tools

From Pampers to wetsuits, Cynthia Rowley is spreading her stylish wings in all sorts of directions. Now she's hammering away at home improvement, with a new line of tools outfitted in her adorable prints. This has been done before . . . by the Victoria & Albert Museum, Liberty of London, Alice Supply Co., and Pretty Useful Tools, in particular. But the pièce de résistance of Rowley's little collection is her super chic canvas tool bag. I already have a tool set I love, but I might just have to use this one as a purse! Otherwise the line includes a multihead screwdriver, pliers, a hammer, a flashlight, a level, and a tape measure, and it's available at Rowley's boutiques. Check out the goods below!

When I was 19 years old, I was dropped off at my college dorm with a car full of clothing, a laundry hamper, a computer, and some CDs. While I thought that was sufficient, my dad thought otherwise. Proud father with tears in his eyes, he handed me my first toolbox. As soon as they drove off, I put my hammer, screwdriver, and level to work. Now, thanks to my old man, I'd like to fancy myself a bit of a handywoman. If forced to choose my top three most valuable tools around my home and garden, I'd pick a screwdriver, a hammer, and a sewing needle.

What are your three top picks? Tell me in the comments, and we'll see which tools come out on top!

Turning a screw a few turns too far strips the hole and puts a halt to any home improvement project. We've all been there, but you're not as screwed as you might think if you've stripped an important hole — especially if you have a few toothpicks on hand. A super simple way to fix a stripped hole is by removing the screw and sticking a few toothpicks (or matchsticks) inside. Just don't overstuff it; I've found that two or three usually do the trick. Once you've filled it with the toothpicks, break off the bits that stick out, insert the screw into the center, and turn it with a screwdriver until it's tight. Now if only all DIY disasters had such an easy fix.