Toolgirl - underequipped? We think not.

Had a ton of fun last week doing a Live Eye segment for the CHCH morning show on the same day as the irrepressible Mag Ruffman (aka Toolgirl). I was shocked and dismayed to hear that La Ruffman hardly ever entertains because she feels "inadequate and underequipped". So I took a few minutes to share some easy entertaining tips that were - surprise, surprise - captured on tape. Check it out. Now that I've given Mag some advice on hosting a grand soiree, I'm thinking she can drop by and show me how to drywall. Oops, I forgot that when it comes to DIY, I'm inadequate and underequipped. Oh well, from each according to his ability and all that..And don't forget to come down and see us both at the Fall Home Show this weekend. Check back here next week for more tape of Mag's transformation of a junk-filled garage.

Shortest blog post ever

Got a minute or two? Enjoy intelligent observation, beautiful images and a touch of wit? Go read Margot Austin's blog. Then come back here, of  course!

Gorgeous, gorgeous glass

In researching an upcoming article on glass art, I came across the work of old colleague (old as in I used to work with her, not old as in – well, you know). Marie Bohm has turned from corporate communications and branding to making lovely kiln-worked glass. So glad she did, as her work is lovely and our plastic-coated planet needs more glass, and more art, IMHO. The process she uses sounds slow and painstaking, but the result is gorgeous one-of-kind pieces that seem to radiate light and are infused with brilliant colour and pattern. I love the red specked bowl shown above. I think I may even need one, although my husband John says if I spend any more money this year, we’ll be eating dirt for Christmas dinner.  He doesn't care that red is my fave new colour. The love affair began after I painted my living room walls apricot. No-one was more surprised than I how terrific red looks against it. Enough about my domestic squabbles - stay tuned for an interview with Marie in an upcoming column.

Picture perfect Thanskgiving

I became a fan of up and coming photographer Manuella Pararas-Hulbert  after she took some great shots of my step-daughter, singer Elise LeGrow   So I wanted to share an event she’s launched that I think is just terrific. To honour Thanksgiving, Pararas-Hulbert is offering free mini sessions at Riverdale Farm on Oct. 17th. Bring a canned good for the Daily Bread Food Bank in exchange for a free 4 by 6-inch pic. You must sign up for this event. You can also opt for a pre-paid special ($55, regularly $75) that includes one 8- by 10-inch, one 5- by 7-inch and two 4- by 6-inch images. Sign up soon, though, as spaces are limited.

The home show is coming, the home show is coming

Despite the fact that summer has finally decided to arrive, I'll be in the kitchen for the next few days dreaming up fast and easy party recipes and looking at clever ways to decorate the table. I also want to test a gorgeous-sounding new recipe I found on the Longo's site for apple cheddar cookies. So seasonal and it features two locally-sourced products I love. It's all part of the prep for my upcoming seminar at the Fall Home Show, which I think will be a lot of fun. The focus is on entertaining, and I'll have a ton of great ideas for hosting a fabulous event without breaking the bank or having a nervous breakdown. After all, Friday night fun doesn't have to consist solely of microwave popcorn and another tired rerun. Nor should you take the relaxed entertaining thing too far and answer the door in your sweats and announce that you're serving Cheez Whiz and and crackers for dinner. There are lots of stress-free ways to have a lotta fun for a little dough. Get your tickets now, and watch this space for more pre-show news, including an interview with Mag Ruffman, whose seminar will include a hands-on power tool instruction demo, and tips on which upgrades are worth it for homeowners

Style at Home makeover contest - last chance

Are you ashamed to invite the neighbours over? Do you burst into bitter tears whenever you walk into the kitchen or have the funny feeling that your cats are making fun of the living room furniture in their snarky little cat language? There may be help, in the form of a free makeover from the fabulously talented folks at Style at Home. It's true, they are a great team, even if every one of them makes me feel like a decor dodohead. (What, you're supposed to  put wallpaper on the ceiling - how the heck?) You have to sign up soon, though - the contest closes Sept. 24. I think I'm pulling for whomever posted the entry titled Help, my room just exploded, because this person clearly shares a deep personal affinity with my 16-year-old daughter Emma, who leaves things all over the floor of her room because - "that way, you always know where they are", which does, I reluctantly admit, have a certain logic.

I'm floored

 

In writing this week’s Hot Home Products column about flooring, it became abundantly clear that there are a ton of options out there. The pic above shows one of my favourite new looks – Marmoluem. The key to choosing what’s right for your application is research. The World Flooring Association has good general information, while the National Wood Flooring Association walks consumers through wood floor finishes, products and maintenance. Rona has comprehensive info on its site  and Lowe’s has an easy-to-understand video on how to lay a ceramic floor. Go to the website of the preternaturally handy Steve Maxwell for great instructional videos, including a quick and clever way to reinvigorate a stained wood floor using Minwax.)

I’ve come to the conclusion that the biggest headache in a floor rethink can be in making the surface it’s going on top of level or true. In my home, we’re laying hardwood in two bedrooms that are connected by a landing. The problem is that there are more dips and valleys in that area than in a teen-ager’s mood at prom time. My husband John and I thought we might save money by doing the leveling work ourselves. But after consulting at length with the enormously patient installer from Rona, we realized that it’s really a job for professionals. Which is probably a good thing, as I am famously unable to even draw a straight line. Sometimes, you just gotta leave it to the pros, no?

Plane, but beautiful

The things I do for you, dear reader. Detached myself from my office and betook myself down to the Rogers Centre last week on a lovely sunny day to watch a baseball game, courtesy of Stanley Tools.(It was fun, but I think the game would be more exciting if it was played on ice!) Did a get a thrill, however, from several of the new products on display. I liked the new FatMax Xtreme tape measure because a) it has a big hook at the end -  so I can grab the end of a board or whatever with it easily (see pics above)  b) it stands out 13 feet without flopping, which means I can use it when I don't have the Big Guy around to help and c) the rubber lock on the grip is easy to use - even for a pudgy dainty little hand like mine.  And even though I've only ever used a plane once (and it ended badly, I am at pains to admit), I was fascinated by the new premium line of "Sweetheart" hand planes (see pic below) from Stanley.  I didn't know that Stanley began making planes as far back as 1870. If you're a professional woodworker or cabinet maker, or just a dedicated DIYer, there are all sorts of reasons to check out this new line. Sadly, you'll have to wait though, they're not in stores yet - stay tuned. While I'm not likely to ever use one again, I like them because I think they have a beautiful design. But when I commented to the tough guys at Canadian Home Workshop and Canadian Contractor that I thought they'd make gorgeous bookends, I thought I detected some smirks.

Fragile, my foot!

If you think that china is too delicate for the rigors of everyday life, this pic may make you rethink your stance. It’s an image of an electric car perched on top of just four Wedgwood  teacups outside the William Ashley store in Toronto. Crazy, no? There is a point here, however. Bone china is in fact the hardest and most durable ceramic available, which means that these Wedgwood teacups, and the venerable manufacturer’s other lines, will last longer and perform better than cheap imitations. So it’s far less likely to end up in a landfill a few short years after purchase. Beautiful and eco-friendly — what more do you want? And as long as we’re busting myths, let’s take on the notion that china should be saved for “special occasions”. Hogwash! Use it every day to bring beauty and pleasure to your life.

 

 

Now this is, um, cool

Toronto Hydro is sponsoring Straight from the Fridge, an exhibit of old fridge doors that have been transformed by young Canadian artists, on show at the Junction Arts Festival, tomorrow and Sunday. This stuff looks like a ton of fun, but it’s also Art with a Message, in that old fridges typically add up to $180 in electricity costs a year (compared to a newer Energy Star model).  And get this – about one quarter of Torontonians have a second fridge. Folks, that's just silly - isn't it?  For customers who want to put their clunker out to pasture, Toronto Hydro has a free Fridge Pick-Up recycling program (call 1-877-797-9473). But if you prefer to get out the paint, glitter and glue gun to turn the old beast into a beautiful objet, check out this installation for inspiration.