Saturday, September 4, 2010

Is Your Dog Ready For a Pink Leather Dog Collar?

Some people hate the color pink and some love it! I guess it's just one of those things people either love or they hate! You have to admit that some things do look good pink.
Do you think your dog would look good in a pink leather dog collar? It kind of depends on the dog, I guess. Blue Heelers, German Shepherds, or Pit Bull dogs probably wouldn't look quite right wearing a pink collar. Poodles, Pugs, some Labs, Chiuauas, and most small dogs do look good in a pink collar, too. However, on the other side of the coin, Great Danes can look good in a pink collar, too!

Usually only female dogs should wear pink apparel; it's just not manly for male dogs to wear such a feminine color. Male dogs should stick to browns, greens, blacks, and camo colors.

Pink collars are just fashionable! They look blingy! The color pink is just a classic color. It's been around forever and it's just as "in" today as it was in the 60's. And I'd bet that the color, pink, will be popular several generations from now. So that color is established and will most likely be around for many, many more decades.

Leather has proven itself to be the most durable and long lasting material available for dog collars and leashes. Collars need to be tough to survive all the environments your dog is exposed to in his or her daily excursions. Nylon is also a good, sturdy material, but I don't think it looks as good as a high-quality leather collar.

It's a good idea to have several collars for your dog. Sometimes your pet will want to swim, be exposed to rain, get muddy or dusty, so it's a good idea to have back-up collars. You could save the pink leather collar for those special events when you want your dog to look his or her best!

The Best HD Video Camera For Your Summer Activities

Are you looking for a compact, lightweight, durable HD video camera to record the activities you have planned for this summer? How about one that's totally waterproof? We found the perfect product that meets all those criteria. It's the Kodak Playsport Zx3 HD Waterproof Video Camera!
If you're looking for a good, sturdy video camera that's lightweight and compact, yet it shoots high definition video, then this is the one for you. And the best thing about it is it's actually waterproof! It's rated to be submerged ten feet underwater! No more worrying about rain falling on your camera or standing too close to the pool while someone does a "cannon-ball" dive. You can use it when you scuba dive, snorkel, or when you're just splashing around in your swimming pool. It also works well on the wet rides at amusement parks and aquatic parks.

This video camera can shoot two full hours of video and with a SD card it can record up to ten hours of video! After you record all the action you want, you can either play it back right on the cameras screen or download it to your computer and save it or burn it onto a DVD disc. It's made by Kodak, which is a household name, so you don't need to worry about buying some unknown brand and it falling apart after a few uses. Kodak, of course, has a great track record when it comes to cameras.

So in summary, if you want a fun video camera that you can take with you wherever you go, even under water, then this video camera is the one you want. Think how you're friends will react when you "accidentally" drop your new video camera in the water! Then you can calmly say to them, "it's waterproof"!

Building Small Boats For Fun Or Profit

Building Small Boats can be a great way to unwind after a stressful day at the office. Creating a wooden boat from scratch and actually using the finished product for pleasure can be a very satisfying endeavor. It can also be turned into a small business where profit can be made.
Many people have taken up building small boats for pleasure or as a money-making hobby. Some people get therapeutic results by having a woodworking project which they spend their spare time building. There's something relaxing about creating a boat in your garage, on your own time. No deadlines. No boss telling you what to do. It's all up to you how to do it and when to do it. And when you finish your boat, there's the pride of seeing it and showing off your creation to friends and family. Then, finally, there's the joy of launching it into your favorite lake or river!

I have personally been involved in building three boats in my lifetime. The first one I built as an 8th grade woodshop project. I have to admit, it was a little overwhelming at that age, but, with a little encouragement from my dad, I did finish it before the school year ended. The design was a simple 6-7 foot, plywood dinghy style boat. I have to admit, my brothers and I spent many hours floating around in it after it was completed! (Yes, it did float!)

The second boat building experience was during my senior year in high school. Again in woodshop, our whole class built a wooden drift boat. It was a little more complex than my first boat, but I was older and we had the supervision of our shop teacher. It turned out beautiful and we all enjoyed the process and learned much about boat building.

My latest boat building project is a 16 foot wood strip canoe. I'm actually still working on it. It's about halfway done and I hope to wrap it up before summer's over, so I can put her in a lake and show her off to the world! Building this canoe has truly been fun and relaxing as a side hobby. I would recommend it to anyone.

Building your own small boat doesn't require a lot of special woodworking skills or fancy tools. I got by with a simple tablesaw, electric sander, block plane, wood rasp, a few clamps, hand stapler, and a hammer. If you'd like to check into building a small boat for yourself, check out my bio box for a link. There you'll find a great source for boat plans which come with complete step-by-step instructions.

How Do I Make My PC Faster?

You know how frustrating it can be to wait on a slow computer. Especially when you're surfing the web or trying to work with your software. I've got some tips to help you solve your sluggish computer problem.
In this article, I'm going to discuss reasons why your computer might be running slower than you'd like and some steps you can take to solve the problems. These possible solutions are simple and easy to perform. Anyone with a little computer savvy and common sense can do these tasks. Below are several reasons why your computer may be running slow and actions to take to try to solve the problem.

Reason #1: Too many Programs Running at Once. This may sound like a no-brainer, but when you're busy working on your computer, you may not realize just how many programs you have active. To solve this problem the answer is to close the programs you're currently not using. If you need some web pages for the work you're doing, you could save it and/or print the pages you need to free up more space.

Reason #2: Your computer is more than three years old. Technology, as you know, is constantly evolving and improving. If you purchased your computer more than three years ago, there's a good chance that it's getting a little out of date. Sorry. That's just the way technology is. But, take heart, there are solutions for your aging computer. It's entirely feasible to upgrade the hard drive and RAM on your current computer. New cards can be purchased and easily installed. You can have a like-new computer for much less than buying a new one. I offer a guide later in this article which will help you with this installation.

Reason #3: Your Computer Needs Defragmented. Over time you install and uninstall dozens of programs on your computer. As this process is being done, gaps in your hard drive develop because these programs don't always fill or vacate your hard drive correctly. These "gaps", when there are many of them, cause your computer to run slowly. The solution is to run the defragmenting program included in your computer operating system. If you run a search for "defragment" or look in the "Help" section for your PC, you will receive detailed instructions on how to perform this task.

Another tip is when you install a new program or software on your PC, always restart it. Then check your computer's performance after the install to make sure that installing that newest software didn't cause a slowdown in your performance.

Build a Fort Playhouse For Your Kids This Summer!

Would you like to be your kid's hero for a day? Build a fort playhouse for them this summer and you will be! Kids love forts and playhouses. You might have had one when you were a kid. They'll spend hours occupied with it which will keep them busy and out of trouble!
Let's face it. Your kids are out of school for the summer and they're starting to get bored. They complain that there's nothing to do. Here's an idea! Build a fort playhouse for them! They will spend hours and hours playing with it. Playhouses and forts help encourage their creativity and grow their imaginations. Having a playhouse is just good, healthy fun!

How much does it cost to build a playhouse? That all depends on what size, style, and level of complexity of building you want. It's possible to build a simple playhouse for a few hundred dollars. You can save a lot of money by using scraps you may have around your place. Searching sources like Craigslist or other classifieds can yield materials at a much lower cost than buying new. The smaller and more simple your design, the less it will cost. Of course it's entirely possible to spend thousands on your playhouse if you go big and fancy! The sky's the limit!

How long does it take to build a playhouse? The answer is similar to the one above. It all depends on the size and complexity of the design you choose. Other factors include how much carpenter experience you have personally, how many helpers you have available, and how much free time you have to spare. It's possible to build a simple playhouse in a weekend. A more complex structure might take several weeks.

TIPS FOR BUILDING A PLAYHOUSE FORT:

1. Purchase Good Plans Probably the most important element is to find a detailed set of plans. These should include step-by-step instructions and tons of easy-to-understand illustrations. Having good plans will make the construction and assembly process enjoyable and you'll complete the project much quicker.

2. Make Your Material List First. If you make a detailed material list before you start your playhouse project, it will be easier to find good deals on material. You'll know exactly what you need and what quantities of each. If you gather everything on your list before you start, your project will flow much more smoothly. And if you make a list and locate everything on it, you'll discover the items you might need to order. You won't be waiting on parts.

Learn How to Build a Wooden Playhouse in a Weekend!

It's easier than you think to build your kids a wooden playhouse! With a little woodworking experience, some basic carpentry tools, and some motivation, you could even build one in a weekend. Your kids will spend hours playing in their new playhouse this summer and fall.
If you've ever wanted to know how to build a wooden playhouse, this article is for you! It's really quite easy to build a playhouse from wood. And, yes, it's even possible to build one in a weekend! How is this possible, you ask? The answers to that question are shown below. If you want to build a more elaborate playhouse, it will most likely take several weekends.

1. Build a Simple Wooden Playhouse. In order to build a playhouse in a weekend, it must be a simple, basic design. It shouldn't be one of those two-story Victorian types with scalloped siding, steep roofs, and large covered porches with detailed railing. But it doesn't need to be an ugly box, either. There are ways to dress up a basic playhouse design with some tricks which don't cost much or require a lot of time. You don't have to build a huge, complex playhouse for your kids to enjoy it! They'll have just as much fun in a simple design as they would in a fancy one.

2. Acquire all the Necessary Tools, Materials, and Supplies Before you Start. If you spend a week or two gathering everything you'll need, you save a ton on time when you actually start your wooden playhouse. Sit down and think of every possible tool, board, nail, screw, etc. that you'll need and gather it all together before "build day". If you purchase good building plans (available below), you'll be told exactly what materials, tools, and supplies you need, which will save you a lot of time!

3. Recruit Some Help. To speed up building your wooden playhouse, you could ask a friend or two to help. Even better, you could ask that good friend who just happens to be a contractor too! But having someone to assist you helps, even if he or she isn't experienced in woodworking. Sometimes just a second set of hands helps a lot.

4. Buy Good Plans. By far the most helpful element to build a wooden playhouse in a weekend is an excellent set of building plans. Good plans include clear, easy-to-read drawings, a complete list of all the materials, tools, and supplies. They also give you step-by-step instructions with lots of illustrations to make things clear. A good set of plans will help you finish that project quickly and stress-free!

How to Sell Your House by Owner and Save a Ton of Money in Commissions!

It's no secret that home values have plummeted in the last several years. And if you're faced with the need to sell your home due to loss of your job or other financial crises, you want to get the most out of it to pay off your current mortgage and hopefully end up with a little cash. A lot of homeowners are selling their homes themselves successfully and avoiding paying that huge Realtor sales commission. It's not easy, but it can be done if you can learn a few tricks and techniques. Keep reading if you'd like to learn these selling tips.
If you can learn how to sell your house by owner, you can save a lot of money! These days it's a buyers market, and your home value is so low you can hardly afford to pay a Realtor a 7% commission and still come out with any equity. But there are a few tricks and tips you'll need to know to help you sell your house by owner. This article will cover a few of the ways you can sell your house yourself and do it quickly.

First you need to determine a fair market value for your home. Find homes similar to yours in square footage, style, and amenities. These should be homes that are either currently listed or have recently been sold. A good online source to check comparables is Zillow.com. Just type in your address and the program will show you homes for sale and homes sold in your neighborhood. You can also drive or walk around your neighborhood and note any homes currently for sale. Either take the free flyers or write down the asking price and details. Try to find some as similar to your house as possible. Keep in mind that the asking price is going to be about 5-10% higher than the amount you can expect to actually sell it for.

Next you need to spruce up your home a little. Do those little repairs you've been putting off; freshen up the paint, especially exterior paint on the front of the house; add some shutters to your front windows; keep the lawn trimmed; add a few new plants in the front of your house; tidy up the place by moving unnecessary junk from the yard. On the inside do a little staging. Don't go out and buy all new furniture, just remove extra furniture, knickknacks, toys, and any unnecessary clutter. For tips on how to stage your home check out "How to Stage Your Home for a Quick Sale!".