Grow Herbs Indoors – Scotts Miracle-Gro

Interested in growing herbs indoors?  Visit the Scotts Miracle-Gro blog:

Product We Love: Craftsman LED Work Light

Found this on the Cool Ace Hardare Blog -  Product We Love: Craftsman LED Work Light.

Looks like this would make a great Christmas present…I still have time to pick one up.

 

Ace Lightens the Load for Military Families at Fort Hood this Holiday Season

On Thursday, Dec. 15, Ace will travel to Fort Hood, Texas, to provide military families on the Fort Hood Army Base with over 72,000 energy-efficient light bulbs. Fort Hood is the largest active-duty military installation in the United States. The free supply of light bulbs is intended to help residents of the Fort Hood Army Base turn their home maintenance to-do list into a to-done list as they prepare for new energy-efficient lighting standards scheduled to take effect in early 2012.

According to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, 100-watt general service incandescent light bulbs can no longer be manufactured for the United States beginning in 2012. This change will be the first of several phase-outs over the next two years: 75-watt incandescent bulbs may no longer be made in 2013 and 60- and 40-watt incandescent bulbs will be phased out in 2014. As a result of this change, consumers must transition to energy-efficient light bulbs for their lighting needs. Bulbs such as CFLs (compact florescent bulbs), LEDs (light-emitting diode) and energy-efficient halogens are options.

As incandescent bulbs begin to be phased out, Ace is lighting the way for consumers, starting with military families at the Fort Hood Army Base. While at the base, Ace will set-up an education event led by Lou Manfredini to help families understand the new lighting standards and energy-efficient light bulb options currently available at their neighborhood Ace Hardware stores. Ace will also donate an assortment of free GE® energy-efficient light bulbs in varying wattages to each family and help one lucky family update their entire homes’ lighting through an on-site raffle at the event.

Submitted by Kate Kirkpatrick, Public Relations Dept, Ace Hardware Corporation

If You Haven’t Put Up Your Christmas Lights Yet…Read This First.

Little late this year putting up your Christmas lights?  Don’t rush to get them up – I don’t want this to happen to you!

Watch this video from Ace and find out how to hang your lights and Christmas safely: http://youtu.be/DYEIT8bFOIU

By the way you can buy everything from ladders, extension cords and lights at your local neighborhood Ace.

Hilmar Lumber Turns Sixty!

Thanks to HilmarLumber for providing the picture of the Gratevalve for last week’s blog, “What the Heck is That”.  Gratevalves are used in the diary industry to thoroughly clean waste from the lanes cows stand in.  It actually shoots out water without backflow.   Visit the link to see Gratevalve in action – really – it’s cool, and there’s a cow in the video.  Kevin from Hilmar says they’ve sold thousands of Gratevalves all over the US.  There are Hilmar Lumber Gratevalves in Germany, Japan and the Middle East!

Hilmar Lumber is not only Gratevalves. They sell tools, and hardware, they have a fully stocked garden center, a paint center as well as catering to the dairy and agriculture industries.

Where else can you go to buy a gallon of paint and a 60” culvert pipe?

One litte push - right here...

Need some of that PVC glue stuff - got a few gallons?

How about buy an owl box or rent a cherry picker?

Barn Owl Box

Checking stock.

Hilmar Lumber  celebrated their 60th year in business with their 10^th Annual Customer Appreciation Night on September 21^st.   They gave away prizes
including the grand prize of a flat screen TV.   They also gave door prizes to every costumer who stopped in.  Last year they ran out of door prizes after the 500^th customer.

Delores says, "I absolutely love Hilmar Lumber!"

What the Heck is That – Solved

Congratulations to Shannon from Stockton for figuring out that What the Heck is That is a grate valve aka a dairy flush valve.

Thanks to Hilmar Lumber for providing the pictures of the grate valve and the cows.

Shannon your prize is on it’s way.

Anyone know what kinds of cows these are?

 

Winnifred - waiting her turn at the dairy

 

Daisy and Donna - Dairy Cow Sisters

Delores showing off her earrings

What The Heck is That?

What the heck is this thing?  Anyone know?   I’ll give you a hint:  This item is sold at Hilmar Lumber.  Leave a comment with your guess (if you work at Hilmar Lumber you can’t guess).

Did someone say prize?  Find out next Wednesday 09/21 what the heck it is – and who wins a prize.

Emigh Ace Hardware – A Sacramento Fixture

If you live in Sacramento chances are you’ve heard of Emigh Ace Hardware. Emigh has been a Sacramento fixture since brothers James and Clay Emigh opened its doors in 1908.  Attracted by the postwar building boom in the suburbs, in 1952, the store moved to the Arden/Arcade area where its neighbor was a goat farm.

Emigh in 1910 on J Street

Emigh in 1920

What makes the customers keep coming back to Emigh?  It could be that it is the largest 4^th  generation family owned hardware store in Sacramento.  Or it could be the 80+ friendly employees,  some who’ve been with the store more than 20 years.  Maybe it’s the extras Emigh has to offer such as free local delivery, or that all power equipment is set up, serviced and ready-to-go, the in-house advertising Department that contributes to the store’s custom signage, banners, displays, social media and produces the well recognized Emigh ad.

Ask the kids and they’ll say it’s the waterfall fish pond in the indoor nursery where they can feed the Koi, and the free balloons and popcorn.

Koi Pond

In the fall, children look forward to getting their hands dirty and putting their artistic skills to work at Emigh’s family pumpkin carving workshop.

Pumpking Carving

For many school groups, Emigh is a favorite field trip destination. Canines who visit the store know that a doggie treat is waiting for them at the register and if their human counterpart is also looking for a treat, Emigh’s Café, located in  front of the store, offers hot dogs, coffee drinks, smoothies and snacks.  Emigh Hardware has always done its part to improve the quality of life in the city it has called home. A longtime champion of youths, the company donates to a number of area schools and youth sports, has hosted “65 Roses Golf Tournament” to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis  Foundation for the past 10 years, and is a sponsor of “The Giving Tree” to benefit children at Christmas, to name a few.

Free Popcorn

Ask me and I’ll tell you it’s the free coffee from 7:00 am to 9:00 am every weekday.

Emigh Cafe

Besides the coffee, I shop at Emigh because when I walk in, I feel like I am the most important customer in the store.  Service starts with a smile and doesn’t end until customers find what they want and know how to use it.

Emigh Ace Hardware Now

I was also impressed to learn about the roof.  Yes,the roof. It’s not just any roof; it’s a 21,600 square foot 200 kW solar roof system that produces 50% of the facility’s electricity, which not only cuts down on utility costs but considerably reduces their carbon footprint.

Solar Roof

By the way, if you can’t figure out how to pronounce Emigh – remember their mascot – Amy.

Amy

Llamas, Bras, Guns and Weaving

What do llamas, bras, guns and weaving have in common?  You can find all of these items at Harshbarger’s  Ace in Gridley, California.  Harshbarger’s is the epitome of the locally owned hardware store.

Store owner, Peggy, hosts Fiber Friends every Wednedsay in their conference room.  Fiber Friends gets together to drink white wine, knit,  crochet, felt, spin or weave. Some of the ladies meet before Fiber Friends for a Zumba class.   Peggy spun this beautiful yarn and it’s available in the store.  If you get something gift wrapped at Harshbarger’s Ace, you just might find it tied with some of this spun yarn.

Hand Spun Yarn by Peggy

Peggy Weaving and Spinning

Llamas?  Harshbarger’s hosted a pet costume contest and Nobel the llama won.  Doesn’t she look cute with her tu-tu and matching top.

Nobel the Llama

Mixed in with the yarn, the weaving and the llamas are  plenty of hunting supplies.  Harshbarger Ace also carries guns, ammunition, fishing rods, reels, and bait.  You can also buy your hunting or
fishing license.  There is plenty of  camping equipment too.  If you are in the area, there is room in the parking lot to pull your RV in and stock up on your supplies.

The bras – they don’t sell them, but maybe they could fit  them in their store somewhere.  The Wall of Hope was part of a fund raising event for the Pink Passion Campaign.

Wall of Hope

By the way Harshbarger Ace stocks and sells lots of hardware and paint,  along with animal feed and I think you can even get the kitchen sink too.

For hours and directions visit www.harshbargerace.com

It’s Not Your Daddy’s Hardware Store

 Its Not Your Daddy’s Hardware Store is a new feature on the blog.  I will highlight several items a month that are unexpected finds:  different uses for everyday items that can be found at your local hardware store or unusual items.

The items I want to share are creative and clever works of art created out of normal, everyday hardware store items.  All are either made out of up-cycling, salvaging or reusing everyday items.

I saw this nut bowl created by Tammy Roy of 180° Design on Apartment Therapy, and just fell in love with it.  

Nut Bowl

Tammy  is obsessed with creating items out of reused scrap metal and discarded objects.  She boasts about her love of dumpster diving and learning how to weld.  Both her website and blog are filled with her awe inspiring creations.  Visit her site: 180° Design.

Ever thought you could make a clock out of wrenches?  MetalMedia from Chicago did. 

Wrench Clock

MetalMedia creates their clocks using found objects from automotive parts to antique roller skates.  Visit their shop on Etsy for more information.

Washer Necklace

Jewelry anyone?  Tanith created this modern, found object necklace from silver toned washers, and a salvaged chain.  I love the hardware earrings too.  Tanith considers herself an urban archaeologist, uncovering the treasures in other people’s refuse.  She can take something that looks like trash and turn it into a piece of jewelry.

Hardware Earrings

 Tanith also has a shop on Etsy filled with wonderful items she’s created.

Baseball Players

Scott from Bucket O Bolts crafts metal sculptures from found objects and car parts.  Look at the detail in the Baseball  Players and the Grasshopper.   Scott’s items are also available on Etsy.

Grasshopper

I realized you can’t buy any of these items at the hardware store, but next time you’re browsing the aisle think about the alternate uses for those tools, washers, nuts, bolts etc.  Have you created something using hardware store materials?  I would love to see it.

 Visit our web-site or the Store Location page to find a friendly staffed locally owned ACE hardware store near you.