treehouse, shed and backyard retreat projects that will get your mind off current concerns and help you look forward to the spring and… -
New Year's Eve Reflections, But Looking Forward to 2012
31 Dec 2011 | 4:55 pmSince New Year's Eve is a time of reflection for those of us who aren't romping with the elite in St. Bart's or watching The Ball drop in Times Square, I'm taking a look back at the past month. I'm a bit disappointed that holiday decorating is behind me, since I was able to take a fun tour of yards and porches decorated with those fabulous vintage outdoor blow mold Christmas decorations. No more scrambling to buy Christmas presents, either. Although, this list of home and garden gift ideas works for birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day -- any occasion. I'm looking forward…
-
GreenWerks
-
7 Tips for Saving Water around the House
27 Jan 2012 | 3:52 pmBy now most of us are well aware of the need to conserve resources such as energy but we tend not to think about all the water that goes to waste every day. Whether you are doing the washing up or trying to clean out your Siemens oven, the following tips should help you to save water. Tip 1. Jug in the Fridge There are times when we all like nothing better than an ice cold glass of water. Keep a jug of water in the fridge for when you want a cold drink and save water because you are not waiting for it to run cold. If you have zip taps installed then you can get hot and cold water instantly so… -
10 Green Resolutions for Businesses in 2012
27 Jan 2012 | 10:13 amAll businesses have a duty to take action to become more eco-friendly. Raising awareness and making simple changes can make a significant impact. As a new year starts, here are 10 green resolutions for your company to keep throughout 2012 and beyond. 1) Promote Company-wide Recycling Businesses produce a huge amount of waste. Clearly marked recycling bins should be installed throughout your premises and employees should be reminded of the need to place all suitable waste in them. 2) Discourage Unnecessary Printing Placing signs near your printers and sending a friendly email reminding… -
Give Your Living Room an Inviting Warmth
26 Jan 2012 | 4:27 pmYour living room is the soul of the home. You put your income into your mortgage and home insurance and entrust your family to your home’s protection, so you should also invest in the heart and soul of your home to make it a warm and welcoming place. It is where friends, family, and unexpected guests relax before and after a meal. It should be an inviting room, but that does not mean that a living room cannot be a showplace as well as a retreat. As with any room design, it is imperative that you begin with a plan, or your redecorating efforts can lead to a result that is haphazard and… -
3 Tips for Finding Quality Trees At Your Tree Nursery
26 Jan 2012 | 3:36 pmIf planting new trees is part of your green construction plans, then you’ll surely want to do everything you can to ensure that they grow healthy and strong. In landscaping, few things are worse than having your newly purchased trees wither and die within a few months of planting. One thing that is often overlooked is the fact that not all trees at the nursery are created equal. In fact, the first step in helping your trees thrive when planted on your property, is selecting the right tree in the first place. Below are 3 tips to help you inspect the trees at your nursery before purchase to… -
Top Tips for Choosing the Right Flooring for Your Home
26 Jan 2012 | 3:29 pmThe whole look and feel of a room can be determined by the flooring used within that space. Therefore it is important to choose the right type of flooring for each area of the home. Before making a final decision however there are a number of factors to take into consideration. Practicality One such consideration is the practicality of any flooring chosen for the purpose of the room. Any flooring, although it needs to look beautiful and stylish also has to be practical. For example, some areas within the home will be used more than others. In these areas it may be worth investing in…
-
Home Construction Improvement
-
Kreg Precision Trak & Stop System Review
23 Jan 2012 | 6:09 pmKreg Precision Trak & Stop System I’ve almost completed my new built-in miter saw station which includes an adjustable fence system on both the left and right sides of the saw. I built the fence system ... Home Construction & Improvement published by: Kreg Precision Trak & Stop... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Rockler Universal T-Track Kit Review
23 Jan 2012 | 12:32 pmRockler Universal T-Track Kits I’ve been in the process of building benches in my new woodshop. Recently I finished building a new miter saw bench which will be located in the center of the new shop. ... Home Construction & Improvement published by: Rockler Universal T-Track Kit Review is... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Stain Solver Review
18 Jan 2012 | 7:20 pmStain Solver – Amazing Stain Remover, Cleaner and Deoderizer One year ago I was on my way to the International Builder’s Show in Orlando, FL and I met Tim Carter, Founder of AskTheBuilder.com at the airport. ... Home Construction & Improvement published by: Stain Solver Review is a... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
DEWALT 20V Max Reciprocating Saw Giveaway
15 Jan 2012 | 5:29 pmDEWALT 20V Max Cordless ToolsDEWALT announced their 20 volt lineup earlier this summer and it’s been making quite a splash around the industry. The new lineup equates to longer run times, faster speeds, better ergonomics ... Home Construction & Improvement published by: DEWALT 20V Max... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Timberland PRO® Helix® Collection Review
12 Jan 2012 | 6:42 pmLightweight Comfortable Work Boots….REALLY! So I’ve been a long time user and fan of the New England based Timberland boots. I’ve owned a dozen or more of their boots of the years because they made incredibly ... Home Construction & Improvement published by: Timberland PRO®... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
-
Rambling Renovators
-
Interior Design Show 2012 Preview
26 Jan 2012 | 3:37 pmA peek at the Piero Lissoni exhibit This morning, I attended the media preview for the Interior Design Show, or IDS12. For the Canadian design community, this is the show that we wait for all year long. IDS12 is a showcase for emerging and established designers and architects and highlights the latest in residential products. Co-Founder & Director of IDS12, Shauna Levy Glimpses of the How Do You Live exhibits by Quadrangle, Mazen Studio, L'Atelier, Jill Greaves Design StudioNorth Exhibits: Ridgely Studio Works, Contact Voyaging Co. Del Terrelonge of Rhed Corporation in the… -
Tips For Attending Alt Summit
25 Jan 2012 | 7:00 amBy now you’re probably sick of seeing all the Alt Summit recaps in your blog reader and wishing you had attended, right? As a first-time Alt attendee, I will tell you it is the best money you will ever spend on yourself and your blog. If you’re planning on attending next year (I know I am!), here’s a few tips for you: Be Outgoing! Rarely in our adult lives do we get the chance to meet and make friends with others who share our same passions – Alt is your chance to meet 500 of them! Come out of your shell, put on a smile, and realize that everyone is as nervous as you are. Instead of… -
Tonic Living Giveaway
23 Jan 2012 | 11:23 pmWow! So many of you entered the Tonic Living giveaway (almost 340 entries here on the blog and via email)! Guess you all love Tonic's products as much as I do. The winner of the $50 gift certificate is: Congratulations, momtotriplets! I'm sending you an email with the details. *** Still have some fabric projects on the go? Remember to use the coupon code RAMBLING for 10% off your next order from Tonic Living. Happy shopping! -
Thoughts on Alt 2012
23 Jan 2012 | 11:39 amAlt. ALT. It has changed everything. I’m back from blogger summer camp, dear readers! And like summer camp, there was learning, fun, food, parties, silliness, and friendships made (especially with Lindsey, my awesome roommate, pictured above). But there was more, oh so so much more. What do you get when 500 women and a good dozen men, collide for four days of discussions, keynotes, and tutorials? A whole lot of creative inspiration, stylish fashion, and lasting connections. I had found my people. And these people had a lot to teach me. I learned all about the business of blogging and about… -
I'm Going to Alt!
17 Jan 2012 | 9:34 pmIn a few short hours, I will be on my way to Alt Design Summit. What's Alt? Design. Lifestyle. Photography. Fashion. Events. Styling. Art Direction. Food. Interior Design. If you're obsessed with lifestyle, food and fashion blogs, fantastic images, smart ideas and great design inside and outside — all wrapped up with a social media bow — Altitude Design Summit is the place to be. Because we feed those obsessions. Attending Alt has been on my To Do list for the last few years. How could I pass up the chance to hear talented folks like Grace, Jenny, Nicole, Emily, and Amy speak? Or hear the…
-
DIYdiva
-
DIY House From Scratch: Final Plans & Finding Builders
25 Jan 2012 | 2:58 pmIf all goes well– and, as someone who almost just lost the tip of a finger to a kitchen utensil (the irony of that is not lost on me, by the way) I can attest that occasionally all does not go well– but assuming the best relating to fingertips and floor plans for the rest of this week, by Friday I’ll have a full set of complete plans in my slightly bandaged hand. For those of you who don’t know, I often threaten to lose a finger to one of my big power tools but very rarely try to make good on the promise through sheer stupidity. Today was an exception.* Relating to the… -
Home Maintenance 101: Uncloging a Sink (Without Vomiting, Kind Of)
23 Jan 2012 | 7:00 amI actually feel like I should start out this post by apologizing for the pictures it contains. Actually, if you’ve eaten recently, or are thinking about eating in the next, oh, eternity, you might want to skip this one. Unless, of course, you have a sink that is draining poorly and a strong constitution, in which case, read on. This is one of those pesky little issues I’ve been meaning to deal with in the Farm House Rental since I moved in. The one bathroom sink wasn’t draining at all, which made things like brushing my teeth and washing my face a huge chore. Still, I had a… -
The Project List: Checking In & Picking Up (saws, not clothes)
17 Jan 2012 | 3:06 pmHonestly, if I were a better person, I would be picking up the random piles of laundry strewn about the house instead of trying to take pictures of myself lifting my fifty pound miter saw up over my head. By the way, this is as far as I got… Yeah, that was the shot they chose not to use in this months issue of The Family Handyman, and I can’t imagine why. You don’t find that grimace-trying-to-be-a-smile appealing? Seriously, out of probably over 50 shots, that was the second best option. The first being this one, which I have to admit, looks way more poised than I felt at… -
Chicken Coop Turned Coffee Table
16 Jan 2012 | 11:52 amFirst of all, I am admittedly not a chicken expert (yet) but I’m pretty sure this isn’t actually a “coop”. It’s probably more of a chicken-packing-crate or something, but that just doesn’t have the same ring to it. One thing I feel comfortable stating unequivocally however, is that its intended purpose was not storing books and hot beverages (the chicken poop covering it was a big hint) but look what happens when you go and give a girl power tools. Other than the part where I basically got to second base with this behemoth on the car ride back from the… -
The Little Farm Table That Could
12 Jan 2012 | 10:45 pmI really feel like this one should be called “the little girl who heaved a table onto her back, ran across two lanes of traffic and a parking lot, and shoved it into her SUV while half of Ann Arbor stopped dead in their tracks to gape at her” that could. Because I totally did. Side note: For those of us who don’t have the wingspan to just grab either side of a table and pick it up by ourselves, the best thing you can do is bend the top half of your body down until you look like a sideways L, crouch-crawl under the table, and then stand up with the table on your back and two…
-
I'm an Organizing Junkie
-
It’s Time for Another Org Junkie Video
27 Jan 2012 | 10:20 amHey friends, thought I’d give you a peek into what my unedited videos look like. I’m done with editing…blech. Seriously, who has time for such things anyway? Just kidding to all you editing geniuses, it’s all good :) From now on though I’m one cut Laura, dorkiness and all! So I’d love it if you’d chime in below with any video topics you’d like to see in the future. I’m going to try to post videos more frequently, maybe. If you tell me to stick with blogging and forget the videos well then I might do that too. Want to see more,… -
Teaching Your Kids to Organize
26 Jan 2012 | 3:45 pmLast week I wrote a post about my love of purging. Afterwards I got a sweet email from a reader that I’d like to share with you. When I was a child (now I’m 58), we didn’t have many toys but my mom was always giving away what we did have to my cousins who had way less than we had. Clothing, furniture, and toys. She gave away my Mickey Mouse Farris Wheel. If you price those today on antique toy sites, they go extremely high prices. But that’s not really why I wrote. Both my sister and I have had, over the years, very hard times giving away or getting rid of… -
29 Day Organizing Challenge Coming Soon!
24 Jan 2012 | 10:28 pmFor those that aren’t following me on Facebook, you might have missed my exciting announcement about my upcoming 29 Day Organizing Challenge taking place in February!! It’s going to be awesome and I’m super excited about all the awesome sponsors that are coming on board to provide AMAZING prizes for the winners (to be announced soon!). Time to start thinking about which room you’d like to work on. More in depth details can be found on the Challenge tab at the top of my site. Check it out!! You don’t want to miss this!! 29 Day Organizing Challenge Coming… -
Vinyl Fridge Menu Planner On Sale Now!
24 Jan 2012 | 12:48 pmLast year I did a giveaway for an awesome fridge menu planner made out of vinyl. It was really popular and I knew that I had to find a way to bring it into my shop. I’m so excited to tell you that today is the day!! You put the planner on your fridge and use a dry-erase marker to write your menu right on your fridge. It’s available in two sizes for you: Small Vinyl Menu Planner (12″ x 17″) Large Vinyl Menu Planner ( 24″ x 35″) There are only a limited number of quantities available so don’t wait if you are interested. To check it out please… -
Menu Plan Monday ~ Jan 23/12 – menu planning with picky eaters
23 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amHappy Monday everyone! Glad to see you are back for another organized week! I’m so sorry if you are experiencing errors when you visit on Mondays. Sometimes with everyone trying to get on the site at once it acts up. I’m going to be upgrading servers as soon as I figure it all out. Thanks for your patience! If you are looking for a yummy dessert sometime soon, I highly recommend this Cinnamon Roll Cake. I made it for church potluck yesterday and it was so good! Another recipe I tried last week was this one for Classic Orange Julius, I couldn’t resist. Go check…
-
This Old House: How-To And Repair
-
How to Install a Ceiling Fan
12 Jul 2012 | 6:00 amA step-by-step guide to putting in a versatile and stylish fixture -
How to Lay a Cork Floor
5 Jul 2012 | 6:00 amAn eco-friendly floor that's also easy on the feet -
How to Install a Front-Entry Flagpole
28 Jun 2012 | 6:00 amHanging the Stars and Stripes will give your house a nice seasonal touch of classic Americana. Here's how -
How to Paint a Room
21 Jun 2012 | 6:00 amGive your interior a new personality in just one weekend -
How to Build an Outdoor Bar Cart
14 Jun 2012 | 6:00 amOffer guests cocktails and brews by wheeling out this dedicated serving station
-
Handyguys Podcast - Home Improvement and DIY Advice
-
Life Expectancy Of Almost Everything In Your Home
24 Jan 2012 | 3:49 pmThere is an interesting article over on www.oldhouseweb.com which outlines the life expectancy of almost everything in your home. You can see the full article here. The life in years for various building materials will vary in real life from this list because there are many factors to take into consideration. As the article states, “some components remain functional but become obsolete…”. Here are some interesting items that jumped out at me: Related shows: Preparing Your Home For Winter Home Security, Home Surveillance And Home Automation& -
Replacing water tank and lines on GE side by side refrigerator
17 Jan 2012 | 12:54 pmIn this video episode of The Handyguys Podcast Handyguy Paul replaces the water tank on his GE Side By Side refrigerator. His tank was leaking so he found the part and replaced it. This repair will be similar for many different makes and models of refrigerators. Related shows: Replacing Water Heater Expansion Tanks and Ipe Decking Repair a leaking water heater T&P and planning for a new deck Exploding Water Heaters And Home Networking -
Selecting a Portable Generator
30 Dec 2011 | 3:07 pmPortable Generator Selection Checklist The Handyguys do not own generators but with all the power outages in the news they are certainly thinking about adding this “power tool” to their arsenal. Portable generators are easy to pick up at your local True Value store and you can be up and running quickly with some limitations. Without modifications to your electrical system, you can only connect household items that reach with an extension cord and which are no hard wired (e.g. a furnace blower). If you want the system to integrate with your electrical system for powering items such… -
Lightbulb bans, government intervention and personal choice
19 Dec 2011 | 2:39 pmThe Handyguys discuss the government involvement in banning traditional light bulbs. Yup – The government has ‘outlawed’ the tried and true light bulb. Even after this podcast was recorded some representatives in congress have attempted to delay the enforcement of the ban. Despite their efforts it seems the ‘ban’ will be move forward. Its not really a ban on incandescent – Its a requirement that by certain dates, certain types of bulbs need to meet certain energy efficiency standards. January 2010 will be 100 watt bulbs and other to follow after that. The… -
Last Minute Christmas List ideas
16 Dec 2011 | 2:19 pmThe Handyguys did a bit of virtual perusing of the isles of our local True Value. Each of us made a Christmas shopping list and then compared our choices in this entertaining podcast. We selected some excellent practical gift ideas for the handyguy, handygirl or anyone else. You must listen to the full podcast for our explanation of why these items belong on your Christmas list. And Merry Christmas! Alan wrench set Leatherman LED Christmas lights Porter Cable Oscillating Multitool Frost King electric heat cable Grill/Smoker/Fryer Lodge Cookware screwdrivers/all in one screw driver Fire…
-
One Project Closer
-
I’m One Project Closer! {DIY Link-It-Up #2}
27 Jan 2012 | 10:00 amWelcome to our second DIY Link-It-Up party, where you can share your best DIY projects with One Project Closer! Submit your project using the link widget below! Next week, we’ll pick the top 4-8 submission on the list and feature them! Stop back Every FRIDAY to MONDAY to Link It Up! DIY Link it Up Features From Last Week We had some fabulous entries to our {very first} party last week. Here’s the best! 1. Check out this beautiful sewing-machine base converted to a bathroom sink over at Old House New Folks. 2. Salvage Savvy gives us this great bedroom remake for her pretween boy. -
Fab Friday: Lindsay’s Bold Master Bedroom Reveal!
27 Jan 2012 | 4:00 amThis has been a busy week around the home improvement blogs! So many of you have beautiful projects, and we’ve got a great set of DIY features coming this afternoon with our {second} Link it Up DIY party. But one “reveal” this week really caught our eye here at OPC. Lindsay Ballard over at Living with Lindsay gives us the culmination of a year-long master bedroom renovation! Lindsay’s new master bedroom is trendy and stunning. She says: “It may be too bold for some. It may be too busy for others. But for me? It’s just right.” Well, we think… -
Blog Improvement: Six New Changes to Our Site and Two Questions for You
26 Jan 2012 | 4:00 amOver the last week, I’ve finally had time to implement some site design ideas that have been lurking in the back of my mind. As we continue our blog-wide relentless pursuit of a great user experience, I’d love your feedback on these changes. I also welcome your ideas for how to make our site even better (in whatever way that might be). We certainly appreciate all of you who stop by often, and especially those of you who frequently comment. You make our lives happier! The Changes Up first, a simple change: a new picture of the four of us in the corner of the home page (and every… -
Build a Shed, Day 3: Hip Roof
25 Jan 2012 | 5:00 amIf you’re just joining us, we’ve been following Steve Wartman and his crew as they build a backyard shed. To catch up, read through day 1 and day 2 where we describe how they built the shed foundation, laid the subfloor, and framed the walls. Hip Roofs Today’s article will focus on framing the roof, and if you remember, Steve’s crew is building a hip roof to match the existing home. Hip roofs are much more interesting than a typical gable roof, and they are also much more complicated. Here’s a quick video describing the challenges of building a hip roof. Hip… -
How to Frame a Mirror for a Dramatic Upscale Look
24 Jan 2012 | 5:00 amThis post comes to us courtesy of Lindsay at Southern Lovely! We found a great DIY framed mirror on Lindsay’s site and asked if we could share the “how-to” here on One Project Closer. We think this mirror looks fabulous, and the project is a really simple tackle that you can do in just one day at a fairly low cost. If you have a large flat mirror in your bathroom and want to dress it up, this project will do it. If you’re not already a reader of Southern Lovely, Lindsay’s a mom of three, and enjoys “taking a break from reality and creating anything and…
-
Renovate Australia
-
Plans to Build a Mudroom Bench
19 Jan 2012 | 12:53 pmThe door to our attached garage goes directly into our laundry room. It’s a decent size room so we are looking at making better use of the room by also using it as a family mudroom. We already have a decent size shoe rack in the laundry room since it is our most used entrance to the house (post to follow), so now we are looking at adding a mudroom bench and hooks. Since there are five of us we will be building in five different sections and cubby holes in the bench. The plan is to build the mudroom bench against the wall and then add the wainscotting look to the wall above it. At the… -
Blueway Air Conditioner Error Codes
18 Jan 2012 | 1:04 amOn one of my previous posts about our Blueway Air Conditioner I have had quite a few people ask me about the error codes that people come across with the unit. Although we never had a problem with our Blueway air conditioner quite a few other people seem to have experienced problems. Here is the list of the error codes: E2 - Indoor temperature sensor failure E3 – Indoor pipe temperature sensor failure E4 – Outdoor unit abnormality failure E5 – Indoor fan motor failure df – Unit Defrosting I hope that helps the people who are needing them… -
Find a House for Removal in Australia with Drake Homes
14 Oct 2011 | 12:15 amIf you are looking for a house for removal in Australia there are a few places you can go. I remember in Townsville there was actually a lot where they had a number of old houses for sale, but it was quite hit and miss with what was available, and there was never really all that great of a selection. You can always try looking on ebay, but the selection there is pretty pathetic at the moment with only five houses currently listed. The best place that I have found where you can find a house for removal in Australia is the private selling listings over at Drake Homes. There are over 50 homes… -
Easy Way to Check Your Roof Insulation and Heat Loss
10 Oct 2011 | 11:57 amI was watching an episode of Holmes Inspection and Mike Holmes had a very easy and quick way to check on the insulation and heat loss in your roof in the winter. Go outside the morning after a heavy snow fall. The snow fall has to be sufficient to leave snow on the roofs in your neighbourhood for this test to work. Have a look at the roofs in your area to see how much snow is on the roof. If you see that you have had more snow melt off your roof than your neighbours then it is probably a safe bet that you have increased heat loss through your roof. This could be because of a lack of… -
Installing a Vented Range Hood on Internal Half Wall
4 Oct 2011 | 12:30 amAfter a few years of putting up with a smelly house every time I cook we finally decided to install an exhausted range hood. As I wrote in our last post, the challenge is that the range hood is installed on in internal half wall. I managed to get some help last weekend to get the range hood installed and it turned out really well, with a few surprises and unexpected twists like always. My original plan was to simply take the doors off the cupboards and then use a 7″ hole saw to drill through the sides of the cupboards. Some of the challenges that we had are that we could not get a…
-
Interior Painting DIY
-
Guest Post House Painting
27 Jan 2012 | 12:13 amHello all my painting friends. What I am looking for are some great articles on your painting expertise.Exposure will be on the homepage. There was a Page Rank of 2 but I believe the home page is now a PR1 as well as some inside pages. Whatever your stories are it must pertain to any type of painting project, interior or exterior. The article must be 400 to 700 words in length and must be proof read. Compensation will be considered once a guest writer has had 3 posts published. of course all posts that are published can have three links within the body of the post, These links must be… -
Paint Cost Calculator
10 Jan 2012 | 3:38 pmPainting Cost CalculatorThis calculator can help in figuring out the cost for painting the interior of you home or the exterior of your home. This is a simplified calculator and only to get an estimated cost based on square footage. Material costs are not included within the total cost. You must get the square footage and then figure how many gallons and the brand of paint you want to use to get a material cost which then you can add to the labor cost that this paint calculator gives. If there are areas of the house that have corners that step in or step out just add the total length and… -
How To Paint Over Stain
8 Jan 2012 | 6:11 pmLearning how to paint over stain is very simple. There are some steps that must be taken to ensure the stain does not bleed through the paint, but these steps are very simple. Once the stained wood has been painted there will be no hint that the wood had ever been stained. The following steps will show you exactly how to paint over stain and use the best product successfully for a beautiful long lasting finish that everyone will enjoy. How To Successfully Paint Over Stain Stain is made up of an oil base so when applied to wood there is oil products that are always on the wood that has soaked… -
How Much Does It Cost To Paint A House
30 Dec 2011 | 8:13 pmHow much does it cost to paint a house? This is a hot topic I have covered this in previous article but feel as the economy changes there is a need to cover this again. There are numerous factors involved in coming up with how much it cost to paint a house such as the condition and type of house and location. Aside from these factors there is interior painting and exterior painting are two different things. VIEW PAINT COST CALCULATOR HERE Cost to Paint The Exterior Of A House On average there is a quick formula which involves the square footage. Generally to get an idea you can take the… -
How To Paint Doors
11 Sep 2011 | 10:01 pmThis article is going to show you how to paint doors. Flat doors are easy to paint but paneled doors are time consuming if you paint them with a brush. Each panel needs to be painted then the middle of the panel and lastly the outer part of the panels. But what if you have 50 doors to paint. Brushing these doors can be very time consuming. So for this article we will cover how to spray a nice professional smooth finish on these doors. Spraying doors also poses issues as well especially if you have 50 doors to paint. The first order of business will be finding a location to paint the doors. An…
-
The Collegiate Handyman
-
Bucket Boss Brand Mug Boss
15 Jan 2012 | 10:16 pmThis last Christmas I bought a few gifts for my DIY-type friends. Well, I sort of lost track of what I was getting for whom, and I ended up with an extra Bucket Boss Brand Mug Boss. This is essentially a miniature version of their popular Bucket Boss storage solution, except this goes on a coffee mug instead of a 5-gallon bucket. Bucket Boss Brand Mug Boss I gotta say, this is a pretty clever gift idea. Best of all, it was just about $5. I think it would make a great stocking stuffer, or a good gift for any time of the year, for that matter. -
Gifts for the DIY-er Who Has it All
8 Dec 2011 | 7:01 pmGiving thoughtful, and more importantly, useful gifts can be hard. Heck, I started writing this post because I was straining my brain trying to think up some gift ideas for someone. I'm sure you've had this problem too. Well, I'm here to help. If you're looking for a great gift for a DIY-type person, one of the items below may be just what you need. The running theme here is that these items should appeal to most every DIY person. I've picked some of my favorite, most useful tools that I either have, or would like to have. Also, they aren't very expensive! Note, I'm providing Amazon.com links… -
Review: Swiss Tech Micro 6 in 1
19 Nov 2011 | 10:53 pmI'm a pants pocket minimalist. I don't like carrying around anything other than my wallet, cellphone, and keys; however, I also like tools (obviously), so the idea of carrying around pocketable multi-tools is appealing, specifically ones that can fit nicely on a key chain without adding much bulk. It can be handy to always have a knife or screwdriver, for example, on me when I need it. For the last few years, my only key chain tool has been the Swiss Tech utili-key. HERE is my old review from 2008. I absolutely love the utili-key. It took me a while to start frequently using it,… -
Macro Pictures of Tools
31 Oct 2011 | 10:58 pmI finally got a tripod for the DSLR today. Now I can use my macro lenses! Well, they're technically just filters; I'm cheap. Anyway, I took a few test shots I thought I'd share here. Click for larger views. Brand unknown pliers I found at a garage sale. They are in need of some rehab. Eklind SAE hex keys. Kind of dusty. These macro filters are going to be a lot of fun now that I have a tripod. Prior to this, they were pretty much unusable, as any camera shake would cause blur. More to come in the future. Also, I hope to rehab those pliers sometime, with some nice before and after pictures, of… -
Milwaukee M12 Tool Deals
20 Oct 2011 | 9:53 pmI think I'm going to be a big fan of Milwaukee's M12 line of tools. A few weeks ago, I bought the 3/8 inch drill on a pretty good sale (it came free with the electrical fork meter for $99). I love that drill. It doesn't have the power of my 18 volt drill (obvsiously, 12 < 18), but it can easily handle 90% of my drilling needs. Since I bought the drill, I've been looking for a good deal on the impact driver. Yesterday, I noticed some of Milwaukee's M12 line of power tools had a bit of a price drop, including that driver. I almost pulled the trigger, then I noticed an even better deal! I did…
-
Home Fix Info - Home Improvement Blog
-
Mattress: Gives Your Body artistic feel after A tiring Day
28 Jan 2012 | 12:04 amMattress is controlled from tough substances at the same time as genuine fabrics are used for outside coverings and tickling target. Some of the most foam mattress innate matter used are feathers, horsehair and straws. The origin outline can be either bulky or elastic. Latex and visco flexible matter are bigger often used for the manufacturing process. These stuffs can be used as bed stand toppers or even can be used without the set also. They can be just placed on the floor for sleeping or lying down intention. The excellence of fabric being used for developing these mattresses is answerable… -
Lower Your Budget Requirements With These Energy-Saving Tips
27 Jan 2012 | 1:00 pmby Arpi’s Are you in need of some effective energy-saving tips? To stay comfortable through a Southern Alberta winter, with its harsh winds and frigid temperatures, homeowners have to use their heating systems a lot. And while higher energy bills are a reality for homeowners in our region, you can control heating costs, at least to some degree, by incorporating the energy-saving measures below throughout your home. § Set your home temperature lower. According to the government of Alberta, each degree you setback your thermostat will translate into a 2 percent savings on your utility… -
I’m One Project Closer! {DIY Link-It-Up #2}
27 Jan 2012 | 10:00 amWelcome to our second DIY Link-It-Up party, where you can share your best DIY projects with One Project Closer! Submit your project using the link widget below! Next week, we’ll pick the top 4-8 submission on the list and feature them! Stop back Every FRIDAY to MONDAY to Link It Up! DIY Link it Up Features From Last Week We had some fabulous entries to our {very first} party last week. Here’s the best! 1. Check out this beautiful sewing-machine base converted to a bathroom sink over at Old House New Folks . 2. Salvage Savvy gives us this great bedroom remake for her pretween boy. -
MTV Roadies well-known reality game show brokes all TRP records on television Screen
27 Jan 2012 | 4:25 amThe MTV Roadies 7.0 saga carries on. The earlier versions of roadies ended up less difficult and a lot more distinct-minimize. The roadies were picked immediately from the auditions. It was worthwhile watching the expression of joy lights up the faces of the aspirants as the VJ declared that they have been decided on as the roadie. Now, this years MTV Roadies 9 appears to be a absolutely different make a difference. Perhaps the producers are searching to lengthen the duration of the present or perhaps they are making an attempt to select the toughest of the tough as participants for this… -
Fab Friday: Lindsay’s Bold Master Bedroom Reveal!
27 Jan 2012 | 4:00 amThis has been a busy week around the home improvement blogs! So many of you have beautiful projects, and we’ve got a great set of DIY features coming this afternoon with our {second} Link it Up DIY party. But one “reveal” this week really caught our eye here at OPC. Lindsay Ballard over at Living with Lindsay gives us the culmination of a year-long master bedroom renovation! Lindsay’s new master bedroom is trendy and stunning. She says: “It may be too bold for some. It may be too busy for others. But for me? It’s just right.” Well, we think…
-
HowStuffWorks Daily Feed
-
How Glassblowing Works
27 Jan 2012 | 8:15 amThe practice of blowing glass may seem hip and modern if you've recently hit up an art exhibition by Dale Chihuly or Harvey Littleton. But the history of glassblowing is actually long and rich, dating back to the Roman Empire. -
The Super-Backstory Quiz: How well do you know your irradiated orphans from outer space?
27 Jan 2012 | 8:15 amYou may have seen the latest versions of Batman, Spider-man, Captain America and their super-bretheren, but how much do you know about their backstories? Test your super-knowledge with this quiz about the origins of some of these larger-than-life good guys (and a few bad ones, too). -
The Ultimate Mel Brooks Movies Quiz
27 Jan 2012 | 8:15 amMel Brooks is the master of satire and parody, mocking everything from wild westerns to wacky space flicks. All that comedy gold has won him Tonys, Emmys, Oscars, Grammys and the right to say "It is good to be the King." -
Assignment Discovery: Creation of Crew Rescue Vehicle
27 Jan 2012 | 8:15 amThe creation of the Crew Return Vehicle (X-38) is an international effort. Learn more about contributions to the CRV on Discovery Channel's "Assignment Discovery." -
How Molecular Gastronomy Works
27 Jan 2012 | 8:15 amAre you hungry for some nitro-scrambled egg-and-bacon ice cream? Did you want a little fried mayo on that sandwich? Molecular gastronomy has cast cooking in a new light and created some seemingly bizarre, but shockingly delicious dishes.
-
How-To Geek
-
Chun-Li in Battle [Wallpaper]
27 Jan 2012 | 2:30 pmChun Li [DesktopNexus] Quick Digital Makeup Tips To Make Yourself Look Ten Years Younger How To Extend Your Wireless Network with Tomato-Powered Routers Stupid Geek Tricks: Change Your IP Address From the Command Prompt -
The Best Tools to Check for Windows Software Updates – Analysis Report
27 Jan 2012 | 1:00 pmApps that check for updates for your favorite Windows software are becoming more popular, but are they actually good and if so which ones work the best? The folks over at the 7 Tutorials blog have analysed seven different popular update checkers and report on their effectiveness for the Windows programs chosen, performance, and where they fall short. The analysis report makes for interesting reading and you will have a much better idea on which ones to choose (and avoid) if you are considering this type of software to keep your system updated. The Best Tools to Check for Software Updates [7… -
Geek Trivia: What Popular 1980s Computer Game Blatantly Ripped Off Super Mario Bros?
27 Jan 2012 | 12:37 pmWhat Popular 1980s Computer Game Blatantly Ripped Off Super Mario Bros?1) The Great Giana Sisters2) Block Smash Kingdom3) Super Jump Man4) Plumber Brothers UnitedThink you know the answer? -
Juice Boxes, Watermelons, and More Slo-Mo Exploding in a Microwave [Video]
27 Jan 2012 | 12:00 pmIn this terribly clever restaurant advertisement we’re treating to 500 frame-per-second slow motion video of everything from watermelons to beer bottles exploding in a microwave. In this clever ad fro Moe’s Southwest Grill they’re trying to convey how microwaves ruin everything (and, the subtext we can then assume, is that they make everything fresh and don’t use a microwave) by showing how thins like watermelons, eggs, CDs, juice boxes, and suffer inside a microwave. While we’ve never heard of the restaurant in question that doesn’t stop us from… -
What You Said: Your Battery Life Maximizing Tips
27 Jan 2012 | 11:00 amEarlier this week we asked you to share your tips and tricks for squeezing more juice out of your mobile devices. Now we’re back with a roundup of those battery-extending tips. Image by Nathan W. Pyle. One of the primary, and easiest to apply tricks, is to toggle off the highest power consuming elements of your device. Chris writes: I usually turn my screen brightness to the lowest setting and only charge when the battery is about to die. For those curious why Chris waits until his battery is low to charge it: batteries have a finite number of charge cycles before the performance begins to…
-
shelterrific
-
site we’re psyched about: the new sprouthome.com
27 Jan 2012 | 7:42 amChicago-based Sprout Home has been one of our favorite garden sites and stores for ages. They make gardening seem accessible and possible in even small urban spaces. They recently relaunched their site and we have to say the new and improved sprouthome.com has us counting the days until winter’s thaw hits. Now blogging from their outposts in both Brooklyn and Chicago, they offer fun, informative posts on everything from Venus Fly Traps to tips on how to choose the perfect house plant . If you’re looking for inspiration, click around their garden area for some of the gorgeous… -
real life test kitchen: roast chicken with parsley & lemon
26 Jan 2012 | 8:14 amThese days, during the height of winter, I feel like I could roast a chicken a week and be happy. It’s just the easiest, loveliest, most satisfying meal — not to mention it warms up your house and provides plenty of leftovers. This past Sunday I decided to give a recipe from the new Martha Stewart Living a try, roast chicken with parsley, lemon and parmesan. Blessfully simple, the only prep work is to rub the bird with some oil, salt and pepper, and stuff the cavity with some parsley and a half a lemon. Toss some fingerling potatoes with oil and salt and add them to the pan. First… -
bread boxes: useful or space wasters?
25 Jan 2012 | 8:51 amWondering through Tarjay the other day, I was distracted by some very cute bread boxes prominently on display. Do I need one of these, I thought? Our bread storage habits are kinda haphazard. We just toss them in a wire bin tucked under a counter (along with our potatoes, dog treats, and such). My grandma always used one but never told me: Does bread really last longer if stored in a bread basket? Should it be stored in the fridge? Why do some bread bins cost so much? Some cute bread boxes that have me debating giving up valuable counter space: Target’s Pin Jan White Bread Box, $18. -
showin’ off: our new pbteen bean bag (a.k.a. groovy dog bed)
24 Jan 2012 | 7:14 amI’ve been thinking about getting a Furlicious bean bag from PB Teen for ages… and finally bit the bullet the other week. I was worried that it would make our living room seem too dormy or juvenile. But then I realized that with a four-year old and a puppy in the house, it was nearly impossible to have “mature” decor anyhow! Actually, it was Isadora who tipped the scale towards buying the bean bag. There’s a bookstore in our neighborhood that has one tucked in the kids’ corner, and whenever we go there we get so cozy reading that it’s hard to leave. -
panini-schamini: do you have a kitchen gadget that always lets you down?
23 Jan 2012 | 7:03 amThe other day, I got a wild hair and decided to make myself a grilled PB&J for lunch. Sure, I could have just opted for a regular old frying pan, but I thought I’d go for gold. So, I unearthed my Le Creuset panini pan from the nether regions of my kitchen cabinet (no doubt banished there for good reason), got it smoking hot, popped my sandwich inside, and ended up with this: Not exactly the delicious, satisfying lunch I had in mind. If anything, it conjured more of a gag reflex than hunger pains. As I scraped the sorry remnants out of the pan, a series of flashbacks of prior…
-
Infolific » Money Management
-
Retail Investors are Idiots
16 Jan 2012 | 6:47 amIt'd be an exaggeration to say that I'm a fan of Jim Cramer. I do enjoy his show though while at the gym as it makes the 30 minutes on the stationary bicycle go by quicker. I've always considered the show to be entertainment though. Sure there's investment advice, but [...]Retail Investors are Idiots was originally published on Infolific. All Rights Reserved. -
Will Bank Stocks Ever Recover?
15 Jan 2012 | 6:21 pmYes, they will recover, especially if you own one of the better banks that wasn't hammered by huge sub-prime write-offs or involved in the CDO speculation circus. The best example is probably JP Morgan Chase, they are eating some mortgage losses, but compared to many of the other major financial [...]Will Bank Stocks Ever Recover? was originally published on Infolific. All Rights Reserved. -
Steel ETF
12 Jan 2012 | 4:51 pmAs far as basic materials go, steel is one of the more important ones. We see steel everywhere we go and continued growth in countries like China and India will likely result in steady and possibly increasing demand for steel. That sort of argument is prompting investors to look for [...]Steel ETF was originally published on Infolific. All Rights Reserved. -
Why Invest In Multiple Market Index Funds?
12 Jan 2012 | 10:43 amLet me say at the outset that I am no stock trader and I am only an investor for the long term (over 1 year). After reviewing the results of the various market index funds (DOW Jones, S&P 500, NASDAQ, etc.) and seeing that the movement of each one mirrors [...]Why Invest In Multiple Market Index Funds? was originally published on Infolific. All Rights Reserved. -
ETrade Review
11 Jan 2012 | 4:03 amSection 1: Web Site Functionality Rank Navigation Different clients have distinctly different navigation experiences, depending on which E*Trade trading platform they use. Those that qualify for the Power E*Trade platform (30+ trades per quarter) will be offered a powerful interface that makes many aspects of site navigation customizable. You’ll be [...]ETrade Review was originally published on Infolific. All Rights Reserved.
-
moop :: handmade
-
The Little Printer
27 Jan 2012 | 7:32 amHello Little Printer, available 2012 from BERG on Vimeo. I saw this the other day on Something's Hiding in Here's blog (you know that uber prolific, talented and charming duo of Shauna and Stephen…aren't they lovely!!). Anywhoo, back to this incredibly charming little printer. I can imagine doing so many fun things with this. Sending my little Parker love notes from work that she would receive when she gets home from school (the working mom's version of fresh baked cookies), printing out cute to do lists (i am a prolific list maker), printing a daily list of things I would… -
Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It
24 Jan 2012 | 8:35 amOver the weekend, after we went sledding (because there was finally snow in Pittsburgh!!), Parker and I spent some time with a book that Jeremy had given us for xmas. It's called Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It - and it is full of simple ways to make seemingly complicated food staples. I have long fantasized about canning. How I would get all of the equipment, make lots of jam and sauces and can all of our tomatoes and green beans and peaches and anything else you can put in a jar as a way to make our farm share last year round, to avoid vegetables spoiling because we did not eat them in… -
Moonrise Kingdom
14 Jan 2012 | 11:31 amI can't wait to see this. -
Victory in a small space...
12 Jan 2012 | 8:55 amThe last few months have been quite a whirlwind. Our holiday season set in around mid-November. Every year we start upping our production around August and every year we think we'll be extra prepared for the holiday rush so it won't be such a drain on our energy (anyone who makes things will understand this - it's an incredibly rewarding time of year while also being incredibly exhausting and draining) and even still, every year we are working extra long hours from November to January. This year, we had thrown into the mix a huge project - an order for 300 Moop bags! -
amazing
5 Jan 2012 | 6:52 amI love this. Completely. by Yayoi Kusama called The Obliteration Room currently on view at The Queensland Gallery of Modern Art found via Janice and This is Collossal this will make you smile. hope you're having a super fantastic week! now, go sticker something! p.s. all photos courtesy of the museums website and thisiscollossal.
-
HowToWeb.com
-
Google to Shut Down Picnik
20 Jan 2012 | 6:22 pmSiliconFilter reports that Google is shutting down its Picnik photo editor. Picnik has an announcement about the closing here. The closing date is April 19, 2012. Picnik says the photo-editing tools are already available on Google+ through the social network's Creative Kit. Picnik has created an app, called Picnik Takeout, that will help you transfer your photographs to a Google+ account. Image: Google Permalink | Facebook | Twitter | Recent Headlines | News Feeds -
Google Blacks Out Logo in SOPA Protest
18 Jan 2012 | 12:00 pmCNET reported yesterday that Google planned to use its homepage to protest the horrible Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) bill. Bills like SOPA that give previously unheard of and unthinkable powers and controls to powerful media and entertainment companies seem to be on the rise these days. We already have laws in place to protect copyright. These news bills are unnecessary. A Google representative told CNET, "Like many businesses, entrepreneurs, and Web users, we oppose these bills because there are smart, targeted ways to shut down foreign rogue Web sites without asking American companies to… -
HowToWeb is Now on Google+
13 Jan 2012 | 1:00 pmHowToWeb now has a Google+ page on Google+. Google+ is a new social network from Google. You can follow us on Google+ by clicking on the Google+ button below and adding us to one of your circles. HowToWeb is also on Facebook and Twitter. Permalink | Facebook | Twitter | Recent Headlines | News Feeds -
HP to Make WebOS Open Source
10 Dec 2011 | 1:00 pmHP has announced it will make webOS open source. The operating system is used on the HP TouchPad, which became a hot item after HP discounted the tablet to just $99 last this summer. Meg Whitman, HP president and chief executive officer, said in a statement, "webOS is the only platform designed from the ground up to be mobile, cloud-connected and scalable. By contributing this innovation, HP unleashes the creativity of the open source community to advance a new generation of applications and devices." HP says it will engage the open source community to help define the charter of the open… -
PBS to Air Steve Jobs Special: One Last Thing
29 Oct 2011 | 9:00 pmPBS will air a special look at Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, called Steve Jobs - One Last Thing, on November 2. The look at Steve Jobs includes interviews with Ronald Wayne, Steve Wozniak, Ross Perot, Walt Mossberg, Will.i.am, Robert Cringely, Robert Palladino, Bill Fernandez and many others. It also includes footage from a never-before-broadcast interview from 1994 where Jobs says, "You tend to get told that the world is the way it is, but life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact; and that is that everything around you that you call life was made up by people no smarter than…
-
Popular Science - DIY
-
In Which I Designed a Part for My Truck, and Got It Built From Scratch
18 Jan 2012 | 9:02 amBracketology Vin MarshallCustom fabrication is becoming easier and easier Recently I converted my old Ford pickup to diesel, and I needed to make a bracket to hold a throttle position sensor, which helps to control the new transmission. Often I wing this sort of thing, working from notebook drawings or cardboard models. But this time I decided to use 3-D CAD modeling, CNC manufacturing and 3-D printing to design and fabricate the part to the exact specifications I wanted. STEP 1: DESIGN Using Alibre Design Expert 3-D CAD software, I created an assembly, which lets you model previously… -
How Can I Tell if My Phone's Performance Measures Up?
13 Jan 2012 | 1:15 pmStrongPhone Thilo RothackerHow to make sure your browser, CPU, and network speeds are keeping up with the iJoneses and Jonesdroids Without conducting some tests on a smartphone, it's hard to tell whether an upgrade is overdue or just a waste of money. The most important component to benchmark is the CPU, which is most easily done on Android phones-the free application Quadrant generates a graph comparing processor speed with that of other popular phones. To check the browser's performance, use the SunSpider or V8 JavaScript test tools, which work across any phone platform. The Speedtest.net… -
Video: MakerBot Replicator Prints a Plastic Bust of Stephen Colbert
11 Jan 2012 | 5:00 pmThe new MakerBot is bigger and more capable than ever before I just stopped by MakerBot's far-flung booth somewhere in the back caverns of CES (I believe it may technically be in Arizona) to check out their new Replicator 3-D printer. Check out the video below--pretty sure that's a bust of Stephen Colbert being slowly brought to life with swirling circles of molten plastic. The Replicator is the newest MakerBot, a relatively inexpensive 3-D printer that can print in either ABS (the same plastic LEGO uses) or PLA (a corn-based bio-material). This version is much bigger, capable of printing… -
You Built What?! A Wearable LED Television
2 Jan 2012 | 2:00 pmThis 160-by-120 pixel TV will get you stopped at the airport David Forbes was on his way home to Tucson, Arizona, after a family trip last summer when a policeman stopped him in the Detroit airport. The officer said he had received 50 panicked phone calls since Forbes had entered the building, and now his entire family had been marked for extra screening. The delay was inconvenient, but it shouldn't have come as a surprise. Forbes had 160 circuit boards and enough electronics to start a data center strapped to his body. What the authorities didn't realize, though, was that all the equipment… -
Instant Kool-Aid is a Marvel of Technology
29 Dec 2011 | 2:00 pmA glass of instant Kool-Aid requires eight ounces of water and a surprising amount of innovation When you think of technology, you probably think of computers and jet engines and such. But there are other feats of engineering that are equally sophisticated, just less obviously so. Instant Kool-Aid, for example. There are two fundamental problems in creating a small tablet that quickly turns a glass of water into a fruity drink. The first is finding a way to disperse the ingredients without forcing an impatient customer to stir them. The solution is sodium bicarbonate and citric acid, a…
-
THAT PainterLady.com
-
Faux Finishes: How to Paint a Faux Exposed Brick Wall Finish
25 Jan 2012 | 1:26 pmThis article is only for those who are ready to learn how to faux paint exposed brick wall finish. I know this can get really boring if your not looking for information about painting a faux exposed brick faux finish. Sorry… But some are asking for more information and for those people…YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS! Check out this page ONLY if you are interested in seeing another site with faux brick breakouts and faux plaster walls. Even a faux brick arch is pictured as well as some other great murals!! Janet Checker, Murals at the Twisted Taco Cafe If you have read this far…you… -
Paint over Formica Cabinets? Sure – Faux Woodgrain!
4 Jan 2012 | 3:03 pmThis happens a lot. You buy a home that someone else has personalized to suit their taste. Problem is…it isn’t your taste. So what do you do? Paint it of course! Yes, you paint it. Paint can change anything to be more “user friendly”. That’s why we LOVE it so much!! You can even paint Formica! Check it out. Here’s a letter from a newsletter subscriber: Hi, I would love to get the look of dark wood on my Formica cabinets that have been painted white by the owners before me. We don’t have the money to buy new cabinets, and I have… -
Faux Painting Tips: Damage From Stripping Wallpaper
14 Dec 2011 | 3:02 pmPeeling Wallpaper from TJONES Typepad Don’t you LOVE stripping wallpaper? No? Not a surprise. I don’t know anyone that actually LIKES this task. It’s why I choose faux finishes over wallpaper every time. Everyone knows that stripping wallpaper can cause damage… boy, do I know. Those little gouges can show up like the huge caverns when it comes time to paint. I have this very problem in my spare bedroom right now. / Dogs like to put their paws in the window sill to look out and it’s scraped off the wallpaper & the gouged the drywall… -
Indoor Painting Techniques – Painting Secrets Book Review
7 Dec 2011 | 12:26 pmI know that some of you are “old pros” at painting, so you might feel like you want to skip this article. But before you do…some of my painting buddies found this information REALLY helpful. If you’re new to the painting world – it’s your lucky day!! You’ve just found a FABULOUS resource! A resource I WISH I’d found years before I got in to this full time. Lol! Maybe you want to get creative and learn some great indoor painting techniques. Brian Santos, author of Painting Secrets, shows you how. If you feel like you need a… -
Faux Finish Ideas – Tuscan Painting for Kitchens
30 Nov 2011 | 12:25 pmReady for a change in your kitchen? I’m thinking about it. But…really it’s the cabinets, countertops and layout I’d want to change…more than my current paint job. Lol! But maybe you’re ready to change the paint, too. How about a Tuscan kitchen? When you consider Tuscan painting for kitchens, a whole new world of creativity awaits. For those who have decided to bring the charm of the old world into their kitchen, this is an exciting journey! An easy way to incorporate Tuscan painting for kitchens into your home is to consider attractive faux…
-
Kitchen Remodeling Ideas Blog
-
wine rack
26 Jan 2012 | 11:21 amWe are remodeling our kitchen and were told that wine racks are no longer popular. We have the room to put one in, but is it a good idea or just a trend? -
Hardibacker
17 Jan 2012 | 3:16 pmHardibacker is almost a neccesity when laying ceramic tile here are some tips to properly install ... -
Kitchen Countertop Ideas, So Many Choices
16 Jan 2012 | 6:33 pmGranite, Soapstone, Tile? With so many choices it's important to get as many kitchen countertop ideas as possible, but where do you ... -
A Wood Backsplash Is A Great Alternative.
16 Jan 2012 | 6:13 pmA wood backsplash is a great way to add a different look and feel to your kitchen. Using wood has some drawbacks, and there are alternatives to real wood. -
How To Install Ceramic Tile
10 Jan 2012 | 8:09 pmHow to install ceramic tile, and save yourself a ton of money!
-
YouTube Videos
-
Surivival / Bushcraft: Tip / Howto (Plastic Drinking Straw Containers)
7 Jan 2012 | 11:09 pmSurivival / Bushcraft: Tip / Howto (Plastic Drinking Straw Containers) Surivival / Bushcraft: Tip / Howto (Plastic Drinking Straw Containers) From: ducttapewireandglue Views: 165 12 ratings Time: 04:30 More in Education -
Howto: Care for your curls, look after your hair & hair products (:
5 Jan 2012 | 11:16 amHowto: Care for your curls, look after your hair & hair products (: Oops, btw, I brush my hair with a paddle brush and/or a wide tooth comb (: Products: V05 Gloss Me Smoothly Shampoo (Boots & Superdrug) Kerastase Conditioner: www.wantthelook.com Bedhead Foxy Curls Frizz Fighting Conditioner: www.cheapsmells.com Salon size: www.cheapsmells.com Catwalk Fast Fixx Leave-in Conditioner: www.google.co.uk Catwalk RootBoost & Gel Creme: www.cheapsmells.com Bedhead Superstar Blow Dry Lotion: www.cheapsmells.com Superstar Queen For A Day Thickening Spray: www.cheapsmells.com Foxy Curls… -
How to use Sony Personal 3D Viewer Headset
1 Sep 2011 | 4:37 pmHow to use Sony Personal 3D Viewer Headset Paul Tucker from Sony takes us through how to install, configure and use the new Sony Personal 3D Viewer product, and what it takes to create that ultimate personal 3D cinematic or gaming experience. From: SonyHowTo Views: 61155 173 ratings Time: 03:18 More in Howto & Style -
Munzzz.com- Howto (Condom 1) By Sexxuka Jung
14 Aug 2011 | 9:18 amMunzzz.com- Howto (Condom 1) By Sexxuka Jung VDO ชุดนี้ จัดทำขึ้นเพื่อให้ความรู้เชิงเพศศึกษา โดยสอดแทรกความบันเทิง… -
HowTo: Textured Messy Bun!
18 Jul 2011 | 8:59 amHowTo: Textured Messy Bun! Blog: www.annasaccone.com Daily Vlogs www.youtube.com My Style Book: www.thestylediet.com Twitter www.twitter.com Facebook: www.facebook.com Ask Me Anything! www.formspring.me Please support my channels by subscribing! :) From: TheStyleDiet Views: 19504 522 ratings Time: 08:53 More in Howto & Style
-
School Daze
-
How I saved $98 with a little DIY
18 Jan 2012 | 12:10 amSnarfing means getting something for less – pouncing when you find something fabulous and outsmarting the market in the bargain. It is a hobby of mine and has been for a long time, starting back when I was totally broke, which I was for years, and shopped exclusively at Capwell’s basement and the Macy’s Clearance [...] -
Sheetrock, upholstery, geometry, and me
7 Jan 2012 | 10:09 pmWhen I was a sophomore in high school, I took geometry from Mr. Carr and decided I was an idiot when it came to measurements, angles, and spatial relationships. Many years later, out of necessity, I decided to slipcover a couch. I was nervous, given my experience in geometry, but we were young and poor [...] -
My new favorite plant
27 Dec 2011 | 1:40 pmThis is my new favorite plant. It is Tagetes lemmonii, commonly known as the Mexican Bush Marigold. I love it because it is so unlike me, with many qualities I aspire to but don’t necessarily achieve. One of these is endless optimism. This one went into the ground at the end of the summer [...] -
Before and after
20 Dec 2011 | 2:44 pmEver since we bought the Schoolhouse we’ve been collecting little bits of information. We know it was built in 1890. We know it was decommissioned in 1942, when the first private owner bought it. We wondered why it was built up on a hillside when the town (such as it is) is down below, but [...] -
Where the rubber meets the road
6 Dec 2011 | 12:11 amLighting rules in California are pretty draconian. In shorthand, they suck. These are the lights we had to install in the kitchen to meet building codes and get our permits signed off. They are hideous, and we knew that when we bought them. But there are very few pendant lights that meet the code requirement [...]
-
Instructables: exploring - featured
-
Bring Ruined Records Back to Life
27 Jan 2012 | 10:39 pmIf you're an audiofile, don't read any further. What follows is not for the faint of heart and beyond anything you've seen before. And please don't comment about how think it will ruin records... Until you try it. Then, if it ruins your record, make a comment. If you follow my instructions, you'...By: bfkContinue Reading » -
Ruched Scarf From Pajama Pants
27 Jan 2012 | 9:43 pmI love to shop in thrift shops. I also love to repurpose clothing, this scarf is what happened after I bought a pair of pajama pants that I knew I would not wear but loved the print. It is so feminine and yet so comfortable. You have to know that I intend on buying up all of the cotton jersey pajam...By: Melissa WContinue Reading » -
Lego Power Functions Mini Tank (With Video)
27 Jan 2012 | 7:53 pmThis is an instructable for a small, remote controlled Lego Power Functions tank. The Lego Power Functions parts you need to build it are: - (2) Small Motors - (1) Batter Pack - (1) IR Receiver - (1) Remote Control If you need Power functions, you can get them off the Lego Shop website. (Click ...By: 1_TSD_1Continue Reading » -
How to teach osmosis
27 Jan 2012 | 6:40 pmI originally used this instructable as a demonstration to explain osmosis to my classes. Over the years many of my pupils told me they'd tried it for themselves at home (got their interests, half my job was done). I've started using this method as a practical with some of my classes with great resu...By: 148734Continue Reading » -
Easy to Sew Fingerless Gloves
27 Jan 2012 | 6:11 pmA friend of mine sent a pair of over-the-knee stockings, and asked me use them to make a pair of fingerless gloves. The picture she sent of her vision showed a thumb piece (as opposed to a thumb hole), so I sat down to figure out how to go about creating these gloves. As it turns out, it's pretty da...By: deChezContinue Reading »
-
Instructables: exploring - living - featured
-
Ruched Scarf From Pajama Pants
27 Jan 2012 | 9:43 pmI love to shop in thrift shops. I also love to repurpose clothing, this scarf is what happened after I bought a pair of pajama pants that I knew I would not wear but loved the print. It is so feminine and yet so comfortable. You have to know that I intend on buying up all of the cotton jersey pajam...By: Melissa WContinue Reading » -
Easy to Sew Fingerless Gloves
27 Jan 2012 | 6:11 pmA friend of mine sent a pair of over-the-knee stockings, and asked me use them to make a pair of fingerless gloves. The picture she sent of her vision showed a thumb piece (as opposed to a thumb hole), so I sat down to figure out how to go about creating these gloves. As it turns out, it's pretty da...By: deChezContinue Reading » -
Cross-Stitched Hand Warmer
27 Jan 2012 | 3:16 pmThese simple hand warmers are easy to make, and they really do keep your hands toasty warm! They are a perfect way to show your love to someone this Valentine's Day! You will need: Wool felt Embroidery floss Rice Prepare Felt and Embroider For each hand warmer, cut a piece of felt measuring 4 x ...By: molliejohansonContinue Reading » -
Snowflake Cutout Tank
27 Jan 2012 | 1:06 pmSee the original tutorial on my blog, www.honeybearlane.com Materials You will need a tank top with wide straps like shown. You will also need about a fat quarter of fabric. Cotton, preferably. Last you will need fusible interfacing and thread in the color of your choice. First start by ir...By: honeybearlaneContinue Reading » -
A Kids Project That Gives Back
27 Jan 2012 | 12:58 pmI've been teaching for 14 years but at only 2 schools. Both of the schools have whats called in our district "inner city" status. This doesn't mean we're in a big city, it means that a significant number of the students are living near the poverty level. Many of the kids come from some pretty impove...By: stumitchContinue Reading »
-
Instructables: exploring - living - popular
-
Weaving Paper Hearts
19 Jan 2012 | 12:22 pmThese woven hearts are made from various prints of card stock and have a lovely pattern and texture. If you don't have a selection of card stock available, pages from magazines are a great alternative. They work wonderfully as-is on a lovely Valentine's day card, or glued onto a toothpick as a cup...By: childmadeContinue Reading » -
plant terrarium basics.
15 Jan 2012 | 9:45 amHi! Did you notice how terrariums looked great on a coffee table or an office desk? I believed there was a secret choice of soil and plants in order to make such a cool type of interior decoration.......the fact is: IT IS EASY AS NOSE PICKING!!! you just have to respect a few steps many other in...By: louis perichonContinue Reading » -
Jacket mod: stop the zipper from catching the fabric!
13 Jan 2012 | 5:43 amYou know those little flaps of fabric that cover your jacket's zipper to stop heat loss via the zipper? Don't you hate it when they get caught in the zipper? I fattened those flaps up with thick string so that there'd be no extra fabric to get caught. I could have cut them off but then I'd have a li...By: Mr. H.S. ThompsonContinue Reading » -
DIY Flannel Infinity Scarf
11 Jan 2012 | 2:37 pmI think you'll agree with me when I say, plaid rocks. It never goes out of style. Ask the Scottish or Welsh! Come on, I know you secretly have a section of plaid shirts in your closet, and you wiped away tears when the trend went away in the 90's. Plaid was hated for a bit after its overuse in t...By: brittanyMakesContinue Reading » -
Food-drivers (How to make upcycled place settings made with screwdrivers handles)
10 Jan 2012 | 10:59 amThere is weird a phenomenon happening in my kitchen drawer. Somehow, every single item from my flatware is different from the next. I have to say that I don't remember ever buying a table set. Forks, spoons and knives were given to me by family members or friends after moving out of my parents’ plac...By: Patenteux du NordContinue Reading »
-
Instructables: exploring - living
-
Zip ties candle holder
28 Jan 2012 | 5:02 amI found some old zip ties and tough that they where too good to be tossed, so a made a candle holder out of it! This is a really easy instructable, you will only need: old used zip ties (40 units or more) knife disassemble the zip ties If you do like me, and use old zip ties, you will have to dis...By: dageliasContinue Reading » -
A Gift From the Heart
28 Jan 2012 | 3:15 amLow-to-no budget for Valentine's Day this year? With just a little time, you can make a gift that shows her/him you truly care! For those of you who don't know, Google Maps has a feature that enables you to make a custom map in just a few easy steps. Using this feature, one can create an 'e-scrapboo...By: DiaqonContinue Reading » -
Sewing Daisies Kaffe Fusion Blanket
28 Jan 2012 | 1:02 amKaffe Fusion Blanket - by Sewing Daisies The 'make it up as you go along' blanket. Materials: * 48x Charm Squares (5"x5" cotton fabric) * Sewing Machine * Iron * Thread * Crochet yarn/ Thick thread for blanket stitch * Yarn * Hook (size appropriate for your chosen yarn...By: sewingdaisiesContinue Reading » -
Sexy mailbox
28 Jan 2012 | 12:09 amWhat is a new house without a cool mailbox? If you are tired of the usual, then spray paint something cool. My method can be used to do other designs, although orange and hot pink tiger stripes are HOT. Some may find this easier to get a clean, complicated design than cutting a stencil from paper. ...By: shellyoteContinue Reading » -
iPhone Sewn Case
27 Jan 2012 | 11:50 pmMy boyfriend got me a sewing machine for Christmas and these iPhone cases have served a lot of purposes such a crochet hooks holder. By: YarnProjectContinue Reading »
-
Instructables: exploring - outside - featured
-
Build a SnowBed
25 Jan 2012 | 8:21 pmI had the idea to build a chair out of snow, but then decided that a bed would be much better. This bed would utilize a real pillow, sheets, covers, and thermal blankets. This bed is formed from snow, a snow shovel, a wheelbarrow, a disc sled, a PVC pipe, a coal shovel, a bulb planter, a small pot...By: CapesquanContinue Reading » -
Bowline Knot
25 Jan 2012 | 5:26 pmThis is the bowline... often used as a rescuing knot. If you are drowning, and someone throws you a line... tie this knot on yourself, and you can have someone pull you in. This is for tying it around yourself. Materials needed Materials needed... - rope -hands Getting started. Wrap it aroun...By: twolf3Continue Reading » -
Hand Laying Carbon Fiber Cloth in a Kayak
25 Jan 2012 | 8:16 amLaying carbon fiber is not that different from fiberglass accept that it is black, and stays black. Where fiberglass starts white and becomes transparent when saturated with epoxy, carbon fiber stays opaque, so it can be tricky to tell if it is fully saturated. Where bubbles under glass are clearly ...By: GuillemotContinue Reading » -
How to make a Rocket Stove from a #10 Can and 4 Soup cans
24 Jan 2012 | 2:53 pmThis instructable will show you how to easily make a functional rocket stove from recyclable cans for almost no cost. Items you will need: 1 - No. 10 Can (Standard restaurant size can. Mine was a pineapple chunks can from a local pizza parlor. They gave it to me free.) 4 - Regular soup cans (Standa...By: darrinmclContinue Reading » -
Restoring a vintage Dumpster Bike
24 Jan 2012 | 4:46 amThe old song goes "the best things in life are free".. and the same goes for bikes. I have had two bikes which I found in the dumpster (rubbish bin here in Australia). With some time and elbow grease, and sometimes a little bit of money you can restore a bike which was destined for the dump into so...By: schkip1973Continue Reading »
-
Instructables: exploring - outside - popular
-
Restoring a vintage Dumpster Bike
24 Jan 2012 | 4:46 amThe old song goes "the best things in life are free".. and the same goes for bikes. I have had two bikes which I found in the dumpster (rubbish bin here in Australia). With some time and elbow grease, and sometimes a little bit of money you can restore a bike which was destined for the dump into so...By: schkip1973Continue Reading » -
Inexpensive Skiing / Snowboarding Gloves
17 Jan 2012 | 1:04 pmIt's a widely known fact that snow sports are expensive; with all the gear and equipment, gas to get to the mountain, lift tickets, day lodge food, post-skiing beers... it all adds up very quickly. Why pay more than you have to? In addition to my job here at Instructables, I'm also a ski patroller...By: thirtytwoutsideContinue Reading » -
Slide-n-Tie Survival Bracelet
11 Jan 2012 | 2:17 pmWhen I first started out making survival bracelets, I didn't have any side release clips. Eager to get started, I didn't wait to get any before I made one. This is what I came up with as a solution to my buckleless predicament. Materials For making this bracelet you will need: 1. 9' - 10' of P...By: Shadow RangerContinue Reading » -
Build your own Surfboard!
6 Jan 2012 | 6:27 pmA dear friend of mine has a 1971 VW Westfalia Camper Bus he restored and wanted to mount a surfboard on the roof. Ultimately he wanted to cut the board and use it as a panel mount, so we looked for a cheap surfboard with little success. The cheapest one we found was well over 100 bucks, and a) to ne...By: joechacon98Continue Reading » -
Making a Plywood Kayak
5 Jan 2012 | 5:54 pmThe Jupiter Point series of kayak designs are intended as easy-to-build, fun-to-paddle, versatile collection of kayaks. With a simple 3-panel hull and unique 3-panel deck, the boats are quick to assemble, have a lot of character and perform very well. Plans are currently available for Ganymede a 13'...By: GuillemotContinue Reading »
-
Instructables: exploring - outside
-
Build a SnowBed
25 Jan 2012 | 8:21 pmI had the idea to build a chair out of snow, but then decided that a bed would be much better. This bed would utilize a real pillow, sheets, covers, and thermal blankets. This bed is formed from snow, a snow shovel, a wheelbarrow, a disc sled, a PVC pipe, a coal shovel, a bulb planter, a small pot...By: CapesquanContinue Reading » -
Bowline Knot
25 Jan 2012 | 5:26 pmThis is the bowline... often used as a rescuing knot. If you are drowning, and someone throws you a line... tie this knot on yourself, and you can have someone pull you in. This is for tying it around yourself. Materials needed Materials needed... - rope -hands Getting started. Wrap it aroun...By: twolf3Continue Reading » -
Paracord Cobra Stitch Pattern: make bracelets, keychains, lanyards and more
25 Jan 2012 | 3:01 pmThis Video is an introduction to the Cobra stitch pattern. I will teach you the stitch and show you some ways to use it. By: boonokianContinue Reading » -
Hand Laying Carbon Fiber Cloth in a Kayak
25 Jan 2012 | 8:16 amLaying carbon fiber is not that different from fiberglass accept that it is black, and stays black. Where fiberglass starts white and becomes transparent when saturated with epoxy, carbon fiber stays opaque, so it can be tricky to tell if it is fully saturated. Where bubbles under glass are clearly ...By: GuillemotContinue Reading » -
Bench Slouching Snowman
24 Jan 2012 | 10:00 pmThis Is my Snowman from the Big Snow storm in the NorthWest. The snow was a perfect powder/wet mix for fast builting so I went vertical! His legs and arms are self suporting. His face is made of celery, carrots (of course!) and airhead candy. He kept standing (well sitting really) for three days, re...By: SuperfluousInEverySituationContinue Reading »
-
Instructables: exploring - play - featured
-
Bring Ruined Records Back to Life
27 Jan 2012 | 10:39 pmIf you're an audiofile, don't read any further. What follows is not for the faint of heart and beyond anything you've seen before. And please don't comment about how think it will ruin records... Until you try it. Then, if it ruins your record, make a comment. If you follow my instructions, you'...By: bfkContinue Reading » -
Lego Power Functions Mini Tank (With Video)
27 Jan 2012 | 7:53 pmThis is an instructable for a small, remote controlled Lego Power Functions tank. The Lego Power Functions parts you need to build it are: - (2) Small Motors - (1) Batter Pack - (1) IR Receiver - (1) Remote Control If you need Power functions, you can get them off the Lego Shop website. (Click ...By: 1_TSD_1Continue Reading » -
Make a realistic cheese heart
27 Jan 2012 | 12:30 pmIt's here. The best valentine's fix for a cheesehead- the cheese heart. I created this last year, and it was a major hit. I think it's good to get away from the cookie-cutter gifting every now and then. I'm no Troy Landwehr, cheese carver, so this isn't entirely anatomically correct; but you ge...By: dewrellContinue Reading » -
How to Build a Lego Computer!
27 Jan 2012 | 12:27 pmPeace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through building a Lego computer, I gain hours and hours basement of sitting in a basement (lol) Welcome to the Lego computer build instructable! Through this tut...By: greenyouseContinue Reading » -
Copper pipe glockenspiel
27 Jan 2012 | 7:48 amBuild a great-sounding glockenspiel out of copper pipes! The pipes, when correctly mounted, have a lovely bell-like tone. This glockenspiel (a glockenspiel is like a xylophone, but with metal slats or tubes) is based on a project in this book, but with a larger range and tuning information based o...By: arprussContinue Reading »
-
Instructables: exploring - play - popular
-
Lego Interlocking Heart Pendants
18 Jan 2012 | 3:59 pmThis will show you how to make two necklaces (one for you, one for your sweetheart) and when you put them together they make a heart. Perfect nerdy valentines day gift! I remember seeing the idea for this somewhere, i have since forgotten. Parts / Tools You will need the following to make this....By: monsterlegoContinue Reading » -
Felted Hair of the Dog Coat
16 Jan 2012 | 11:22 pmEvery winter we have a dilemma with our indoor Cocker Spaniel: if we leave him hairy, he's too hot for indoor life and walks around panting and drinking water incessantly. If we shave him, he's too cold when he goes outside. This winter I solved the dilemma: I shaved the hair off his back and belly...By: flyingpuppyContinue Reading » -
Make a Ballistic Knife from a Candy Dispenser
13 Jan 2012 | 12:08 pmThe video has been removed. I misunderstood the law and it turns out that it is in fact illegal to possess any ballistic knife in the US. By: NightHawkInLightContinue Reading » -
Dollar Bill Shuriken (Origami Ninja Star)
11 Jan 2012 | 6:45 pmA very fun way to throw your money around! There are already quite a few Instructables showing how to make origami ninja stars but none that I could find using dollar bills. Though making these with dollar bills is pretty much the same as with paper, there are a few differences so I decided to show...By: sherrycayheyheyContinue Reading » -
Xbox 360 / PC Arcade Joystick
1 Jan 2012 | 1:39 amTo get an authentic experience when playing arcade games on your PC or XBox Live Arcade, you need legitimate arcade hardware. A good stick still costs a fair bit of coin however it’s not that hard to make one of your own at reduced cost. This tutorial covers building a housing, installing the arcade...By: x2JiggyContinue Reading »
-
Instructables: exploring - play
-
"House of The Rising Sun" on Guitar
27 Jan 2012 | 11:31 pm"House of The Rising Sun" is an older song by "Animals". It is really simple to play on guitar. Here, I show the main chords, how to use fingerpicking to play the main chords, and I will also show just the tablature. Main Chords The main chords are Am, C, D, F, and E. The pictures below aren't m...By: freeza36Continue Reading » -
Bring Ruined Records Back to Life
27 Jan 2012 | 10:39 pmIf you're an audiofile, don't read any further. What follows is not for the faint of heart and beyond anything you've seen before. And please don't comment about how think it will ruin records... Until you try it. Then, if it ruins your record, make a comment. If you follow my instructions, you'...By: bfkContinue Reading » -
Lego Power Functions Mini Tank (With Video)
27 Jan 2012 | 7:53 pmThis is an instructable for a small, remote controlled Lego Power Functions tank. The Lego Power Functions parts you need to build it are: - (2) Small Motors - (1) Batter Pack - (1) IR Receiver - (1) Remote Control If you need Power functions, you can get them off the Lego Shop website. (Click ...By: 1_TSD_1Continue Reading » -
Make a Basketpong Game and Net
27 Jan 2012 | 6:46 pmThis is a very easy-to-make project. It just requires a fair bit of cardboard, hot glue (I like hot glue more than duct tape), and string. To play it, you will need a ping pong ball and a ping pong racket. If you would like to challenge yourself by using a smaller ball, I recommend using the smal...By: PeterLinkyContinue Reading » -
How to Make a Multiplayer Origami Game
27 Jan 2012 | 12:42 pmThese instructions demonstrate how to fold a fun, two-person origami game. Time required: approx. 5 minutes. What you will need: - One standard sheet of white/colored paper (8.5" x 11") HINT: As you do each of the following steps, make each fold as precise and neat as you can. This will help your ...By: ehansen66Continue Reading »
-
Instructables: exploring - technology - featured
-
How to teach osmosis
27 Jan 2012 | 6:40 pmI originally used this instructable as a demonstration to explain osmosis to my classes. Over the years many of my pupils told me they'd tried it for themselves at home (got their interests, half my job was done). I've started using this method as a practical with some of my classes with great resu...By: 148734Continue Reading » -
How to make a bluetooth handset.
27 Jan 2012 | 2:54 pmI had previously produced a guide to build a handset to connect to the phone via cable, but then I withdrew after discovering that they had several different connections from other terminals. With this model eliminates these problems. This realization is not very simple in some passages, but with a ...By: anallie0Continue Reading » -
Ultraviolet Business Card Flashlight
27 Jan 2012 | 2:38 pmIf you've seen some of my other business cards, I like the idea of giving away cards that are useful in some way. Most of my others have been more proof-of-concept, but this one is not only fun but easy to make, inexpensive and has a real wow factor. It's a simple ultraviolet torch, but the basic ...By: tomwardContinue Reading » -
Dance Dance Roverbot! Build a Light Activated Dancing Snap Circuits Programmable Robot.
27 Jan 2012 | 1:54 pmIn this Instructable you will learn how to build a light activated dancing Snap Circuits programmable robot. First, you will learn how to install the PICAXE Programming Editor (the PICAXE is the microcontroller, or computer brain for your Dance Dance Roverbot). Next, you will learn what a simple PIC...By: KRA5HContinue Reading » -
Mad scientist, full hood of steampunk design.
26 Jan 2012 | 10:03 pmThis project was just for fun, after doing my all brass iris goggles.http://www.instructables.com/id/Steampunk-Goggles-Iris-with-interchangable-lenses/ I wanted a more relaxing project where every dimension was not critical. I took enough pics. so a full explanation should not be necessary Find...By: longwintersContinue Reading »
-
Instructables: exploring - technology - popular
-
Building Machines From Paperclips
23 Jan 2012 | 11:36 pmSeveral months ago I awoke one morning with an idea for a project. I had gone to bed thinking about a presentation I am going to make to a group of middle and high school technology teachers in a couple of months. I wanted to come up with a couple of simple and inexpensive projects they could use to...By: biochemtronicsContinue Reading » -
A Wire Maze With an Electronics Twist
22 Jan 2012 | 6:59 pmHere is a SIMPLE and really FUN electronics project you can make at home. You don't need to make a printed circuit board which makes everything a whole lot easier! I'm sure you've played the "Wire Maze game"...(also called "Sammy the Snake" by shop teachers in our district... ) You thread a wire lo...By: stumitchContinue Reading » -
DIY $10 10-Stop Neutral Density (ND) Filter
22 Jan 2012 | 2:47 amMost photographers at one point or another wished they had access to a ND or Neutral Density filter. But at $100 or more per filter, that might be hard for an amateur or enthusiast photographer to justify the cost. Fear no more, this guide will show you how to build your own reusable 10 stop ND filt...By: imjasoncContinue Reading » -
Loud Objects Noise Toy (AKA The Arduino Noise Machine)
21 Jan 2012 | 11:05 amOkay, okay, I know you all were wondering what I am up to now. I love synths and so, I built this. There are three things that can catch my attention: Synthesizers, Amplifiers and free. The other day (Actually it was just Thursday) I was cruising around Make's website when I saw the Deal of the Day...By: blinkyblinkyContinue Reading » -
A Framework For Making Affordable & Stylish Modular Controllers
20 Jan 2012 | 7:11 pm**************************************************************************************************************** I have designed a framework for making affordable and stylish modular controllers. You can use the content of this Instructable to make a wide ran...By: Fuzzy-WobbleContinue Reading »
-
Instructables: exploring - technology
-
USB LED Lantern
28 Jan 2012 | 1:40 amTurn an old junk (or new) lantern into a nice multi purpose light. Looks nice on your desk or hanging in your room or perhaps a camping trip. As it USB powered it has limits, However this can also be made to be powered by a few AA or AAA battery's and cell phone battery 3.7 volt lithium really lig...By: Grasshopper1221Continue Reading » -
how to make a easy battle bot
27 Jan 2012 | 7:18 pmaquire : one powerful motor with prongs on the bottom dvd player power cord 6 volt battery sawblade r/c car the blade attach the sawblade to the spinning part of the motor so when the motor spins it spins the sawblade the body remove the top part of the rc car where ther is only the part with...By: commander spockContinue Reading » -
How to teach osmosis
27 Jan 2012 | 6:40 pmI originally used this instructable as a demonstration to explain osmosis to my classes. Over the years many of my pupils told me they'd tried it for themselves at home (got their interests, half my job was done). I've started using this method as a practical with some of my classes with great resu...By: 148734Continue Reading » -
Mouse as door alarm
27 Jan 2012 | 6:01 pmA friend of mine who own a shoes store, since he had some missing articles, asked me a way to monitor the door of the stock. He just want a cheap system, connected to a pc, which will be able to send emails alarm when the stock door will be open during the days-off. I decided to hack a old usb mo...By: wistofContinue Reading » -
With this guide you can build a pen for your touch screen capacitive.
27 Jan 2012 | 3:20 pmAs you know the capacitive touch screen, unlike the resistive, needs to feel the electric charge of your finger. While in the resistance, which is formed by a membrane mobile, simply touch the screen with any object, the capacitive screen works only if you feel an electric charge, then the pen must ...By: anallie0Continue Reading »
-
Instructables: exploring - workshop - featured
-
Steel Tube Chimes For Kids
27 Jan 2012 | 12:58 pmI've been building chimes with my Grade 6 students for a few years now and they really are an excellent metal-working project. What i've found with metalwork is that its tough to come up with cool projects that young kids can actually make and have real success with. Most of the typical metal projec...By: stumitchContinue Reading » -
Giant 555 Timer Chip Cardboard Piano Bench
27 Jan 2012 | 9:39 amor seat, stepstool, endtable, coffee table, poster bed, nightstand, etc. Just as versatile as it's electronic component integrated circuit counterpart, use cardboard or "card" in the UK, to make this dandy piece of furniture. Besides being appropriate for electronic musicians, this is the geeky thi...By: caitlinsdadContinue Reading » -
How to make a Chandelier using Mason Jars
26 Jan 2012 | 3:53 pmWe made this chandelier to be the centerpiece of our dining room. You can check out this DIY and Design projects like this one on our blog, www.KaraPaslayDesigns.blogspot.com. And before I get started, I want to make a DISCLAIMER: I am not an electrician and will not assume responsibility for any ...By: timpaslayContinue Reading » -
Coat Hooks from Cheap Spoons
26 Jan 2012 | 3:07 amSome time ago went shopping to buy some coat hooks. I was appalled by the cost of them so decided to make my own. It occurred to me that cheap stainless steel cutlery might just do the trick. My idea worked quite well I think. And with some more thought and care I believe they could be made to look...By: cammersContinue Reading » -
Painting metal to look like wood
25 Jan 2012 | 9:10 pmThis instructable will show you how to give a wood-like appearance to a flat metal plate. This is a very simple process, which involves a coat of paint and a varnish finish. I came up with this process (although I'm sure I didn't invent it) to make a rusted metal circuit box cover blend better with...By: Winged FistContinue Reading »
-
Instructables: exploring - workshop - popular
-
Giant Papercraft Trojan Horse
25 Jan 2012 | 8:44 pmIn December 2011, the Instructables Team took to the streets of San Francisco, proudly wielding before them a 12-foot cardboard Trojan horse. Man, I love my job. Why did this happen? We had been invited to the Autodesk Christmas party just a few blocks away from our lab and we thought we sh...By: PenfoldPlantContinue Reading » -
Industrial Pipe Bookshelf and Shoe Rack
24 Jan 2012 | 6:10 pmThis industrial pipe shelf is the perfect project for any handy -- or non handy -- person looking to update their room. The shelf is quick and easy to install and its hard industrial yet shabby chic look makes it a great addition to any room. All of the pipes have threaded ends which makes it real...By: CarleyyContinue Reading » -
Turner's Cube - A Beginner CNC Milling Project
23 Jan 2012 | 12:16 amThe Turner's Cube we are going to make is an interesting little project that originally came from beginners learning to work in the metal shop. The seasoned old veteran or shop owner would hand one of these to a new apprentice and tell him to figure out how to make it and reproduce it. For me it wa...By: ravenquestContinue Reading » -
Make a one piece club mallet
22 Jan 2012 | 2:34 pmThis is how to make a club mallet from a log, Cherry in this case. A traditional woodsmans tool. Warning triangle time Take care when using sharp tools!!! Tools: Saw Axe or large chisel Drawknife or sharp knife Choose your log Around 30cm long and 150mm diameter is a good starting point, bu...By: I am in the shed!Continue Reading » -
Make a 'natural elbow' boomerang
21 Jan 2012 | 12:58 amFor many years I’ve been designing, making and throwing boomerangs. At the beginning my booms were made of plywood, a cheap and easy to handle material – all you need is some plywood, a jigsaw and some sanding paper. Boys grow up, and men always want more. So I wanted to make my projects a bit more ...By: bartoloContinue Reading »
-
Instructables: exploring - workshop
-
Steel Tube Chimes For Kids
27 Jan 2012 | 12:58 pmI've been building chimes with my Grade 6 students for a few years now and they really are an excellent metal-working project. What i've found with metalwork is that its tough to come up with cool projects that young kids can actually make and have real success with. Most of the typical metal projec...By: stumitchContinue Reading » -
Giant 555 Timer Chip Cardboard Piano Bench
27 Jan 2012 | 9:39 amor seat, stepstool, endtable, coffee table, poster bed, nightstand, etc. Just as versatile as it's electronic component integrated circuit counterpart, use cardboard or "card" in the UK, to make this dandy piece of furniture. Besides being appropriate for electronic musicians, this is the geeky thi...By: caitlinsdadContinue Reading » -
Installing a Stainless Steel Chimney Chase Cover
27 Jan 2012 | 8:46 amA chimney chase cover is a cap that seals off the top of a wood framed or brick laid chimney chase. Chimney chase covers are typically made from low grade steel, which will rust over a short period of time. The smallest gap or hole on the chase cover can lead to expensive water damage. If you're n...By: rockford_chimneyContinue Reading » -
The Interchangeable Woodwork Bench with Electric Power
27 Jan 2012 | 8:29 amOne work bench is never enough, I had enough reclaimed notty pine to hack together a simple tabletop and some spare 2x4 chunks. This isn't a how-to on making a bench but more of an inspirational piece for others hopefully. I was inspired by a pic I had seen in another inst'ble Someone had a miter sa...By: copperaxeContinue Reading » -
Metal Flower
26 Jan 2012 | 8:03 pmThis is a simple metal rose or some type of flower that I made with some spare sheet metal. Took a while to make but that was mainly due to the fact that I only had a small tin snips and I had to cut each petal and leaf by hand... Also it takes some practice to bend each petal to shape and you have ...By: Evan2010Continue Reading »
-
PixieThisBlog.com
-
3D Valentines
27 Jan 2012 | 8:32 pmAlready making valentine cards? I know I am! Well, if you’re tired of doilies and construction paper, then try a few of our 3D cards from the February issue of Living. Inspired by classic pop-up books, these cards include garlands, bold accordion folded graphics, clip art pop-outs, and clever hiding spots for an extra special note, gift card, or invitation to date night. Back Next 1 of 7 1 Our garland cards- aside from basic tools, all you need is a bit of ribbon or cord, our templates, and your favorite scrapbooking papers. 2 See how easy?? 3 4 These templates can be printed straight… -
At the Lamppost
27 Jan 2012 | 2:46 pmWith the first two days of snow completely dedicated to mad sledding fun, I was able to sneak in a quick shoot before day three of sledding began. Inspired again by Pinterest, we dusted off an old lantern and pulled a basket out of the closet to see what we could come up with. I’m not going to lie to you, I am in love with how these turned out. They seem to me to have a Narnia-esque feel to them with the snow and the lamppost. The whole world is so entirely quiet in the snow. The hustle and bustle of the thousand things that needed to be done all seem to be muffled by the silence of… -
Best wedding photographs of 2011! by Colorado Wedding Photographers {Part 2}
27 Jan 2012 | 3:03 amJenna Walker Photography Jenna Walker Photography Jenna Walker Photography Jenna Walker Photography Jenna Walker Photography Jenna Walker Photography Jenna Walker Photography Jenna Walker Photography Jenna Walker Photography Jenna Walker Photography J-Anderson Photography J-Anderson Photography J-Anderson Photography J-Anderson Photography J-Anderson Photography J-Anderson Photography Ashley Davis Photography Ashley Davis Photography Ashley Davis Photography Ashley Davis Photography Ashley Davis Photography Stay tuned for {Part 3} Much love xoxo Calluna Events :: Colorado Wedding… -
Crafting + Chocolate = Yummy Valentines
26 Jan 2012 | 9:16 amBack Next 1 of 11 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Matt and Mary have made a series of limited edition chocolate bars. They come wrapped in marbleized papers that Mary made herself. She used the marbleizing instructions that we have online. I am particularly fond of marbleizing because it is one of those techniques where the results will completely surprise you. It is part skill and part chance. Try as hard as you can – it is nearly impossible to achieve the same results twice. Below are some images from our marbleizing story. -
Wisdom of the Ages
25 Jan 2012 | 10:28 pmI was talking to my dad this afternoon about getting older. With all four of his kids into their thirties, a marriage of 39 years and his 60th birthday around the corner there is a treasure chest of wisdom on file. He was telling me that each year he meets new people and deepens old friendships, he’s seen the joys and ravages of life on peoples’ hearts. How it increases your empathy for the souls you meet, but sometimes makes it hard to bear so many burdens. We talked about bearing one another’s burdens in love. We talked about prayer and kindness and forgiveness. Just…
-
Thrift Core
-
What I Didn't Buy at the Thrift Store: Damn You and Your Prices!
27 Jan 2012 | 7:50 amAfter being been spoiled by flea market prices, thrift store is intense. Visiting the thrift store last week was torture. I was dying to fill my cart with treasures, but I came home with only three items. I'll show you what I got for $2.25 at the flea market on Monday, but 'til then, here are the pleas from my abandoned quarry: Damn, I really wanted that red wagon for store displays. And those cups! And, hell, everything! But I'm glad I held out and spend less and got more at the flea market. Oh, and about that Raggedy Ann doll. My mom bought me a life-sized one. I was so terrified of… -
Freelancer Life Update + What to do When You Hate Your Job
26 Jan 2012 | 8:45 amDoes your day job fill you with deep loathing? Is every moment you spend at the office sheer torture? If you hate your job, you need to quit! Don't subject yourself to conditions you hate every day. I haven't looked back at the time I spent working in a cubicle as a writer. I love my flexible schedule and using my creative energy on my own projects- instead of my boss's. Of course, there are challenges that come with being a Freelancer as well. You have to stay inspired and motivated to survive, and you can never stop innovating. Being accountable for yourself isn't easy and it's not for… -
Which Vintage Owl Do You Like Better? Before or After?
25 Jan 2012 | 9:16 amSelling antiques is unpredictable. Sometimes a piece you think will fly off the shelves will stagnant for months, waiting for its vintage-loving soul mate. I predicted this owl would be seized quickly, but failed. Luckily, a little creative reconfiguring will sometimes make the sale. I'll be spray painting several vintage pieces to see if that helps them sell this week. Spray painting vintage items a solid color is a big trend right now. You definitely have to find the right piece to pull it off. Bold shapes work best. Which owl do you like better? The original, or my white spray… -
Chalkboard Toolbox DIY: For Your Tools....or a Zombie Apocalypse
24 Jan 2012 | 7:38 amWhether you're building a new bookshelf or defending yourself against hoards flesh-hungry zombies, it helps to know what's inside your toolbox at-a-glance. Besides being useful, these chalkboard toolboxes are delicious to behold. The smooth black of the chalkboard surface brings out the texture of the chipping paint and chalk markings. This is a fun way to really make your vintage piece tell a story! Supplies Needed: 1) Chalkboard paint 2) Painter's Tape 3) Vintage toolbox 3) Colorful chalk // Optional: White spray paint or acrylic paint, primer, and stencils. I've heard bad reviews of… -
Increase Traffic: Advertise on Thrift Core this February
23 Jan 2012 | 12:09 pmI still have Ad Space available for February! Thrift Core sponsors will be introduced on the blog for maximum exposure. You get hundreds of eyes on your site and of course, I respond quickly if you have any questions. :) No Banner? No problem. I'll make the perfect one for you free of charge. Free Marketing Tips and Advice: Thrift Core sponsors also receive a monthly web marketing tips newsletter and specific tips for improving your site and increasing traffic/sales. [Embarrassing sampling of nerdy sites I've been making since I was 11...Oh my! I've made dozens!]…
-
Creative Faux Panels
-
How Do I Use Drainage Mats with Home Siding?
26 Jan 2012 | 12:54 pmRecently we were asked about installing our faux panels as exterior home siding, and whether or not it was necessary to use Drainage Mats during the process. Here’s what you need to know: Drainage mats are invisible beneath the exterior siding; but offer numerous benefits. Drainage mats are sheets made from recycled polypropylene, which can be installed underneath our artificial stone, rock, wood or brick veneer panels. There are lots of benefits to using drainage mats. They offer better moisture control, and provide better air quality inside a home by allowing the house to breath. They… -
Artificial Stone Adds a Beautiful New Finish to a Storefront
18 Jan 2012 | 9:19 amWainscoting and siding expert Brad Krohn recently sent us photos of a great new storefront design project he’d completed in Milton, Wisconsin – using our artificial stone panels to give a new business an incredible new look. Ugly brick, flaking paint and crumbling plaster made this storefront anything but beautiful. As you can see from the “before” picture, the storefront Brad was asked to transform had seen better days. Bare brick walls, flaking paint and crumbling plaster meant that customers were more likely to cross the street than walk inside. But Brad managed to completely… -
Final Episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition – Rebuilding Joplin’s “Heart of America”
11 Jan 2012 | 1:53 pmIt’s the end of an era. After many years of successful partnership, FauxPanels.com and our sister site, FauxWoodBeams.com are sad to be part of the series finale episode of ABC’s hit TV series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Ty Pennington and the crew of EMHE used faux brick panels in some of their incredible Joplin building projects. But the good news is that Friday’s episode promises to be the biggest, best and most tear jerking ever. In this special television event, host Ty Pennington and the rest of the EM:HE crew – including FauxPanels.com and FauxWoodBeams.com president Steve… -
A Bouquet of Wine Cellar Design Ideas Using Stone Veneer
5 Jan 2012 | 9:22 amIt was clear in 2011 that the economic depression hadn’t hit the wine market. Business was booming for fine vintage wines – with Christies alone estimating almost $90 million in wine sales. Stone veneer panels make this wine cellar look like an authentic French "cave". Perhaps as a result of this Bordeaux boom (amidst other vintage wine varieties) the number of wine collectors investing in home wine cellars has also seen an uptick – and many of them are choosing to use stone veneer panels in their projects. Our stone and brick veneer panels are ideal for use in a wine cellar… -
Happy Holidays from FauxPanels.com
30 Dec 2011 | 11:26 amFrom an outdoor kitchen in the Arizona desert, to a faux rock backsplash in suburban New Jersey, this year has seen the Creative Faux Panels blog cover exciting faux panel projects from all across America. Thanks for all your support over the last twelve months. After this exciting year, we can’t wait to see the pictures and project details you guys send us in 2012. 2011 has also seen Faux Panels involved in some really exciting charitable projects – including donating our time and products to deserving families in partnership with top-rated TV shows like Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
-
Home Improvement Blog – The Apron by The Home Depot
-
Use Glass Containers to Store Small Items
27 Jan 2012 | 3:22 pmDay 27 of 31 Days, 31 Ways to Get Organized: One thing you may have noticed throughout this entire series is the use of glass (or clear plastic) containers to store small items. Glass vases, canisters, mason jars, and clear boxes are all essential storage tools. Image from MyHomeIdeas Glass containers allow you to keep like items together (like paper clips), and they’re clear which means you’ll always know where something is. By keeping all of the pens, paperclips and the other little office items together, they look neat. Everything has its own place — you don’t have… -
Order Your Giants vs. Patriots Gear In Time for the 2012 Superbowl!
27 Jan 2012 | 1:19 pmFor our Home Depot customers who cheer the New York Giants and New England Patriots, this post is dedicated to you! Even though this rivalry isn’t quite as big as the Yankees vs. Red Sox, fans in New York and Massachusetts and surrounding states love their football. And since it gets no bigger than the Superbowl, we congratulate both teams and their fans on their respective conference championships. Well done guys! The Home Depot is sponsoring Superbowl XLVI’s second half kickoff on the Dial Global Radio Network, presented by Westwood One Sports. We’ll be highlighting various products… -
Top 10 Bath Safety Tips From the Forum
27 Jan 2012 | 9:33 amOur Home Depot Community Forum associates are truly experts in the home improvement field. They are always on the lookout for the latest trends in home design and ways to make your dream home a reality. Some associates look beyond design trends and find ways to blend trending news topics with home improvement. Forum Associate DesigningWoman accomplishes this gracefully with her post “My Top 10 Tips for Bathroom Safety.” DesigningWoman cites the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, which reveals the details of a study into the number of injuries occurring in… -
Inspired Looks: Wabi Sabi – Beauty Imperfected
26 Jan 2012 | 4:58 pmWabi Sabi, the design philosophy that emphasizes traditional Japanese ways of seeing the beauty in things that are imperfect, has been much talked about in trend circles of late. It’s a pared down approach to design, inspiring an appreciation for the authentic, natural, and utilitarian. If you’ve been seeking a new source of ideas to help you strip away the clutter in your living space, take a look at wabi sabi. Loosely translated, wabi means “lonely”, or “a taste for the simple and the quiet.” Wabi consists of rustic beauty, for things both manmade and natural. Sabi… -
Give Cartons and Bottles a Home
26 Jan 2012 | 11:45 amDay 25 of 31 Days, 31 Ways to Get Organized: Add labels to the refrigerator door to keep things in their place. Image from BHG [Editor's Note: 31 Days, 31 Ways to Get Organized is a series featuring clever storage and organization tips that will help you clean house in the new year]
-
PoolGear Plus Blog
-
Pool Product Spotlight: The Pool Shark Automatic Pool Cleaner
26 Jan 2012 | 3:16 pmVacuuming a swimming pool can be very time consuming and very physically-intensive work. An automatic pool cleaner will do the work for you and save you a tremendous amount of time, not to mention remove a chore from your to-do list. Automatic pool cleaners like the Pool Shark® Pool Cleaner for Inground Pools are a wonderful addition to your pool supplies resources. -
Product Review: Hayward Pool Vac XL Inground Pool Cleaner
26 Jan 2012 | 11:12 amIf you are looking for one of the best pool cleaners for your swimming pool vacuuming needs, you will want to add the Hayward® Pool Vac XL™ Inground Pool Cleaner to your list to consider. -
Spa Maintenance Schedule
18 Jan 2012 | 6:02 amBuilding spa maintenance into your routine is the best method of ensuring that you never forget to take care of your spa. Here's a suggested spa maintenance schedule. -
Starting a Pool Fitness Program
3 Jan 2012 | 2:34 pmThinking of starting a pool fitness program in 2012? Great idea! Water workouts offer many benefits, including excellent calorie-burning from water resistance with minimal impact to bones and joints. Here are some tips on starting a pool fitness program. -
How to Get Organized in 2012
3 Jan 2012 | 1:26 pmIf household, garage, and backyard clutter has you feeling overwhelmed even though the new year has barely begun, you might have made a New Year’s resolution to develop a system for managing it all. If so, here are some tips on how to get organized in 2012.
-
Home Improvement from the Networx Blog
-
Painting Tip: Proper Prepping
27 Jan 2012 | 3:06 amYesterday I had to help a friend set up a trade show booth at the Jacob Javitz Center in New York. The tasks consisted of things like moving furniture, hanging shelves and setting up displays - all easy enough. But when she asked me to paint the walls of the booth I started to panic. See full article. -
9 Uses for Old Jeans
26 Jan 2012 | 8:16 amThere's few things more comfortable than a beloved, broken-in pair of jeans. But some day, when the denim's faded, the seams have split and the cuffs have frayed, you're going to be faced with a harsh reality: All good jeans must someday meet their end. See full article. -
We Tested It: Black Tea Glass Cleaner
26 Jan 2012 | 6:00 amDo-it-yourself cleaning and cosmetics have kind of become my obsession my hobby. I think about how I used to slap down my cold hard cash for all those creepy chemicals, those toxins just sitting under my sink, with their smells that seemed to permeate my every pore. See full article. -
A Warning About Tankless Water Heaters
25 Jan 2012 | 9:29 amNow I got a lot of heat on an earlier post about solar panels, so I want to be clear up front that I have nothing against tankless water heaters (BTW, they are "water heaters" not "hot water heaters" – the water starts out cold!). The problem I have with using them is that they are just a part of the hot water system, and they won't work efficiently as part of a green home unless the entire system is designed and installed properly. See full article. -
10 Uses for Dry Cleaning Hangers
25 Jan 2012 | 8:01 amIf you dry clean your clothes on a regular basis, you know that those ubiquitous wire hangers can really start to stack up. But rather than haul the hangers to the trash, you can put them to use around the house. Unclogging Drains: A straightened wire hanger can be used to dislodge hairballs and gunk from a plugged drain. See full article.
-
Pro Tool Reviews - Power and Hand Tool Reviews and News
-
Johnson Level 40-6005 230' Laser Distance Measure Review
26 Jan 2012 | 8:00 pmTape measures are great, but for anyone who's done layout work or estimated for a significant construction project, you aren't going to get much joy out of dragging out a physical tape 200 feet tape measure. The new Johnson Level and Tool 40-6005 Laser Distance Measure is a tool that takes the walking and dragging out of the distance measuring game. It's super compact in size, yet it has an incredibly useful range. But that's all common features of a technology that's commonplace now. Where Johnson attempts to distinguish itself is in its flexibility and speed. The Johnson Level 40-6005 can… -
Porter-Cable PCC581B 18V Infrared Thermometer Review
26 Jan 2012 | 3:35 amGetting a quick and accurate bead on the temperature differential around an AC duct or a door can be a lifesaver for air mechanical technicians and energy efficiency specialists. While there are a lot of tools on the market that can help you do this, it's nice to be able to reach for a familiar name - particularly when your shop is already equipped with compatible batteries and chargers. Recently Porter-Cable launched the PCC581B Infrared Thermometer, which comes as a bare tool, making it a great choice if you're already vested in their 18V cordless platform. And if you're not, Porter Cable… -
Upholstery Company Drops Suit of Black & Decker Over Fire
24 Jan 2012 | 9:00 pmIt's important to take responsibility for your actions - and that equates to actions that lead to failure of products you've developed. This is particularly important when those products cause injuries or property damage. But, what if your product is only suspected of being the culprit - and investigations turn out the truth that it wasn't really your fault at all? This is what apparently happened when the owners of Larry's Upholstery dropped their case against Black & Decker. It turns out that an investigator discovered that the company's power tool equipment did not, in fact, cause the fire… -
Hart 21 oz. Milled Face Steel Framing Hammer Review
23 Jan 2012 | 7:00 pmFor some, a hammer isn't all that important. If you're serious about tools, however, or a framer by trade, a hammer is an extension of your arm and something you use almost all the time. With that being the case, issues like weight, features, and balance become very important. In fact, when you're striking nails almost non-stop, it's possible to actually calculate the time-is-money factor, and you'll see that your choice of hammer becomes something that could net you literally hours of labor-savings over the course of a year. It was with that mentality that we turned our fascination to Hart's… -
Home Depot Acquires Redbeacon Home Services Website
23 Jan 2012 | 4:20 amHome Depot has always been in the business of providing services to its customers. There's carpet installations, kitchen cabinet and countertop installation, plumbing, AC, electrical and more. But today, the home improvement warehouse chain announced that it acquired Redbeacon, a website-based company that connects consumers with contractors for their home maintenance, repair and remodeling needs.
-
Faux Wood Workshop
-
DIY Installation of Decorative Beams
25 Jan 2012 | 12:03 pmOne of our Facebook friends, Sharon Carter, recently wrote: “I have an A shaped ceiling in my bedroom and a vaulted slant over my dining area that both need something done to them. I wish I had someone in the area that was good with installing these that I could trust.” Even those with little or no building experience can install decorative beams in their home. Well, you can trust yourself, Sharon – and there’s no reason you can’t install those decorative beams yourself! In fact, one of the things that sets our artificial wood beams apart from the real thing is that they’re so… -
Installing Synthetic Wood Beams: Which Direction?
18 Jan 2012 | 9:18 amA customer recently reached out to us with a very simple question about our synthetic wood beams – which direction should they run in? The customer was interested in installing three of our timber beams in her living room, but didn’t know if they should run the length of the room, or go from one side to the other. Traditionally, horizontal beams span the shortest gap between walls, as these faux wood beams do.. In all honesty, there’s no right or wrong answer to this question. The beautiful thing about our synthetic wood beams is that you’re pretty much limited only by your… -
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Series Finale: Rebuilding the “Heart of America” in Joplin, MO
11 Jan 2012 | 1:54 pmFor several years, FauxWoodBeams.com and our sister site FauxPanels.com have partnered with ABC’s hit TV series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition – who help deserving families by transforming their homes and living spaces. This week sees the final episode of the popular show; and FauxWoodBeams.com are helping to make sure EMHE go out on a high note. Faux Wood Beams will join Ty Pennington and the EMHE crew in Joplin, MO Host Ty Pennington and the rest of the EMHE crew – including FauxWoodBeams.com and FauxPanels.com president Steve Barron, will be heading to tornado-ravaged Joplin,… -
Festive Living Room Design with Faux Timber Beams
5 Jan 2012 | 10:46 amTexas isn’t exactly known for its winter weather, but one of our customers created their own winter wonderland this holiday season, by installing our faux timber beams to add some undeniably rustic charm to their living room design. BEFORE: Arched doorways and wall openings gave Holly's house a period feel. Before it was the Lone Star State, Texas was its own country – and with a storied history like that it’s not surprising that the state has some of the most historic homes and buildings in America. Texas homeowner Holly Van Delden wanted to pay tribute to Texas’ historic roots… -
Happy Holidays from Faux Wood Beams
30 Dec 2011 | 11:50 amFrom the baking heat of Arizona to the chilly hills of New England, 2011 has continued to see our faux wood beams used in home redesign projects all across the country. That’s why, at this time of year, we like to take a moment to think about all those projects, redesigns, builds and renovations we’ve had the opportunity to be a part of over the past twelve month. From everybody here at Faux Wood Beams: Thank you. Not just for being customers, but for becoming more – for emailing and writing to us with pictures of your amazing home redesigns, and sending in your tips and experiences.
-
How Skills
-
How to Make Caramel Sauce
22 Jan 2012 | 4:40 pmCaramel RecipeCaramel sauce is a wonderful thing to have on hand as an accompaniment to sliced apples, desserts, lattes and ice cream. Homemade caramel sauce tastes better than what you can buy at the store, and making your own is fun. The process does require your complete attention, however. Wear long sleeves while cooking caramel to protect yourself from splatters, and don’t succumb to the temptation of tasting it during the cooking process. It will be extremely hot.You will need:• 1/3 cup water• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter• ¾ cup brown sugar• ¾ cup granulated sugar• 1 1/4… -
How to Make Meatloaf
22 Jan 2012 | 8:25 amMeatloaf RecipeMeatloaf is the ultimate American comfort food, evoking memories of childhood dinners with every tasty bite. The cold months of winter are a great time to make this moist and hearty meatloaf recipe that is as delicious as it is budget-friendly.You will need:• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef• 1 small, chopped onion• 1 egg• 1 cup milk• 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce• ½ teaspoon salt• ¼ teaspoon pepper• 2 tablespoons brown sugar• 1 tablespoon mustard• 1/3 cup ketchup1. Preheat oven to 350 F.2. Combine ground beef, egg, onion,… -
How to Make Fried Rice
20 Jan 2012 | 10:31 amFried Rice RecipeFried rice is the perfect dish for using up leftover rice. If you don’t have leftovers, cook your rice the day before, and refrigerate it. Freshly cooked rice tends to stick and become mushy in fried rice recipes. Refrigerating the rice firms the grains and rids them of excess moisture. The following recipe tastes great with all kinds of additions, from grilled chicken to leftover vegetables.You will need:• 6 cups cold, cooked rice• 2/3 cup chopped baby carrots• 1/2 cup green peas, frozen• 2 cloves minced garlic• 2 tablespoons olive oil• 2 eggs• 2 tablespoons… -
How to Make French Toast
19 Jan 2012 | 10:36 amFrench Toast RecipeFrench toast was originally created as a way to use up stale bread. If you don’t have stale bread on hand, leave the bread out on the counter to dry so that it will absorb more of the delicious egg-cream batter. Take care not to soak the bread too thoroughly when dipping it in the batter because it can become soggy and difficult to cook all the way through.You will need:• 6 thick slices bread, left out overnight to dry• 2 eggs• 2/3 cup heavy cream• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract• 1 to 2 tablespoons butter1. -
How to Make Pancakes
18 Jan 2012 | 7:44 pmPancakes RecipeWhether you call them hot cakes, pancakes or flapjacks, a breakfast of these delicious breakfast cakes is a great way to begin your day. Best of all, when you use the following recipe, you won’t have to worry about running out of pancake mix. These homemade pancakes call for ingredients regularly found in most kitchens. They’re better than pancakes made from a commercial mix, and they cost less to make. The recipe makes 8 to 10 pancakes.You will need:• 1 cup flour• 1 tablespoon sugar• 2 teaspoons baking powder• ½ teaspoon salt• 1 cup milk• 2 tablespoons canola…
-
kojodesigns
-
we've moved (and a giant giveaway to celebrate!)
23 Jan 2012 | 10:51 amHey friends!WE'VE MOVED!The new (and improved!) kojodesigns can be found atwww.kojo-designs.comIf you'd like to receive our feed, you'll have to update your reader (rumor has it that Google is disabling Google Follower for non-blogspot blogs this Spring, so you might want to subscribe by email or another follower).To celebrate, there is a pattern palooza giveaway going on right now, so head on over, check out our new digs, update our address to kojo-designs.com, and win some patterns (and fabric)! -
friday fun finds
6 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amHello there sweet friends! Happy Friday!I am finally crawling out of the holiday other-life-ness and rejoining the real world. We are back from Dallas (found another pic to share with y'all from the wedding above), unpacking from our trip and our Christmas haul at once. Every bit of Christmas decor is still up in my house (don't judge- ok?). Even worse, I have an extra full to-do list this weekend, and "de-Christmas" is not even on there. To be honest, life is feeling extra full in general (and maybe a bit stressful).Hopefully y'all are having better luck than I am at getting back into the… -
aqua chair redo tutorial (how to reupholster a tufted chair)
5 Jan 2012 | 9:04 amMy search for a perfectly girly chair for Piper Jane's nursery was long and tenuous. In fact, while I patiently waited for the right chair, I temporarily repurposed one of our living room chairs to Piper Jane's room.However, when I laid eyed on this gem at Mile High Thrift (my favorite thrift store in Denver), it was love at first site. Ok, well, actually, more of love-of-possibility! Even though the chair was a little beat up, and the green velvet was hideous, and the seat was super uncomfortable due to some crazy springs and a worn cushion, I could envision it redone in aqua linen and was… -
so you think you can sew... and a monogram pillow tutorial
4 Jan 2012 | 7:31 amToday the voting for week 1 of So You Think You Can Sew kicks off! The voting window is only open until Thursday at 8:00 pm, so if you have a minute, would you head over there and vote?My entry is Piper Jane's vintage chair plus pillows (of course)!Now, before I give you the monogram pillow tutorial, can I tell you a secret? The "B" is for Burke's reading chair (not Piper Jane's).That's probably obvious. But since I made Piper's and Burke's pillows together (and since they both have the aqua linen that matches the chair in them), the "B" earned itself a spot in the pictures. Plus, it's very… -
a vintage, girly chair redo for piper jane
2 Jan 2012 | 9:52 pmI am a great waiter. Not like, serving-food-at-a-restaurant-waiter, like delayed-gratification-waiter. I'd rather hold out for something that I really love than get something that I sort of like. Along those lines, I'm still waiting to find a few 'just right' components of Piper Jane's nursery- the most important being a lovely, girly, glam chair.As a placeholder until we found The One, we moved a living room chair into the nursery. With the brown place-holder-chair in place, I began my vintage-girly-chair search in earnest. And actually, I didn't find anything for the longest time. But…
-
Hack a Day
-
Followup: Troll physics solved
27 Jan 2012 | 5:29 pmA month ago, we saw a marvelous demonstration of troll physics from YouTube user [Fredzislaw100]. In his video, we saw a circuit of three switches and three LEDs wired in series and but not acting like the should. A lot of the comments for this post elicited reasonable explanations like modifying the battery or pure camera wizardry via After Effects. Thankfully, [Alan] stepped in and showed us how it was done. The solution uses two AC power sources with diodes in two of the switches and LEDs and inductors in the third pair. [Alan]‘s build was rather large compared to the… -
DSLR performance measured with audio editing software
27 Jan 2012 | 4:29 pm[Jaroslav's] camera didn’t have a feature to measure the speed of its response in different modes so he figured out his own method. Using the microphone on his webcam he recorded the sound made by the mirror and shutter movements, then used Audacity to analyze the camera’s performance. When you get right down to it, this is a fantastic idea. Audacity, the open source audio editing suite, has the ability to show each captured audio track next to each other. That makes it easy for you to precisely align the clips, and has in-build time measuring features with fantastic resolution. -
[Jackson Pollock] is now a robot
27 Jan 2012 | 3:29 pmEven though abstract expressionism died out several decades ago, robots are still chugging along dripping nihilistic pigment onto a cold, uncaring canvas. [Liat] and [Assaf] created a robot named The Originals Factory to create paintings in the style of abstract expressionism, a style of painting that is arguably best represented by [Jackson Pollock] and his ‘drip paintings.’ The build is surprisingly simple – there are four containers filled with C,M,Y, and K pigments. Pumps transport these paints to a print head mounted on an aluminum rail above a canvas. The software… -
How to add flair to a webpage that shows your project data
27 Jan 2012 | 11:58 amThis temperature display may not knock your socks off, but it’s a simple demonstration of how you can used vector graphics as a web readout for data (translated). [Luca] wrote this four page tutorial to help others, he makes it look really easy, and the sky’s the limit on eye candy once you get he basics in place. The first step is to create the dynamic SVG (vector graphic) file using Inkscape that will be used by the webpage. This starts with a static background, in this case the grey parts of the thermometer which will not change. Over the top the blue parts were added, with… -
Synthesize with a hard drive
27 Jan 2012 | 10:01 amIf you’d like a pseudo-mechanical way of producing a droning synthesizer sound, [gijs] is your man. He made a small synthesizer out of nothing but an old hard drive and a few components. Whenever a disk platter is spun manually, the spindle motor inside the drive produces a few out of phase sine waves on its connections. [gijs]‘ synthesizer compares and amplifies these sine waves and sends them out to a speaker. The result is a strange droning chiptune-esque arpeggio. The circuit for the build is soldered directly to the hard drive enclosure Manhattan style. Because the output of…
-
Stain Removal Blog - A Mom's Guide To House Cleaning, Laundry And Stains
-
Top 8 Stain Removal Techniques For Effectively Removing Stains
18 Jan 2012 | 1:48 pmThere are some good (and some bad) ways to remove stains, and I've listed the top eight stain removal techniques to learn and use to effectively and safely keep your home clean and stain free. -
I Found The New Spray 'N Wash Stick With Resolve At Walmart
4 Jan 2012 | 6:06 pmA reader shared where she found the newer version of the Spray 'N Wash stain stick, with resolve power, at Walmart. She hopes it works as well as the original version. I would love to hear from others who have used it now that it has changed formulas, to know if it works as well as the original version. -
I Use Vinegar Fabric Softener And Nothing Else
4 Jan 2012 | 5:32 pmA reader has shared how she was converted to a faithful user of regular oil-based fabric softeners to using vinegar fabric softener instead. She also has shared the improvements she noticed in her laundry since she made the switch. -
I Also Had A Major Allergic Reaction To All Oxi Active Detergent
4 Jan 2012 | 4:41 pmHere's yet another review from another reader who also had an allergic reaction from this detergent. This reaction was so severe she needed steroids to treat it. -
Fab Powdered Detergent Didn't Dissolve In The Washing Machine And Caused White Stains
4 Jan 2012 | 3:08 pmHere's another review from a reader who also experienced problems with powdered Fab detergent not dissolving in the washing machine, this time causing white stains on the clothing.
-
An Eclectic Blog
-
Meet Mark Montano at the Craft & Hobby Association Trade Show
27 Jan 2012 | 8:03 pmWe’re excited about the opportunity to meet fellow crafters and DIY’ers at the Craft & Hobby Association Winter Conference January 29 and 30 in Los Angeles. What could be even more exciting than CHA? A visit from designer extraordinaire, author, and TV host Mark Montano! At the conference, Mark will be signing and giving away his latest book, “The Big-Ass Book of Crafts 2” at the Eclectic Products booth (#1227) from 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. on January 29 and 30. A long-time fan of Eclectic products, Mark says, “About 90% of my projects use either E-6000 or Amazing GOOP.”… -
Sticky Links: Posts We Liked This Week
20 Jan 2012 | 5:04 pmHere are our favorite craft and DIY links this week. Be sure to follow us @amazinggoop for daily updates on crafts, DIY projects and more! Hope you have a great weekend! Crafts: Check out these elegant cupcake towers you can make yourself using candlestick holders and E-6000. Great project idea from The Stuff of Success. Add a pour spout to a mason jar with this project from Dollar Store Crafts. These Valentine’s day necklaces from eighteen25 are adorable and look fun to make! DIY Projects: Turn a pair of jeans into storage bins with this clever DIY idea from Curbly. Protect your… -
Sticky Links: Posts We Liked This Week
6 Jan 2012 | 1:45 amHere are our favorite craft and DIY links this week. Be sure to follow us @amazinggoop for daily updates on crafts, DIY projects and more! Hope you have a great weekend! Crafts: Want to stay focused on your New Year’s resolution? Learn how to make your New Year’s manifesto with this project from Craft. Capture your holiday memories with this antique photo project from Sugar Lump Studios using E-6000. The Crafts Dept. at Martha Stewart shows you how to organize your craft supplies after a busy year of crafting. Start brainstorming your Valentine’s Day projects with our new… -
DIY: Snow Globes
28 Dec 2011 | 10:41 pmWinter vacation has always been one of my favorite times of year to try new craft projects. The slow, winter days are perfect for staying indoors, turning on some cheerful music, and crafting for hours at a time. My latest project is perfect for a winter day spent indoors, and it’s a great project to share with family members who may be home for the holidays. I found inspiration from bloggers Lemonista and The Naked Baker who shared their simple instructions and tips for these cute DIY snow globes. What You’ll Need: Clear jar* with a tight fitting lid Water Glycerin (or mineral or baby… -
Sticky Business: Posts We Liked This Week
18 Dec 2011 | 11:58 pmHere are our favorite craft and DIY links this week. Be sure to follow us @amazinggoop for daily updates on crafts, DIY projects and more! Hope you have a great weekend! Crafts: Make a Tic Tac Toe gift game your kids will love with this project using E-6000 from The Idea Room. Looking for a creative way to display your holiday cards? Make a fabric card tree. Dollar Store Crafts has a great idea for a last-minute hand-made gift. Say “Merry Kiss-mas” with these adorable treat pouches. DIY Projects: Learn how to make beaded leather bracelets with this DIY project from The Crafts…
-
Social Hacks
-
Cyber Bullying: What and How to Prevent It
26 Jan 2012 | 2:52 amWhile bullying in the classroom is something that most parents have at least some first hand knowledge about, the world of cyber bullying is frequently a mystery. And although most parents are in the very least aware of this unfortunate aspect of the internet, few parents understand just what it is or how they can protect their child from it short of taking them offline. What Exactly is Cyber Bullying? In essence, cyber bullying is the exact same as regular bullying. The same motives are present in the cyber bully and the experiences of the victim can be just as devastating. The difference… -
The Skinny On Buying Cheap Textbooks
25 Jan 2012 | 8:36 amAs textbook prices go up and up, students are looking for more creative ways to get their textbooks for cheap. And although there are plenty of resources on the web to buy cheap textbooks for college or high school, no one has ever taken the time to actually compile a list of all of the possible avenues to take when buying textbooks. Some methods are a bit more well known than others, but we hope that you find this information useful in your hunt for textbooks. I remember when I was in college, textbooks were the bane of my existence and having a list like this would have helped a lot. Table… -
Help! My Child Does Not Do Her Homework
23 Jan 2012 | 1:07 amGetting your child to turn off the TV and actually do some homework can at times be a little like pulling teeth. From “just five more minutes” to “I don’t have any homework today”, it appears that they have an excuse for everything. And even if you can get them to turn off the TV and actually sit down, how can you ensure that they actually try to learn something. The first thing to realise is that part of the reason your child is not doing their homework could be because you are not correctly encouraging them to do. The second thing to do is to change that. Establish a Routine The… -
Twitter Marketing: The Essential Guide
14 Jan 2012 | 3:30 amWithout boring you with all of the details of what Twitter is and how it works, we’re instead going to jump straight into everything you need to know about promoting your brand on Twitter and how to get more followers and customers as a result. Because Twitter has kind of become a monster that no one really knows how to strategically tackle anymore, we’re going to give you a step by step plan of how you can manage your Twitter account every day to ultimately build your brand in a particular niche. Table of Contents Twitter Followers Following To Be Followed Twitter Statistics Twitter… -
5 Fun Science Fair Projects for Kids
5 Jan 2012 | 7:25 pmSo, science fair is coming around and you’re not sure what it is you’d like to do? With the Internet making it easier and easier to learn how to do fun and amazing projects, it’s no wonder that the competition is steeper every year for how awesome a science fair project can be. Although there are plenty more options than the ones listed below, we’ve picked out our favorite science fair projects for kids to try out this year. They range in difficulty from things that you can do in an afternoon to things that will require the assistance of an adult. Table of Contents 1. Elementary…
-
Pipe Gripes - By Thompson Plumbing Heating Cooling
-
Do I Have to Insulate the Pipes in My Crawl Space?
26 Jan 2012 | 4:39 pmThe simple answer to this question is: yes, you do. But we’ll also give you a more detailed explanation and some advice on how to do it. The pipes in your crawl space are in an unheated portion of your home and, therefore, they could freeze without proper insulation (provided, of course, that you live in a climate with cold winters and that your pipes are not buried far below the frost line). Fortunately, crawl space pipes can be insulated relatively cheaply and easily, just like the pipes in your basement or attic. Begin by using an insulating material, such as an electrical wire heating… -
Why Drains Are Only For Water
18 Jan 2012 | 10:27 amOften, people rinse more than water down their drains, not thinking about where the chemicals or other liquids could lead. However, rinsing things down the sink aren’t good for the environment or your pipes. For starters, it’s never a good idea to rinse household or automotive chemicals down any drain in your home. These cleaning products and chemicals will make their way into lakes and oceans, causing serious damage. Do not put any pesticides down the drain, along with any cleaning products, germicides, or antiseptics that contain mercury. Several common items people rinse down the sink… -
What To Do About A Stinky Garbage Disposal
5 Jan 2012 | 9:45 amEven after you rinse everything down the garbage disposal, you might still detect a funky smell emanating from the drain. Over time, small food particles build up in and around your garbage disposal, stinking up an otherwise fresh-smelling kitchen. Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to clean out your garbage disposal and eliminate that unpleasant odor. First, try flushing out the disposal with some soap and hot water. The best way to do this is by putting a stopper over the drain, then filling the sink with several inches of hot water and a squeeze of dish detergent. Then,… -
Prevent Sweating Pipes
26 Aug 2011 | 8:21 amThis summer, we’ve all been sweating enough in the heat. The last things we want to deal with are sweating pipes, too. Although sweating pipes aren’t the biggest deal in the world, they are a nuisance and can signify larger problems at work. Do you notice condensation forming on your pipes? At times, condensation can accrue to the point that your pipes drip. If you use your basement for storage, a laundry room or for a place to hang out, dripping pipes are not only annoying, but they can provoke mold and mildew growth – and that’s a real problem. Eliminate nasty, sweating pipes with… -
Getting Your New Plumbing Inspected
16 Aug 2011 | 9:01 amHomeowners and business owners probably look forward to inspections as much as you look forward to your next root canal. We often associate inspections with headaches and nitpicking over codes that can wind up costing a lot of money and seemingly wasting a lot of time. The fact is, though, a thorough inspection can save more headaches that it creates (if it creates any). If you recently bought a new or existing home, make sure you have these key areas looked at by a certified inspector: Plumbing fixtures: There’s a lot more to your fixtures than meets the eye. Your plumbing fixtures are…
-
All About Doors and Windows Articles
-
How to Install Float-Away Bifold Doors
8 Jan 2012 | 8:03 amTweet How to Install Float-Away Bifold Doors Install Track: Position upper track 5/8" (16 -
How to Install Corner Guides on Keller Shower Doors
7 Jan 2012 | 4:06 amTweet How to Install / Replace Corner Guide on Keller Shower Doors -
How to Install Corner Guides on Keller Shower Doors
7 Jan 2012 | 4:06 amTweet How to Install / Replace Corner Guide on Keller Shower Doors -
Adjusting HOPPE Hinges
7 Jan 2012 | 3:07 amTweet Adjusting HOPPE Hinges There are two types of HOPPE hinges, both of which are used on any swinging door panel: Guide Hinge: Allows for horizontal adjustment Horizo -
Replacing the Rollers in a Sliding Door Made by Great Lakes Window
6 Jan 2012 | 8:01 amTweet Replacing Rollers in a Sliding Door Made by Great Lakes Window This tutorial is intended to aid in replacing original tank-tread rollers in Great Lakes Window vinyl sliding patio doors due to ordinary wear and tear. Original tank-tread-style ro
-
Julian Cassell's DIY Blog
-
Lawn care and maintenance
26 Jan 2012 | 5:34 amTweetLawn care and maintenance is a subject that most of us start to think about in early spring, and the autumn, as these are the optimum times for seasonal work to be carried out on your lawn. The following post provides a number of points you need to take into account for some simple but effective lawn care. Maintaining a lawn really doesn’t need to be a full time occupation, so try following these few principles to make your lawn look better than ever. Grass needs nutrients. Apply granular feed, weed and mosskiller twice a year, accurately by hand, or with a purpose-made spreader… -
Top 10 uses for masking tape
25 Jan 2012 | 9:58 amTweetStandard, humble, masking tape...........just so many uses. My top 10 uses for masking tape does include some ‘masking up’ to divide different painted surfaces, but not as many as you may think. Don’t get me wrong, masking tape is useful for defining precise paint edges, in some situations, but most of the time you are far better off painting edges without the aid of tape. Yes it is true that if you use top quality (and expensive) masking tape, and combine it with pin point perfect technique in application, you can get a good finish, but to be honest, in most situations… -
Planning a garden
24 Jan 2012 | 3:53 amTweetPlanning a garden needs to be a carefully considered decision-making process, where you take plenty of time in adding up the pros and cons of all your ideas and inspirations. Doing as much research as possible at the planning stage will always pay dividends in the long term, as your garden gradually matures. Always a good idea to draw a scale plan of your ideas. You only need a piece of graph paper and a pencil. There are many elements that you can introduce to your garden. Consider what you use your garden for most: relaxing, playing, growing plants or veg? Also, how much time do you… -
How to lay a deck
22 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amTweetHow to lay a deck or decking, or more specifically the techniques that are required, is much dependent on whether you are building at ground level, or creating a raised level deck. Raised decks are a much more involved undertaking as you need to build a substantial support framework, but with a ground level deck, the support is effectively already in place, and so it is much more straightforward. Building a ground level deck is shown in the sequence below. The principles demonstrated here will be similar with all decks, but always follow any manufacturer’s instructions carefully. -
How to wallpaper a feature wall
20 Jan 2012 | 11:03 amTweetHow to wallpaper a feature wall, as a topic, is mainly about deciding on the best position to start papering. In other words, there is no need to alter any part of the hands-on ‘how-to’ wallpapering technique, but there is a need to be as accurate as possible when deciding on where to hang your first length. Okay, with the smallest patterns, you don’t need to worry too much, but with most papers you really need to concentrate on centralizing any design, and ensuring that when you get to the corners, you’ve chosen the best possible place for the corner to…
-
it only takes one handy couple to fix an ugly house.
-
How We Do Our Magic
27 Jan 2012 | 11:00 amHey everyone, Today I wanted to simply let everyone now how we go about magically transforming our house the way we do, and talk a bit about how Kyle and I work together. We know you are all in awe of how fast we can accomplish things, but it’s because we’re publishing posts with pictures about things we did almost 3 years ago. So, it seems like it’s going by really fast, but for us it really wasn’t. To help me explain this, I wanted to answer Ashley’s questions (from First Home Dreams) from a comment she left on yesterday’s post. Here is Ashley’s… -
Instant Push-Button Software for Bathroom Layouts
26 Jan 2012 | 11:00 amIf you want to learn how to resize and rearrange windows, vanities, and showers with ease, you’ve come to the right place. Just purchase our push button software, download to your ipod, point and shoot! Easy as 1-2-3. No work required! Not! Rearraning a bathroom is a lot of work because you pretty much have to take everything down to the studs (and even remove some studs). Luckily Kyle and I are “Studs” (can a girl be a stud? oh well), so we were able to accomplish this task. Today we’re doing a few cool things, all which require the rearrangement of bathroom… -
Potty Town Break Down
25 Jan 2012 | 11:00 amKyle came up with the title of this post. I think he’s hilarious. Much more funny than I am. But Kyle is a quiet funny person. Most people who know him don’t even know how funny he is. It’s like he keeps most of his funniness to himself. Whenever someone hears him say something funny they’re always really surprised. And I’m always like, “Yeah, he’s actually really funny…” I think the fact that it’s surprising helps make him seem more funny… you know how the element of surprise can intensify emotion… Anyway so today,… -
This Old Master Bathroom
24 Jan 2012 | 11:00 amSo before we get into the nitty gritty (love that phrase) we’re gonna do a little before post of the Master Bathroom of our home makeover. This post is simply going to document all the pictures we took of the bathroom before we touched it and tell you what exactly we’re going to do. (Yep, we actually stuck to our plan, so stick around to see it come to fruition). Vanity Area: The floor, vanity, mirror, and light fixture are going to be replaced, and those drawers on the left of the sink are going to go away. We’re closing that off to make room for a slightly… -
Hit the Flight Deck
23 Jan 2012 | 11:00 amSo after we finished the master bedroom, we took a break and went to the USS Midway museum located in Downtown San Diego. So today we’re going to give you a little tour of that. First we ate some lunch at Lil Piggy’s BBQ in Coronado. Then we took the ferry from Coronado to Embarcadero. The Midway Museum is a parked Aircraft carrier. *photo taken from allfamouswonders.com Here is the little mini Midway tour that we’re gonna give you: Look! We’re an airplane! Kyle’s dad telling him a story: 10-4, Over. …
