handywoman tagged posts

Thanks to the Toolbox Tomgirl for this issue of Tips from the Pros, about how long appliances typically last.

“Fake it ’til you make it.” I have no idea who said those words to me first. I remember hearing them when I was a kid and thinking they were so stupid. Some adult must have made them up to make me feel better about some sport I was trying to play. I always sucked at sports. I had no skill and was the sister of the captain of the football team. That should tell you enough.

When I became an adult and wanted to become part of the man’s world of construction those words were REALLY important to me. I had to fake it because I had a lot to learn and I didn’t want to look like an idiot. I knew I had to at least “look” like I knew what I was doing...

Thanks to the Toolbox Tomgirl for this episode of Tips from the Pros, about painting a room.

Have you ever walked into a room and saw, black…if not a very deep burgundy wall color….what was your first reaction!?!? Maybe, scream…run away…thinking – “How will I ever be able to cover this up!?!?”

First, let me start off by saying that if you are going over a dark color you will need to use a primer to cover the old color, or you will get a blend of the two colors (old + new) and it may not look like what you were expecting. (And yes, I know this from experience – the wall turned out like baby throw up….yuck.) Also, spackle and fill any nail holes or imperfections. Be sure to sand smooth your areas and use a tack cloth to remove the drywall dust)...

Thanks to the Toolbox Tomgirl for this episode of Tips from the Pros, about buying products made in the USA.

As a handywoman I am always reading various magazines on new products and trends in building and construction. Recently I was surprised to read in my Green Builder magazine about how rare it is to find a green building material made in America.

Green Builder magazine sent out an invitation to over 2,000 companies encouraging them to share information about their American-made green products, receiving only a few dozen submissions. The conclusion is that U.S. made green products are a rare and special breed, even though they are making use of the triple advantage of creating domestic jobs, reducing the impact of overseas shipping and making use of locally sourced raw materials...