Category: Blog Posts

The construction of Mid-Rise projects with mass timber products like glulam beams and CLT panels is a quick, durable and cost effective way to significantly reduce embodied carbon in our cities buildings… See more in the Mid-Rise wood v concrete report.  
Located in the bustling Griffintown neighborhood of…

As North America accelerates the electrification of homes and reduces our reliance on fossil fuels like so-called “natural gas” for heating and cooking, this also increases the potential for power outages in cold weather to disrupt our daily lives. Why be prepared for power outages in cold weather?
From celebrating…

Heat pumps are still perceived as a new concept to many homeowners in the US and Canada and as they’ve improved considerably in performance over the years there are many misconceptions about heat pumps needing backup heating. Ecohome investigates. Having a backup heat source that can operate without electricity…

Many recent press releases are selling us on using public tax dollars to fund private enterprise in the shape of biomethanization plants to “revalorize” food waste and feacal sludge into biogas – what is Renewable Natural Gas & is RNG even a good idea. Recent articles have praised major public investments in…

At times, the phrase “business innovation” can feel as amorphous as any other buzzword: what does it mean, and what’s the opportunity for REALTORS®?

On Episode 33 of REAL TIME, researcher, keynote speaker, and one of The Globe and Mail’s top changemakers of 2022, Dr. Chitra Anand, explores the many ways in which REALTORS® can innovate. She also unpacks an important new movement in the workplace: intrapreneurship.

Learn how you can foster an intrapreneurial spirit to challenge the norm, spur new ideas, and continue building trust through value-added solutions. Dr. Anand breaks it all down, including how to focus your efforts for the greatest impact if you’re a smaller business with limited resources.

Photo Contest

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Get the look of high-end Florentine marbled paper using budget-friendly materials.

What You’ll Need:

12″ x 12″ white cardstock paper 5–10 seconds. Lift the paper out of
Foam shaving cream
Acrylic paint the shaving cream and place it on some (3–4 coordinating shades per cracker)
Squeegee
Stir stick
Container (large enough for size of paper)
Newspaper
Small trinkets and printed jokes for inside the cracker
Cracker snaps (find these at Amazon or Michaels)
Double-sided tape
Ribbon
Cardboard tubes (or leftover toilet paper rolls)

How To Make Marbled Paper:

Fill a container with a layer of shaving cream.
Add squirts of acrylic paint in different colors.
Swirl the paint gently into the shaving cream with sticks to create streaks of color. Don’t overmix.
Place the paper into the container and press down lightly into the shaving cream until all of the paper has come in contact with the foam, around newspaper or scrap paper.
Using a squeegee, remove the excess shaving cream from the paper.
Leave to dry.

The post DIY: Marble Holiday Crackers appeared first on House & Home.

Craft some celebratory crackers to suit your home’s palette. Placing them casually in a bowl lets guests choose the cracker that speaks to them the most.

What You’ll Need:

You’ll need sheets of scrapbooking paper (12″ x 12″)
Wrapping paper (for contrasting overlay)
Cardstock (for template)
Cardboard tubes
Scissors, tape or a glue gun
Ribbon
Cracker “snappers” (available through Etsy)
Sizzle (crimped paper)
Favors such as chocolates, markers or toys (may not be suitable for small children).

How-to:

1. Print a 6″ x 6″ zigzag template on cardstock and cut out the shape.

2. Cut a piece of 12″ x 12″ scrapbooking paper in half. Fold the paper inward so the edges meet in front. Trace the template on the back of the paper and snip the folded edges in triangles to create diamond scoring to make it easier to cinch the cracker with ribbons.

3. Cut a cardboard tube into 4 1⁄4″-long sections. Thread the tube with a cracker snapper (available through Etsy), then add candies and small favors inside the tube, tucking sizzle paper into the ends.

4. Wrap the scrapbook paper around the tube and affix with tape, or with a glue gun for a tidier look.

5. Knot the ribbons over the scored sections and hot glue the overlapping end seams together so they lie flat.

6. Cut out a contrasting piece of wrapping paper approximately 4 1⁄2″ x 6″ for the overlay. Wrap the overlay around the cracker and hot glue the seams closed.

The post DIY: Patterned Christmas Crackers appeared first on House & Home.

A new grant scheme for Heat Pumps for 2023 of up to $5000 has been announced in Canada to help low and middle-Income Canadian households switch from oil fired heating to electric – This $5000 can be added to existing home improvement grants. The federal government just announced details of a new grant of $5000 to…

Many of us live in cities where homes like apartments built from subdivided older houses don’t have a private parking spaces – as EVs become the preferred option for commuters, what are the solutions for charging an EV in public places or on the move. Any of us who’ve owned gas powered vehicles over the years know…