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Tools and Hobbies

Kids’ Toys from the Hardware Store: Watering Can and Squeegee

From Ru at Hedda Dabbler comes the idea of a watering can for kids. She notes, “It is so versatile – a purse, a planter, a container of any sort really – and best of all, it is intended to do that most exciting of all things – pour water!” Ah, yes, the perpetual fascination […]

Kids’ Toys from the Hardware Store: Duct Tape

The third installment in this series brings us to duct tape. This isn’t a good toy to give young children directly—it’s hard to handle and can hurt when pulled off skin—but it can be used by you to make all kinds of other toys. I’ve covered an empty two-liter soda bottle with it to create

Kids’ Toys from the Hardware Store: Carpenter’s Ruler

The second item in my series on Kids’ Toys from the Hardware Store requires no assembly. It’s simply a carpenter’s ruler—a ruler that not only measures, but folds into a variety of shapes certain to amuse and delight. My dad bought me one when I was young, and I had hours of fun with it.

Kids’ Toys from the Hardware Store: PVC Pipe Construction Set

Dykes and hardware stores seem to go together like, well, dykes and softball.* I therefore thought I’d start a new weekly series for us lesbian moms on kids’ toys you can buy or make based on simple items from the hardware store. (*Yes, I know I’m overgeneralizing. Personally, I’m not at all fond of softball

Software for Stay-at-Home Parents

I had it good when I was employed outside the home. The latest word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation programs. Integrated e-mail and calendaring, with the ability to share events and track attendees. Anti-virus software I didn’t need to re-purchase every year. Once I started staying home with my son, however, the party stopped. There were

Mombian Shop Relaunch

Just in time for the holidays, I’m relaunching an updated Mombian Shop, chock full of books, music, videos, toys, baby gear, and lots of things for house and home. You’ll find items geared towards children of same-sex parents and items celebrating lesbian culture, but also more general categories of products. We’re a diverse lot, really,

IKEA Hacks

A comment on Parent Hacks tipped me off to the great blog Ikea Hacker. It’s full of ways to tweak, enhance, and otherwise modify products from the Swedish retailer. Add doors to a shelving unit. Make a pinhole camera from a plant-pot holder. Add a pattern to the inside back of a bookcase. (This would

National Novel Writing Month

A trashy lesbian romance? A dark allegory about modern life? A young-adult mystery? If you think you have it in you, give it a try during National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), in which participants attempt to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel between November 1 and November 30. The object is not necessarily to produce a

Homemade Cat Trees and Dog Treats

I’ll take a weekend break from writing about our real children to pay homage to our furry companions. For all you dykes with cats and toolboxes, here’s how to build your own cat tree. (From PandE Cats via Lifehacker.) The instructions are a little sketchy, and some additional pictures would help, but if you have

Cordless Drill Review

Toolmonger has a detailed post on Selecting Your Next Cordless Drill. Whether you need a drill for an upcoming project, or just for your sweetie’s birthday, you’ll find lots of information here. Voltage, battery type, torque—it’s all covered. (Thanks to MAKE for the tip.)

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