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Home Improvement Blog - On the Level is a home remodeling & repair blog to keep you informed on the products and trends that we see in the field.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! |
To all of our readers: a very Happy Thanksgiving, from all of us here at BobVila.com!
What, you want more to read? Are you bored with Turkey Day already?
Okay, why don't you try the following:
1) Get some Holiday shopping done.
2) Help out in the kitchen. That's right: mash some potatoes, or if the meal is over, scrub a couple dishes. You'll feel better for it.
3) Keep the kids occupied: Help them build a cool Gingerbread House.
4) Go clear that blocked sink drain. Come on, you just had 15 people over. There's a clogged sink SOMEWHERE in the house.
Of course, if you choose to take a nap, we won't blame you. We're probably doing the same thing ourselves!
Happy Thanksgiving!
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"Oh, honey! Is it a Jigger Cube? You shouldn't have!" |
Okay, so we at BobVila.com aren't the biggest fans of tooting our own horn (well, most of the time), but we just had to do it this time. We recently finished our holiday gift guide and I realized that with it, I can basically cross everyone off my list. Here's how:
Gift for Mom: She's definitely getting the Eco-Gardening Gloves, by Ethel Gloves. No one spends more time in their yard or garden than Mother. The combination synthetic leather and bamboo are much more durable than leather, so the gloves will hold up even as she lugs those famous New Hampshire granite stones around the yard. They're the perfect gift for the gardener.
Gift for Dad: This is a tougher one. The gift that caught my eye was the Automated Gutter Cleaner, from iRobot. Seriously, I am talking about a robot gutter cleaner. It looks partially inspired by Johnny 5 from those old Short Circuit series -- it also looks like it could provide at least 100 horses on the back of a Boston Whaler. Hey, whatever keeps my Dad off the roof...
Gift for a Young Couple: James and Sandra are two good friends of mine who don't mind the occasional (read: regular) martini. What better kitchen gift for them than the Jigger Cube? Sandra will never again dump an improperly measured martini down the drain in disgust. It's a stocking stuffer. It's a gift for the kitchen. It's six-sided. It's perfect.
Gift for the Handyman: Ray is a contractor buddy who has taken me along on a number of jobs so I could shoot some How To's. He's the quintessential handyman, hired out to do everything from replacement windows and storm doors to whole kitchen remodels. He also has a bad back. I cringe every time I watch him lift a wall cabinet on his own. So I'm giving him these Handi-Straps. Hefty loads won't be a bother anymore. I'm not sure if he'll want to be seen in public wearing one, so I'll promise to put away the camera next time. This is a great gift for guys, or a workshop gift. Put it under the tree? Heck, you can LIFT the tree with this baby.
Gift for the Cooks-in-Training: I know for a fact that my friends Kyle and Kristi NEVER check how much propane is left in the tank before inviting everyone over for a cookout. It's always been just a matter of time before they're forced to order pizza when the gas runs out with the meat barely passing for rare. So they are getting the Propane Gauge, from Brookstone. Yes, it's a little self-serving? I don't want pizza when steaks are on the menu.
There's plenty more gifts to choose from in the Holiday Gift Guide. Be sure to check out the Gifts under $25 and Stocking Stuffers while you're there. I bet you'll whittle that list down to nothing.
What tough-to-shop-for person do you have on your list? Maybe we can help.
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Prepared hosts make happy hosts at Thanksgiving time! |
Thanksgiving is just days away. I figure at least 1/5 of the families who celebrate Thanksgiving in this country also play host -- that's a lot of stressed out folks wondering if they have forgotten an ingredient... or Grandma's gravy boat.
So we at BobVila.com have assembled a helpful Holiday Host Emergency Kit list for all those households out there preparing for the hungry herd of in-laws and their offspring:
1) Hydrogen Peroxide. For wine stains on rugs or dresses. (It's Thanksgiving. Spills happen. Accept it and just be prepared to deal.) And this removal tip gets a five-star rating from readers.
2) CLR toilet and sink de-clogger. Let's face it, a mid-dinner toilet clog is worse than burning the turkey.
3) TurkeyTimer iPhone App: Any excuse to whip out the iPhone, right? This App will help you determine how long it takes to cook your turkey and track your turkey's brownness. It will even prompt you to baste.
4) A good game. Novice hosts will need a good 2-hour distraction when they realize the bird isn't even CLOSE to being done.
5) An extra place setting. When a neighbor or long-lost cousin stops by unexpectedly, right before you're sitting down to eat. Forget formal dining -- just have some sturdy paper plates on hand.
6) Ingredients for an Old Fashioned. "Mad Men" fever has taken over. All the gents of drinking age will want one.
7) A Jigger Cube to mix the above.
8) Exit Strategy: Some coordinated movements by the host family that say "Okay, Thanksgiving is over. It's time for everyone to leave!" As a last resort we suggest someone sneak away and pull the main breaker, interrupting power to the whole house. Nothing ends Thanksgiving faster than no heat or electricty.
9) A dog. While they might hop on guests, they make clean up less of a chore. Don't have a Rufus to call your own? We're sure one of your neighbors underestimates the value of a hungry hound.
Got anything to add to the list? Share it in the comment section below!
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See what's behind door #1 on the next edition of our new game show, "Guess That Grimy Gasket." |
Do you have a high-efficiency front-loading washing machine? If so, be on the lookout for mold. This recently-published MSNBC.com piece investigates the increased likelihood of mold growth in front-loaders. Unlike top loaders, which see most water evaporate after a cycle, front loaders experience water collection, particularly on the rubber gasket around the glass window. And all those advanced physics students will recall Einstein's lesser known theory of mold-time continuum: H₂O + Rubber = Mold².
Certain washing habits don't help the problem, either. The use of less bleach and cold water cycles can contribute to mold growth, which leads to stinky washing machines, stinky laundry rooms and stinky homes.
Check out the article and learn how to prevent mold growth in your front-loader.
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After a five-hour stand-off, the Gingerbread Man finally emerged from his Gingerbread House and surrendered to authorities.
Photo by Halldor Utne |
...I'm the Gingerbread Man! But everyone knows where the Gingerbread Man hides out. That's right: his Gingerbread House.
Yes, folks, it's Gingerbread House-making Season. It's time to pre-heat those ovens, mix up some icing, and start building!
Like any good new home construction project, the building of a Gingerbread house must start with a floor plan. Check out this guide to building an abode fit for Sweet Street. You'll find floor plans, building tips and construction steps. We won't hold it against you when the hard hat is dusted off for this one.
For a little added inspiration, take a second to ingest this cute little Gingerbread Dreamhouse action figure sequence.
Got a Gingerbread House worth bragging about? Add it to our MyProjects section. Good luck!
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Dancing Like a Little Star
Photo By Greg Vazzana Our daughter likes to hang from this pole as much as she likes to dance with it. |
Ever wonder what it would take to have your own dance floor?
I created this "Dance Experience" in my daughter's room for just a few hundred dollars, including materials. Luckily we already had a hardwood floor and very solid walls. The ballet bar can hold me up and I weigh five times as much as my five year old so it should be pretty safe.
If you have the room you can create a small or large home dance studio. I found this great reference online if you do not have suitable floor. How to make a dance floor.
And for those of you want to add new hardwood floors to any room see this hardwood floor preparation guide.
We bought our ballet bar and mirror set at Pottery Barn Kids but you may find it for less at a local kids furniture store.
Now I just need to take dance lessons myself to become a professional ballroom dancing champion so I can be on Dancing With the Stars, too.
Wish me luck.
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Randy the Receptacle: TalkingPlug's less intelligent older brother. |
What do Smart Homes running off a Smart Energy Grid need to be complete? Why, Smart Plugs, of course!
The energy conservationists at Zerofootprint are adding IQ points to each outlet in the home with their new carbon emission-reducing socket supplements, called "TalkingPlugs™." Designed to fit right on top of an existing outlet, each TalkingPlug™ comes equipped with technology that enables control of a plugged-in appliance across a network as well as real-time measuring of energy consumption. You know how the "Stand-by" mode of every plugged in appliance or electronic device consumes electricity even when said device is turned off? The TalkingPlug™ can be programmed to cut power to the device during certain hours (sleepy time) to conserve electricity.
Widespread installation of TalkingPlugs™ across neighborhoods, municipalities and even the country will result in a sort of mesh network -- information gathered from each home can be sent to Zerofootprint and individual homes can check in to see how their energy usage compares to others.
The current $50/plug price is a little prohibitive. I want to conserve, but I also want to have enough money to actually pay the electricity bill (lower though it may be). I'm not sure if I'm sold on the name, either. I envision cartoonish plastic wall pods from some animated kids' movie fighting for the attention of the human characters. "Plug ME!" "No, plug ME!" Lower the price, change the name, and I'm as game as the next guy.
Would you buy a Talking Plug™?
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