Chapter One:

 A gal can buy her own Stud Finder!!

     So, you think you have arrived? You have a great job, a nice place to live, and a couple of kids/cats. However, something is missing, isn't it? You would like to be able to handle minor home improvements on your own? To learn the difference between a molly bolt and a hex set? To be able to tell your Mom that you got your first "Leatherman"?  Or tell your Dad you found a "Stud finder"?

    You have come to the right guide.. I will show you how you can find tools that will work for a beginner, and help you to stave off panic attacks when you enter the Home Improvement Store. Cause let's face it, we can tackle juggling jobs, kids and school, but we get cold and clammy when we enter through those big orange doors!

   Step One: Let's get a few basic tools. There are now tools you can buy especially for women. And you can find them right here, on e-Bay!  One that I like is " The Grip 30 piece Women's Tool Kit." This kit, which retails for under $30, includes:

*8 oz claw hammer * Level * Screwdriver * Adjustable Wrench *  * Putty Knife * Tape measure * Hex Driver set * Nails & screws, and more.

  Besides containing all of these great things for around $1/an item, it is self-contained, and it is Purple! How cool is that!   

Next, let's get a stud finder, so you can hang that great piece of art, or picture, by yourself. A stud finder is a battery operated hand held tool that signals where a "stud" is located in a wall. A stud is a support built in the wall, under the plaster or dry wall. You will need to support heavy items you are hanging by nailing your hanger into the stud. How simple is that! The newer stud finders will also help you accurately measure where to hang your mirror, with a laser built right in.

 You can find your stud finder on eBay, too! Stud Finder- Home & Garden. After you have located your stud ;) you will determine the weight of your picture and use a picture hanger made for that weight. Nail in your hanger. Place your mirror or picture on the wall.

Now that you have all these great tools, what can you do with them? I suggest getting a book, a standard home improvement book. I really like the Sunset line of books, and I get most of my home improvement help from their line. Home improvement .

Now, get out there! Hang your pictures high!