I keep waking up thinking that it is going to be sunny and 65 degrees outside! I am ready for Spring and most importantly, Summer!

Growing up in Georgia, I am not used to feeling the cold, wet chill of snow and ice. I know we Atlantans have had our share of snow days and wintery ice storms, but I can’t recall in recent memory a winter like this one…brrr!

You know the old adage: if you can’t fight ‘em, join ‘em. So, with camera in hand, I set out to grab a neat photo or two of the winter creations. I am no photographer, but I thought this one was pretty cool. It is of my front porch downspout that I ordered online from Target. It’s very pretty when the water cascades down it, but Old Man Winter took it a step further. I guess even though winter can chilly you to the bone, it still has the undeniable ability to inspire.

With the outpour of relief available to make donations, I went on-line to see what programs were out there to help in getting aid to this desperate country.

Here are just a few:

Doctors without Borders
www.doctorswithoutborders.org

Catholic Relief Services
www.crs.org

Samaritan’s Purse
www.samaritanspurse.org

The American Red Cross
You can make a $10 donation that will be added to your mobile phone bill by texting the word HAITI to the number 90999. Once your text has been sent you will receive a verification text, free of charge, asking you to confirm your donation.

Please copy and paste this info to an email if you like to send to your family and friends.

God bless those in Haiti and anyone who is suffering today.

Thanks,
Jodi

I truly believe 2010 is going to be a great year. Why? Because it has to be. We all have been through a tough year. Wages are low, I have had to tighten my belt. Prices aren’t reflective of what’s going on in our wallets…yet, there’s just something about 2010 that has me thinking it’s going to be different. Nothing that I’ve heard on TV, nothing that I’ve read on-line or in print. I just have a feeling. And I have learned over the years to just trust my feelings. Here’s to a fantastic 2010!

Now, I have a Honey-Do list for my house a mile long. Things I need to repair, replace, throw out or give away. I’ve made my list and now it’s my time to check it twice and get on the ball! The book came out in third quarter of last year and sales seem to be doing well…it went into its second printing right before the holidays. For that I am thankful. So, with the help of my publisher, I have a clip from the DVD that accompany’s the book. It’s on how to install a lighting fixture. I want to share with you. May it inspire you to take on your honey-do list and get some of those projects under your belt this year. I’ve got to get crackin’ or I’ll be buried by all the do’s and not that many dones!

Click Jodi Marks, New Light Fixture to view the clip.

Happy New Year, Happy Home Improving, Happy Days Are Here Again!

Here’s some pictures Steve took of me putting my Trim-It-Quick lights on our tree.

Since we have an artificial tree, I wanted to make sure all the limbs were spread out to have that fuller tree look.

Pulling out all the parts to the lighting system, you first want to run the extension cord along the trunk of the tree.

Starting with the “topper” section, attach the hook around the tree trunk at the top of the tree.

Once it’s hooked into place, plug it into the extension cord and spread the lighting strands out on the limbs working your way down and around. I plugged my extension cord into the outlet so I could see the lights better as I worked them around on the tree.

Keep attaching each bundle of lights (small, medium, and large sizes) to the trunk and spread them evenly out on the limbs.

Because the kits are designed to fit trees from 4′, 7′-9′ and taller there are plenty of lights to fill in and give your tree that festive glow.

Ta Da! Now that all the lights are in place I got Steve to put on all the ornaments! I got the better end of the stick!

Orvis, our new Irish Jack Russell, had to get in on the act, so we let him put the angel on top! He’s tired now, so we’re going to sit by the fire and look at our beautifully lit Christmas tree. Thanks Trim-It-Quick!  To watch the video of how to install the lighting system and to purchase your own lighting system, just click HERE.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Wow! This month has been a whirlwind! With it being Energy Awareness Month, I got the great opportunity to help spread the word on how home owners can save energy for their homes and save money in the process…and who doesn’t want to save money!!

On October 15th, I traveled to Washington DC to take part in a panel discussion for the American Chemistry Council. Their campaign, Plastics Make It Possible, highlighted some of the technological advances in building products that really help the consumer reduce their energy use. Products like PEX piping, SIPs (Structural Insulated Panels), house wraps, and spray foams can dramatically reduce outside air infiltration into your home…and what stops air getting in will stop air from leaking out! Check out the panel discussion and coverage of the Solar Decathlon by clicking on the Plastics Make It Possible link above.

I also traveled to Nashville this month to promote the Cash for Clunkers 2 program being offered by the Federal government. In this program, homeowners are offered a tax credit if they implement certain types of building materials and products in their homes to make them more energy efficient. Products like certain types of insulated windows, roofing shingles, and insulation can qualify your home for the tax credit. In fact there are certain types of appliance systems that qualify as well…an upgraded water heating system or a more energy efficient HVAC system can earn you up to a $1500 tax credit from the Feds.

Also, your particular state may also be offering rebates on certain appliances that you purchase for more energy efficiency…things like washers and dryers, water heaters, dish washers, certain types of stoves…go to energystar.gov and find your state to see what rebates are available. You may even qualify for an additional rebate from the manufacturer or the retailer where you purchase your new appliance. This is all part of a $300 million dollar stimulus package offered to help stimulate the economy, aid in the reduction of green house gases and give consumers a break if they were thinking of upgrading some things around their homes. So, it’s a win-win-win for everyone!

Steve and I are honored to present to you, happy homeowner, our first book! It took months to write and hours of patiently photographing each step so you can see firsthand just how easy home improvement can be! This book will take the guess work out of beginner to intermediate projects that you and/or your loved one can take on in a weekend.

Steve and I chose 25 of some of the top DIY projects. Plus we have taken 10 of those projects and captured them on a DVD that comes with the book!

To see a sample of our book, click HERE!

To order yourself a copy, click HERE!

We hope that you will enjoy it and find some useful solutions to all those projects around your house. Drop us a note to let us know what you think! We’d love to hear from you!

Warmest Regards, Jodi and Steve :)

Well, we did it!! Steve and I have just completed our first home improvement book together!!  It’s called FIX IT IN A FLASH!

This has been such an amazing experience for the both of us. Asked to write it back in July of 2007 by my would-be editor, David Thiel from F & W Publications, I was a bit hesitant to commit to writing a book…I’d never done it and I was a bit nervous, to say the least! After many discussions, David and I agreed that having a home improvement how-to book with my real-life co-host, Steve, would be a great approach. Steve is just as handy around the house as I am, and he’s a writer…perfect fit! We also decided to shoot an accompanying DVD with ten of the twenty-five projects Steve and I tackled in the book. That’s where the fun began! I was so used to working in front of the camera. Steve, on the other hand, had always worked BEHIND the camera. We had a blast, despite Steve’s baptism by fire in being on camera. He was a trouper!

The release date is September 2009. I hope that you all will enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed writing it! :)

Las Vegas, NV January 20-23

Pat Simpson and I are gearing up to head to Vegas in a few weeks and we are so excited!  The International Builders’ Show is going to be underway and we are going to soak it all up.  Open to the public, this show is chock full of exhibitors, guest speakers, and events all focused around products and materials for making your home and garden grand. If you get a chance to go, stop by the Shirestone booth to say hello to Pat. I am going to kidnap him, too, so we can walk the floor to check out all the latest and greatest for your home improvement projects. I’ll be posting pictures of what we find…so tune back in soon!

It’s hard for me to believe that the holidays are here once again.  I mean, doesn’t it seem like yesterday that we were shopping for the turkey, checking the sports schedule to see who would be playing ball that day, and well, counting heads to see who was coming for dinner and who might make it time for dessert? 

With all the hustle and bustle of making Turkey Day just right, I have to remind myself to stop, catch my breath, and really think about what Thanksgiving means. What does it mean? I know that I am thankful for my family and my friends;  I say that with the sincerest of hearts.  I am thankful for the opportunities that have blessed me this year in my work.  I am thankful for my health and that of my daughter.  I am thankful that my parents are still healthy and sharp of mind.  These blessings, these gifts, I am most thankful for. 

Still I ponder, what does it mean to be truly Thankful. And in the quiet of this evening I realized that thankfulness is the perfect prayer.  Admittedly, I have found myself praying for this or that to happen in my life.  Praying for one thing or another.  But tonight, my prayer is Thankfulness.  I am grateful. Grateful for the good, the bad, the joy, the stress, the love, the fear, the known and the unknown.  It’s all a blessing, it’s all a gift.

Happy Thanksgiving…there really is so much to be thankful for…