2013 - Page 14 of 36 - Pretty Handy Girl

DIY, DIY tools, Do It Yourself, Electrical, renovation

DIY Cable Installation

It would seem that every time I’ve considered moving my TV to a new spot in the house, that there’s never a cable outlet where I need one. I recently remedied this issue and wanted to share with you how to tackle your own DIY Cable Installation!

This tutorial is specific to installing “through the wall” cable lines in houses with a crawl space. Since many cable customers have HD receivers, I think it’s important to install a home run aka an uninterrupted run of cable. Doing so will result in a higher signal and better quality picture. With that being said, let’s take a look at what you’ll need.

Materials List

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Low Voltage Electrical Box
Keyhole Saw
RG6 Cable
3/8″ x 54″ Auger Drill Bit
3/8″ x 12″ Drill Bit
Drill
Cable Clips
Hammer
Coax Cable Receptacle Wall Plate
Coax Cable Stripper
Compression Tool w/ F-Connectors
Pencil
String
Fish Pole or Straightened Coat Hanger

Instructions for Installing Your Own Cable Outlet:

When you’ve decided where to install the new cable outlet, measure up 15″ and mark an area 1-1/2″ x 3-3/4″ .

Using a keyhole saw, cut through the drywall to create the opening for the installation of a low voltage electrical box.

Before you complete the next step, make sure that the area you plan on drilling into, doesn’t contain any hazards (i.e. electrical cable, duct work, gas lines, etc.) With open access into the wall, place the tip of the auger bit into the cutout and drill into the bottom of the stud wall to gain access into the crawlspace below. Read more

September 11, 2013/8 Comments/by Matt Knowlton

adfree, cleaning, Home & Auto Maintenance, Home Maintenance, Home Safety, Sponsor Spotlight, Tutorial

Krud Kutter Exterior Clean Up without a Pressure Washer or Ladder

Is your home ready for Halloween? I don’t mean decorating. I mean is it so grimy and dirty that you don’t need to decorate to scare off the trick or treaters?

Umm, yup, that was my house. But, a few weeks ago I was introduced to my new CBFF (Cleaning Best Friend Forever.)

Krud Kutter Exterior Clean Up

Seriously, you can ask my sister and stepmom! I was toting around a bottle of Krud Kutter this past weekend while working on renovating a VERY dated beach condo. What? You didn’t know I was doing that?!

Well, you NEED to follow me on Instagram to get the latest deets of my DIY life!

Anyway, back to Krud Kutter. The folks at Krud Kutter couldn’t believe I’d never used their products before. So, they offered to send me some to try. But, before I agreed, I checked with a few DIY friends like Holly. And, they all agreed, “Oh yeah, that stuff ROCKS!” Holly says she uses it to clean grimy furniture before painting it. I figured if she likes it, I might.

Within a few days, a box containing some Krud Kutter Original and Krud Kutter House Wash showed up on my VERY dirty doorstep. I’m sure my UPS driver thinks our stoop is a disgrace. I had contemplated buying a pressure washer to clean it.

(That white grout you see at the top of the picture was protected under the door mat for years.)

You can imagine my skepticism that a little plastic bottle could do the same job as a pressure washer. But, I was shocked at what happened next.

Flåm, Norway – Heaven on Earth

Happy Friday! Are you ready to be whisked away to a relaxing vacation spot? Have you been to Norway? Handsome Guy is our vacation planner and he researched our vacation destination this year (after our trip to England.) Norway came up as one of the 10 most beautiful place on earth.

It’s a country that has beautiful blue-green fjords (pronounced feeyord.) Fjord means a long narrow arm of the sea bordered by steep cliffs usually formed by glacial erosion. The fjords are sliced by steep mountains that go as deep into the water as they do high into the sky (sometimes a mile high.)

The fjords in Norway have a distinctive blue green color and are comprised of fresh water from the waterfalls and salt water from the sea.

Hiking is a big past time in Norway. And for good reason, vistas from atop the mountains yield valleys dotted by vibrant colored homes.

I’d love to take you along on our journey to Flåm, Norway (pronounced Flum.) Flåm literally means, “”little place between steep mountains.” I guarantee you won’t want to leave, it is like living in a postcard. Put on your hiking boots and follow me… Read more

September 6, 2013/5 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

Before and After, Contest, Decorating, kitchen, Kitchen Renovation, renovation

Announcing this Week’s Before & After Contest Winner (and Runners-Up)

My goodness, you DIY creators really know how to “bring it” to the Before & After contest! I saw so many amazing ideas and projects. And I truly enjoyed browsing each and every project. I also tried to leave comments for everyone, but I have to admit my attempts were almost thwarted by the word verification tactics (please double check if you have word verification on. I know in Blogger it is defaulted on. I promise you will get more comments and really won’t see much spam if you turn it off.)

I want to show you this week’s winner and then I want to share some of the other amazing Before & After projects. Are you ready?….Get Set…and the winner is:

Kim’s Amazing Budget Kitchen Remodel from The Kim Six Fix

This gal gave her whole kitchen a budget renovation. And she did all her own electrical and plumbing to boot. When life hands Kim a challenge, she delivers a DIY smackdown. Take a few minutes and enjoy reading more about Kim’s renovation. And please pin from her post. It’s only fair since she did all the work.

Here were the amazing runners-up: Read more

September 5, 2013/19 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

Before and After, chair glides, Chalkboard paint, floor protectors, Furniture, painting, Painting & Antiquing Techniques, painting chair, Spray paint wood, Trash to Treasure, Tutorial, Upcycling

The Painted Chairs – a Second Chance Makeover

My search for some small chairs for the kitchen table area is finally over! The chairs I had before blocked the view from my kitchen to the family room and vice-versa, their backs were too high and overall they were too big for that small space.

I’d seen some pretty, small and colorful chairs from the catalog magazines I receive, but their prices weren’t that pretty. Almost $150 per chair! Craiglist was my searching place, it almost took me a year but I found them, $5 each!

Their condition was good, no squeaky sounds, loosened parts or missing screws. Their appearance was on the drab side, they looked better in these pictures than they did in real live. At some point they had been re-stained but the job was poorly done because they felt bumpy.

I knew they deserved a second chance! And I knew just how to do that.

Materials: Read more

September 4, 2013/24 Comments/by Cristina Garay