DIY Toolbox

If you like to repair things around your home or apartment, then you need to have some basic tools available in your toolbox. I’m a DIYer and I have my own DIY toolbox with all the necessities. You don’t need to have everything but having these will make the job much simpler. Even things as simple as Velcro can make a job easier. Lisa Hoover wrote a great article which lists all of the DIY uses for Velcro.

“Velcro is one of the handiest tricks around for home improvement and decorating projects. It’s available at big retail stores, small craft stores, and even at some grocery stores. It’s cheap, comes in several different colors, and is available in sheets, squares, strips, and dots of all sizes. Velcro is very strong, yet removes easily from most surfaces (test first in an inconspicuous area). To use, just cut it to the size you need, peel the paper backing off both sides, and stick in place. ” http://www.diylife.com/2007/06/25/inside-the-diy-toolbox-velcro-is-your-friend/

So let’s go ahead and stock the DIY toolbox and don’t forget the Velcro.

Apollo Precision Tools DT0773N1 - 135 Piece Household Pink Tool Kit

Screwdrivers - a great thing to keep handy is a multi-function screwdriver that has several different tips that are stored in the handle. In addition, you should have a set of Phillips and slotted-head screwdrivers and a set of small screwdrivers. Each set will come with different sizes for different jobs.

Hammer - another necessity for the toolbox. I like to keep a large one, 12 ounce, for heavy jobs and smaller one for simple jobs.

Pliers - adjustable pliers which are great for working on plumbing and in tight spots like under sinks and in cabinets.

Wrench - an adjustable wrench for use with nuts and bolts. This is essential in the toolbox since it is used for tightening and assembling.

Level - at least a 10 inch level, preferably longer, is needed for hanging items on walls in order to determine if they are straight. You will need this to hang things such as curtain rods, pictures, shelving, etc.

Apollo Precision Tools DT9773 53-Piece Household Tool Kit with Tool Box

Ladder - a small utility step ladder is good to keep around but a regular step ladder (8 foot is the preferred) is a necessity in order to reach high places for doing things such as changing light bulbs, painting, even changing curtains. It’s much safe to use a ladder than standing on chairs.

Caulking Gun - this along with a spare tube of caulking is good to have around for those unexpected times when you discover something needs to be sealed such as windows or doors.

Utility Knives - along with extra blades for heavy duty cutting. Make sure to purchase the retracting kind which is much safer.

Hot Glue Gun - great to keep in your toolbox along with glue sticks.

Vise Grips - otherwise known as locking pliers. I use this as a third hand sometimes.

Tape Measure - every home and DIY toolbox needs a good tape measure.

Yard Stick - this is best if it is 36 inch metal yard stick. This will even guide you when cutting a straight line.

Goggles, dust mask and ear protection - always a must for safety and you never know when you may need them.

Drill - this is a must and the cordless are easy to use.

Kawasaki 840056 Black 19.2v 4pc Cordless Combo Kit

Jig Saw - in my toolbox, this is a must. I have made many things using a jig saw and a piece of wood.

Sponge Paint Brushes - cheap, disposable and easy to reach for when needed for touchups..

Cordless Screwdriver - not a necessity but is nice to use as long as you have it charged.

Sand Paper

It a must in my house that I have my own toolbox that no one else touches so that when I find something that needs to be done, I can get right on it. It’s a habit for me to scour the discount stores for tools in search for something new and inexpensive. Many times my husband comes to me for that needed tool that can be only found in my DIY toolbox. Do you like to DIY and have your own toolbox? Go ahead and share it. I might be missing something important.

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Sometimes, when you look around a room in your home and it can be any room, there seems to be something missing. Many times, a simple flower arrangement can bring the room together and give it the personality that is missing. Usually if I keep looking around one of the rooms in my home and feel that it is just not right, I will take a flower arrangement from another room to see if that is what is needed. It is the one thing that will make it look finished. That’s when I know that I need to get another flower arrangement.

There are many ways that you can use plastic or silk flowers around your home. I have at least one arrangement in each room and no more than two. Here are some unique ways to use silk or plastic flowers around the home.

1. Some kitchen cabinets do not go up to the ceiling. Some people tend to use the top as a shelf for kitchen gadgets or to display dishes. Instead, I purchased large silk flowers, about 5 inches in diameter each and the same color as the kitchen. I placed them at the top edge of the cabinets about twelve inches apart and filled in between each flower with green ferns. It really did bring some life into the kitchen.
2. If you have picture window or alcove, purchase a five foot or longer swag made with large flowers and place it over the middle of the window.
3. Use the top of a china closet or hutch to display flowers. The taller the ceilings, the taller the arrangement. You want the eye to go up to the ceiling. Use tall vases and place long bamboo sticks in them to reach the height that you need. If using a flower arrangement, place it on top of a decorative box to make it taller.
4. If you have vaulted ceilings, hang a large silk plant in a corner of the room. Make sure that it takes up at least three to four feet of space from the ceiling down.
5. Use six foot or higher trees in corners or behind furniture. Again, these can be placed on boxes (if hidden) or on end tables for a taller effect.
6. Use a four foot silk tree with flowers on an end table.
7. When using flower arrangements on dining tables, make a statement. Tall flower arrangements tend to be very elegant. Even just a tall vase with bamboo sticks in it is pretty to have on a dining table or end table.

The idea here is that when using flower arrangements, the fuller and taller the arrangement, the less you need to use and the prettier they look. A lot is not always better. Make a statement with just a few but make those few memorable.

How do you use flower arrangements around your home? If you would like to share your ideas or have any questions, please post in the comment section. I always enjoy reading comments.

We all have those little things that make us want to cringe. One of those things that just does it to me is when I go through all of this work ironing drapes or curtains only to have them look disheveled up by the rod. So I made a major decision to make wooden cornices for my windows. My parents did it way back when and the windows always looked so nice. So now I did it. Turns out that this is another one of today’s window trends.

Measure your window from side to side and add three inches to each side. Now add an additional five inches for the depth of each side (a total of 10 inches) which will give you the total length of wood that you need for making the cornice.

The length of the cornice from top to bottom is up to you. Usually six to eight inches is sufficient.

The top piece which is the shelf of the cornice will be the same measurement as the front piece in length from side to side. The width (from front to wall) should be 5 inches.
Remember to measure twice, cut once.

Assembling

Do a test run. Put the pieces together to make sure they fit right. It basically will look like a box without a bottom or back attached.

Using wood glue, glue each piece together. Then hammer small wood nails or finishing nails at all joints.

Finishing

At this point, you can paint it the color of your choice or stain it or you can get creative and paint a design on it. I used a decorative stencil, trace the pattern, and then used a dremel tool to carve it out. After doing this, I stained and polyurethaned the entire piece. You can also add a piece of decorative molding to the top or a medallion in the middle.

Another idea is to place a piece of foam on the board and cover it with fabric. You can use fabric that matches your upholstery or drapery.

Hanging

I found that the best way to hang these is on a piece of wood. Measure the cornice again from side to side and subtract 6 inches. Cut a small piece of wood (2 x 2 ) the length that you have measured.. Make sure that your drapery hardware (curtain rods) are already in place so that you leave enough room to work with drapes after the cornice has been installed. Place this piece of wood against the wall at least three inches above the drapery hardware and nail to wall beams. Now place the cornice on top of that and nail or screw into the board making sure that the overhang on each side is even.

You can also use “L” brackets, which can be found at any store, to attach the cornice to the wall.

Embassy 3″ Faux Wood Crown Valance up to 24 x 36

There you have it. It really is easy to do and just makes a window look complete. No more messy tops of curtains or drapes that are buckling on top. Now if they do, who cares?! You won’t be able to see it anymore. That’s why I made wood cornices for every room of my home.

If you have any questions or just want to leave a comment, go ahead right below. I would love to know if you have made cornices already or you are going to try it now.
No-Sew Window Cornice

40 inch Fabric Covered Cornice - Augustine Camel

Since this post is about party supplies, having parties and welcoming guests into your home, I decided to do my first podcast to welcome each one of you to HerHomeBlog.

welcome-podcast.mp3

Since I will be having family and friends over this weekend for a birthday party, it seemed like a good time to go over my list and share what party supplies I keep on hand. By doing this, I don’t have to run out and buy everything all at one time and I always have them available in the event unexpected guests drop by. These come in handy when there are a lot of guests and you want to make clean up easy and quick.

“Do-ahead preparations will take the stress out of drop-in visitors, and free you to enjoy visits from unexpected guests. Purchase or prepare hospitality supplies: crackers, some good cheese (the smellier the better to deter grazing children) frozen cookies or slices of cake. Child-proof the latter by wrapping aluminum foil and labeling as “liver and onions” before you freeze!”

http://organizedhome.com

You can store them in a tub like container, in the garage or even have a shelf dedicated just for this. I keep mine on a really high shelf that no one can reach so that they are not tempted to use them everyday.

Non-perishables

Plastic utensils including knives, forks and spoons.
Paper plates for cold food or coated plates needed for hot foods.
Plastic cups in different sizes. You can also use the paper type coffee cups. By keeping different sizes, you will always have some available for children.
A bag of balloons.
Rolls of crepe paper in different colors for decorating.
A package of napkins. You can keep a supply of the smaller sized napkins just for parties.
Paper table clothes to dispose of or vinyl table clothes that can easily by washed off.
Foil pans for cooking or setting out food. If heavily soiled, you can just dispose of them at the end of the party.

158 Piece LUAU Tropical PARTY Decorations/DECOR BALLOONS/Hibiscus Straws/Tablecloths/Appetizer Food Picks/BANNER/Flowers/Chinese PAPER LANTERNS

Perishables

Buy soda or juice when it is on sale to keep handy. Just remember to rotate your supply so that you know it is always fresh.
Most of us usually have mustard, mayo and ketchup in our refrigerators. Keep an extra one of each in your cupboard so you don’t run out in case of a party. Pickles, relish and salsa are also good to keep on hand.

One of the things I don’t like to keep on hand is chips, pretzels and crackers. They have a tendency to go stale if kept for too long.

Just remember that when the party is over, collect the unused non-perishable supplies and pack them away for the next time. Check to seek how much of the perishables you have left so that you can restock your pantry when the items are on sale. By doing this, you will know what you have left and can restock when your local store is having a sale.

What do you keep on hand for parties? Tell us what ideas you have to make the next party we have even easier.

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Bathrooms are the one room of the house that not only has a tendency to become cluttered but also boring in a short period of time. I have found that the best time to spruce up the looks of the bathroom is when I am cleaning out the cabinets and de-cluttering. For a small amount of money, you can easily change the bathroom. Keep reading for bathroom ideas for a new look.

The Aquasana AQ4100 Shower Filter/ W extra head

• De-Clutter

The first thing you need to do is clean everything out. Bathroom cabinets tend to become over stuffed with all types of items. The body cream you didn’t like, the latest and greatest razor that cut your legs, the shampoo that made your hair flat. This is probably something a lot of us do. We store these things and then never use them. So it’s time to get rid of it and give yourself more storage space for the next round of never-to-use products.

• Remove All Accessories

Once you have de-cluttered, it is time to remove everything from the bathroom. Give yourself a blank slate to work with. This includes, towels and shower curtains and any other accessories placed around.

• Paint

Nothing perks a room up like giving it a new color. I am a great fan of paint. The most inexpensive decorating item around. Go ahead and paint the bathroom any color that you want. It can be soft or bold. This is a great place to try out sponge painting. Make your own statement or create your own mood. Here’s a link to my post about creative painting:

http://her-home-blog.com/2008/04/creative-interior-painting/

• Now Clean

After the painting is done, it is time to give the place a good cleaning. Scrub the shower, the bathtub, the toilet, the sink and the floors. Don’t forget the light fixture and bathroom fan when cleaning. The bathroom will look sparkle like it is new and will smell great too.

• Time To Accessorize

Here comes the fun part. Use items you already have that match your new color or buy inexpensive items within your budget to accessorize. Most of us already have different colored towels and face clothes. Go ahead and use them. Instead of buying expensive vanity items, use baskets. They will go with any color that you have chosen to paint your bathroom. Use clear glass accessories that you can use again with any color you decide to change to in the future.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashleytheartist2002/

• Hardware

If you haven’t blown the budget on accessories, go ahead and get new hardware. A newer modern towel rack, toilet paper holder and cabinet door knobs will add detail to your new look. You can also purchase a can of spray paint and paint your old hardware to match your new color.

• Lighting

If the light fixture is old, you can opt for purchasing a new one or just change the covering. Sometimes just giving the light fixture a good cleaning will do the trick and make it shine like new. Placing some scented candles in the bathroom will give it a softer look and add a fragrant smell.

It doesn’t take much to redesign and give a bathroom a new look. Most of it is your time and energy. In the end, it is really enjoyable to see what you have done without breaking your budget. By doing it this way, you can change it often to go with the most recent trends in colors.

Do you have other easy bathroom ideas? Go ahead and share them with everyone.

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