Cleaning has never been easier with this essential guide to tidying your house and home. With over 1,000 ideas, hints, tips and shortcuts from industry professionals, every domestic cleaning problem is covered - from swift solutions in moments of panic to ideas for a weekend deep clean, Clean Your Way to Happy has everything you need to achieve a tidy home and a tidy mind. Sections include: * Kitchens * Around the home * Valuables * Stains * Pets and animals * Clothes * Cars and bikes * Prevention This title was previously published as Trade Secrets: Cleaning.

This is a practical guide to tools: how to choose and use them, shown in 220 photographs. It is a simple and accessible guide to do-it-yourself tools for a wide range of jobs, including tiling, painting, flooring, woodwork and general repairs in the home. It includes photographs for easy identification of the tools. It shows you how to use planes, chisels, saws, drills, hammers, screwdrivers, pliers, sanders and many more. It includes instructions on making the best use of each tool, with hints and tips on selecting the right types. It offers guidelines that show you what to wear, how to handle tools with care, and how to tackle jobs safely to avoid accidents. For any task around the home, tools will be needed. Knowing how to use them efficiently is vital if you want a good result. This book discusses preparation, the right tools to use for a particular job, and how to use them safely and effectively. Useful tips point the way to improving your skills to get the most out of your tools.

Build furniture the way your ancestors did! Do you enjoy the satisfaction of creating things entirely by hand? Immerse yourself in the world of traditional woodworking as period furniture expert Zachary Dillinger walks you through the hand-tool-only construction of six pieces of classic American furniture. From preparing stock by hand to period-correct joinery methods, you'll learn how our forefathers built furniture--and why they did things the way they did. Within these pages you'll find: An overview of the historical development of major furniture styles from the 1960s through to the mid-19th century--and the European influences from which they evolved. Instruction for period-correct woodworking techniques. Six detailed furniture projects covering popular period styles. Traditional approaches to finishing touches including insights into upholstering by renowned teacher Michael Mascelli and advice from Nancy Cogger of Londonderry Brasses for choosing period-accurate hardware. With Saw, Plane & Chisel shows you how period furniture was made, explains how furniture styles developed and in turn helps you build excellent, realistic heirloom pieces.

Berlin-based architect and rapper Van Bo Le-Mentzel is the founder of the popular Hartz IV Moebel initiative and website, whose rallying cry is "Build more Buy less " Hartz IV Mobel was born when Le-Mentzel registered for a weekend woodwork class. At the end of the class, he had constructed a chair; he posted the design online, dubbed it the "24-Euro Chair" and Hartz IV Mobel was born. Crowd-sourcing further ideas online, Le-Mentzel created a subculture of DIY enthusiasts, who are constructing beautiful modernist furniture at incredibly low cost. Proudly declaring itself a "crowd-sourced book," "Hartz IV Moebel" shows you how to build your own furniture with minimal resources and cost (Hartz IV is the name of Germany's social welfare benefit). Amateurs worldwide have followed these instructions and built a cube sofa, a "Berliner Hocker," a "24-Euro Chair" or a "100-Second Lamp." This inspirational volume offers both a practical guide and manifesto for affordable furniture.

Readers with a hunger for knowledge and an interest in the myriad ways people have taught themselves to make, grow, and build will discover the ins and outs of how to do everything they've ever wondered about in this colourful, inviting volume. With dozens of useful and intriguing visual tutorials that cover how to carve a turkey, capture a swarm of bees, predict the weather by the clouds, darn socks, create a butterfly garden, set up a dog agility course, keep a nature sketchbook, navigate by the stars, and more, this rich compendium will educate, fascinate, spark conversation, and inspire new hobbies and experiences.

Making, maintaining and mending our own homes is part of what makes us human. It is a skill that was alive and well until just two or three generations ago. Harrison Gardner is a man on a mission to help us rediscover the lost art of building our own while leaving a more harmonious mark on the environment. Build Your Own explores the principles of construction and outlines a multitude of practices and methods that enable you to build a home with the materials available to you. Practical techniques, such as plastering, moving earth, basic demolition, installing insulation, building internal walls and attaching cladding, are demystified and made easy. Whether you plan to build your own structure, are curious about the idea or are dealing with construction workers, Build Your Own is an essential tool that shows that anyone can learn to build - and perhaps everyone should. 'A revolutionary book ... within it is the knowledge to empower you to shape and craft your own living space.' Manchan Magan

A beautifully presented, practical gift guide to the age-old art of whittling. There are 50 projects featured in the book, ranging from quick makes to more elaborate projects, and even a chapter on creating things from cork. The 8 main themes are: Quick Things - including a doorstop, a bookmark and a gift-box book; Into The Woods - including a willow whistle, walking stick, fish hook and slingshot; Around The House - including chopsticks, coat and crochet hooks; Cork Creations - including a succulent pot, stamp, and earphones spool; Ornamental Carving - including a boat, a deer and a spinning top; Kitchen Carving - including a carrot flute, apple candle and onion flower; The Natural World - including a bird feeder and instructions to prepare a fish for cooking, a graft an apple tree. The projects cater for a range of skill levels and the instructions are complemented by smart step-by-step illustrations, which highlight the tactile quality of the material in hand. The book also includes an introduction with advice on selecting a penknife, maintaining your blade, choosing your caving material, and carving techniques. Featuring the ultimate crossover of cool craftsmanship and savvy survival-skill projects, this book is the perfect gift for creative adventurers.

Woodturning is as popular as ever -- a constantly growing segement in the woodworking world and one of the most wide-reaching woodcrafts among artists and hands-on crafters. It s appeal is based on the short learning curve, the minimal equipment, and the sheer joy of learning to make something out of wood with one s own hands. But, unlike a lot of crafts that rely on individuality and creative thinking, the initial techniques of woodturning must be mastered. While at first liberating, these same techniques can eventually be confining because in mastering them, one must follow the lead of others. At a certain point, woodturners can feel that mastering the techniques has become the end in itself as they lose sight of their true pursuit: to create one s own original style. In fact, some woodturners, who believe they aren t creative enough, will simply continue to master techniques while imitiating the style of others. Terry Martin, the author of The Creative Woodturner and a woodturning artist, instructor, and photographer for over thirty-years, believes this goes against the fundamental nature of creating and being an artist. There is no right or wrong and the pursuit of originality should be the goal of every woodturner. Best of all, creativity can be learned and the ability to think and see in one s own artistic style can be achieved. The Creative Woodturner is not your usual how-to woodturning book. It won t tell you what a chuck is, how to sharpen a scraper, or how to turn a goblet. Instead, this book is a how-to for unlocking curiosity, how to break the rules, and for following one s own artistic path with confidence. Designed to give readers a wide-persepective on creativity, The Creative Woodturner begins first with insightful commentary, quotes, and examples from the woodturning and art community that will both inspire and inform. In addition, the author shares his Idea Tools: questions to ask during the planning and creative process that are as important to the creation of the woodturning project as any equipment in the shop. Finally, 16 one-of-a-kind projects from boxes and vessles to bowls and one-of-a-kind scultpures are featured that will spark the creative mindset of any woodturner. Each project is documented with instructions and crisp photography highlighting the key steps, techniques, and tasks necessary for completion. In taking the reader through each project, the author pulls back the curtain on his woodturning magic and shares his vision and how the Idea Tools and creative thinking emerges in each project. An inspiring and enjoyable read not only for woodturners, but for any artist, The Creative Woodturner will anyone to think and see differently so time is spent at the lathe or whatever creative pursuit it is -- creating the original ideas instead of imitating someone else."

Constructing your own small barn, shed, or utility structure will improve the value and appearance of your property whether you have one acre or a hundred. Plus, building it yourself can save as much as half the cost. Now expert help for the do-it-yourselfer arrives with How to Build Small Barns & Outbuildings, the long-awaited sequel to the classic Garden Way Publishing bestseller Building Small Barns, Sheds & Shelters (more than 200,000 copies sold). In his new book, Monte Burch begins by taking the reader through all the basics of construction, from planning to finishing--both inside and out. This is followed with more than 20 new designs and projects appropriate for both rural and suburban homeowners, including a livestock shelter, add-on garage, small guest house, and home workshop. How to Build Small Barns & Outbuildings offers projects with multi-use flexibility, so you can tailor your project to your specific needs. For example, there is an all-purpose barn design that can be adapted to serve multiple functions, as well as a combination greenhouse/woodshed and a home office/garage/guest-house.

Featuring projects from the 19th and 20th centuries, this woodworking handbook presents family-friendly shop projects from a bygone era. Each project - many of them toys from a simpler time when boys were trained to use tools to create useful objects - comes with a cutting list and dimensioned drawing. Projects include a New Year's Eve rattle, a cannon that shoots marbles, a kite string reel, a pop-gun and whistle, a bow and arrow, a sword, and a magic box. This evocative guide not only instructs aspiring crafters to construct, but also provides finished products that entertain.

With his first bestselling book, ""Concrete Countertops,"" designer Fu-Tung Cheng brought homeowners and contractors an affordable, attractive alternative to expensive granite, marble, and man-made countertops. Now, he takes his concrete revolution one step further with this remarkable DVD/Book set. In seven simple steps, Cheng takes the reader through the process of designing, forming, pouring, finishing, and installing a concrete countertop that will look great and survive the test of time. Explaining the process like a chef guiding you through a recipe, Cheng shows that even an amateur with the simplest tools can produce fantastic results the very first time.

The shaper is a stationary woodworking machine used to produce decorative mouldings, edges, and joinery. Every production shop has always had a shaper, but now advanced home woodworkers are increasingly likely to own one of these versatile machines because they are affordable and because they greatly expand the capability of a shop. A shaper, however, is one of the trickiest woodworking machines to operate properly and safely. This handbook explains hundreds of shaper techniques and illustrates each with drawings and photos. Advice is offered about what to look for when buying a shaper, and maintenance, troubleshooting, and tune-up are also covered.

Everything you need to start woodworking with hand tools!

Hand tool woodworking can be a source of great pride, satisfaction and amazing results--not to mention less noise and sawdust. But there's a lot to learn, what with a seemingly endless array of chisels and mallets to workbenches and handplanes. You'll learn proven methods for sharpening your tools, prepping your stock and timeless joinery techniques including mortise-and-tenon joins, dovetails, rabbets and others. Within these pages you'll find:

- Advice for selecting the tools you need and setting up shop

- Complete instructions for using the tools you'll reach for time and again

- Tuning processes for keeping your tools sharp and precise

- Technique variations and alternate methods so you can decide what works best for you

Take the mystery out of hand tools and experience the satisfaction of crafting something truly handmade

Protect your health, reduce waste, and be a better steward of the Earth by making the switch to natural cleaning products with these 43 easy recipes!A clean house should not come at the expense of your health. Common household cleaners are not kid-friendly or pet-friendly-or lung-friendly, or skin-friendly. Store-bought cleaners that contain bleach and ammonia, drain cleaners, toilet cleaners, and more are the cause of thousands of household emergencies each year. These harsh cleaners and artificial fragrances can irritate your eyes and lungs, and exacerbate allergies and asthma. Not to mention how all these chemicals and packaging materials are affecting the environment. Bottom line, your home-and the planet-are simply safer without them. Most people think natural cleaners either: don't work are difficult / annoying to make involve a lot of exotic, expensive ingredients that are too hard to find all of the above! The truth is, you can clean every room in your house-curtains, carpet, toilet, tile grout, whatever-without ever touching another bottle of Clorox. In this book, you'll learn why these cleaners work, how to stock your home with a few basic ingredients you can grab as needed-and why you shouldn't use some of the DIY cleaning recipes you see online. You'll also learn: How to safely and naturally clean every surface in your home, from stainless steel appliances to moldy showers Which natural cleaning ingredients should never be mixed (and why) How to customize your cleaners with essential oils Why you should use distilled water instead of tap water There's even a recipe for cleaning dog toys! Make the switch to non-toxic DIY cleaning solutions now!

Skoolies - school buses that have been converted into living spaces - are a natural extension of the tiny house craze. School buses are an ideal choice for tiny homes because they're essentially ready for interior design and construction from the get-go: you've got a frame, a roof, and a floor, right from the start. Skoolie! offers an inspiring inside look at the appeal of the on-the-road lifestyle, with profiles of skoolie fans and dozens of stunning photos of interiors designed for simple living. In addition, this is the first book on the topic to include a complete conversion guide, along with step-by-step photos showing the process, from taking out the seats to choosing the best layout of the living space to accommodate the needs of the residents.

The art of fire-writing is a returning trend, and there is no better way to learn the technique and inspire yourself than through this up-to-date edition of Daniel Wright's ultimate introduction to pyrography. Daniel Wright's enthusiasm for his subject is beautifully captured in a sequence of clear, easy-to-follow step-by-step photographs and unique projects. Taking his inspiration from pen-and-ink, engraving and watercolour techniques, he demonstrates many exciting methods and traditional ways of woodburning to create myriad patterns, pictures and motifs including landscapes, trees, flowers, animals and buildings. Information is included on the types of wood to use, how to prepare surfaces, working with the grain and enhancing designs. He goes on to illustrate shading and faux marquetry, and there's a section on using photographs and sketches to produce your own designs. With each new technique, a project is introduced by Daniel to help you learn and explore your new skill - from burning your own chessboard to a stunning fairytale stool design for your little one's bedroom. Finally, advice and demonstrations are provided on decorating old wooden objects, revitalizing much-loved pieces by working patterns into their worn, textured surfaces. This book will inspire, entertain and instruct you, whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced pyrographer.

More eggs, less work! And more enjoyment for both the chickens and their keeper! That's the promise of Frank Hyman's Hentopia. From the Vending Machine Feeder to the Refilling Rainwaterer, Hyman's innovative building projects are designed to save time and money, while keeping chickens safe, healthy, clean, and well-fed. All 21 of the projects for the chicken yard feature easy-to-follow instructions and colorful photos, including creative doorways, nest boxes, fencing, roosts, as well as a predator-proof pen and "Chunnel" chicken run. With a lively, humorous voice, Hyman generously shares his ingenious strategies and expert advice on all aspects of chicken keeping. Requiring no previous carpentry experience and using many salvaged or found materials, Hentopia is within reach of every aspiring chicken-keeper.