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How to Set Up Your Air Compressor for Power Tools

  If you’re a bonafide Do-It-Yourselfer you can’t go one more day without, at the very least, a mini air compressor. Once you experience the ease of pneumatic tools, life as you know it will never be the same.  It’s too complicated, you say? Ha! Not after you see step by step how easy it is to rig up for interchangable […]

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Get the Look of Wainscoting for Less

Photo Images: THR & Sons When we built a home years ago my brother suggested some cost cutting carpentry illusions that gave us the look of custom raised wainscoting panels in the dining room and up the stairway. It’s fairly commonplace now but at the time, it was a clever construction cost cutting idea.

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How to: Repurpose a Ketchup Bottle for Perfect Pancakes

You’ve seen the technique at your local diner: a handheld dispenser full of batter is floated over a nice cripsy griddle, creating perfectly round and drip-free flapjacks. And you can buy things for home use… But why would you, with this tip from Real Simple. Just throughly wash a large, squeezable condiment bottle, and fill […]

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Painted Craftsman Woodwork a Tragedy?

The owners of this Craftsman bungalow really, really like white. They’ve painted over all the dark woodwork and either bleached the original floors or had nearly-white hardwood installed. The interior seems to be a bit of a stew with elements of contemporary and mid-century modern, with a little modern country and traditional thrown in. Overall, […]

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How to Make a Hanging Headboard

DIY: Hanging Headboard – More The Indianapolis Star Galleries 1. It cost under $100.00 2. This one is sized for a queen size bed 3.  The slides are a little out of order so start around the 5th photo or so. 4.  The hangers in the photo are WONDERFUL and easy to use.

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DIY: Replacing Foam in a Lounge Chair Cushion

   There’s no question that down cushions are high-end and luxurious. The down side (ha! no pun intended) is that they lack resilience and don’t provide the springiness many folks want in their seat. The problem with foam cushions is that they get compacted and crumbly after years of use.  Many people ask me how to change out […]

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How To Make a Button Pillow

When a certain big Swedish apparel retailer decided to offer a home collection including a hand drawn looking button pillow, it started my wheels turning. It looked completely DIY-able and the collection isn’t available in the United States so, what the heck. Here is a step-by-step

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How to Make Paper Mache Bluebirds

These sweet bluebirds might look ceramic, but they’re really paper mache. And, according to their maker, Jonni, they’re fast and easy to make. To fabricate a pair of your own, you’ll need:

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Make a Spring Button Bouquet

This sweet button bouquet tutorial comes just in time for Mother’s Day. The original maker used die-cut felt flowers, but, as DSC says, you could easily cut your own to save on cost. Stuff you’ll need to make a bunch include: felt, about 25 cents per sheet at your local craft store buttons, which you […]

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Simple Ways to Turn a Twin Bed into a Day Bed

Photo: furniturestoreblog.com What exactly is a day bed, you ask? It’s a twin bed disguised as a sofa by day and used as a bed at night. If your tiny space necessitates double duty for your bed, it’s really quite simple to convert almost any twin bed into a day bed. Here are three pretty simple ways you can pimp out your twin […]

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Before and After: Removing Rust from Chrome

With thrifting and garage sale season upon us, no doubt we’ll find a ‘can’t pass up’ piece of 60’s or 70’s chrome furniture with some nasty rust spots.  If you research the best techniques for removing rust from chrome, you’ll find up to nine different techniques people swear by to clean up their bike frames, chrome […]

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How To Make Tree Limb Coasters

We find high glossed coffee tables made out of tree slices to be organic, modern and very appealing. DIY-ing a coffee table would be a hefty task. However, slicing up a tree limb,

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Free Corset Sachet Patterns

A bit of felt and embroidery thread and needle is all you need to stitch up one–or all–of these darling corset sachets. The free pattern can be found on retangel’s photostream at flickr. Via.

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How to Make a 2-Toned Button Window Shade

With the right buttons and fabric, this window shade could work in just about ANY style of room. And, dare I say, it’s as cute as a button? (My bad.) Anyway, if you’d like to crank one out, here’s a list of materials you’ll need: Measuring tape 2 contrasting fabrics, for front and back of […]

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How To File Your Dog’s Nails with a Dremel

The dremel has to be one of the most adorable power tools ever. Why then is it so difficult to figure out where to use it? All those cool attachments have to be useful for something. While I’m experimenting, check out this YouTube

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Get the Spa Smell in Your Home: Eucalyptus Cleaning Recipes

Photo by Allen Hart Don’t you wish your house had that fresh spa smell when walked in the door? There used to be a candle that replicated that wonderful aroma, but like all good things, it was discontinued.  Not to worry, over on TipNut there are nine simple recipes involving eucalyptus that you can whip up to use as […]

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Super Simple Homemade Turtle Recipe

I don’t usually post recipes, but just look at that picture! Pecans, chocolate, caramel, pretzels…a balanced meal if there ever was one! What’s even better about these turtles is that they’re super easy to make, and, according to Twig and Thistle, they’re addictive. They consist of only 3 ingredients, which are:

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Common Upholstery Techniques

I’m sure you’ve seen some of our very own ModHomeEcTeacher‘s delicious upholstery posts by now. She’s a wiz to be sure, but if the idea of ripping fabric off that sad side-chair or lumpy love seat leaves you with a case of clammy hands, take a deep breath and check out BHG’s Common Upholstery Techniques. […]

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