Book Review and Giveaway: Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual from The Family Handyman

COMPLETE DO-IT-YOURSELF MANUAL

By: Editors of Family Handyman

Publisher: Reader's Digest

Publisher: October 7, 2014

Non-Fiction/Manual/DIY

Thirteen years ago, my husband and I were the parents of a toddler and a baby. On top of that we were remodeling every room of our home.  As subscribers of The Family Handyman magazine, we spotted numerous ideas and learned great tips from the pages of their magazine.  It was a huge help to us and has continued to be even as we moved into our new home.

When I was asked to review this new DIY manual, I knew I would love it. This book covers everything any homeowner would want to know how to do.  They make it simple and understandable to even the beginning DIYer. The book begins with basics on tools and how to use them. Then each section covers an area of your home including plumbing, electricity, interior repairs, exterior repairs, windows, and outside concrete work. Nothing is left out and each direction can be understood by a beginning homeowner or understandable to someone who is used to fixing things.

Each section is full of pictures to explain each step of the process.  Simple tasks from adjusting the float on the toilet to complex tasks like drywalling or installing vinyl tile are made easy from the clear, concise instructions.

This manual has been updated to include current codes, latest materials, tools, and technology. It's like getting your very own contractor and handyman right in this book! You just have to do the work. But you will feel so much more accomplished when you can say, "I did that!".

If you are looking to tackle some household projects, want to be more knowledgeable on regular household maintenance items, or looking to start a big project, this is THE BOOK for you!

The Family Handyman is one of the most respected media brands in home improvement. The magazine celebrates the process and pride of a project well done, and gives consumers the how-to and solutions they need to create the home and lifestyle of their dreams. The brand offers accurate, fully tested content by a staff of experts and former pros. A crew of more than 1,100 reader-volunteer Field Editors contributes to every issue. The Family Handyman content is available in print, books and online, HERE. You can also find them on Facebook, HERE, Twitter, HERE, and Pinterest, HERE. 

The best part is I have one COMPLETE DO-IT-YOURSELF MANUAL to GIVEAWAY to one of my readers! Enter the form below for your chance to win a copy!


THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED! 
TAMI L WAS THE WINNER. 




Can't wait to win your own copy, purchase your own book by clicking the photo below:

Thanks to FSB Associates for sending a copy of this book for review and providing an additional copy for a giveaway. This review is my honest opinion. I was not compensated in any way for this review. If you choose to purchase a copy of this book through the above photo link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com reviews. 

DIY Decoupage Letter "G"

I first saw this idea on Pinterest, HERE,  

and wanted to make it for our living room wall.

It just so happens there is a man 

in our small town that makes these letters

in any size or font you want.  

Check out his Etsy shop, HERE.

So, I had him cut me a 2 foot letter "G" 

with plenty of space. 

I just asked for it to be sanded and not painted.

I then painted it myself with black acrylic paint. 

The time-consuming part was finding all the photos I wanted to use. 

I wanted to use photos from over the past several years.

I cut and pasted them into a word document.

Then I resized them to be smaller, depending on the photo.

I basically fit 2 photos on each page in the word document.

Then I printed them in black and white at the best quality setting.

I printed them on thicker, high quality printer paper, NOT photo paper.

Once they were all printed out, I cut the photos.

Then I placed them on the letter to see how they would fit.

I made sure I had the same amount of photos of each child, 

because I'm fair like that.

Then I started pasting them on the letter.

I used ModPodge and a sponge brush. 

I worked in a section, making sure they all fit. 

Then Icontinued to move around the board,

applying the ModPodge in thin strokes over top of the pictures. 

Once it was dry, I applied a thin a second coat.

I have been so anxious to get this "G" and other things hung on our living room wall.

Below is how our wall has looked for quite awhile.....

One sad, small piece of art.

But now......

I finally have a WALL! 

It is just what I wanted.

The family rules art I have had for awhile.

The "Enjoy the simple things" vinyl art 

was a gift a few birthdays ago from my friend, Mary.

The domino, a 2 and a 3 for our family (Pat and I and then 3 kids) 

is from Barn Owl Primitives. 

She has awesome art at reasonable prices. 

Be sure to check out her Etsy store, HERE!

The little "G" I found on clearance at a store that was going out of business.

Finally, the fall frame I just picked up at Hobby Lobby in their fall section.

I plan to place a new frame and photo in that spot throughout the year. 

The shelf came in a three pack of various size shelves from Target.

I even got my painting of the poppies hung up.

 I painted it at a Wine and Paint event this last spring.

It was a ton of fun and I highly recommend it if you have the chance.

I am not creative, artistic, nor do I have excellent decorating abilities.

But, I am certainly happy with how everything looks and how

my letter "G" turned out.

It really makes our living room feel like home!

Thanks to my husband, Pat for helping me get everything hung up!