Daring to Do-It-Yourself

And as a little inspiration to get you going, Studio 5 Contributor Jennifer Heslop takes us along to see through her creative eyes how she dares to do-it-herself.

Jenn’s recommendations on the handiest tools, especially for do-it-yourself home décor:

Power sander: A good quality hand-held sander can save hours of work on your project. My favorite is the orbital sander by Ryobi. It has a built in vacuum bag which keeps saw-dust clean-up to a minimum. Always remember to begin sanding with a low number (coarse) sand paper and work up to a higher number (finer) paper.

Power drill: Every “do-it-yourselfer” will benefit from a power drill. I use the screwdriver and drill attachments most. If you have the chance, consider getting yourself good quality power tools sized for women.

Laser level: One of my favorite tools is the Ryobi Airgrip Laser Level. I use this a lot for hanging pictures. The level attaches to any surface without damage and sends out a small laser beam. The beam even turns corners- great for marking off horizontal stripes on a wall.

Professional paint brush: A high quality paint brush with leave a nice smooth finish on your painted pieces. I have found a 2″ or 2 ½” sash brush to be a great size for most projects. Expect to pay between $8 -$15 for a good brush, but with proper care, a good quality brush will last for years.

Library card: Often we don’t consider the library or internet as a tool, but the do-it-yourself section in the local library has volumes of ideas and instructions on tackling just about any home-repair or make-over project.

Painter’s tape: Don’t skimp on tape. Masking tape is not painter’s tape! Painter’s tape (blue or green) is low-tack as to not pull off finishes you want to preserve. After applying the tape, remember to run your fingernail down the edges to create a tight seal to prevent paint seeping under the tape.

Paint scraper/putty knife: Vintage and junkyard finds are often layered with years of paint, dirt, etc. A paint scraper is just the tool to scrape off debris or loosen jammed drawers, hinges, etc.

Pink power tools for this segment provided by:
www.TomboyTools.info/utahjen