As I've documented in the past, I'm a not-so-handy, handyman.
I do however, know how to paint. For me, painting usually means plenty of time on cleanup, followed by two Advil and a cold beer to ease my aching back.
That's why I was happy when the nice folks at HomeRight asked me if I'd like to try their new EZ-Twist PaintStick.
Their pitch was that I could paint any room in a quarter of the time it would take with a conventional paint roller - with less mess.
Now, they don't know handyman Bob, so I took all of this with a grain of margarita salt.
Here's what I found.
First, there's no paint tray needed with the EZ-Twist. The PaintStick draws the paint directly from the can - which means there's no bending and fewer drips to clean up later.
The PaintStick holds up to 18 ounces of paint in the handle. You just twist the paint through the tube onto the roller and paint up to an 8' x 8' area without refilling. It takes a little practice, but you'll soon learn that a small twist applies a small amount of paint - a larger twist applies more paint to cover a larger area.
It comes with a high-quality roller cover, so there's nothing extra to buy. The roller offers a virtually lint-free finish with flat, satin, velvet, semi-gloss and gloss paints.
Since we all know my luck with ladders the long tube extends its reach for walls and ceilings - almost no need for a ladder when painting. This made Charlotte happy and probably saved me some splatters.
Cleanup is really pretty easy with the EZ-Twist. You just attach the EZ-Twist to the paint can cover and return paint to the can. Then you fill the EZ-Twist with water and flush.
Cost is about $40 and everything you need comes with the kit. You get the EZ-Twist PaintStick, Roller Cover, How to Paint DVD, Spatter Shield, Paint Can Cover and Fill Tube. It's available online at Amazon.com, Ace Hardware, Sear's, Lowe's and other home improvement retailers.
Check out the manufacturer's web site by visiting HomeRight.
Prepare your own Mexican quick fix with this Chipotle-inspired bowl. Carbs are moderated by filling the bowl with beans, extra veggies and chicken. No need for rice, since the beans count as carbs.
Tips:
If you love tomatoes, increase the quantity to 1/2 cup, but note that the carbohydrates will also increase.
If preparing this recipe for one person, cut all of the ingredients in half. Or simply prepare the full recipe up to the end of step 2 and store leftover chicken and vegetable-bean mixture in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave on High for 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through, and continue with step 3.
Health Bite: The iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc in black beans help to keep bones strong and healthy.
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