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Not every guy is in a relationship with a woman, but between sweethearts, siblings, parents, and friends and family, almost all of us will be buying something for the women in our lives this holiday. They're special, in a million different ways; here's a solid set of gift ideas that will let them know you care.
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Looking for a warm drink that will give you energy without the jitters? You need to try this brewed South American tea.
For years, coffee has been my go-to AM brew, and I've been dedicated to grabbing a cuppa joe to get me through the morning. Sure, I mix it up with an espresso drink every now and then, but for the most part it's a few milligrams of caffeine that powers me through the mid-morning slump.
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Baking bread is one of those hard to qualify skills if you're looking at it from the outside with no real experience. On the one hand, people have been doing it for thousands of years in all sorts of climates with all sorts of varying available ingredients. On the other hand, it seems like a hard science that requires potentially its own baking contraption and yeast (who has baking yeast lying around?), meaning another trip to the grocery store. But here's the thing: it's not really that hard... … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com
Over the holiday weekend, as we were digesting our second plate of leftovers, we stumbled across the 1983 film, The Big Chill. My mom, being the definition of a baby boomer, had seen it countless times and could list every track name on the soundtrack. My wife, being the child of baby boomers who happened to own it on VHS as a child, had also seen it repeatedly, and was full of quotes and minor plot points. And then there was me, who simply hadn't gotten around to it.
So, long story short, we put it on, and did that combo chatting, reading magazine, and movie watching thing that families do over holidays.
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Perhaps you've drawn a name for the office Secret Santa and it's time to pony up for a solid gift that won't break the bank. Maybe it's for your brother-in-law, a buddy who helped you move. Perhaps, even though you're thirty-two, your mom keeps on insisting you give her a complete wishlist from which she'll select her favorites. Whatever the reason, it's gift giving season. Here are 50 options to find something they (or you) will love.
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Most homes theses days have a fair bit of copper piping in them, and knowing how to make simple repairs (or installs) is worthwhile. Plus, soldering (aka 'sweating') pipe is one of those skills that's actually really easy to learn, and pretty hard to mess up (badly).
Here's the thing, though: soldering pipe can be dangerous, because it involves using a blow torch at high temperatures to heat the copper. Plus, you'll almost always be doing it it indoors, which is not my favorite place to use an open flame. So do it safely:… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com
One defining aspect of an interesting man is a cache of amazing tales. Someday, someone small will look up at you with admiration and you owe them a story worth telling. Living a life of adventure is not only possible, but necessary. If you're not doing it, today is a good day to start.
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Fact. … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com
Looking to add a little of the "roasting on open fire" flavor to some of your seasonal libations? Check out this cool technique for making smoked cocktail garnishes to add some toasty, earthy notes to your drinks. … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com
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Let's dispense with the formalities, shall we? You're here for stocking stuffer gift ideas, and we are here to give them to you. Here are all the things you should put in your stockings this year:
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About once a year, I give my go-to cutting boards a good once over to make sure they stay in top shape along the way. Our cutting boards take a lot of abuse in the kitchen. Most of the time care looks like simply wiping them down and storing them back safely into the cupboard.
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It's our favorite time of the year, and to celebrate, we've added a bunch of new items to the ManMade Store. There's a solid mix of creative tools, things to do during colder weather, and plenty of reading and inspiration. And if you're looking to get a little bit of an early start on your holiday shopping, we're thinking the hand-selected items in our store are a reliable place to start.
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When we were young men, we turned to boxed pasta and jarred sauce as a crutch. It was cheap, it was filling, it was hard to screw up, and, it was good enough.
But it's time to liberate pasta from the fallback of the less mature. To take back… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com
As you might have read last week, I'm the proud new owner of a honest to goodness house in Portland, Oregon— a city I love, surrounded by forests, rivers, and mountains. Our house is a classic Northwest-style bungalow, full of character, and… Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com
Countersinking hardware, such as screws or flathead bolts, is key to a sleek surface and a quality, finished look. But it doesn't always go smoothly, and the multiple bits can lead to tearout and misshapen holes.
Recently, I was making a jig from some hard maple that required precise countersunk holes for hardware alignment. I needed the hole to be placed exactly for registration, so I first drilled out the hole, and then the countersink. But every. single. hole. gave me fits. Once I finished one side of the jig, I was determined to come up with a better solution. … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com
It's fall, which means the nights are getting longer and the temps are getting colder. If you're anything like me, a hot shower is the highlight of your morning. This month ManMade has teamed up with our friends at Delta Faucets to give away a Delta® IN2ITION H2OKINETIC® 5-Setting Two-in-One Shower. Yeah, it's a mouthful to say, but it's worth it when you can use the shower head AND the hand shower at the same time. That's some future-tech right there! Read on to find out how you can win one ($250 value!).
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ManMade reader Mark Devlin, founder of the DIY site DesignsbyDevlin, came up with this great technique for an "open warehouse" -style industrial track lighting project that's easy to implement in your own home. So we asked Mark to walk us through the process, materials, and techniques. Here's what he had to say.
Having low ceilings and zero crawl space makes for a challenge when designing lighting for the main room in the house. If you love a good DIY project that involves electrical and industrial lighting, I designed a cheap and unique way to install custom industrial track lighting using simple products from Amazon.com and the hardware store. … Continue reading on ManMadeDIY.com
Plywood. We love it. It's affordable, it's easy to work, and brings all kinds of warmth and texture into any masculine-friendly decor.
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