Commercial grade string lights will have thicker wires and waterproof sockets. These lights can be hung year-round and will survive through all seasons. Check the packaging of the lights to ensure they are safe outside. LED lights won’t cause damage to nearby greenery, unlike incandescent bulbs. These special staple guns have a U-shape that fits around the wire to avoid punctures. Some of the staple guns will have angled tips to fit into hard to reach corners and secure wires more discreetly. Staples are typically galvanized steel, but they can be purchased prepainted to match the colors of either the wood or the cable. Since you’ll be working with wiring and electricity, avoid metal ladders that could conduct electricity. Stay off the top 2 rungs of the ladder to prevent falls. Keep the ladder on flat sturdy ground. If using an extension ladder, have someone hold the bottom of the ladder for added support while you work.

Summary: Purchase lights made for outdoor use. Use a staple gun meant for wires and cables. Stand on a sturdy fiberglass ladder.


This is the card that will be the foundation of your project. The color you choose will be featured prominently in your finished product, so keep that in mind when choosing your base card.  Craft stores sell blank, plain cards for this purpose. These are already folded and creased, making them easiest and fastest to use. The blank cards come in boundless varieties. If you really love making handmade cards, definitely pick up a pack of blank cards (or cardstock) next time you’re at the craft store. That way it’s on hand and ready for you at a moment’s notice! You can use any kind of paper you want, but the best choice is a durable paper that has some weight to it. The most popular choice is cardstock, which is a nice heavy paper made specifically for card making. All craft stores carry cardstock and the variety is usually vast. Your base card choice can be as simple as plain white paper! Paper that is any color of the rainbow and patterned paper are both great options as well. If applicable, consider upcycling your child's artwork for the base card, or even your own artwork! This is an even better idea if you need to make the card at the last minute and don't have a lot of craft supplies on hand at the time. If you’re using a full piece of paper rather than a pre-folded card, you’ll need to go ahead and fold the paper so that it will be in card form. The best looking cards have a nice, crisp crease. This is something you can do very easily with items you already have at home.  With your paper horizontal in front of you, take a ruler and measure the horizontal center of the card in two places – near the top and near the bottom. Mark the center lightly with a pencil dot in both places, and then use the ruler to connect those dots with a straight line, from the bottom to the top of the page. Use the pencil with a very light touch. If you are crafty and already have a bone folder, this is the tool you will use to score the card. However, you can use a dull butter knife and get the same results. Scoring the card will ensure a nice, crisp fold.  Line your ruler up next to the center line you’ve just drawn and take the butter knife to score the card along that line. Scoring means to push firmly into the paper so that a visible indention occurs. Be sure not to push too hard! Once scored along the drawn line, lightly erase your pencil marks. Do this by carefully folding the paper along the scored line. Once folded, use the bone folder or some other flat tool to flatten the fold very crisply.  Using the spine of a book would be a simple solution if you don’t have a bone folder. You should now have a crisply folded piece of paper that looks almost exactly like a store bought card!

Summary: Choose a base card. Prep the paper for folding. Score the card. Fold the card.


As soon as you start a new job, make it your business to learn the ropes as soon as possible. Many employees settle into a comfortable routine once they become proficient at a job. To set yourself apart and stand out as a good employee, always meet assignment deadlines and demonstrate a strong work ethic. As a good employee, never make excuses for why you didn't do a task that was assigned to you. This will show your boss that you're able to work hard and serve as a model employee. Take the initiative to complete tasks on your own, so your supervisor doesn't have to micro-manage your work. If there's a way you can do more than complete the minimum requirement on a task, show that you're a good employee by putting in extra work. If you don't know how to do a certain task that your employer expects you to perform, ask your employer or co-workers. Many employers offer periodic on-site training or online training courses. In some instances, you may be expected to travel to a conference for company-side training. Take advantage of these valuable opportunities, as they'll allow you to pick up new skills and become a better employee. Picking up new skill sets and work-related education shows that you value improving your workplace performance. Also, if the office has a budget crisis and lets people go, highly-trained employees stand a better chance of being retained than those who can only do one thing. when it concerns your work performance. Constructive criticism from a supervisor, client, or co-worker can give some good ideas about what people expect from you. Criticism can also show you areas in which your performance has room to improve. This is a good thing! View criticism as an opportunity to improve as an employee. For example, say that a client points out that you made numerous grammatical errors on advertising copy. Instead of becoming defensive or blaming someone else, take this as an opportunity to brush up on your writing skills. what their expectations are when you're in doubt. While the overall expectations should have been laid out clearly in the job posting and the interview, you may find that the nature of your work changes as months and years pass. Or, you may occasionally be asked to perform tasks around the workplace that you haven't been trained for. Clear up any confusion by asking your supervisor exactly what they expect of you. For example, if you work in an advertising agency and you're assigned to a type of client you haven't worked with before, find out from your boss what you can do to succeed at the assigned task. You might say something like, “I've never represented a car company before; do you have any advice on what types of ad strategies work best?” Volunteering for not strictly required work around your workplace allows you to choose the part you will play in a workplace assignment. It also shows that you care about the company and are willing to go the extra mile to help out. This shows dedication and ambition, which are 2 qualities that bosses look for in good employees. Being a team player and cooperating with others on projects shows that you care about your job and the people you work with. On the other hand, if you pass on opportunities to work on projects, you'll seem like you're not interested in the job you were hired for. While other employees may leave their shift 15 minutes early or browse the internet for the last 20 minutes, show that you're an excellent and hard-working employee by making productive use of this time. One of the best uses of this time is to organize your work space for tomorrow. Take a moment to put away loose papers, clean up your work space, and locate things you'll need for the next day.
Summary: Model a strong work ethic and cover the basic requirements of your job. Show initiative by going above and beyond tasks that you're assigned. Learn new skills and take advantage of training opportunities. Take criticism gracefully Ask your supervisor Recognize and volunteer for opportunities around the office. Cooperate well with others in group assignments to show initiative. Use the last 15-20 minutes of your shift to be productive and prepare for the next day.