NAILS: When hammering small nails use plasticine over the area you wish to hammer the nail into. This will hold the nail in positon and will protect your finders...
To prevent cracking the plaster when hammering in nails, first stick a piece of masking tape to the wall, then hammer the nail in through the tape..
When trying to remove a nail which has been painted over, first soften the paint by holding a lighted match just below it, being careful not to burn the wall.... (Duh! )
NAIL VARNISH: You can keep the top of a bottle of nail varnish from sticking and becoming difficult to open by spreading a little vaseline on the grooves... Storing the bottle in the fridge will pervent the nail varnish from getting a sticky consistency and it will also help the varnish to last longer.