I happen to believe that every party gets better with a big plate of nachos. While the veggie platter is great, and bacon wrapped hot dogs are delish, there's something excellent about a fully topped mound of chips that just can't be beat. Here are 5 ways to make this excellent party staple a bit better.   The folks over at food 52 like to eat, and since I'm a fan as well, I find myself surfing their site often. They recently teamed up with Garden of Eatin' to come up with 5 delicious ways to upgrade your nachos, and every one is worth doing. Adding a few different ingredients to any dish allows different flavors to really shine, and nachos is no exception. The article is full of plenty of new variations to try out at the next get-together.

So grab a big pot and start to layer up the goodness, and let us know what kind of toppings you throw onto your nacho party plate.

Sorry for the weird post title, but the origins of this piece are from last year, so perhaps you saw it when it was published.

But even if you did, this is pretty good stuff, and it's worth a re-visit.    The Atlantic magazine piece "Masters of Love," reveals findings from The Gottman Institute on what goes into making great relationships that last. You can read the specifics in the original piece, but the team measured heart rate, blood pressure, sweat, etc, to figure out who was experiencing physical stress when surrounded by their partner.

The results yield two key things that we can all pay attention to, both centering on how we respond to our partner's efforts to connect and communicate, from everything from small observations to sharing of important news.

The first Gottman calls "bids" or a request for a response. It's a simple reaching out "hey - did you see that?" that seeks a connection from the other. In short - your spouse or partner does this all the time. If you want your relationship to last, make sure you respond. 

The second is how a couple expresses kindness, especially during high-value moments (fights, or the sharing of good news).  Those relationship that express "active constructive responding allows the partner to savor her joy and gives the couple an opportunity to bond over the good news."

There's more to them both, of course, so head over to the Atlantic's site to soak up the data, and behave accordingly. 

Master of Love[TheAtlantic.com]

If you drink coffee as much as I think you might, chances are you're in need of a good coffee table. Or could use a coffee table upgrade. Or just need a little design inspiration.   I'd heard that a guy I know recently built himself a coffee table with a foosball table infused inside it, and it got me hunting for cool designs to get the creative juices flowing. All of these designs are worthy of emulation and a good number of them seem like something that would bring natural congregation to any room they're in. 

View the full list at homedit.com.

I'm a big believer in pen and paper. I like apps just fine, but I'm a fan of having personal stationary - it makes me that much more likely to actually follow up with kind words and thanks. And a great pen is just as important.   

If you're interested in fountains pens or simply want to know more about the history of the tool, this Art of Manliness post is for you. Uni-ball pens were my personal go-to for much of my life, but I'm interested in branching into the fountain pen realm. 

Read the full primer at ArtOfManliness.com.

Camping (and campfire) season is back, my friends. Knowing how to build a fire may sound like the most basic skill a guy could know, but mastering good technique is essential to keep you alive in trying circumstances, or to avoid looking like a zero on your next outdoor get-together with friends.  
This guide from Survival Life shows you how to start a fail safe fire using nothing other than a match and what you'll find in nature. 

You can buy cold brew coffee at a coffee shop. But, if it happens to be from a certain Seattle-based java-serving monolith named after a Melville character, or an pink and orange East Coast chain known for selling fried rings of dough for, uh, "placing" into your coffee, then what you're actually getting is cold coffee...that is, hot coffee that's been iced down.

Cold brew is an entirely different beast altogether. And with the weather warming up, it's time to cool our coffee down. Or, more accurately, never heat it up to begin with.  If you're not familiar, here are a few nerdy facts about it:

• Cold-brew is - as the name says it - coffee that's made with cold water. Yep, no boiling, no heating, nada. Just water and quality beans.
• It tastes different than your regular cup of coffee; it's less acidic, less bitter, and contains less caffeine, so it's waaay more enjoyable and easy on your gut.
• It's super easy to make and perfect for summer and outdoor events....hello, camping trips!

Totally hooked, right? Ok then, let's get to it..

How To Make The Best Cold Brew Coffee

Ingredients and tools needed:

• 1 1/2 cups freshly fine ground coffee. Try a dark roast if you're going for richness. Always use freshly ground coffee beans!
• 5 cups of water
• Large French press or big mason jar and fine mesh-sieve/cheesecloth.
• Ice (optional) - TIP: If you're going to use ice, make some coffee ice cubes to avoid diluting the brew.

Steps:

• Pour water in the French press and add ground coffee. Stir stir stir.
• Cover with french press lid (but don't plunge it!) or cover with a small plate.
• Let is sit at room temperature for at least 10 hours, but up to 16. (Okay...1 day max). Make it after dinner, go to bed, and it'll be ready the next morning.
• Once it's ready, carefully plunge the press, or strain through a sieve and cheesecloth. Pour liquid in a clean container. This liquid will be your cold-brew concentrate.
• Use a 1:1 ratio of cold-brew concentrate and water, or modify the ratio depending on how strong you like your coffee.
• Refrigerate or add ice cubes, add sweetener if needed (recommended: honey or agave syrup) and serve. Done!

Easy peasy, right? Now, let's try a few variations, 'cause you know, variety is the spice of life...and coffee.

Add milk and a couple drops of vanilla, and a couple drops of almond extract.
Like one of those fancy barista flavoured lattes, but at a 1/3 of the price! And made at home. How modern and foodie is that?

Boil the water with cinnamon, cardamon, and 1 star anise.
Boil the water that you're going to use for the brew with the ingredients mentioned above (easy on the star anise! Use the smallest one you can find). Let it cool down, and then use it to make the concentrate. The result: a chai-like brew that's Taj Mahal tasty (er..you get the idea).

Add a bit of sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk.
This combo is also called Thai Cold Coffee, and even though it has extra sugar added, it's totally worth it. Best summer treat!

Take the plunge and make you're own brew! Serve it at your next shinding or enjoy it while kicking back in your backyard. Yep, you're welcome.

 This ManMade post was originally published on June 23rd, 2013.

If you’ve ever replaced a set of cabinet pulls, then you know how fast the cost can climb for those tiny pieces of metal. Here are 3 DIY ideas that can upgrade those tired pulls on the cheap with something a bit more unique.  

1. River rock stone pulls

These simple pulls are made by gluing river rocks to threaded inserts. Because of the simplicity, the customization is pretty open to whatever will match your cabinets. These smooth pulls can be right from the local creek or sentimental collections from past summer vacations. A few other variations would be driftwood or even shells for a laid-back beach feel.

2. Leather strap pulls

These leather straps can be cut to fit, and lay pretty flat for a minimalist look and feel. This project is a good starter for getting into leather working, with only a few steps and great looking results. Aside from the width, length, and color of the leather, the exposed bolt head can be customized to match up to other hardware in the room.

3. Copper bar pulls

While not as easy as the other two options above, these copper pulls have a nice industrial warmth that can be customized for the size of the piece. I'd change the design on this one with end caps and spacers for a more finished look like this tutorial did, but overall the look is nice and clean.

Have a project you're looking to build some custom pulls for? We'd love to hear about it.

We took a current trend in graphic design as inspiration and we turned it into a super easy DIY project to create these lively bookends. Read on to make your very own!

Have you heard of the Memphis Movement? It's a design trend from the early 80s that has made a comeback in the last year or so and it's still going strong. Its signature mishmash patterns can be spotted on all kinds of products, from duvet covers to ceramics.

We love how these graphic shapes can bring a touch of playfulness into a room, and since there's no set rules to create a pattern, you can design your own!

So when Patron got in touch and asked us to help them kick of their Art of Patron Bottle Art Contest this year, we knew exactly what we wanted to do. The Bottle Art Contest is now in its second year, and entrants are asked to create a piece of inspiring, entertaining, or just plain interesting art using Patron bottles. The Grand Prize winner gets $10,000, and 9 finalists will win $1,000 each!

The project I'm going to show you today doesn't count as an entry (shoot!), but hopefully it'll inspire you to come up with something of your own, and enter the contest! If you do, make sure to let us know in the comments so we can cheer you on!

Ok, now on to the tutorial: I painted the bottles with four different patterns,  so that they could be mixed and matched depending on the mood.

Here's how you can make your very own Memphis Movement Bookends:

What you'll need:

• A couple of empty Patron bottles (how you empty them is up to you, but I suggest something delicious, like this Perfect Shaken Margarita)
• Set of brushes - try to get some with soft bristles so you end up with a smooth finish, also have a couple fine ones to trace lines. A sponge brush is helpful to finish symmetrical corners.
  
• Painter's tape
• Multi-surface acrylic paint OR glass paint* (see note below)
• Newspaper to cover your work area, a few rags for spills, and a container to rinse your brushes.
• A Memphis Movement inspired design of your choice, go ahead and get creative! See some inspiration here
• Sand (optional, see note below)**

Notes:

*If you're going to use multi-surface acrylic paint, make sure to handle the bottle with care as it can chip or stick to surfaces at high temp (e.g. if it's always on direct sunlight). For this project we used acrylic and it worked fine. If you prefer to use glass paint, you'll have to bake the bottle to set the paint. Make sure to place your painted bottle in the oven BEFORE you turn it on and bake at 350F for about 25-30 min, preheat time included (read your paint instructions just in case!), also you should let it cool down completely with the oven off before taking it out.

**If your bookends need to hold heavy books, then fill them with sand. In our case they're mostly for decoration.

Instructions:

1. Start by washing the bottle thoroughly with soap and warm water. Remove all labels and label residue. You want the surface to be smooth and clean. Dry your bottles and set bottle cap aside.

2. Add the first coat of paint, this will be your base. Make sure to paint at least 2-3 coats to cover the glass completely. Always let the paint dry completely in between coats, or you'll rub it off.

3. You can use a pencil to trace your pattern or, if you have a good steady hand, then go ahead and start to paint it. It's easier to make the outlines of the pattern first, and then fill with color. 

Use painter's tape as needed to avoid spilling color everywhere. One of the main points of this style is to have solid color blocks. You can also use the tape to make stripe patterns.

4. Wait for each side to completely dry before you start the other one, otherwise your pattern or design could end up on your working table. 

To make a splatter design, dilute some paint with lots of water (depending on the type of paint) and gently run your finger through the brush while aiming it at the bottle.

Let the bottles dry completely (away from the sun to avoid cracking the paint).  At this point you can either paint the cap with a different color OR you can leave it as is (like we did).

Once you're done, prop the bottles on your favorite shelf or table, and you're done!

Hope you enjoyed this vintage-styled DIY project, and that you got inspired to create your own entry in the Art of Patron Bottle Art Contest!

This post was sponsored by Patron, but all opinions are mine alone. Thanks for supporting the brands that support ManMade!

When David. C. Roy got bored waiting for results from the mainframes in his late 1970s programming job, he started sketching whimsical mechanical wooden sculptures and toys. Though he had few woodworking skills, he soon began creating more and more complex sculptures, and within months had quit his job to launch his own business. Priceonomics has the whole story of this scientists-turned-art-trepreneur:

Though he constantly gets requests for custom pieces, he doesn’t build them -- mainly because it’s not practical. Every time he makes a new design, he spends six months finding weaknesses, making sure everything functions properly, and ensuring he can deliver a quality good. “I make what I make,” he says, “and people can choose to buy from that.”
In total, he estimates he’s sold around 3,000 sculptures in an array of 300 designs. 

And beyond the obvious coolness of the art pieces he's creating, I was really struck by another aspect of his creative career; an intentional decision to keep his business small and manageable, so he can stay close to the part he loves ... making stuff:

As he relates tales of how other artist friends hired large teams and launched big businesses, David seems content with where he is; while they toil through paper work, sales, and fiscal decisions, he remains intimately involved with the creation of new art. And when the 63-year-old’s acquaintances talk about retirement, he’s incredulous: “Why would I want to do that? I’d just do that same thing every day that I do now.”

Do you know a story of a business owner or artist who has chosen this sort of path? If so, share it with us in the comments! 

"The Kinetic Wood Sculptor" - via Priceonomics Blog

Check out this quick video showing you the steps to making an amazingly clean and simple looking satchel. I just love the wood accent that also acts as a sturdy frame for your bag. 

You don't always need a fancy tool. Just use a cup!

Cutting leather with a pocket knife. Awesome.

Hammer all the leather to your wood frame.

Boom, you're done!

Check out the entire video:

Read more on making the actual satchel over at Makezine.com

Think of a hammer as a primitive tool? Think again. Though it sorta performs the same function as some Cro-Magnon fellow bashing stuff with a rock, it's actually a remarkable piece of industrial design that dates back thousands of years, and has been relatively unchanged since. Respect.  

And there are dozens of kinds of hammers - everything from the common claw to the bush hammer to a pane hammer and a cross-face hammer. And that's saving the subject of mallets for another day. 

So, which do you actually need? In the ManMade workshop, we use three common hammers to can accomplish most tasks, and they'll serve you well... 'til you start blacksmithing or framing houses for a living. 

1. The Claw Hammer - The thing you think when you think hammer. This is the most well-known of hammers, and for good reason: it's super versatile. Common tasks are exactly the ones you already know: driving and pulling nails, wedging apart nailed wood or cases, and light demolition work.

Look for a model in the 13 to 16 oz range for general use. Oh, and get a wood handle. Composite and metal handles are solutions in search of a problem. Wood is still best. 

ManMade Recommended:

• Stanley 51-106 13 Ounce Wood Hammer - $10.90
• TEKTON 3020 16-oz. Wood Claw Hammer - $6.97

2. The Ball Peen Hammer - Designed mostly for metal working and machining, these guys feature a flat head on one side, and a ball-shaped peening face on the other.  Most modern metals don't require peening any more (hardening by striking), but the rounded face is good whenever working with metal (like on your bike or car), or with metal hardware. Great for striking chisels and punches. 

Look for an 12 to 18 oz head and a handle that feels good in your grip.

ManMade Recommended: 

• Estwing MRW16BP Wood Handle Ball Peen Hammer, 16-Ounce - $19.30

3. Cross peen hammer - Designed for smaller hardware, the cross peen hammer is the traditional tool of cabinet and furniture makers. The thinner, straight peen allows you to start small finishing nails and brads, even upholstery tacks, while avoiding smashing your fingers, and helping the fastener to enter straight and bend-free. 

This guy might seem frivolous alongside a claw hammer, but once you've used one, you'll be convinced. I wouldn't start a woodworking project without one, and I always throw one in my tool bag when working on a job outside my shop. 

ManMade Recommended:

• Footprint 190658 112 12-Ounce Warrington Hammer $26.55
• Woodstock D2671 8-Ounce Cross Peen Hammer - $20.00

The most important thing with any hammer is that it feels right - as in safe and effective - in your hand. If you hate it, give yours to someone and find one you love. It'll last a lifetime. 

Here's the links to those models again, all in one place. 

ManMade Recommended:

• Stanley 51-106 13 Ounce Wood Hammer - $10.90
• TEKTON 3020 16-oz. Wood Claw Hammer - $6.97
  
• Estwing MRW16BP Wood Handle Ball Peen Hammer, 16-Ounce - $19.30
• Footprint 190658 112 12-Ounce Warrington Hammer $26.55
  
• Woodstock D2671 8-Ounce Cross Peen Hammer - $20.00

What are your favorite hammers? Anything with a good story? Share with us in the comments below. 

Being a maker, I always find myself looking at ways to create the everyday items I use in life. So when this tutorial on making a wooden tripod stand came up, I had to take a look.   A tripod allows for the camera to shoot in low light for an expanded range of results that can really bump up the quality of difficult shots. When I first got a tripod, it was a cheap, flimsy aluminum and plastic package that just didn't hold up to abuse, or any use for that matter. The next version I spent a bit more on, but I still wasn't happy with the cheap construction. When my current version takes a dive - and it will likely be soon, I may take on this project for a solid piece of equipment that I can be proud as a maker to call my own.

The construction of the tripod is a simple sliding dovetail that allows it to extend from compact to full size with a few twists of the bolts. The maker, Mattias is an engineer by trade, and his technical nature comes out strong in the step-by-step breakdown of his project.

Take a look at his article here for all the details on the build, including a few lessons learned from his project notes.

I was suited up. Snow pants, ski goggles, lobster mitts, and long underwear all around. A super-warm super dork, in full regalia, atop my beloved, radiation-green, single-speed Salsa El Mariachi mountain bike. Just another day, mid-winter in Minnesota, doing something that I love: snow-biking.
What's that? Where you live it's warm and snowless in January? Well, gay kaken aufen yam, as they say in Yiddish. Uh, I mean, good for you! But not here. If you don't find a winter sport to do here in Minnesota, then you are liable to go stark raving mad, quicklike, come the fleeting daylight of December.

For me, snow biking has opened up a whole new world of outdoor winter physical activity. I'm not much of a skier, and hockey's not my thing. Ice fishing is a thing; but it doesn't make any actual sense. So when I discovered winter mountain biking, it gave me, well, it gave me a reason to go on living, to be honest. You know... that and my kids. 

And the best part is, I got a great bike on Craigslist for a measly $600. A great deal for a quality (but slightly beat-up) 29er with a solid front shock (the predominant mountain bike wheel size these days is a beefy 29 inches, which lets you roll over anything in your path). I watched the listings for a few days, saw this one pop up, met the guy outside a coffee shop in northeast Minneapolis, and sealed the deal.

So, back to the long underwear. That day was perfect: cold and crisp, bright sunshine, and packed singletrack trails. I headed over to Theodore Wirth Park and started pumping hard on the uphills. After about fifteen minutes, I came out of a section of trail onto a paved path, and ran into some fellow bikers.

There were three of them, all on fat-tire bikes much fancier (and more expensive) than mine.(Fatties have tires up to 4+ inches wide, making them perfect for snowy riding). 

One of them eyed me closely. "Hey," he said. "Can I asked you something? Where'd you get your bike?"

"Craigslist!" I said, smiling proudly.

"That's my bike," he said.

My smile collapsed. "Uh ... what?"

"I mean," he continued, "that was my bike. It was stolen last year."

Expletives, expletives, expletives.

He went on to explain how my/his bike had been his baby, and had been stolen out of his garage (he knew everything about it, right down to the type of pedals it had sported, before I swapped them for new ones). He told me he'd spent weeks tracking it down, posting flyers, asking around at pawn shops, and finally finding it for sale on Craiglist. He arranged a meet with the seller/crook, and when that fell through (there was some chasing, apparently), he pleaded with the police to help him get it back, but their response was... shrugs.

To be fair, he wasn't angry at me. He understood right away I had no idea the bike was stolen, and obviously, I didn't steal it. Well, not obviously, I guess, but trust me... I didn't.

I didn't know what to do. There I was, sweat-soaked, having a great (and freezing) winter ride, face to face with the guy who rightly owned my bike. I faltered. I took my goggles off , as everyone knows you can't be taken seriously in ski goggles.

Finally, I offered to give it back. I offered him a case of beer. I told him I didn't have the seller's contact info anymore (that phone had gone through the washing machine).

He didn't know what to do either. His new bike (the one he was on) was much, much better than the old one. He had no real use for the stolen bike anymore, and said so. He was happy to see that someone was actually riding it ... enjoying it. Avoiding the winter crazies with it.

In the end I gave him my contact info and he said he'd think it over. I spent the rest of my ride distracted, annoyed (not at him, but generally), and worried. What if he decided he wanted it back? He might know where I live!

Later I got home and put the bike away, carefully cleaning the snow off, lubing the chain, and checking the tires. The ride had done the opposite of what it was meant to do. Instead of feeling refreshed and invigorated, I felt stupid, concerned, and guilty.

In the end, he never called. Maybe he decided there was nothing to be gained by another well-meaning rider getting screwed out of his ride. I hope so.

It's summer now, and I'm trying to get out on the trails as much as I can. The bike feels mine again, although there's always a worry in the back of mind that I'll bump into my bike's previous owner another time.

And these days, I'm starting to think about upgrading. A fat bike looks awfully tempting, and it'd be nice have more than one gear to work with.

Maybe I'll do what I've never done before, and buy a brand spanking new bike from an actual legit bike shop. Or maybe I'll just keep hunting for another great deal on Craigslist.

Meanwhile, the mean, green machine's locked and double-locked in my shed. 

Just to be safe.

How about some free stuff to start off your week?

Outside Open is offering a free poster featuring the NATO phonetic alphabet chart (you know, Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot) for use on all your International Radiotelephony needs. It'll certainly come in handy on your next call with tech support and all future covert military operations, and also features semaphore delineation (pre-electronic flag letter signals for naval communication represented in a circle), Morse Code, and the International Code of Signals (maritime flags are used by sailors to visually communicate letters and messages while maintaining radio silence).    

Oh! And get this: not only will Outside Open let you download and use the poster for free, they'll even send you a free physical copy if you just pay shipping and handling. 

Cool, right? Get your copy and check out the design process at Outside Open.

These "Life Lessons" from famous people go around the internet from time to time (and I've even posted some before) but this article from Jack Archer has truly practical advice that's all the more enjoyable to listen to coming from a master of cool...   

From career advice to parenting to buying real estate, Michael Caine even lets you in on why you should never wear suede shoes if you're famous: 

"I had come to Hollywood to star in a picture called Gambit. I used to sit in the lobby of the Beverly Hills Hotel and look out for film stars. One day, John Wayne came in, saw me, and said: 'Are you in that movie called Alfie?' I said, 'Yeah.' He said, 'I just saw that. It's very good, son.' And we became friends. He gave me some advice. He said, 'Never wear suede shoes.' I asked why and he said, 'Because you'll be taking a piss in a men's room and there'll be a guy next to you, and all of a sudden the guy will recognize you and he'll turn and go, 'Michael Caine!' And he'll piss all over your shoes!' I never wore suede shoes again."

Check out all the man's life lessons here. 

You can buy new bottle cutters online (here's a good roundup of options) but their ability to cut different sizes, angles, and bottle shapes are severely limited.

Of course, there are loads of potential projects to be had, so instead of buying a bottle cutting jig, let's make one!   

Instructable-y Sbanas (who, by the way, is only sixteen years old and already bit by the DIY bug) came up with this easy solution using scrap wood and a sheet glass cutter you can get at any hardware store. Some cuts, some hardware, and boom! - a fully adjustable cutter to start slicing up bottles in no time.

If you want to make one. the only recommendation I'd make here is to perhaps increase the size. This guy works well for 12-16 oz soda bottles, but if you're interested in using larger wine or liquor bottles, a longer length and wider platform will do you well.

Check out the step-by-step tutorial here: Adjustable Glass Bottle Cutter

Each week in 2015, ManMade is sharing our picks for the essential tools we think every creative guy and DIYer needs. We've selected useful, long-lasting tools to help you accomplish a variety of projects, solve problems, and live a hands on lifestyle that allows you to interact with and make the things you use every day. 

Joining wood can be as much art as it is skill, and beautiful joinery really defines a piece of furniture. But for the times when you just need to quickly join a few pieces of wood securely, try the pocket-hole.  

A few years ago, I picked up a small single-hole Kreg Jig for drilling pocketholes. It was simple, easy to use, and produced a nice strong joint that made completing projects much faster. Since then, I've used that small jig for at least a dozen projects, from end tables to shop-made cabinet doors and it's dependably provided a fast joint that holds up well over time. The way a pocket hole works, is fairly basic. A stepped bit is positioned at an angle to provide a recess that a special self-tapping screw fits into. The angle allows for a strong mechanical joint between pieces that stays level and straight. The self-tapping screw minimizes splitting, and adding a bit of glue makes the joint impressively strong.

Using this technique, joints can be made fast and strong so putting together than next weekend project won't actually take an entire weekend. A few tips when working with pocket holes:

1. Start drilling slow, and make sure the jig is secured, otherwise the bit can "wander" on the wood.

2. Use the right size screw for the job to avoid splitting the wood and to keep the top of the screw from sticking out from the surface. Also, the screws have a square head so make sure you have bits to match.

3.  When screwing the joints together, it's best to use a clamp to keep the parts flush. Check out this pocket-hole specific face clamp.

4. The Kreg System has single, double, and full clamp jigs to make drilling the holes fast and easy. If you're investing in a new system, take a look at the options to find one that will grow with you and your projects. 

 ManMade Recommended: 

• Kreg R3 Jr. Pocket Hole Jig System - $39.95
• Kreg Jig K4 Pocket Hole System - $99.00
• Kreg MKJKIT Mini Kreg Jig Kit - $19.95
• Kreg SK03 Pocket Hole Screw Kit in 5 Sizes - $27.73
• Kreg KHC-PREMIUM Face Clamp - $19.99

Do you love or use the Kreg Pocket Hole system? Tell us about it in the comments below

This ManMade post was originally published on January 7th, 2015.

Ever wish there were a better way to lay claim to the books in your library than just scribbling your name on the inside cover? Which, let's admit it, ends up being so non-descript that it doesn't even register to loanee, who will inevitably just shelve the book as his own.

What you need is an custom Ex Libris stamp they'll forever recognize. Like, with a bear on it.  

I teamed up with Adobe Photoshop Elements to create this one-of-a-kind stamp that I'm proud to add inside of all the books in my library. 

Latin for "from/out of the books" an Ex Libris or "book plate" was pasted into books to display who owned the book at hand. In the old days, people would collect massive libraries of books and would lend them out to friends and family. Having a special emblem, logo or a simple name printed on the inside cover of a book helped the owner manage their collection easier. 

To make our own, lets get started by doing some design research. I searched "Ex Libris" and found hundreds of antique bookplate images. I really loved a few designs I found from the Art Nouveau period and decided to create a hybrid version of one for my personal book plate.

How To Do It

1) Open up Photoshop Elements and create a new file that is 2.5 inches square (as in the image below).

2) Grab the file from this link and save it to your desktop. Switch to Photoshop Elements, and place the bear into your working file using the File -> Place menu:

(After you click this, just navigate to the black bear file on your desktop and select it)

3) Next, let's create a frame to hold the text. Select the Shape Tool and draw a rectangle to fit the area underneath the bear. Once you've set the rectangle, double click the shape in your Layer Palette and change the color to white.

To make the Shape Tool available, switch to Expert Mode with the tabs at the top of the program (don't worry; expert mode is still really easy!):

Your file should now look like this:

Now let's give the white box a black outline. Select Layer > Style Settings. Once the window has popped open, select stroke and add a 7px stroke, as I did below:

 Now your box has a black outline. Great!

4) Let's add the words! I'm using a great art nouveau style font called Sarah Caps; once you've picked a font you like, click the Text Tool and start typing:

5) I want to clean up the image a little, and show off a cool, easy feature that's new in Photoshop Elements 13: the Refine Tool.

Let's remove the rock under the bear's front paw. Use the Eraser Tool and erase the rock. Then, use the magic wand to select some shadows to fill in the space left by the rock.

Next, use the Magic Wand tool select the parts you want to duplicate.

As you can see, the selection isn't perfect Let's use Photoshop Elements 13's new Refine Tool to easily grab more of the image.

In the tool panel at the bottom of your screen select Refine Edge.

Now use your mouse and brush over the entire area you want to duplicate.  

Then you can experiment with the Refine Edge faders to get your selection just right. See my settings above.

When you're happy, press OK.

Now, duplicate the layer (Layer Menu -> Duplicate Layer):

Now you can drag layer under the bear's paw.

Now you have some shadows where the rock once was. 

6) Use the Shape Tool to create three black boxes on either side of words "Ex Libris". 

That looks really good! I love this. It's ready to head to the printer!

7) Save your stamp art as a JPEG.

Getting The Stamp

I used the Art Mounted Stamp from this website. I sent mine off and had it back to me in less than a week!

When you get your stamp back, test it out to learn how to make just the right impression.

Now you're ready to go stamp-happy on all your books, and maybe even a few of your buddies'.

This post was sponsored by Adobe Photoshop Elements. Thanks for supporting the brands that support ManMade!

They say the kitchen is the heart and the soul of any house, and mine didn't really have much of either. Made from builder-grade materials and outfitted with the most basic appliances, it was time to upgrade my kitchen and add a lot more personality to it. Follow along as I walk you through the transformation.

With an ambitious timeframe and plenty of work to do, the best place to start was a shopping trip to Lowe's for what we needed. It took about two hours to collect materials from all over the store, but in the end we had a huge cart full of everything from tiles and adhesive to paints and a skylight kit. After organizing everything by project in the garage, we got to work.

Here’s the schedule we created to help the project along (we scheduled about 4-6 hours of work per day):

Day 1– Remove and organize cabinet doors, sand down and prepare walls for backsplash, prime cabinets (coats 1 and 2).

Day 2– Prepare cabinet doors (sand, fill holes, first primer coat), make sure all cabinets are level (they weren’t), take outlet covers off and set up backsplash materials.

Day 3– Prime cabinet doors (second primer coat), install backsplash tiles on one wall, Paint cabinets (first paint coat).

Day 4– Paint cabinet doors (second paint coat), install backsplash tiles on second wall (minus the detail pieces).

Day 5– Paint cabinet doors (third paint coat), finish up backsplash tile and grout, and install skylight.

Day 6– Install doors and handles, install molding and trim, and paint walls.

Day 7– Install kitchen faucet and finish touch-up work. Lowe’s installers put in our new Frigidaire Professional Series appliances!

Keep in mind that the entire project took place over the course of about two weeks - with a few days in between and most of the work occurring after a full day of real life. Needless to say, we’re excited to get past this hectic period and start enjoying the new space. But first, a few words about each portion of the project and how it went:

Tile Backsplash

Time: About 3 hours.

Cost: $275

I started this project by reading up on tile installation on Lowe’s website. I’ve done backsplash work before, so adding tile to the walls was not a new experience for me,  but it was complex enough that I’m glad I took some time to go over the details.

• The key to getting tiles to stick is good surface preparation and a solid layer of adhesive. When preparing the surface, the walls need to be clean and free of grease, and fully flat. If there are a few areas that need work, flatten them out by sanding down or filling in with the proper skim-coat/patch material. This is the time to unscrew the outlets and extend them if necessary to match up to the new tile thickness (be sure to turn off the circuit prior to getting near electrical wires, or get a qualified electrician if you’re not sure what you’re doing).
• Thanks to the magic of mesh-backed 12x12 tile sheets, the job goes pretty fast in the open areas. But when it comes to edges, corners, and electrical boxes, the process slows down to a crawl. I like to start at one end and fill up all the open spaces first, while just broadly removing the detail pieces with the intent to come back and spend time on them all at once.
• For most of the work, I used a simple tile cutter ($30), which is great for single cuts, but it doesn’t work for angles or complex pieces. A set of nippers and an angle grinder with a diamond bit worked well enough for all the other cuts (especially since most were under outlet covers). While a wet saw does provide a cleaner (and more precise) cut in tiles, the cost ($80-$120) doesn’t justify the relatively sparse use of the tool in my shop. Renting one is a great option if you have enough tiling to justify that expense.

Solar Tube Skylight

Time: Less than 1 hour.

Cost: $300

This was the first solar tube-style light I’ve installed, and I have to say it was much easier than I expected. A few simple cuts and less than a handful of screws was all it took to get a huge amount of natural light into the kitchen. It was actually hard to install the light cover onto the diffuser because of the incredible amount of light streaming in. Sunglasses help.

• The first step was tracing an outline on the ceiling with the provided template (be sure it’s centered between joists before slicing into the drywall). Cutting the outline with a drywall saw took about 3 minutes and left an easy access hole to the bottom of the roof sheathing. Reaching up through the hole I was able to drill a simple pilot hole up through the shingles on the roof. Then I simply found my pilot hole from above and traced my hole outline on the shingles.
• For the next step I used an oscillating saw to cut the hole right through the shingles, felt paper, and plywood for a matching hole.
• Lastly, adding the roof flashing took about 10 minutes including sealant. Inserting the tube with final seals rounded out the entire project at 45 total minutes from first cut to stepping back in solar-blinded admiration.

This project was easier than some installations might be, due to the shingled roof, and easy access to the roof and attic. But overall the skill level needed was well within DIY territory and the results are just ... brilliant.

Painted Cabinets and Crown Molding

Time: 30 hours

Cost: $550

By far the most difficult portion of the whole project was painting the cabinets. Thankfully, the cabinets also added the most to the overall look of the space. The fresh coat of paint brought in both depth and color, while also simplifying the room.

Everyone knows (or should know) that prep is the most important part of painting. And cabinets are really tricky to prep (lots of grooves, angles, and corners). Also, cabinets require multiple coats of paint for a durable finish that will stand up to heavy daily use.

Here’s what I did:

• Step 1: all doors were wiped down with a grease remover like TSP (Trisodium Phosphate), then lightly sanded to open up the grain. I filled all door handle holes and sanded them smooth.
• Step 2: Primer.  We used Valspar Bonding Primer as the first and second coat for all doors and cabinet frames to make sure that the paint had a good surface to bond to, and to make sure any stain or grease left on the doors would never bleed through.
• Step 3: Three coats of paint using HGTV Home by Sherwin Williams paint and primer(Snowbound SW 7004 & Web Gray SW 7075).

After painting the first few doors with a foam brush, I realized that there were too many to realistically get done within our schedule. So I busted out my Graco Truecoat sprayer (similar to this model) to speed up the process and give me a much smoother finish.

I would have started with this method, but the gun is old and well-used so it’s a bit feisty and needs frequent cleaning or it gets clogged and starts to spit (ruining a fresh coat of paint instantly). I also had to take the time to set up a paint booth of plastic drops nailed to the ceiling and taped seams to a drop on the floor to keep the overspray in and the dust/bugs out. Even with the headaches and additional preparation, the sprayer substantially sped up the process and I was able to make solid time applying coats.

If you have a big paint project, I strongly recommend checking out paint sprayer rentals. You can get one for around $50/day, and it’s totally worth it if you know how to use it (and they’re not terribly hard to use).

After all doors and cabinets were painted, I drilled new holes and installed the new allen + roth handles we picked out. I used a shop-made jig for this to make sure all handles were located in the same spots on the doors. While this worked, by the last few doors the jig holes were worn out and the handles were a bit out of square.

Re-installing the doors was easy thanks to proper numbering when we removed them. Write a number on the hinge, and the corresponding number on the door under where the hinge installs, then put a small sticker or piece of tape over the number while painting. Since the hinge covers the small unpainted location, the number is easy to match back up and the doors go right back where they came from.

The final touch was installing trim and molding to upgrade the look of our builder-grade appliances. Here’s a great tutorial from Lowe’s on how to install molding.

• The first trim was installed at the bottom of the cabinet. I made a simple double-bead trim piece from clear pine, but store-bought styles are readily available as well.
• The top molding was a short crown that I cut using this great jig from Benchdog. With a few cuts and a bit of backing trim, the crown went on fast and dramatically improved the look of the space. This portion of the project was fast and simple with only a few tools needed. 

We finished off this long portion of the project by painting the walls to match the cabinets and backsplash. The same color we used on the cabinet (Snowbound SW 7004) brightened up the room and brought the whole space cleanly together. It’s amazing how much a coat of paint changes the feel of the space.

Kitchen Faucet

Time: 1 hour

Cost: $300

The new pull-down faucet was the final project on my list, and thankfully it didn’t put up much of a fight. With a simple faucet wrench, some sealant tape and plumber's putty the installation was a fast switch and really added a nice pop to the kitchen, especially when doing dishes at the sink. Here’s a great tutorial from Lowe’s on how to replace a faucet, we'll have pictures of the shiny new faucet in the reveal post!

I can’t wait to get some great meals cooked in the new kitchen. There are a few original recipes centered around our cast iron pan that I’ve been saving for a special occasion and the first few meals on shiny professional appliances seems like the perfect opportunity. Gone are the days of uneven heating, and haphazard roasting controls! And, we’re finally past playing food Tetris to get the grocery run into the refrigerator. Since we spend so much time as a family gathered around meals, it’s amazing how a kitchen update makes the entire house feel brand new again. Now the next (and most important) step is to make some great food and spend some quality time sharing it with friends.

I’ll be back next week with the full reveal, and I’ll also be sharing some original recipes my wife and I came up with, just to give you a sense for how functional the kitchen has become. Stay tuned!

This post is sponsored by Frigidaire Professional, but all opinions are mine alone. Thanks for supporting the brands that support ManMade.

The first rule of typography is never use Comic Sans. The second rule of typography is NEVER USE COMIC SANS.      

Once you've got that under your hat, picking the right combination of fonts for any project is always daunting if only because of the endless decisions you could make. Thankfully DesignMantic put together this handy infographic help guide you on your way.

I also recommend checking out their infographic depicting the differences between competing food and beverage logos.