The Don Edam Group | Real Estate Professionals Serving Minneapolis, Edina, St. Paul and Surrounding Suburbs

While us Minnesotans suffer through our normal end of January cold spell. I thought I’d share a fun little trick that impresses my kids every time. Making boiling water freeze instantly (done this morning at -15 degrees) :

 Gabberts presents a fresh array of smart, trend-right and practical seminars and events. From adding extra personality to small spaces to the intricacies of Persian Rugs, color schemes and the room of your dreams, they’ve got an exciting and informative lineup. Whatever your personal style, there’s sure to be a seminar or event to interest you.   

 For more information or to sign up on line, simply click the view schedule link. The free seminars last 45-60 minutes and are held in the store’s Community Education room, unless otherwise indicated. Also, they ask that you make a reservation so they know how many people to expect.

Upcoming Event

Reserve your spot for Gabberts‘ popular ten-hour design series, At Home with Design, with senior interior designer Connie Wersal-LaVelle, Allied Member ASID. Classes meet October 7, 9, 14, and 21 (day and night sessions available) and include identifying your personal style, the psychology of color, one-on-one design consultations with the instructor, and more. Reservations required. Call 952-928-3123. Galleria

Here’s a quick look at few of the fabulous home-related happenings taking place around the Twin Cities in the upcoming weeks and months…. (more…)

Happy 4th of July from The Don Edam Group.  As we celebrate the birth of our nation here in the Twin Cities, we wanted to provide you with some great things to do on the 4th in the Minneapolis and St. Paul areas.

Minneapolis

Riverfront – http://www.mplsredwhiteboom.com/
Music starts at 5 p.m. on Main Street and fireworks begin at 10:00 p.m. The fireworks can be viewed from Main Street, the Stone Arch Bridge and along West River Parkway.
Powderhorn
Powderhorn Park’s Fourth of July fireworks will begin at 10 p.m. or dusk.

St. Paul

Taste of Minnesota - http://www.tasteofmn.org/
The Taste of Minnesota offers a great venue for eating, listening to music, and watching a great fireworks display. Fireworks show begins at 10:20 p.m. Admission is free.

Edina

Roseland Park (Lake Cornelia)
The city closes down 66th Street between Lake Cornelia and puts on a spectacular fireworks display.  The John Phillips Sousa band plays patriotic tunes at Roseland Park shorty before the fireworks begin.  The display will begin just as the sun goes down (dusk that is.)

Eden Prairie

Round Lake Park - http://www.edenprairie.org/vCurrent/upload/images/july08-broch-final.pdf
Celebrate the Fourth of July at Round Lake Park with activities and entertainment concluding with a spectacular fireworks show. Check out the website for more details.

HAVE A BLAST ( no pun intended)!!

In this – the season of tinseled trees, lavish lights, overloaded outlets, and candy scented candles – the American Red Cross offers us the gift of holiday home fire prevention tips to keep us all safe in this most festive time of year…

Christmas Tree Care

• Purchase flame retardant metallic or artificial trees.
• If you purchase a real tree, make sure that it has fresh, green needles that aren’t easily broken.
• Keep live trees as moist as possible by giving them plenty of water.
• Use a sturdy tree stand designed not to tip over.
• Keep trees at least three feet away from heat sources, including fireplaces, portable heaters, radiators, heat vents and candles.
• Make sure that any light strings or other decorations for the tree are in good condition and follow manufacturer’s instructions for their use. Do not use anything with frayed electrical cords.
• Be careful not to drop or flick cigarette ashes near a tree.
• Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood burning stove.
• Safely dispose of trees as they become dry and needles begin to drop.
• Dispose of trees through recycling centers or community pick-up services. Dried-out trees should not be left in a house or garage, or placed against the house or garage.

Holiday Lights and Decorations

• Always unplug tree and holiday lights before leaving home or going to bed.
• Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear.
• Avoid overloading electrical outlets by not linking more than three light strands.
• Use decorations that are flame-resistant or flame-retardant
• Place decorations at least three feet away from fireplaces, portable heaters, radiators, heat vents and candles.

Holiday Candles

• Always extinguish them before leaving the room or going to bed. Do not leave a room before extinguishing candles.
• Never use lit candles to decorate a tree.
• Keep them at least three feet away from trees, evergreens, holiday decorations, and other items that can catch fire like clothing, papers and curtains.
• Use candle holders that are study, won’t tip over easily, are made from a material that cannot burn, and are large enough to collect dripping wax. Remember that even glass holders can shatter and explode from the heat of a candle flame.
• Place them where they cannot be reached or easily knocked over by children and pets.

The secret to a great tool kit? Selection. Of the thousands of tools available at your local hardware store, it only takes about a dozen to tackle most home repair jobs, and only one of them plugs in.

So, in this gift-giving season, here are the tools MSN.com’s experts suggest as absolute musts for a lifetime of home improvements and repair. The first 15 items make up the absolute basics for a serviceable tool kit to last a lifetime – all for just under $200. That said, a handyman’s life can be made much easier with a few additions. Buy or give the last half-dozen items as needed.

(All prices reflect the least expensive, good-quality products available at Lowe's home improvement stores in fall 2006.)

THE ESSENTIALS

1. Toolbox: $30
Let’s start with something to fill, shall we? A good, usable toolbox can save as much time on a job as having the right tools inside. A lot of people don’t get one and their stuff is all over the place and it takes them a half-hour of frustration to get what they need for even the simplest job. One idea? A soft canvas bag with lots of pockets that drapes over a five-gallon bucket. Rubber-bottom soft bags are a slightly heavier alternative.

2. Hammer: $15
A steel-shaft version with a vibration-dampening rubber grip or a 16-ounce steel- or fiberglass-shaft hammer with a smooth (not checkered) head to avoid unnecessary marring work great. Choose a model with a straight or “rip” claw, not a curved claw; they’re much more useful for demolition.

TIP: Sandpaper the face of the hammer once in a while so nails don’t slip off.

3. Pry bar: $15
A 12- to 15-inch pry bar is incredibly handy. There is one made of hexagonal steel that is infinitely superior to ones that are made of spring steel, which tend to bounce when you hammer them.

4. Vise-grips: $10
Also known as locking pliers, vise-grips are the pit bull in your toolbox: Simply adjust the screw drive in the handle and clamp it on to anything that needs viselike stabilizing, typically metal or PVC pipes. When you’re done, the lever in the opposite handle releases the jaws. Channel-lock pliers are a good second choice.

5. Needle-nose pliers: $8
The long tapering forged head that gives needle-nose pliers their name is particularly useful in electrical work where spaces can get tight. Get a pair with a wire-cutting blade near the hinge.

6. Screwdrivers (mixed set): $20
You’ll save money and get the most use out of a good quality mixed set that includes 1/4- and 3/8-inch flat heads and No. 1 and No. 2 Phillips head drivers. Magnetic heads come in handy, too.

ADVICE: Steer clear of cordless electric screwdrivers; instead, use screwdriver bits with a corded electric drill, which provides more torque and never needs recharging.

7. Wire cutter/stripper: $10
This handy plierlike tool scores and strips the casing off varying gauges of wires to speed electrical jobs.

8. Tape measure (16-foot): $4
You’ll thank yourself for getting a good-quality, easy-locking, 3/4-inch-wide model. The half-inchers just don’t stay in place when extended; the one-inchers are overkill.

9. Electrical tester: $2
Forget the fancy gadgets with dials and displays: You only need the cheapie with two probes and a light to indicate that an electrical current is present.

TIP: Remember to test it in a working outlet each time before you use it to make sure it’s still working. Remember: If it’s dead, you’re dead.

10. Reversible drill with bit set: $40
This 3/8th-inch reversible drill is the only electrical tool that you absolutely, positively have to have. Although stores are filled with cordless varieties, stick with a corded model: They’re lighter, cheaper and never run out of juice.

11. 1/2-inch steel chisel: $10
One of the most ancient tools is also essential as well. When you need a chisel (and you will), there’s really no acceptable substitute. And forget the plastic- and wooden-handled varieties.

12. Utility knife: $4
Having a utility knife with replaceable blades comes in awfully handy, and again, when you need one there’s really no substitute.

13. Handsaw: $15
If you invest in a circular saw, you may find few situations in which you’ll need a handsaw. But many power-averse folks will feel more comfortable with a short handsaw. A good choice is the 12-inch FatMax by Stanley; it’s lighter and cuts straighter and faster than traditional handsaws.

14. 9-inch torpedo level: $9
These palm-size levels with the bubble that floats to center are essential to leveling everything from picture frames to kitchen cabinets. If you need to level something long, simply add a board to the level. And don’t be tempted by the various laser levels on the market.

15. Safety glasses: $6
There simply is no substitute for effective eye protection.

6 NICE-TO-HAVES

1. 7-1/4-inch circular saw: $80
Once your projects grow beyond a certain scale to include things like decks and fences, you won’t hesitate to invest in a circular saw, which speeds up any project involving numerous cuts. This is also one of the most dangerous tools to own. Take extra care to keep kids and pets well away from your work site when operating a circular saw, never cut on an uneven or unstable surface, use protective eyewear and ALWAYS unplug the saw when not in use.

2. Electronic stud finder: $10
Looking for the studs behind your walls to support shelves or other fixtures? This electronic device will locate them for you quickly and accurately.

3. Carpenter’s square: $6
Despite its name, a carpenter’s square isn’t square at all, but rather triangular in sort of a gun shape. It enables you to cut squarely when you use it to measure and mark a straight line at a right (90-degree) angle from any straight edge.

4. Random orbital sander: $55
At some point, you’ll likely need to remove a finish or sand smooth a large surface (table, cabinet, etc.). This is just the tool. Its random motion sands evenly from rough to smooth with optimal control.

5. Staple gun: $17
A staple gun comes in handy for a variety of home projects that require fast tacking, such as upholstering.

6. Clamps: $2-$40
Clamps are as useful as they are problematic. They all have different uses: Some of them are fast, some of them are strong, some of them are heavy, some of them are too long except when you need that length. But clamps are really handy because you can clamp something down while you work on it or glue it or fasten it. They’re also good for personal safety when you’re trying to cut something that’s wandering all over the place.