GOOD(S) FRIDAY! If there was an official opening to “garage sale season,” it would be Easter Weekend. So, put on your bonnet and get out there! As I point out in my book Garage Sale America, the first of the season sales see lots of bargain and the best prices (people have been dying to [...]

In the spirit of the spring cleaning season, Bob Vila, the go-to guru for home improvement, asked for my advice on giving a good Garage Sale. Some of my hints: “If your ad says ‘antique furniture’ or ‘60s modern,’ those kinds of identifiers will definitely be lures to people,” pricing: “if you put a price [...]

SPRING CLEANING My favorite spring cleaning ritual is to invite over a good friend and make it a party! A good friend brings a new perspective, fresh ideas, and extra muscle to help you clean up, rearrange furniture, and make the tough decisions about what should go and what should stay. Make it FUN! Put [...]

Today, I’ve spotted some daffodils peeking their green heads from the ground, emerging from their winter sleep. Those little things are a sign: GARAGE SALE SEASON approaches. Here’s my Today Show appearance to help you early birds plan ahead to get the best worm$. And in the meantime, a new giveaway!!!…I’ll give a signed copy [...]

In 2007 a baby owl fell from a tree in Wisconsin and became famous. Her name was Alice, and once she was rescued and rehabilitated by The Raptor Education Group she became part of a movement, run by Marge Gibson, executive director of the Raptor Education Group. Together they started the International Festival of Owls, [...]

It’s Valentine’s Week-the week of LOVE. In case you missed it on the CBS Early Show, here are some of my ideas for cute ways to feel the love and make Valentine’s Day fun with the gorgeous Julie Chen.

Did you know Play-Doh, the classic toy beloved (and tasted – yuck!) by kids everywhere originally came in only one color – white – because it was originally patented as a wallpaper cleaning material by an inventor named Noah McVicker. It wasn’t a huge success – until McVicker realized that the pliable, non-toxic putty would [...]

ALT SIDE TALK SHOW In NYC, nothing’s for free. And drivers know the price of nabbing a coveted parking spot on the street is TIME. You’re invited to “Alt Side” – the talk show that takes place in gorgeous NBC reporter Debra Alfarone’s car while she does her weekly dance for Alternate Side of the [...]

ALUMINUM TREES Evergleam, the original silver trees, were introduced by the Aluminum Specialty Company in Wisconsin in 1959. The trees were created as a way to use up all the extra postwar aluminum the company had. Due to the possibility of electric shock, lighting was provided by a rotating color wheel–a spotlight with three or [...]

DID YOU KNOW? That before the Griswold’s, America began tripping the #Christmas electric light fantastic rather simply on December 22, 1882, in the apartment of Edward H. Johnson, an inventor and the business partner of Thomas Edison. In a spirited burst of ingenuity, Johnson designed eighty red, white, and blue electric light bulbs the size [...]