Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Sunday, February 17, 2013
How to Install a Toilet
We have a little Water War waging in our otherwise happy
family. I bring up switching to a more water efficient toilet and Husband
shoots me down on principal. In his mind water efficient toilets don’t work. If
we had a toilet that flushed like one of those giant barrels at the water park
that tip over and drench everyone with a bazillion gallons of water that might
just satisfy him.
Posted by
Lisa Nelsen-Woods
at
2/17/2013 01:00:00 PM
5
comments
Tags:
DIY
,
green
,
home improvement
,
How to
,
One Small Green Change
,
plumbing
,
review
,
saving money
,
tutorial
,
video
Friday, January 25, 2013
One Small Green Change: Down Winter Coat
I came home from 40 degree (F) Washington DC (more on that later I promise) to -9 degree Columbus. BRR! The light winter jacket I've making do with this year because my good wool coat is a bit too snug (ahem) just isn't going to cut it no matter how many layers I wear under it.
I need a new heavy winter "play" coat. Something I can wear sledding, skiing, and trudging through snow to the mailbox. Wool is warm and more eco friendly but once it gets wet, you stand a good chance of getting hypothermia on the toboggan run.
In my opinion a wool outer layer isn't practical for a winter ski coat since shushing snow can soak your coat.
Who am I kidding? My ski coat gets wet more from falling and skiing on my face in spectacularly graceful ways than from kicking up snow and outperforming Shaun White on a snowboarding half pipe.
Anyway. I need a new warm heavy winter coat that isn't too bulky to play in the snow. If it can be made from more eco friendly materials that would be awesome. I want this coat to perform well and last. I am willing to pony up the cash for that (although if I can get it on sale that will be the icing on the cake.)
I need a new heavy winter "play" coat. Something I can wear sledding, skiing, and trudging through snow to the mailbox. Wool is warm and more eco friendly but once it gets wet, you stand a good chance of getting hypothermia on the toboggan run.
In my opinion a wool outer layer isn't practical for a winter ski coat since shushing snow can soak your coat.
Who am I kidding? My ski coat gets wet more from falling and skiing on my face in spectacularly graceful ways than from kicking up snow and outperforming Shaun White on a snowboarding half pipe.
Anyway. I need a new warm heavy winter coat that isn't too bulky to play in the snow. If it can be made from more eco friendly materials that would be awesome. I want this coat to perform well and last. I am willing to pony up the cash for that (although if I can get it on sale that will be the icing on the cake.)
Posted by
Lisa Nelsen-Woods
at
1/25/2013 02:17:00 PM
1
comments
Tags:
cleaning and organization
,
clothes and shoes
,
green
,
One Small Green Change
,
review
,
weather
Monday, December 10, 2012
West Elm Confetti Garland Knock Off
I found a bag of purple glass ball ornaments covered in hot glue and foam from a failed Christmas wreath project in the garage this year. A few hours of picking hot glue off the salvageable Christmas balls I have enough to hang them on my DIY garden trellises to turn them into trellis Christmas trees.
I made the stars from recycling bin cardboard using the tutorial in The Big Ass Book of Crafts 2 (one of last year's Christmas gift. Thanks sis!)
It looks like I accidentally changed the outdoor Christmas decor color scheme to purple, silver, and turquoise from red and white sparkly glam Christmas decor. That's OK. Change is good.
I need something to tie the greenery around the door to the trellis Christmas trees near the yard. I thought I found it in West Elm's Confetti System Garland but it only comes in red.
A few days later I got blue and turquoise tissue paper in a delivery.
Light bulb moment!
I made the stars from recycling bin cardboard using the tutorial in The Big Ass Book of Crafts 2 (one of last year's Christmas gift. Thanks sis!)
It looks like I accidentally changed the outdoor Christmas decor color scheme to purple, silver, and turquoise from red and white sparkly glam Christmas decor. That's OK. Change is good.
I need something to tie the greenery around the door to the trellis Christmas trees near the yard. I thought I found it in West Elm's Confetti System Garland but it only comes in red.
A few days later I got blue and turquoise tissue paper in a delivery.
Light bulb moment!
How to Make West Elm Paper Confetti Garland
Posted by
Lisa Nelsen-Woods
at
12/10/2012 08:00:00 AM
1
comments
Tags:
Christmas/winter
,
craft
,
decorating
,
green
,
How to
,
reuse/recycle
,
review
,
saving money
,
tutorial
Friday, October 26, 2012
How to Hang a Heavy Picture without it Crashing to the Ground
Especially if I rehang this amazing gift from Michael. He painted it as part of his senior show at Parsons (yes, that Parsons The New School for Design Project Runway fans.) Michael gave us the painting to remember him by before he moved -sniff!
Posted by
Lisa Nelsen-Woods
at
10/26/2012 08:30:00 AM
4
comments
Tags:
Blitzkrieg
,
Columbus and Ohio
,
decorating
,
DIY
,
How to
,
Pekingese dog
,
review
,
shopping
,
travel
,
tutorial
Thursday, August 23, 2012
7 Tips for Buying a Comfortable Backpack
I like to use a backpack when I am traveling because it
doesn’t scream, I HAVE AN EXPENSIVE CAMERA IN HERE PLEASE STEAL IT like my
fancy camera bag does.
Unfortunately, once I switched to a heavier DSLR camera my
current backpacks (I’ll get to that in a minute) didn’t work for me. The
backpack straps sit on a knot I have in each shoulder.
The extra weight of the camera plus whatever else I want to
carry (water bottle, etc.) rides the knots like a cowboy on rodeo night. I get
a migraine. Dealing with a migraine is not the way I want to spend my vacation,
or for that matter, a blogging conference.
As a green blogger, I get information about backpacks made
from eco friendly materials all the time. I appreciate that but an ill fitting
backpack made from eco friendly materials is useless because I will spend more
time and resources replacing it with more backpacks that may or may not hurt my
back. If I have to go with a backpack made from not so eco friendly materials I’d
rather it be made from material that takes a beating and lasts as long as my
backpack from the 80’s that I still have and use.
Posted by
Lisa Nelsen-Woods
at
8/23/2012 10:22:00 PM
3
comments
Tags:
Green Moms Carnival
,
kids
,
review
,
shopping
,
travel
,
tutorial
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Plastic Free How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and You Can Too
When I first stumbled upon Beth Terry’s blog My Plastic Free Life (formerly Fake Plastic Fish), I appreciated her trying to green her
efforts and reduce waste but thought she was nuts for trying to get rid of all
the plastic in her life because that’s what we have recycling for, right?
Well, four years later, I now know Beth is trying not to
bring NEW plastic items in her life via plastic bottle, tube, tub, or bag (and surprisingly more stuff than I realized) and
tries to find USED plastic alternatives if plastic is the only option such as a smart phone or a computer. I also now know that
recycling isn’t always the answer to our trashy problems, but reducing and refusing may be.
I still think Beth Terry is nuts but now for an entirely
different reason. We are friends and share the same sense of humor.
I think it is important that you know I know the author and one of my tips is featured in the book before you read my review of Plastic Free How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and You Can Too by Beth Terry even though I will try to be as objective as I can in this book review.
I think it is important that you know I know the author and one of my tips is featured in the book before you read my review of Plastic Free How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and You Can Too by Beth Terry even though I will try to be as objective as I can in this book review.
While recovering from surgery, Beth Terry read an article
about the large amount of plastic polluting the ocean – which is practically
her West Coast backyard. Beth saw various items from her daily life in the
photos. She decided to reduce and later remove those new disposable plastic
items from her life. Beth started a blog called My Plastic Free Life (formerly
known as Fake Plastic Fish) as she started her plastic free journey and took
the rest of us along for the ride. Now her blog is a book and includes more
details about the how, when, and whys of living a plastic free life.
Posted by
Lisa Nelsen-Woods
at
7/24/2012 08:30:00 AM
0
comments
Tags:
green
,
reuse/recycle
,
review
,
shopping
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Bacon Candles
I cut the top off a beer bottle, ground the sharp edges, and filled it with phthalate free bacon scented soy wax and topped it with a lead free wick.
Why?
- I like candles.
- Husband likes beer.
- Blitzkrieg likes bacon.
I floated the idea of a bacon candle to my foodie
friends during a Monday Foodies Nite In Twitter chat (Join us! Please?) They went bonkers for it. No
surprise there because bacon always comes up during the chat no matter what the
weekly party topic. I don't understand it, but people really love their bacon.
I made soy beer candles, crème brulee candles, and campfire
candles so my bacon candles would not feel lonely in our Blitzkrieg Cancer
Treatment Fund booth at the Pet Promise Rescue Run. After the candles cooled, I
realized I needed a label. Then I realized I needed something to put on the label. Think. Think.
Thinkidy think.
Posted by
Lisa Nelsen-Woods
at
5/29/2012 10:42:00 AM
14
comments
Tags:
Blitzkrieg
,
canine cancer
,
Columbus and Ohio
,
craft
,
dog sports
,
food and drink
,
green
,
humor
,
kids
,
kitsch
,
life in general
,
Pekingese dog
,
reuse/recycle
,
review
,
Worlds Most Fabulous Aunt
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Six Pack Carrier turned Covered Storage Box
World Water Day was a big fat fail.
I celebrated by fixing a leaky pipe and exploding garage
disposal that made a lovely mess of the kitchen cabinet and dishwasher. After I
cleaned that up, I dropped just about everything I used to make hummus onto the
floor. Then the beans exploded out of the blender and all over me. I steam
cleaned the kitchen floor again. Ran
two loads of dishes in the dishwasher (don't ask), and did a half load of
laundry (hangs head. I always do full loads) because every dog towel, dishtowel,
and towel I cut down to use instead of paper towels were soaked.
On the upside, I Spring Cleaned the under sink cabinet.
On the downside, the six pack carrier I use to hold clean up
towels was toast.
This is a good thing. Every once and awhile, I notice
Mother-in-law’s look of motherly concern when she opens a cupboard or the
refrigerator and sees the contents stored in a beer six pack carrier. We don’t
drink that much but I hang onto the
caddys for projects and of the craft beers we try that have crazy names.
However, my cupboards are starting to look like a fraternity house.
However, my cupboards are starting to look like a fraternity house.
Posted by
Lisa Nelsen-Woods
at
4/04/2012 08:48:00 AM
3
comments
Tags:
cleaning and organization
,
craft
,
decorating
,
Ditch the Disposable
,
green
,
How to
,
reuse/recycle
,
review
,
saving money
Monday, March 26, 2012
Garage Workshop Transformation – Replace the Garage Door Opener
Normally I’m a fix it instead of replace it kind of gal.
Except when it comes to my garage door opener. I’ve had issues with it refusing
to close and the door popping open after tinkering with it for years.
The break in last summer was the last straw. I’m giving in
to my geek side instead of my green side. I replaced my old garage door opener
with an uber sweet Craftsman Assurelink Garage Door Opener that allows me to
open and close the garage door with my smart
phone.
I was so excited about having a garage door opener that
works 24/7 I hugged the box after the UPS man delivered it. Blitzkrieg
will recreate that scene for you now.
The things I do for
this woman. And treats. Lots of
treats.
Even though I was excited at the prospect of having a garage
door opener that worked, I had a few reservations.
Posted by
Lisa Nelsen-Woods
at
3/26/2012 10:19:00 AM
4
comments
Tags:
Blitzkrieg
,
computer/technology
,
DIY
,
home improvement
,
Pekingese dog
,
review
Monday, March 19, 2012
Make a Mini Wood Pallet Butterfly
Pity.
Scribble Shop asked if I wanted to participate in an Iron Chef type of craft challenge. Except I didn’t have to go to Japan or compete against Masaharu Morimoto.
Double pity. The original Iron Chef is tops in this house!
ScribbleShop sent me and a group of bloggers a mystery box of supplies from their shop. They challenged me to use everything in the box to make one craft project.
Bitzkrieg helped me open the box.
Posted by
Lisa Nelsen-Woods
at
3/19/2012 01:59:00 PM
10
comments
Tags:
Blitzkrieg
,
Challenges
,
coupons and deals
,
craft
,
How to
,
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,
kids
,
kitsch
,
Pekingese dog
,
review
,
saving money
,
tools
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Garage Workshop Transformation: Insulate the Garage Walls
Fiberglass insulation has the reputation for being a pain in
the itch to install. Fortunately, I had a better experience than I expected
with fiberglass insulation when I insulated the garage door.
The Owens Corning Garage
Door Insulation kit I used was not made with the recycled content and no itch Owen's Corning EcoTouch insulation. The door kit insulation made my hands itch mildly when I pulled the
rolls from the box without wearing gloves but nothing like the persistent
itch-fest I experienced after doing minor DIY jobs involving the brand my
builder used.
My good experience with the fiberglass garage door insulation kit made
me think differently about fiberglass insulation. It also made me want
to try the EcoTouch insulation I read about while researching garage
door insulation options. I agreed to join Owen’s Corning’s EcoTouch DIY Review Panel and blog about my insulation adventures.
My insulated garage door. It looks like pillows, doesn't it?
Posted by
Lisa Nelsen-Woods
at
1/24/2012 11:13:00 AM
7
comments
Tags:
architecture
,
DIY
,
green
,
home improvement
,
review
,
reviews
,
saving energy
,
saving money
,
tools
,
weather
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