Over at Thoughts By Natalie

Happy Saturday, lovelies! When my friend Natalie asked if I'd be willing to guest post on her blog, Thoughts by Natalie, while she is in Massachusetts for summer vacation, I knew exactly what I could share! Natalie writes a lot about wellness, healthy eating, and vegan dishes, so when she asked more specifically if I had any DIY projects to share, I thought that our raised garden bed DIY would be fitting--especially since organic and straight from the garden is the healthy and fresh way to go.

Here is an excerpt from the post...

"Maybe you've hesitated to plant a garden because you live in the city with more concrete than soil to contend with, or you feel like your thumb is no hue of green in the slightest, or you think about planting when the season has passed, or you have no idea where to even begin...And perhaps with just a bit of direction, or just a bit of encouragement, you can be on your way to your own little farm, starting with a few veggies and herbs. A garden to call your own. The very fist step in your garden ventures, is to create a home for your plants to be nourished and to grow..."

Read the rest of the post HERE. 

Cinque Terre | Samantha Elizabeth

Today I have a travel treat for you! Samantha Elizabeth, a lifestyle blogger and photographer, is exploring Italy this week and she is sharing a bit from her travels with us today. When Samantha shared her Getting Lost in Venice photographs, I wanted to vacate my current life and just hop all over Italy--she captures her adventures and the beautiful details of the towns so effortlessly. I hope you enjoy snippets from her travels, and her abroad fashion sense, as much as I have! (Ps. You should also see how diy savvy this girl is-- like this shutter mail holder, this head board, & these vintage magnets).

Along the north west coast of the Italian Riviera and nestled next to the Mediterranean Sea you will find five small villages called Cinque Terre, which include Rigimorre, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso. My husband and I have chosen to stay in Manarola, the smaller of the five and more remote of the villages. One of the most fascinating things about these five villages is that they are nestled within 5 miles of jagged cliffs and vineyards.  The structure of the vineyards weaves their way from the bottom of the cliffs to the top; it is an unthinkable and amazing sight. The locals will tell you that the “The best grapes grow closest to the sea.”

Cinque Terre is one of those coastal villages where the options are endless for adventure. Enjoy a hike through vineyards and take in the amazing views of the Mediterranean’s rugged coastline, jump a 5-minute train to the next closest village and sip cappuccino in a cafe, grab a bite to eat and enjoy the “catch of the day” as Cinque Terre has some of the freshest seafood in the world, send your taste buds soaring and experience wine tasting and the world renown Sciacchetra one of Cinque Terre’s finest wines, take a less strenuous stroll along Via dell’Amore, a footpath cut out of sheer rock just a stones throw away from the sea. Cinque Terre’s charm is unlike any other in the world and exceptional in its beauty.

{Guest Post} Beth's Up-Cycled Glass Bottles.

Hi there Triple P readers! My name is Beth and I have a blog called dot in the city, where I share everything from recipes to social media tips to faith. I'm so excited Lauren invited me to guest post; she asked that I share some ideas for DIY-type home decor.

I'm not the kind of person who makes a front door wreath for each month of the year, but I do look for affordable ways to make my home reflect the change of seasons. In the past year, I had fun sprucing up our mantle for fall, Christmas, and spring. Looking to reuse some glass bottles/jars yourself? Check out how to clean and re-purpose glass. Here are three practical ways we have re-used glass bottles in our home and they can be used year-round.

Light Pendandts

Using a tile saw, my husband cut off the bottoms on a pair of wine bottles to create two light pendants. He then used steel wool to smooth the edges a bit. For a while, I considered painting or frosting the bottles, but decided to leave them. 

Vases and Accent Decor

Clean up empty bottles and use them on their own or spray paint them (as I did for several of my mantle decorating adventures). I try to hang on to various shapes and sizes of glass bottles to add interest.

Candle Holder

Use a glass bottle as a candle holder. There are some wine bottles that are so darn pretty I want to keep them around once their wine is gone, so I started using them as a candlestick on our dining room table.

Thank you, Lauren, for having me! Please stop by my blog or connect with me on Facebook. I also love to chat on Twitter and share photos on Instagram!

{Guest Post: Happily Grey} A Pop of Sunflowers!

Hi! My name is Mary from Happily Grey and I could not be more excited to share one of my favorite DIY projects that I recently made. The idea first came from the all addicting Pinterest via Whit's Amuse Bouche! Since we recently just moved into a a new space, I have been knee deep in several projects attempting to fill vacant wall spaces in a more creative, personalized light! This project caught my eye for many reasons (small vase bottles, natural twine, and the pop of sunflowers & weeds) AND it is sooo simple! It literally took me 1 hr from start to finish! Here are a few of my pictures of the needed supplies and shots along the way! For the full tutorial please visit the original Hanging Wallflower creator Whit's Amuse Bouce. 

 A few tips I can add:

• I found my old frame in the "damaged" section at Michaels for $5. I liked the original color so I did not paint or sand the frame. 
• Michaels and Walmart have the small vase glass available for $1 a piece. Pick out pieces that have a lip. 
• I also found my flowers and weeds from Michaels ...great selection and I bought when they were 50% off! 

Hope your enjoy this DIY as much as I did! Thanks Lauren for letting me share my DIY inspiration. I am loving your blog and everything you are doing...you are truly talented and have such a creative eye! Check out my favorite post by Lauren here, here, and here!

Guest Post: Confessions of a Thrifting Momma

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Thrift store hunts may be a daunting endeavor to some, and an even bigger scare when thinking about thrifting with children in tow. To encourage you to brave the thrift store treasure hunt, my friend Noelle is here to share her experience and attest that it is not the impossible {even as a mom with two little ones}! 

In her words:

Lauren has inspired me so much with this little blog of hers, that I’ve gotten back into my love of frugal treasure hunting, repurposing and handmade gift-making with a renewed passion. I’ve been wanting to jump into the blog world for quite some time since I am a graphic designer and also a mom: (lots of stuff to write about, be inspired by, etc). But alas, life gets the best of me and I’d rather be busy playing with my kids and making things. I have so many projects in my head right now. I can barely think because all I want to do is go cut some fabric and start sewing! It’s literally killing me to sit here, knowing that I have brand-new fabric downstairs waiting for me to start planning with. Anyway, I told Lauren that thrifting with kids was a whole new ballgame and thought that sharing my experience might be fun for others to read about.

Last week I had the itch, so I decided to stop by my local Goodwill (conveniently right next door to our Vons grocery store) before going grocery shopping. At noon. Before feeding the children. Genius idea #1. Then I got sucked into the New Arrivals rack and found tons of brand name, new clothing and decided to try some things on. Genius idea #2. I asked if I could take the kids into the changing room in the cart with me and the clerk said sure (14 year old boy who has no clue), and dangit, they put a flag on the cart so no one will TAKE CARTS in the dressing room. So I took the baby out of the carrier and the 3 yr old out of the cart and entered the dressing room. Genius idea #3. Mind you, it’s about 12:45 at this point and we haven’t eaten or done our grocery shopping yet.....ughhh. I’m getting tired just thinking about that trip! I ripped through the clothes all while yanking my 1 yr old back under the very high doors and making the 3 yr old stand up after peeking at the next door neighbor and asking loudly why someone was in the room next to us, all while constantly apologizing to the neighbors. Tired yet? I sure was!

Despite the craziness of hunting with kids, I managed to come away with a Forever 21 hoodie, a Target tanktop, a Banana Republic sweater top, a comfy new jersey knit dress, a gorgeous lacy blouse, a Lauren Conrad t-shirt, and these BEAUTIFUL gems:

Tray and gold dish were each only 99 cents! EEK! Jar is for my sis-in-law for Christmas, hope she doesn’t read this. But only if I’m willing to give it up!

My favorite aisle is always the kitchen/housewares section. People walk right past these treasures thinking they’re dated or too beat up and completely miss the beauty in them. I’m going to hang the tray on the wall near my kitchen to tie into another piece of artwork with similar colors. I was planning on using the gold dish for rings in the bathroom, but it found a new home as you’ll see below.

Well, the itch wasn’t thoroughly scratched, because the very next day I had already planned a treasure-hunting trip with my good friend Danielle, who also has a love for all things worn, peeling and rusty. We somehow escaped our houses and children for an entire afternoon alone together (thank you hubbies!!) and just went from shop to shop exploring. That’s when I found a huge collection of old Reader’s Digest short story compilations from the 60’s with GORGEOUS covers, full-color interiors and beautiful illustrations. I was in love, and I got 26 books for, wait for it, $3.25!!!! They were marked as 25 cents each and I found them on the 50% off table! 

It made my day, my week, my month!

Some of the beautiful books I picked up for a steal.
I actually only bought 10 and then was so sad about leaving   their friends behind, I headed back (with children) for 16 more and made the store clerk carry them out ha! 

I was so inspired by my finds that I finally had purpose for my drab living room built-in that had been sitting half-empty for 2.5 years since we bought the house and moved in. It has been a thorn in my side forever and I finally had enough treasures to fill all those daunting shelves. Filling shelves is LAST on the priority list when you have 2 small children and are self-employed and working from home. But I did it! It took probably 3 hrs on a Sunday afternoon, but I did it and boy am I proud of myself and can’t stop staring at my creative masterpiece!

Even the sconces were $2 from a garage sale!
The huge rustic U was from Ross for $3 on clearance.

The only letter they had and it’s our last name, booya! 

Disclaimer, the baby was NOT a thrift store purchase! ;)

  Frame: Flea market, $2. 

  Bird: hardware store(?!), $1. 

  Gold dish: thrift store, 99 cents.

  Books: library sale, $5.

 Books: thrift store, 12.5 cents each. 

 Vintage Golden book: thrift store, $1. 

 Glass jars: garage sale, 3 for $1 

 (gave one away and now regretting it, I’m a hoarder) 

 Bird: gift from my mom who knows me :)

  Books: library sale, $7. 

  Potpurri: Big Lots, $2.

I can’t stand throwing away beautiful cards 

so I just decided to tuck this one into an 
empty frame and it perfectly ties in the 

mint color on the book binding, I love it!
Frame: Flea market, $3. 
Letters box: library sale, $5. 
Mirror: Ross, $20 (pricey for me!) 
Book: thrift store, 12.5 cents.
Bird candle holder: gift from my momma again!

I knew something was missing, so I stole an Ikea lamp from my office and added it later in the evening, and it was just what the space needed. Now I sit under it’s warm light while chilling with the hubby and working on new projects after the kiddos are down each night. It was light I desperately needed to be able to see my needle and thread.

I truly hope this post inspires someone else out there who’s feeling frozen by lack of time, resources, etc. because all of these shelves were filled with thrift store, garage sale and Ross finds from over the years. And that’s the biggest part, it took me a few years to feel like I had the right stuff to fill these shelves and finally call this project complete. Or maybe just complete for now. Anyway, it has already inspired me to make new pillows for the couch (hence the fabric taunting me downstairs!) Maybe I’ll send an update when those are done. But with my kiddos, that could be next Spring!

Noelle Uzzi is a wife, momma to two awesome little girls, and designer extraordinaire! She spends most of her days wiping butts and taking names on the Central Coast of California, also known as the Happiest Place in America {according to Oprah}. You can follow her creative work at www.uzzicreative.com.

Guest Post: Create a Beautiful Nursery on a Budget.

[photo source]

Katie over at Moore from Katie has put together some great ideas and tips for creating your perfect nursery. "Baby DIY" has not appeared much  on Pearls Poppies Pinkies Up (once possibly?), so I hope this can get some momentum going for child-loved projects and posts related to little ones! What not a better place to start than the Nursery!

In her words:

“I’m pregnant. In nine short months I will have a little bundle of joy! What needs to be done? Where do I start?” This, well something like this, was my train of thought when I found out I was pregnant. With all the options that require an educated decision, like umbilical cord blood banking, circumcision (if you have a boy), or whether or not to hire a doula, the nine months of pregnancy can end up being more stressful than not. For me, I found however that there was no better way to remind myself how exciting pregnancy is than decorating my baby's nursery.

Somehow, nothing seems real until the crib is in place, the artwork is on the walls, and the changing table is stocked with diapers and lotions. Unfortunately, retailers know that parents-to-be will spend a lot of money to outfit their baby's room. Even a simple mobile can cost a pretty penny. That's where your DIY nature comes in. With a little creativity and very little money, your nursery can be the envy of all the expecting moms. Here are some tips I found useful to get you started.

1. Repurpose! You don't have to drop a ton of money on a changing table. Find a used dresser and fix it up. Remove the drawer pulls. Choose a paint color for the body of the dresser and one for the drawers. I use low-VOC, eggshell finish paint, but choose whatever color fits the theme you’re going with. Find some darling drawer pulls at your local home improvement or craft store and attach them to the drawers, toss a changing pad on top and voila! You have an adorable, one-of-a-kind changing table. For extra safety, I recommend using a heavy-duty staple gun to attach a safety strap or some type of walls along the edges.


2. Rock it! Rocking chairs can be enormously expensive. Scour the thrift stores in your area or check Craigslist for a used rocker. Paint it to match the nursery. You can purchase a stencil and some stencil paint from your local craft store and decorate the chair to your liking. Buy or sew a cushion for the seat!

3. Go mobile! Cut a 1-inch wooden dowel to the desired width and drill a vertical hole through each end and at intervals along the length of the dowel. Insert the ends of a 24-inch piece of string or wire through the end holes for the hanging apparatus. For the mobile itself, sew or thread pieces of string to lightweight stuffed animals, fabric flowers, painted wooden cutouts, stuffed felt circles or any other safe objects. String these through the remaining holes at different lengths. {DIY mobile ideas via Pinterest HERE}

4. Hang ten! Purchase or repurpose ten equal-sized, or odd shape frames and paint them to your liking. Insert artwork. Try some black-and-white family photos, some cute postcards or greeting cards, or make your own artwork with stencils, stickers or using your own artistic abilities. Perhaps you have some artwork stored away that you made as a child. Hang the pictures on a long wall in two rows of five, one above the other, or hang them in a collage like pattern to create a different effect.


5. Set the mood! Lighting is everything in the nursery. You don't want overhead lights glaring at you during a middle-of-the-night feeding. Find a lamp at your local thrift store and use enamel spray paint to update the base if you wish. Cover the lampshade in cheerful fabric using fabric glue and attach fringe or tassels to the bottom of the shade.


6. Store it! You can never have too much storage in the nursery. Buy some plain, heavy cardboard stacking boxes at your local craft store and paint them with stencils or cover them in pretty fabric. Glue labels to the front and place them strategically around the nursery so you're never scrambling for an extra pacifier or burp cloth.


Simple tips like this helped me create a nursery that was my own, and that I didn’t have to fork out a lot of money for. Now, my baby and I can share new memories in her nursery together!

Katie Moore is the lovely author of this guest post. She is an active blogger living in North Carolina with her husband and little girl, Lily. Katie is passionate on the topics of pregnancy and pregnancy awareness, and all other things Mommy. She enjoys writing, blogging, and meeting new people! To connect with Katie contact her via her blog, Moore From Katie or her twitter, @moorekm26. 

Guest Post: A bit of lace, a tank turned maxi, and doily details.

If you've been out and about this summer, you have probably noticed the maxi dress, lace, and jean being at the top of the fashion trend. I bring you a post with all three of these, all repurposed, and all completely doable (even for the basic seamstress!). My very best childhood friend Miranda has the most wonderful mom, who basically has so many talents when it comes to DIY (sewing and embroidery are her forté for sure). My personal experience with Nancy's sewing ranges from the sequined mermaid costume I wore as a preschooler to the hand handsewn lace garter I wore on my wedding day. The woman has skills. And I think it would be fair to say that any girl that loves fashion would be extremely blessed to have a mom who could look at a shirt/dress/shorts and an hour later whip up a new rendition on the old clothing item. Yes, Miranda, you are blessed! When Miranda sent me these photos of Nancy's repurposing, she commented that these are fun and easy ideas for the person like her that is trying to save and be ever so frugal (despite the temptation to spend on trends)! 

Worn in jean shorts and some lace: 

Feminine detail just perfect for summer.

{Shorts like these have been seen in stores for up to $80!}

Concert tee and vintage table doily: 

Cut and sewn into an airy Boho top. 

Three yards of fabric and a ribbed tank: 

Made in an hour maxi dress.

{Cut the tank in half, wrap the fabric around your empire waist to measure your size, sew the skirt, sew skirt to tank, and voila!}

Beautiful girl, beautiful clothes!

About Nancy, the woman behind the threads:  "I have been sewing since JR. high school. I used to go to Clarkdale {Arizona} in the summer growing up and stay with both sets of grandparents. I was around both my grandmothers who would sew all the time. My Dad's Mom made barbie clothes for me and my Mom's Mom taught me to embroider. They both sewed on Singer treadle sewing machines. Back then they had Home Ec in school. I love to make things, but have never made my own patterns, that  might be something I could try." 

Guest Post: {Thoughts by Natalie}'s bits for a spa like bathroom.

(I've been a reader of Natalie's blog for some time now. And lucky for us, she hopped on board with sharing some of her personal design aesthetic here at Pearls Poppies Pinkies Up! Enjoy!)

In her words:

When Lauren asked me to share about my favorite design element in my home, I immediately thought of my bathroom--though that wouldn't always have been the case. After my husband and I took an anniversary trip to Las Vegas this year, I felt so inspired by the relaxing and soothing vibe from the spa that I came home determined to redesign the bathroom to feel the same.
To me, a spa-like feel required these essentials: light fragrance, fluffy towels, pretty containers and soothing artwork. Immediately upon returning from our trip, I drove to Target in search of those very things. By the time I was finished with my shopping and decorating, these items filled my new spa-like bathroom:

Scented reed diffuser. This is remarkably effective in the fragrance department. I have always been a candle girl, but of course that’s not really a practical way to keep a room smelling nice because it requires some supervision. Thus, a diffuser. It’s not overpowering, and it also adds a nice design aesthetic to the shelving.

Woven baskets. Nothing robs you of relaxation quite like clutter. These baskets help me keep things like toilet paper and extra towels out of sight, while also acting as a form of artwork themselves.

Black and white art. The three square canvases with black and white photography I found in the art aisle at Target have added so much to the whole feel of the bathroom. The images themselves are of rocks and water, which evoke a lot of peace for me and add to the spa feeling.

Hanging magazine rack. One of my favorite things about the spa is the waiting room before your treatment--you know, the one where they have flavored water, free healthy snacks and unlimited amounts of magazines to read while you wait. After all, who has time to read a magazine unless they are, in fact, relaxing? I keep the rack stocked with current issues of positive magazines, including Whole Living, Real Simple and the J.Crew Catalog :)

Eucalyptus oil. Though not shown in the photos, I swear by having Eucalyptus oil in the shower. I just sprinkle a few drops on the shower floor before I rinse out my conditioner, and the whole room smells like a sauna. So refreshing and energizing!

Natalie Lynn Borton is a lover of the written word, avocados, and her hilarious and charming husband Brian. She seeks to inspire and empower women to live healthy, confident lives of true beauty in all that she does, especially through her work as Director of Marketing for Wonderfully Made and Online Editor at Darling Magazine. You can find her blogging at Thoughts by Natalie of follow her on Twitter at @natalieborton. 

Treasury Edition No. 2: Budvase, reflection, entryways, and dumpster dives.

This is a new series added to the blog, with the original treasury idea inspired by Etsy (where items of a similar theme would be put together for a mini collection of sorts). This is a collection of frugal finds, home design, affordable style, and other splendid bits and pieces from readers like you. If you missed the first treasury, meander over here. Enjoy!

My blue ceramic treasure: This Dutch Delft budvase I found at a consignment store that was going out of business. Originally it was a gift for my Grandma, and now it holds a handful of flowers in my home. It cost $5 and was made in Holland.

Natalie is one of those women who has classy style in her bones. And she is amazing at navigating the wide world of Craigslist. Lucky for us, she is sharing a few of her most recent frugal finds. Natalie found the oval mirror at the Goodwill for only $5. She painted the frame gold to spruce it up a bit. It adds some splendid character to her basement guest room. Next, the dresser was a furniture piece from Natalie's parents. After the piece was hidden down in her basement, Natalie decided to give it new life. With some sanding (oh how we all love this part of refurbishing), white paint, and a new spot in her entryway, this repurposed dresser looks so put together. To accent the design, Natalie painted the lamp shade black. I love this look! (If only I had more photos to show you her entire living room. It is black, white, and classy perfection.) Lastly, this is by no means a new one for the record books, searching for treasure by literally diving, yes, into a dumpster. But, when you get something great like this pedastool side table, completely free? Cannot beat that. Let's dumpster dive more often, shall we? Just wash up properly afterwards and sanitize the bajeebies out of it.

Treasuries are made possible by you! If you would like to be a part of the next collection, email me or read more about guest postings here. 

Guest Post: When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

I have been super busy these past few days, putting some projects aside until life makes more room, literally, for them (hopefully tomorrow!). So when I opened my inbox tonight after a very long day and saw an email titled "My guest post" I was very excited. At first, I couldn't help but think it was a joke....because it was from this boy that I know...and this boy likes to joke with me. And do silly things like send me pretend guest posts because he knows how my heart leaps when I have one waiting to be blogged about. And, well, what boy reads Pearls Poppies Pinkies Up anyways? (Apparently, one at least). I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did, it made my day and then some.

In his words:

*Disclaimer – I am an engineer, not a writer. Keep a pillow or coffee close in the event this article makes you drowsy. The choice is yours.*

I am sure that by now many of you have at least thought one of the following questions while reading this blog: Why does she us the word “our” when talking about her abode? How crazy of a sleeper is she to need a bed that big for one person? How does she manage to take care of a dog all on her own? Who is this odd guy?

As it turns out, she has a husband. That husband is me. Just me, not Channing Tatum, not Bob Vila, and not Greg Stiemsma (getting closer). I'm the tool man in this humble duo of home improvement and DIY, think Al and Heidi, not Tim and Lisa. While Lauren constantly thinks, dreams, and conjures up ideas of “shelf here, paint there, and just a screw or two (or fifteen) to hold this up” I, as an engineer, wait and contemplate ways to tell her why it won't work. Once past the initial shock of this unwillingness to cooperate we work together to find ways to make her dreams into reality. As a reader, I hope some of this process gets conveyed to you. It is a tough process at times!

So with any DIY blog there comes some inspiration to, well, do a project on something of your own!

“But wait!”, you say, “I don't have all those fancy tools to do all these things you make here. I wouldn't even know where to start.” WRONG! To complete most simple to moderately involved DIY projects you only need a few basic tools. Having the right tool for any job keeps the project from being frustrating (“Yes, that wrench did hit the fence”), taking more time than it should (“No shower for two weeks?”), and possibly ending up with something ruined (“Sorry, they don't make that type of light fixture any more”). (All things I've said or heard).

Here is a short list of the “must have” basic tools:

1. You Spin Me Right Round:

Screwdrivers: Many types and various sizes. A good alternative to getting a full set of different screwdrivers is a ratcheting style screwdriver along with a set of interchangeable bits. I got this set at Harbor Freight. You may need to get a set of very small screwdrivers separately for smaller screws.

Hex Keys: Not as common and many times come with “build-it-yourself” furniture, eh-em Ikea. Buy something already built off Craigslist and now its loose and falling over? Tighten it up with these. Many bit sets mentioned above come with these included with them, make sure yours does.

2. Straight up!

Level: What more can I say? The name says it all. They come in many different sizes but a 6”-12” works for almost everything.

Tape measure: A 10'-30' will suit most projects. Make sure its in inches and not meters (unless your into that). I like the LeverLock version I have made by Stanely.

Square: Sometimes in life things just don't make sense. Calling something that is a triangle shape a square is one of those things. These are cheap and are invaluable for making straight and square lines (oh, now I get it).

Hang & Level: A pretty awesome tool that Lauren bought. I know nothing about it (other than that its awesome) so I will leave the explanation to her!

3. Hammer Time

Hammer: Everybody has to have one. Go with a 12” curved claw nail hammer and you should be good to go. Whatever you do, don't buy a ball pein hammer, you heard me. You can go rustic with a wood handle or you can go new school with a metal handled hammer as shown, either are great choices.

Pliers: My dad grew up on a farm before moving to the city and as a young boy I asked him, “Why didn't you stay on the farm and be a farmer?” I'll never forget his response, “Matt, every good farmer can fix anything with bailing wire and a pliers. I couldn't.” That statement couldn't be more true. For a lot of wood working projects pliers won't be used much but having a standard and needle-nose pliers will get you places in life. I have a Craftsman set of both types from Sears that have worked great for me.

Adjustable wrench: Another very handy tool. Get a 10” and never look back. Its got a really cool spinny-thing so it fits nearly any size nut or bolt.

4. Hair Trigger

Cordless Drill: So out of all the things on this list, this is the probably the most expensive. The one shown is bigger than what most jobs require. A 9V or 12V will drill through most materials and work great for driving screws as well. This tool is worth its weight, skimp on this one and you may regret it. I have a DeWalt but there are a lot of great manufacturers. Read reviews and pick one that feels good in the hand and isn't so heavy you get big weird biceps if you use it a lot.

Drill bits and drivers: A simple set of eight to ten bits ranging from 1/16^th inch to 3/8^th inch is a great start. Add a simple set of screwdriver bits and no project will stand a chance.

5. The Kitchen Sink

Safety Glasses: Two things make these a no brainer. First, sight is one of you top five most important senses and your eyes are the probably most important organ. Second, people look awesome in them. Wear them.

Mask: Humans are smart, we figured out how to make some crazy coatings that seem to last forever and even crazier chemicals to get them off quickly (both very unnatural). Too bad these things can make you really sick if you breathe them.

Pencil: You can get a standard #2 as shown or you can get one of those wide flat ones and sharpen it slowly with a pocketknife while you talk to someone. He or she will think very highly of you.

Last point. Where to get these things? In no particular order:

1. Home Depot/Lowes/OSH/Menards/Ace Hardware – Typical hardware stores. Great place to find quality tools. Look for coupons and deals especially during holidays.
2. Harbor Freight: Cheap tool outsourced all over the world using typically low quality metals and construction. I have a lot of tools from here and have had good experiences. Good place for some stuff (cheap screwdrivers), bad place for other things (cordless drills).
3. Sears: Sell Craftsman tools and nearly all come with a lifetime warranty. Something breaks, bring it in and you get a new one. I have broken some tools and the exchange process was painless. A majority of my tools are Craftsman.
4. Amazon: Don't forget to pay your use tax...the IRS is watching you!
5. Snap-on: Very high quality, if not the highest. If you know about these then you probably own all of the tools listed.
6. Garage sales: This blog is about reusing the old and making it new. Give some old tools new life in your tool box!

Is this an exhaustive list of tools? Not hardly. Don't have anything on this list? No problem, go buy a hammer. Have a few of these? Good start, grab a new tool next time you need it. You will have it forever. Have everything on this list? Great to hear. Now go build something and let us know about it!

(...and he said he wasn't a writer    -Lauren)