NEWS

Children's eye health is just as important as other aspects of their physical and mental well-being. According to a recent report from the National Center for Children's Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness, vision plays an important role in a child's physical, cognitive and social development. And visual functioning is a strong predictor of academic performance in school-aged children. While there are certain risk factors that can affect eye health, come the autumn, fall sports and Halloween are two areas where parents may have to extend extra caution to protect their children's vision. Fortunately, there are many things parents…

By the time autumn hits full swing, many trees will have shed their leaves for the season, and the last vestiges of red, yellow and orange magic will have faded to brown. Raking, blowing and collecting leaves becomes the primary chores of lawn and yard maintenance, and presents most homeowners with large piles of gathered leaves to tend to. It is impossible to count just how many leaves fall to the ground each year, or just how many pounds of leaves get collected curbside, but the numbers are substantial. Cleaning up leaves is considerable work, but not all of those…

Toothy grins and a mesmerizing orange glow help make jack-o'-lanterns captivating sights come Halloween. Pumpkin carving is an autumn tradition and runs the gamut of simple designs to more intricate artwork worthy of any medium. Although anyone can grab a pumpkin and get started, when done correctly, jack-o'-lantern designs can last for several days. · Start with a fresh pumpkin. Look for pumpkins that have a thick, green stem. These usually are fresh and haven't been handled much. A thick stem also may indicate fleshier pumpkin walls that can be carved more easily. Avoid pumpkins that are soft or full…

For those people who don't know a box cutter from a box saw, shopping for men and women who like to get their hands dirty around the house can be a difficult task. Home improvement projects are complex undertakings that often involve the use of complex tools, and novices may be lost in the proverbial woods as they look for gifts for their loved ones who can't wait to swing hammers around the house. Though there's always an element of risk when shopping for gifts for loved ones, the following hints might help shoppers with no knowledge of home improvement…

When the last cookout is history and it's time to move indoors and on to fall home and shop projects, Woodcraft suggests that you consider adding some new tools to your collection for easier home improvements and repairs. Change the look of your decor with new hardware in every room, and try out some new jigs from Kreg - Drawer Slide, Concealed Hinge, and Cabinet Hardware Jigs, along with the Kreg Shelf Pin Jigs (1/4" and 5 mm). "Kreg Hardware Installation Solutions make it easy to add the perfect final touch to your projects by allowing you to confidently install…

Create a dramatic new look throughout your home or highlight one area with crown molding - the key to an upscale look for walls, windows, doors, cabinets and more. Homeowners will find the tools and supplies necessary for crown molding projects at Woodcraft. Although crown molding is generally identified as trim for the area where a wall meets the ceiling, molding is used for many other home décor applications. Molding creates an appealing visual element when used at chair height along a wall, sometimes with thin vertical pieces attached to accent a wider area. Molding also serves as an attractive…