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hey there! I'm monica 

I pride myself on making amazing style and design accessible for everyone, regardless of location, budget, or ability! My design philosophy is rooted in authenticity + attainability - If I can do it, you can too! My work has been featured in countless publications, but I take the most pride in homeowners that have been personally inspired by my DIY ideas and have tried something in their own homes!

learn more about ME + MY BIZ

If you’re anything like me at all (lazy super efficient), then you’ll be thrilled with these 5 tips to make DIY-ing easier and hassle-free. Let’s get right to it, shall we?
1. Save those old, stiff paintbrushes you thought were goners.
Just soak those bad boys in hot vinegar for 30 minutes and they’ll be as good as new.
2. Make those free paint stir sticks work.
Use them to help recall your household paint colors. Dip the stick into your paint and write the name of the paint color and it’s number on the other end. Tie together with some ribbon or twine and voila! This trick was totally made for me and my impulsive, forgetful self.
3. Make yourself a fun holiday wreath on the cheap.
Instead of buying an expensive foam wreath from a craft store, get a 6 foot long piece of foam tubing from Home Depot or Lowe’s. Cut the length you want, and duct tape the ends together. For approximately $.97, you’ve got yourself a naked wreath, ready to be all dolled up!
4. Use paint thinner to transfer a black & white picture or text onto almost anything.
Monica and I just used this method for one of our joint projects (which you’ll soon hear about. I know you’re already on the edge of your seats with anticipation), and it made us squeal with excitement. Hi, we’re Monica and Jess and we get really excited about crafting. Anyway, simply print your text or picture with a laser printer backwards, and lay it on your fabric or wood, or whatever you’re working on. Rub paint thinner over the whole thing with a cue tip.There you have it! So much easier than making a stencil and then tracing it. (Please read the whole tutorial before attempting this! Just click here for all the details.)
5. Channel your inner Martha and create ah-mazing flower arrangements.
Seriously, she isn’t a millionaire for nothing. This simple trick makes all the difference! Make a grid using clear cellophane tape across the opening of your bowl. Cut your stems short, and place one or two blooms in each opening of the grid. Apparently, this helps support the heavier blooms so they don’t automatically fall to the outside of the bowl. Add your greens (ie: baby’s breath, ferns etc) in last.
So, there you have it! 5 easy ways to make DIY-ing a whole lot simpler. Go forth and create!
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And, finally, just to get your juices flowing, this is one of the submissions we’ve received for the Nate Show Ticket giveaway contest:
Isn’t it awesome, and highly-unflattering? Oh well, all in the name of the Nate Berkus Show. There’s still time to enter the contest, so hurry up and click here here for all the details.
Do you have any fail-safe DIY tips?
Please share!

The comments +

  1. Lauren says:

    I love that foam wreath idea! I’m going to have to try that soon! Thanks for these tips, ladies.

  2. Amanda says:

    Hello Ladies, for the foam wreath, just make sure the diameter is closer to 1″ or wider to ensure a nice circle 🙂 Thanks for re-posting!!

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