Chip Wade - Expert Craftsman

October is right around the corner and as many know October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. However, this is an important issue year-round and Mohawk is taking charge with their Decorate for the Cure initiative.

Mohawk SmartCushion is the premium carpet cushion that gives homes added comfort and protection. Well now, that protection even extends to the ones you love. From June 2011 to December 2012, Mohawk will contribute a minimum guaranteed donation of $100,000 from the sale of SmartCushion to Susan G. Komen for the Cure™ to help fund ongoing breast cancer research.

How important is this research? Well, consider that the number of women over 40 who now receive regular mammograms has more than doubled. In the US alone, the five-year survival rates for early-detected breast cancer has increased to almost 100%. And America’s 2.5 million breast cancer survivors are the largest group of cancer survivors today.

If you’re interested in purchasing SmartCushion for your home, you can use the Mohawk Store Locator to find the retailer nearest you. Every little bit counts in the fight against breast cancer!

Just when I thought my life couldn’t get any more exciting than it already was, my wife Pauli and I welcomed our newest bundle of joy Maria into the world exactly 1 week ago! And so far, believe it or not, baby number two has been easier to handle than the first time around. (How long this lasts remains to be seen!)

I also wrapped up the last day of Season 4 of HGTV’s Curb Appeal about two weeks ago. Thanks again to the incredible crew that makes this program possible and thanks to everyone for tuning in to HGTV and making this show a success! The smiles on our faces in this picture should reveal how relieved we are to finish another quality season.

Me with my Curb Appeal crew on the last day!

In the meantime, I’ve also become a spokesperson for Dremel Tools , an incredibly impressive manufacturer of versatile, powerful tools and accessories. We recently had a live Dremel DIY chat on Twitter and Facebook to bring some insight, inspiration, and tips to everyone participating. It was a fun time and I’ll be sharing some of the highlights from the chat here on my blog next week.

My last update is about my upcoming appearance on HGTV Design Star that I mentioned in an earlier post. I will be helping out on this upcoming Monday, September 5th’s episode at 9:00 PM Eastern time. If you have been keeping up with Design Star this season, then you already know it has been highly competitive. Make sure you all tune in and let me know how I did- I’ll be posting more very soon!

2011 marks the 41st celebration of Earth Day and to help everyone get into the green spirit, I’ve come up with a list of easy and effective ways to help make your home a little more eco-friendly:

1. Perform an energy audit to measure the efficiency of your home’s heating and cooling systems. This doubles as a money-saving piece of advice!
2. Design your home with a renewable flooring option such as bamboo flooring (twice as hard as oak) or carpeting such as Mohawk SmartStrand (created from corn).
3. Use nontoxic paint when adding color to your walls or at least paint with low volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
4. Reuse vintage furniture for a creative look that also recycles. Add a personal touch by reupholstering vintage pieces with recycled yarn or organic fabric.
5. When it comes to cleaning your green home, use an all-natural, nontoxic cleaner like Mohawk FloorCare Essentials to keep those floors sparkling.

Some of these tips are easier than others to be implemented on a daily or weekly basis, but all of them deserve real consideration when it comes to your home and our planet- Happy Earth Day 2011!

Taking a workout break for Twitter!

As many of you know, DIY projects can be quite a workout if they involve lifting heavy materials, operating powerful machinery or holding a position for long periods of time.

Personal fitness has always been important to me for obvious health benefits and for strength when it comes to building structures and remodeling projects. It also helps to be nimble and in-shape when your young son starts becoming increasingly energetic!

Well, I’m proud to say that I recently passed my certification and can now add “personal trainer” to my resume- I guess all those workouts in hotel gyms while traveling have finally paid off.

I got some upcoming work that will help me to showcase my love of exercise and living an active lifestyle that I can’t wait to share. Until then, remember this: stretch before and after every workout!

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I’ve been staying very busy lately with a variety of exciting new projects! Recently, I began providing education seminars for real estate agents at industry associations across the nation. The topics I focus on include green building and design, as well as accounting structure and other financial topics that affect realtors, such as renovation financing and tax ramifications associated with new housing laws.

In today’s economic climate it is essential for realtors to stay abreast of the latest tools of the trade and best practices. I am happy to share my knowledge and do what I can to help realtors succeed in this demanding marketplace!

Although this particular seminar series is focused on realty, I am available to speak on topics ranging from home improvement to building, design and more. If you’re interested in bringing me in to speak at an event for your organization, click on “Contact Chip” for appearance and scheduling inquiries.