Monthly Archives:

September 2011

Our Top Picks From Lowe’s New Kobalt Tools Line

Last week, I had the great fortune of traveling to New York City for the debut of Lowe’s expanded Kobalt Tools line. Although the home improvement giant has offered Kobalt tools for years (Kobalt started in 1998 as a…

10 Things NOT To Do To Keep Your Home Safe

Now that it’s officially autumn and fall projects are finishing up as the cooler weather sits in, it’s time for a reality check. Before you know it, winter and the holiday season will be upon us once again, and…

Introducing Built by Kids – The ABC’s of DIY

It’s been a crazy couple of weeks around here, but we’re finally ready to pull the cover off our new project, Built by Kids! We launched the site on Labor Day and the next day my wife Laura went…

Create Your Own Giant Ruler Height Chart (For Free!)

I’m sure we all have similar memories growing up of standing with our backs straight against a wall while our parents marked our height with our names and the date, creating a timeline of childhood growth. While these places…

When To Inspect Your Fire Extinguishers

In addition to installing smoke alarms throughout your home, you may opt to keep a couple of fire extinguishers on hand in case of an emergency. Yet fire extinguishers, like most other things in your home, need to be…

Keep Your Gutters Debris-Free With Gutter Filler

During a rainy Saturday morning last weekend, my husband and I found ourselves at the hardware store to stock up on picture- and art-hanging supplies, as well as a masonry bit and, the motherlode of all finds – a…

Create Your Own Invisible Floating Shelves

I don’t know how the weather is where you live, but here in Kansas City, we’re in for a chilly and rainy weekend – the perfect time to knock out a few DIY projects! The newest one I’ve added…

Would You Create Your Own Carpet With Pencil? This Guy Did!

File this one under “simply amazing.” Artist Jonathan Brechignac has undertaken an incredibly ambitious project. He’s spent more than a year creating carpet for his home using a Biro pencil. That’s right — a pencil! I learned about the…

Take A Peek Inside The Columbus Idea Foundry

Last month while enjoying the exploits of the Tool Race we also had a chance to tour through the Columbus Idea Foundry, the host of not only the race, but the birthplace of many of the modified tools that…

How To Seal Your Driveway

Before the temperatures start to dip too low, you may want to consider sealing your driveway. Periodically applying a sealant will help protect your driveway’s condition, and is an especially good idea if you live somewhere with hot summers…

Say Hej To The New IKEA Family Loyalty Program

One of our favorite Swedish retailers, IKEA, has reccently launched a new program called IKEA Family, a free membership loyalty program with a good deal of benefits for cardholders. During our family’s end-of-summer sojourn to the great big blue…

Why You Should Buy A Weatherproofing Kit

When it comes to winterizing and weatherproofing, some simple materials can make a big difference in your home’s interior temperature — and help you conserve energy, too. Maybe you have drafty windows and can’t afford to replace them. Or,…

Get A Sneak Peek At 2012 Flooring Trends

2011 is slowly winding down (eeeekkk!!), so that means we’ll start to see more trend forecasts emerge for 2012. If you’re considering a flooring purchase within the next several months, we’ve got a sneak peek at next year’s flooring…

Do One Thing And Save On Your Energy Bill

As rising energy costs continue to put strain on homeowner budgets (especially as we head into cooler months), saving energy is not only a great idea for the planet — it will help you save money, too. Luckily, saving…

5 Fun Labor Day Weekend Projects

Here are a few of our favorite projects that would be great to tackle this labor day weekend. Choose an indoor or outdoor project and go for it! 1. Paint Your Own Wall Mural 2. Build a Flower Window…