Review of Enviro: The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Pellet Stove M55 Pellet Stove

I just moved into my new home, and with winter quickly approaching and the way our large 2,000 square foot home eats up oil, I came to the quick conclusion that I wanted to have a wood stove installed in the home to save on the cost of fuel. 

 

Unfortunately due to the awkward layout in my parlor, I could not add a wood stove unless I placed it in the center of the room, and ran it up through the entirety of the home. That was not in my budget, nor did I want a pipe going through the floor.

After some research and speaking with our local fireplace store/friend, we decided to take the plunge and go with the Enviro: The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove. Aside from pellets, you can burn corn and cherry pits in this beast. Seeing that we do not live in areas that sell cherry pits or corn by the pallets, we were going to be using pellets in our stove.

My parents had the Enviro: Mini Pellet Stove in their smaller 3 bedroom ranch, and I knew the power that the smaller model carried. Although skeptical about the M55, I figured it would pump out some serious heat, even if it did not manage to heat the entire house.

Why we decided on the The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove
 
Our home is big, 2 stories with a lot of space. I was of course skeptical that the The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove would actually heat the entire home, but the sales woman insisted that the one in her home does the trick in her 2,200 square foot home. I raised an eyebrow but decided at this point there were no other larger options when it came to pellet stoves.

The advertising in their store also stated that this particular pellet stove had the capability of heating up to 2,500 square feet. This was more than what we had, so I lowered my eyebrow and signed on the dotted line.

Enviro The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove took a week to come in, and our appointment was set up to be installed. The installation took them about 2.5 hours, and once that was done we were in business.
There are 2 ways to heat the home, a thermostat is included so you can set the temperature, but we did not need this installed because we wanted it to run continuously. There is a small panel inside under the lid that allows you to adjust your settings. There are a total of 5 heat settings, 1 being the lowest, and 5 being the highest.

The hearth we decided on was called Night Owl, and it is such a perfect and pretty touch to the parlor.
On level 5 the pellet stove really comes to life. It offers a large and romantic flame which reminded me a lot of a regular old wood stove, so this was a really pleasant touch.

If you leave it on setting 5 all throughout the night you will go through one entire bag of pellets during a 15 hour time interval, which is not too bad. However on a lower setting the stove requires less pellets. We wanted to put the stove to the test though and really let it cook to see just how hot the entire house would get with it on.

At setting 5 in about 1 hour our home which initially began with a 67 degree temperature rose to 75 degrees on the lower level, and 73 on the upper level.

After around 3 hours of running on setting 5, we had the house cranked up to a sweat inducing 85 degrees on the lower level, and a warm and toasty 80 on the upper level.

At this point we were 100% satisfied that the sales rep did not lie to us, and that the advertising on this particular pellet stove rang true to the words written on paper! You can seriously get some powerful heat from this stove, and yes it will heat up your entire home, lower and upper levels without a hiccup.
Yes the price may of cost us the same amount of money as a 2 week trip to Bora Bora, but in the end we now have tropical weather inside of out entire home for years and years to come. The amount of oil we will now save is going to be the most impressive, and of course the best investment we could have ever made for our home.

Overall:
 
If you are considering the Enviro: The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove do not even hesitate. It is worth its weight in gold, and it is such a beautiful touch to any room you decide to add it to.
We got ours for a very decent price of just $4,400 with installation. The price will be higher depending on where you purchase it. We got ours from a reputable seller, and friend, so we were not charged labor.

Tip:
 
You get a $300 credit on your taxes for purchasing this stove and other pellet stoves as well.

The Best Door Knocker Around! Review of Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker

Since I was a child I had always wanted a pair of door knockers like the ones we seen in the movie Labyrinth, with David Bowie. I was infatuated with how neat they were, and as I grew older I knew that one day, when I got my own house, I would seek out a door knocker from that movie, or one that resembled one of them anyway.

Sadly, the Labyrinth door knockers that are sold online do not come with the actual knocking ring in their mouths, so what point do they serve? None as far as I was concerned.

Disappointment left my thoughts rather fast though, and that was because I had discovered the Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker.

I scoped it out on an auction site for $70.00 plus shipping, which at the time was just too expensive. However after some real digging through search engines, I was able to locate this very door knocker online at Design Toscano for a fraction of the price. With some more research, I located a $15.00 off coupon on my first order, and this $70.00 door knocker became mine for $46.00. Now that is a deal, especially considering the quality.

The Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker is made of iron, and this door knocker is not your average run of the mill low quality knocker. It is heavy, it is very detailed, and yes, it may even be considered a little bit scary.

I was hoping to have it before Halloween, because I figured the neighbors would get a kick out of it, but no such luck. That did not matter to me though, as my Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker will be hanging on my door year round.

There is one con when it comes to this door knocker. It is the fact that it did not come with included screws for hanging, so you will have to dig in your tool box for some screws before you can mount it.
There are 2 mounting spots, each hole is located inside of the Greenman's ears. The door protector plate is attached right under the doors knocking ring to keep your door from being damaged. This will screw right through the entire door, with a decorative piece to screw in to hide the hole.

Overall:
 
The Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker is an awesome addition to your front door. It is large, impressive, and truly gives your house that castle feel.

If you have been looking for that one particular door knocker that screams 'look at me', than this is the one for you.

Review of Proware 2 Layer Dish Drainer Rack

The thing about not having a dishwasher and limited counter space is figuring out where things go once you hand wash them.

We had been using a standard dry mat on the counter and a plastic tub dry rack, but the limited space on the counter made getting all of the dishes dry impossible. My mom, who must have overheard me complaining about it, came over one day with the perfect gift.

The Proware 2 Layer Dish Drainer, a nice rack that I thought would help solve the issue I was having with getting my dishes clean and dry.

Set Up:
 
The rack set up easily, and was very sturdy. Everything you need is included in the box, and was all set up within 5 minutes.

It provided me 2 sections to place dishes on, small hooks to place mugs and cups on, and a basket to put utensils in. The bottom area holds a plastic drip pan as well. It's all set up conveniently and nicely, and looks nice on the counter compared to the old method I was using.

What I loved about this rack in comparison to a plastic one we had prior was that it actually held the dishes in place. The plastic dish drying unit we had would not hold them upright due to how flimsy it was.

This Proware 2 Layer Dish Rack held all of our dishes after cleaning them, and allowed them to drip dry into the convenient plastic pan down below.

I was literally contemplating buying a dishwasher just to end the hassle of having to have dishes piled on my counter while waiting for them to dry.

The Proware rack literally kept things organize, saved me a bunch of counter space, and I no longer have to pile dishes on the counter. I like how neat it looks, and how quickly it allows for the dishes to dry due to the fact that none of them make contact with one another and hold water.

Review of Behr Sugar Sweet Paint 680A-2

It has been my dream since I was a teenager to have a grand walk in closet. I literally came from a home where my bedroom had no closet, and my dresser could never fit even a portion of the amount of clothes that I had.

When I became a homeowner though, my dream came true. I had a bedroom, that had french doors that literally opened up into another bedroom. Well, instead of using that room as a bedroom, I decided to make it the dream walk in closet I always wanted. The room however is so big, that I call it my changing room, as walk in closet status is below me.
Yup, I am a snob!

At any rate, I finally got around to picking paint colors for the room. Pink and black, 2 of my favorite colors combined, and I knew I had to be ever so careful with the color hue of pink I went with, because I could easily mess up and end up with neon pink walls.

I was looking for something softer, more subtle but of course I wanted the pink to pop, in a flat finish with a cotton candy like sweetness to it.

So, off to the Home Depot I went, and began studying paint swatches to try to envision how it would look in a room. Turns out I have a good mind for when it comes to imagining what something will look like before it is executed.

After peering back and forth from one swatch to another, I finally settled on Behr's Sugar Sweet Paint 680A-2, in a flat finish. I am not really into semi gloss finishes on walls, as I always use a high gloss paint on trim. I think it looks nicer that way, but this is just my preference.

I was nervous about how it would look on the walls, because from past experience, things tend to look brighter on the walls than on the swatch. Once I got home though, and began painting, I was so excited and pleased with the color.

It was pink alright, but a sort of soft one, which did not scream at you.

The quality is phenomenal, and I only needed one coat of paint. I have been using all sorts of paints since buying this house, and so far Behr has been the highest quality paint I have brought home to use. It goes on quickly and evenly, dries pretty fast, and leaves behind gorgeous color.

All in all, if you have been looking for that dreamy colored candy pink, I think that this particular color will please you through and through. The downside of course is that this paint costs a tad bit more than other brand names, but for good reasons!

How to Add Massive Amounts of Shiny Sparkling Rainbow Glitter to Paint

I had been searching the internet for simple and easy ways to add a high beam glittery shine to paint. You see I wanted a very eye catching glistening shine, and after trying out a few paints with glitter already added to them, I was beyond disappointed with just how lack luster the shimmer of the glitter was once the paint dried.

Martha Stewart's glitter paints in particular were a major waste of money, so I decided to try out my own method to see how it would work.

I added the sparkle and shimmer that I was looking for, and it was a heck of a lot easier than mixing glitter with glaze finishes.

What you will need to get the best glitter paint for walls and other painting projects:
 
You will need paint of course, any color will due
You will need prismatic holographic glitter. This glitter is a little more expensive, but the shine and shimmer is like no other, as it casts a beautiful glow of rainbow prisms as you move.
A paint brush is of course necessary
A spray can of clear glaze- this is optional
 
Step 1-
 
Paint you walls

Step 2-
 
Paint a second coat on if necessary. If not skip to step 3.

Step 3-
 
As the paint is still tacky you will now need your glitter. You simply pour some in your hand and blow it at the paint while it is still tacky. The tacky paint will catch the glitter as you slowly blow it off of your hand and onto the walls.

Step 4-
 
You really do not need to do this step, but if you want to ensure a good bond between your paint and glitter you can spray on a clear glaze which will hold the glitter in place even better.
The results are simply magnificent and more pretty in person than what my photos demonstrate.
I used this method to paint a shelf, and to paint my jewelry cabinet to match the color scheme of my room. The results speak for itself.

This method of adding glitter to paint is probably a little messier than other methods, but this method ensures that you glittery finish is just that, all glitter and all glam! The projects you can master using this technique are endless!

Review of Disney All that Glitters Specialty Finish Paint- Glidden 7800D Speck-Tacular

Since buying my new home I have been on a real kick when it comes to adding a sparkling shimmer to some of the bedroom walls. I have been painting, and trying out new techniques, as well as trying to figure out what the best on the market method of painting your walls with glitter is.
I have hit a few road bumps, but discovered that the easiest way to do it is by simply blowing glitter onto the walls and finishing it up with a clear sealer.

However when I discovered that Glidden had come out with a new line of interesting specialty finishes, I was one of the first on line to picking up a can. I came across Disney All That Glitters Specialty Finishing Paint at Walmart for about $10 for a half gallon. Which in my opinion is more than enough to finish a decent sized bedroom.

I was planning on trying it out over black for a quick and eye catching glitter effect that I knew would be recognizable.


I was pretty baffled when I popped open the top though to reveal nothing but a big old bucket of what appeared to be white milky colored glue. Apparently though it would dry clear, and the glitter would be revealed. I could only hope that it worked as promised, and that the finishing results would be a nice glittery shimmery effect.


Results:
 
Well, yes Disney All That Glitters Paint did in fact work fine over paint. However I did not know firsthand that the glitter that would be revealed once the paint dried would be one flustered with rainbow colored thicker round flecks of glitter.


For me it was sort of tacky, and I would have loved to have seen smaller flecks of glitter used, instead of thick cuts of it.

Now I cannot bash the specialty finish too much because there is surely a lot of glitter throughout the paint, which was a plus, but the glitter quality itself could have been a heck of a lot better. Finer glitter and instead of a rainbow array of colors, silver would have been nicer, and it would have allowed me to use this specialty finish on more walls.


I wanted a classy elegant touch of glitter, but instead ended up with a more confetti like finish which I did not really care for all that much.

Overall:
 
Although Disney All That Glitters Paint was not necessarily for me, it still worked very well. It was cleaner than blowing glitter onto the walls, it worked better than the small containers of expensive glitter finishes from Martha Stewart, it did not change the color of the paint I used it on top of, and it dried quickly. In my opinion these are all major pluses when it comes to this particular finish.

For young girls with a princess bedroom theme this finish would be perfect and add an adorable touch to the walls that kids would love. However for larger more open rooms like your living room, this would not be the specialty finish you would want to use.

I am pretty sure that there are other finishes that may not contain such large confetti like glitter flecks, but I was not able to find it in the store.

How to Stain Wood Floors Black

I bought my first house back in October, and ever since moving in and discovering old rickety looking wood floors underneath the old cat pee stained carpet, it became my personal mission to sand the floors myself, and then stain them.
Black!

Now I am an absolute beginner when it comes to home improvement projects, but I must say, I learn fast and go about things in my own manner. I basically hope for the best as I go about home projects, and you know what? I do a pretty darn good job when it comes to a task at hand.

When I told everyone my plans for a black as night wood floor, I got a few raised eyebrows, and a lot of others whom claimed I shouldn't do it because it would show every hair, bubble or bit of dust. The funny thing about all of their testimony was that none of them ever had black wood floors done in their home, so I ignored all negativity and perused my mission for black wood floors.

Step 1-
 
You will need to sand your floors. Some will tell you to sand the heck out of them until they are their original pale yellow raw color. We however are using black stain, so just make sure you sand off any surface layers of old polyurethane.

You can go about sanding the floors in 2 ways. If you are crazy like me, you can take a few weeks to hand sand them using an orbital sander. This was the method I used. It takes a lot of time and patience, but I got through it, and it was no tiny room either!

The second way you can do this would be to rent a drum sander, however you can really mess your floors up if you do not know how to use one.

Hence being the girl I am, and the fact that I was afraid to ruin my floors, I did it all with a 5 inch orbital. Yeah, crazy. I know!

Step 2-
 
Once your floors are completely sanded, you now must go about the daunting task of cleaning, mopping, cleaning, vacuuming, and repeating these steps until the floors are literally spotless. For me, this was actually harder than the sanding, because even after thinking every fleck of dirt or hair is gone, you'd be surprised to find how wrong you are.

Step 3-
 
Stain! Now there is this really neat stuff out there that is literally a polyurethane and stain in one. We used this in a color called ebony. However we discovered that this stuff was really low quality, and the finish was not quite what we wanted.

When working with the stain go with the grain of the wood. I used a regular paint brush to stain each individual strip of wood. I worked slowly, and carefully.

Step 4-
 
Allow it to dry for at least 6 hours before using/walking on the floors.

We did not really like the low quality flat finish that this 2 in 1 product left behind, and turned it into a high quality finish by simply adding Minwax clear gloss finish on top of this. I did this by easily working in the same manner as I did when applying the stain.

This literally allowed the floors to shine brightly and look a lot nicer than when it was a flat color.

Step 5-
 
Once the clear coat is dried, you can use your floors. We allowed it to dry for 3 hours before it was fully dry and safe to walk on.

Tips-
Do not drag furniture across floors, it can and likely will scratch it.