DIY – Page 10 – Kick Ass or Die

Where I Got It

February 23, 2010 16 Comments

Back when the temperature was above freezing and we weren’t buried under a foot of snow, MysteryMan had a bunch of friends over to Memorial

Picking up a different kind of paintbrush…

February 21, 2010 7 Comments

Approximately seven weeks ago, one of my closest friends (who lives a state away) brought this little bundle of CUTE into the world: When she

Wood Ceiling 101: How To Install Tongue & Groove Paneling

February 17, 2010 84 Comments

The easiest way to describe this is “like installing a wood floor, but upside-down.” Even if you’ve never done a wood floor before, the concept

Drywall 101: Using Joint Compount for a Stucco Wall Finish

January 19, 2010 120 Comments

So here we are. Wallboard up and spackling knife in hand– ready to jump in and finish some walls. This is the part most people

DIY Weekend Project: Keep People Out (Changing door hardware)

January 10, 2010 5 Comments

It seems like we’ve been installing a door a week as we get the Station into livable condition and when our most recent door-installing adventure

Tech DIY: How to host your own WordPress site with Go Daddy

January 4, 2010 29 Comments

Let me start out this post by saying I know a couple of things about computers. Like how to turn one on, for instance. Or

Starting off Right: A Message to All DIYers

January 3, 2010 7 Comments

The only redeeming quality of a day whose temperature-high was in the negative numbers, is that it forced me to stay inside where it’s slightly

The Memorial House: Year(s) In Review

December 30, 2009 2 Comments

Its the end of a year, and that means it’s time for DIY nostalgia–thinking about all the projects I’ve completed, knuckles I’ve scraped, holes I’ve

Drywall 101: Success Through Slave Labor

December 28, 2009 4 Comments

We’re still in the midst of the Ultimate Drywall Adventure here at the Memorial House, which is extra fun in a room with 8’6″ walls

Drywall 101: Hanging Wallboard By Yourself & Other Hard-Learned Lessons

December 17, 2009 59 Comments

Alternatively titled: I must Have a Screw Loose. Or seven. Hundred. Drywall is the easiest part of building a room in theory… in practice, let’s

Do I lose my DIY membership card for this?

December 14, 2009 5 Comments

Some time ago after I had finished my MBA, and MysteryMan was in the midst of studying for his Professional Engineer’s licensing exam, I was

How to Install a Woven-Wire Fence

December 7, 2009 73 Comments

Miniature donkeys, we are ready for you. I can’t even explain in words the number of hours we spent contemplating this fence. What type of

DIY Stress: When mirrors become the enemy.

October 14, 2009 2 Comments

I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror at work today. It was the afternoon, so I’d been there nearly all day, and six

I'm not interested in a mediocre life. I'm here to kick ass or die.

(formerly DIYdiva.net)

THE STORYTELLER

Back in 2004 I started writing about my adventures in fixing up houses on the internet. A lot of things have changed since then, with me, with my houses, and with the internet. These days I am basically a cranky old man trapped in a slightly less old woman’s body. The internet has changed and I am staunchly refusing to change with it. You won’t find any algorithms here, or feeds, or ads, or social media. Just good old-fashioned stories about a woman drinking beer and building shit, and living an unexpected life.

(While you won’t find updates on social media, you can sign up to receive new posts via email here.)

Kick Ass or Die