In This Issue

Bending the Rules: Math can be a breeze if you just learn how to bend the rule a bit.

Half Eddie Half: A fraction divided against itself cannot be too tough!

Ketchup on Some Painting:  Once you try this you'll wonder why they don't sell it this way.
Half Eddie Half!
Here is a lesson in basic math that admittedly flew in one ear and right out the other  when I was in school.  It's one of those little tricks that could well have saved me hours of scratching out numbers on 2x4's but thanks to an old timer on a job site, I can now half and double fractions in my head.  It's really simple:  to cut a fraction in half you just multiply the bottom number by two.  For example:  half of 5/8 is 5/16; half of 5/16 is 5/32; half of 5/32 is 5/64 and they'll tell two friends and so on and so on.  So, to multiply a fraction by 2 you simply cut the bottom number in half 3/16 x 2  = 3/8 and etc.  If you actually paid attention in math class then our apologies for the review.  If, like me, you had the occasional daydream then here's your second chance.
Ketchup on Some Painting!
We have poked our fair share of nail holes around the rim of paint cans with limited success and even when it works you still need to find a screwdriver to get the can opened. Then one day it hit us... why doesn't paint come in a squeeze bottle?  Now we open the quart and pour it right into empty ketchup bottles we have no short supply of these with two kids in the house, but you can also ask friends or family to save containers for you.  It's the ultimate recycling!  The next time you need to touch up an area just pop the top and squeeze a little into a Dixie cup or yogurt container and you'll save time,  frustration and wasted paint from spills and improperly sealed lids.  Now there are about thirty bottles of assorted colors on the shelf in our shop and we can experiment with mixing to create even more colors!  If you like to play with different painting techniques this will be fabulous for you, just squirt some different colors on a Styrofoam plate and sponge, sponge, sponge!
Bending the Rules.
Ok stop searching for that calculator, put down the pencil and pick up your tape measure!  You can do addition and subtraction very easily by turning your tape measure into a slide rule. Bend the tape so that it runs parallel with itself.  Starting with subtraction place the tip of the tape at the number you are subtracting from. Then measure over the distance you are subtracting and look across for you answer. For example 27" - 6 5/8" = 20 3/8" as illustrated by the red arrows.  For addition (see the blue arrows) place the two measurements next to each other and look at the tip for the answer. Example:  4 13/16" + 22 3/16"= 27"

Have Some Fun:
Try placing the tip of the tape at 105 then look at the last 2 numbers of the year you were born and you can see what your current age is.  You can also tell how old you will be in 2050.  Give it a shot!

Check Out the Oops Paints: The next time you go to Home Depot  ask where they keep the 'oops' paints.  'Oops' paints are returned paints which were tinted the wrong color.  When it comes back, the folks in the paint department alter the color just a little so that the person who brought it back can't return the next day and buy the $12.00 quart of paint for two bucks.  It's a great way to build a collection of colors,  fun to experiment with and especially cool for kids projects!