'We had our hardships, and there were times that we didn’t have a lot of food and didn’t have a lot of money. But that didn’t stop me having the time of my life.'

Making It is an inspirational memoir about beating the odds and turning things around even when it all seems hopeless. In this book, Jay shares the details of his life, from his childhood growing up sheltered and innocent on a council estate in Hackney, to his adolescence when he was introduced to violent racism at secondary school, to being brutalized by police as a teen, to finally becoming a beloved star of the hit primetime show The Repair Shop.

Jay reflects on strength, weakness and what it means to be a man. He questions the boundaries society places on male vulnerability and how letting himself be nurtured helped him flourish into the person he is today. An expert at giving a second life to cherished items, Jay’s positivity, pragmatism and kindness shine through these pages and show that with care and love, anything can be mended.

Sit back, relax, watch the waves, and transform your home into the perfect beachfront "cabin." Are you a beach bum, a beach lover, or simply just a fan of the water? If you find yourself constantly longing for a relaxing vacation along the sandy shores of Tahiti or yearning to go on a coast-to-coast cruise, look no further. Interior designer Anna OErnberg has all the solutions to bring the waves to your home and living room. With Anna's advice and expertise, you can turn your own apartment or living space into a beautiful waterfront home. Live on the beach with nautical style and enjoy the waves. Using seashells, ropes, dark woods, and light-colored walls, the interior designs in this book remind readers of sunken ships and buried treasures. The decor will inspire homeowners to personalize their homes into the most calming and soothing living quarters, a place where they can sit, relax, and enjoy the ocean breeze. Projects include: Wooden lampshades Nautical placemats and pot holders Building your own lighthouse Beanbags and pillowcases The nautical look is a classic theme that suits a wide audience. Whether you're looking for new ideas to spruce up your city center apartment or looking to decorate your holiday vacation home, this book has the answers. The Nautical Home has a little something for everyone, from the average homeowner hoping to reinvent a room or more to the recent college grad looking for new ways to decorate a new home. With the interior designs in this book, you can finally be the captain of your own ship or home.

Since the times of ancient Egypt, humans have had a passion for style, decor, and architecture. Amazingly, styles from many of these bygone eras are still enjoyed and are often implemented into our modern decor and architecture. Past + Present is a collection of 24 pairs of essays and craft projects that explore this connection between decorative arts history and present day design trends. The projects have been contributed by some of the best known modern designers of today, such as Todd Oldham, Jonathan Adler, Erica Domesek, Grace Bonney, and David Stark, adding extra allure to an already fascinating topic. The book, which is based on Azzarito's successful Past + Present column for Design*Sponge, takes the academic subject of decorative arts history and makes it accessible, approachable, and engaging to the average design and craft enthusiast. Included here are not just dates and events, but also the stories, passions, and quirky facts behind many great decorative arts movements. Each essay is accompanied by whimsical illustrations by beloved illustrator Julia Rothman, as well as a few representative historical photos when relevant. Each project has been beautifully photographed in a modern home setting, and the instructions are clear and accessible, even to novice DIYers.

The bestselling alternative energy reference book in North America--now in an updated edition

Want to take advantage of solar power in your home? Whether you're looking to save on your energy costs by adding a few solar components or you want to build a solar-powered house from the ground up, "Solar Power For Dummies, 2nd Edition" takes the mystery out of this energy source and shows you how to put it to work for you

This new edition gives you hands-on tips and techniques for making your home more energy-efficient though solar power--and helping the planet at the same time. Plus, you'll get all the latest information on changes to federal, state, and local regulations, laws, and tax incentives that seek to make solar-power adoption more feasible.Expanded coverage of the technology that underpins full-scale solar-power systems for the homeNew small- and mid-sized solar products, projects, and applicationsRik DeGunther is a design engineer who started his own energy consulting firm

Featuring ten of the easiest and cheapest DIY solar projects, "Solar Power For Dummies, 2nd Edition" is the fun and easy way to meet your energy needs with this clean power source

Add style and individuality to your home with DIY—even when you’re renting!

The concept of a large, professional renovation isn’t possible for many people who are short on time and money, especially when you rent. But that doesn’t mean you don’t want a beautiful, cozy home that reflects your unique taste and personality—it just means you need (and want) to get creative!

Home Is Where You Make It is a simple, practical, and affordable craft and styling book that offers tried and tested design advice and top hints and tricks for key spaces, including:

-Six steps to success, with color palette and reno tips
-Update your rental space and restyle on a budget
-Transform an imperfect room into a beautiful and functional space
-Unique solutions for tricky spots
-DIY projects and styling advice that works for any room
-Easy-to-grow indoor plants and planter ideas

Channeling the simplicity and beauty of modern living, this is a room-by-room guide to making and DIYing your own place, with hundreds of smart styling hacks, repurposing and upstyling ideas, and easy weekend projects to create the home of your dreams

Kiko Denzer and Hannah Field, maker and baker, invite you into the artisan tradition. First, build a masonry oven out of mud. Then mix flour and water for real bread abetter than anything you can buy.a Total cost? Hardly more than a baking stone a and it can cook everything else, from 2-minute pizza to holiday fowl, or a weekas meals.
Clear, abundant drawings and photos clarify every step of the process, from making aoven mud, a to fire, and to bread. Informative text puts it all into context with artisan traditions of many ages & cultures. Beautifully sculpted ovens (by the author and readers) will inspire the artist in anyone. And the simple, 4 step recipe (based on professional and homestead experience) promises authentic hearth loaves for anyone, on any schedule.
From weekend gardeners to "simple living," back-to-the-landers; Peace Corps volunteers to neighborhood community-builders; third-graders to earth-artists of all ages, this book feeds many hungers!
a[ updated, expanded, re-written, & revised.
a[ foreword by Alan Scott, the grandfather of wood-fired ovens and artisan bread.
a[ super-insulated design holds heat longer with less wood burned.
a[ 8 pages of color photos.
a[ Plus: mobile ovens, rocket mass heaters for the home, hay-box cookers, and more.

The hearth and fireplace is the centre of a traditional home and adds much-needed emotional warmth to contemporary houses. Replacing and renovating fireplace surrounds is one of the most popular DIY interior design projects. To actually build one from scratch is a aspirational project for any woodworker. This book provides nine fireplace projects in different period styles: Colonial; Georgian; William Morris; Charles Rennie Mackintosh; Farmhouse; Victorian; Greene & Greene; Art Deco; Modern

This is a practical guide to insulating and draughtproofing your home, as well as improving ventilation. It is a guide to the different kinds of insulation materials available, including loose-fill, blanket and slab insulation, and how to fit them correctly. How to draughtproof your home to eliminate cold air coming through doors, windows, floorboards and letter boxes. It includes techniques for ventilating your home, such as fitting ceiling, window and wall extractor fans, and adding airbricks for extra circulation of air. It shows how to recognize different types of damp, whether from condensation or from penetrating or rising damp, and how to find a remedy. Overcoming common problems such as damp, condensation, dry rot and wet rot. Energy efficiency is an important issue today, and no one wants to waste money by losing heat from their roofs, walls or windows. With this practical guide, you will find out the different ways of insulating doors, windows, floors, walls and roofs, as well as reducing heat loss by protecting your home against currents of air and preventing condensation by adequate ventilation.

How to achieve beautiful paint finishes, including sponging, dragging, stippling, distressing and lacquering? It explains the ways to master patterned effects and faux finishes, from simple stamping to imitating the appearance of oak, mahogany, beech, marble and even a trompe l'oeil sky. This title helps you learn how to create a tiled look and to stamp panels with gold leaf for a luxurious effect. It offers an expert guide to the paints, varnishes, brushes, rollers and specialist tools you will need to achieve decorative paint effects. It includes ways to remove old paint and prepare different surfaces for new finishes. It is suitable for anyone who wants to give their home a facelift, creative paint finishes can alter a room easily and cheaply. Many effects are possible, from paint finishes that imitate wood and marble and stamped gilded panels, to trompe l'oeil, which tricks the eye into seeing a three-dimensional surface that is in fact, flat. This practical book shows you step-by-step how to transform your home.

This is a practical instructive guide to building shelves and storage facilities in your home. How to fit a wide variety of shelves, brackets and shelf supports on walls and in alcoves. It provides storage ideas for different rooms in the house, and how to make useful projects such as a double shelf wall unit. It includes woodwork projects for more advanced do-it-yourselfers, such as a folding magazine rack, a white oak bookshelf and a sloping cherry wood CD rack. It is a guide to tools, fixtures, nails, screws and drill bits, and advice on which materials to use. It features step-by-step instructions for making freestanding shelving units, cabinets and drawer kits, fitting built-in wardrobes and creating clothes organizers. Whether you want to hide belongings away, store them accessibly or simply want to display them, tailor-made storage is the answer. This book helps you decide what type of storage you need, then sets about showing you how to make it. With inspirational ideas for every type of storage, you will have the satisfaction of making a more efficient and tidy place to live in.

Learn how to make beautiful, bespoke candles for you and your home in this easy-to-follow guide. Sarah Ditchfield, founder of Candle by Events, shares her secrets for crafting 20 of her best-selling candle designs, so that you too can make both modern and traditional waxed creations at home - from elegantly simple taper candles to show-stopping ice pillars. Invaluable advice is included on the essential materials and tools you'll need to get started, along with handy measuring and heating charts. Every candle project is accompanied by simple instructions, step-by-step photographs and a gorgeous finished picture. There's even a chapter on how to decorate and package your candles if you'd like to give them away as thoughtful, hand-crafted gifts. If you are looking for a craft that you can truly immerse yourself in, and one that's perfect for the beginner candlemaker looking for professional results, this is the book for you. This is a revitalized edition of Making Candles: Create 20 decorative candles to keep or to give (2017).

If you want to introduce alternative power supplies around the home and garden or even live totally off-grid in your boat, caravan or yurt and need a practical introduction to solar power and 12 volt supplies, here is an essential guide to the subject. Not only will it save you money, it will show you how to run your lights, laptop, DVDs and music, and even your tools and household products, from a simple 12 volt system. Be in control of more of your home's own energy supply, develop a low impact way of living and be prepared for power cuts and for power down situations in the future! Do It Yourself 12 Volt Solar Power begins with a lesson in how electricity works and the main components of a DIY solar system. The author uses clear diagrams and terms. There is, of course, more technical information as the book progresses, but don't worry, this no-nonsense guide provides a useful, back-to-basics approach for the layperson. This is a reference book that will help you trouble-shoot and get the best value for money from what you can find hidden in the back of the garage. Quirky and humorous, it also shows you how to make a sun following system using just a bicycle wheel, a pallet and the motor from a CD player!

One of the best ways to get power to remote, off-grid locations, whether in developed or developing countries, is through the use of solar electric systems. This practical guide describes how to plan, design and install solar electric systems in a manner that is hands-on, graphic and technically complete. Highly illustrated chapters cover: solar energy basics components of solar electric systems (modules, batteries, regulators, inverters and appliances) installation practice on planning and servicing systems water pumping refrigeration village electrification. This is the must-have guide for electric technicians and designers, development workers, and anyone who wants to install their own off-grid system.

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!

At some point a homeowner will be confronted by their plumbing: a dripping tap, a flood of biblical proportions, a freezing cold house, a new dream bathroom or the latest gas bill. This Haynes Manual covers it all and is bang up-to-date, dealing with real taps that often don't have washers (but still drip) right through to the latest green technologies and gadgets that could save a fortune. Everything is explained in a clear and light-hearted fashion that will leave the reader confident that they can tackle their own plumbing and not have to cross the living room by canoe afterwards.

'A book full of interior inspiration, fabulous hints and tips, and bucket-loads of personality, just like the authors! The perfect gift for the interiors lover in your life.' Siobhan Murphy, BBC Interior Design Masters Finalist From the Instagram team that brought you the Story Of My Home hashtag competition comes the ultimate guide to home interiors. The Art Of Home will show you how to make the most of your space, whether you live in a rented flat or own a detached house. It's illustrated with photos of some of the most incredible, fun and vibrant spaces you will ever lay eyes on. With a chapter dedicated to every room (and the front door, of course), you'll find tips to help you get creative with your space, solve common problems, manage renovations and make your home look uniquely fabulous. You'll find plenty to inspire you, no matter your style, and there are clever ideas to suit all budgets and help everyone turn their home into a place they never want to leave. The Art of Home is written by interiors experts and founders of the Story Of My Home hashtag competition, Joanne Hardcastle - @hardcastletowers, Jack D March - @jackdmarch, Marie-Claire Jackson - @thegingerhareofyorkshire and Wendy Simpson - @the_yorkshire_homestead. In addition to sharing their favourite photos from the SOMH community, they also give you a sneak peek inside their own homes, to get you thinking about ideas for your own space.

Following in the footsteps of the successful Beginner's Guide series, The Beginner's Guide to Upholstery takes readers gently by the hand and shows them the simple techniques they need to bring their love of fabric to upholstered items for the home. This is not a dry, highly technical professional upholstery manual, but a bright and accessible book that presents 10 simple projects using modern methods that are quick and easy to achieve. Readers are taken step-by-step through the process of how to upholster desirable pieces of furniture - using items found at antique markets, street sales and thrift stores that are designed-up and given a modern twist. Readers will learn about fabric choice and other materials, discover essential upholstery techniques and then embark on the projects. which include a simple stool, a vintage sewing box, a blanket box or ottoman, a fluted headboard, a Danish dining chair, a bedroom/nursing chair, a patchwork armchair and a mid-century design two-seater sofa, all guided by the author's expert instruction.

With this book in one hand and a brush in the other, you can learn how to transform everyday furniture into something special, all for the price of a pot of paint. Annie Sloan is a paint legend and one of the world's most popular experts in the field of decorative painting. In Colour Recipes for Painted Furniture and more, Annie presents 40 new projects and ideas, showing you the easy way to update tired furniture and transform your home. Working with her own range of chalk paints, Annie shows how to mix colours and how to achieve certain looks. Whether your taste is for colourful boho chic or restrained Swedish hues, cosy and comforting rustic shades, a modern and contemporary approach or an elegant French look, here you will find a project to suit you. Start off by mastering the simple art of colourwashing, and work your way up to transfer printing, gilding, stencilling and glazing. There are even instructions for dyeing fabric using paint. As well as painting furniture, the projects range from a staircase painted in a rainbow of colours to stencilled walls, transforming floors with a coat of paint to dyeing linen curtains and even painting a vintage chandelier. Throughout the book, Annie offers expert tips, techniques, shortcuts and guidance, showing you the easy way to create a stylish home.

With advice on tools, materials and methods and written in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step format, this is a book that makes it easier to say 'No' to our disposable society and make a real difference. Not everything has built-in obsolescence - as this fantastically handy guide to fixing everyday objects proves! Whether you need to repair a strap on a favourite handbag or mend a leak in a washing machine, How to Repair Everything is packed full of tips and tricks of the trade for the person who likes to do-it-yourself. From quick fixes that will get you out of a jam to permanent solutions that make the item good as new, this is perfect for anyone who hates the throwaway society and would much rather refurb and recycle. With advice on tools, materials and methods and written in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step format, this is a book that makes it easier to say 'No' to our disposable society and make a real difference. Whether it's a sweater that's shrunk in the wash, a broken umbrella spoke or fixing a microwave oven, you'll be amazed just how many things can be mended with a few tools and a bit of patience.