5 DIY Do’s

As I was writing this post I realized that I have more than 5 DIY Do’s to share! So, please tell us what your DIY tips are in the comment section and look for more DIY posts on my blog…coming soon!

You may also want to check out 5 DIY Don’ts after you read this post! There are far more than 5 things you should avoid when it comes to DIY projects, but these are a great start!

5 DIY Do’s

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1. Buy a hot glue gun and an extra pack of glue sticks.

You will always need a hot glue gun, and you will definitely run out of sticks at some point!

Make sure you check the size before you buy the extra glue sticks, they don’t all fit! I buy mine at Dollar General, so there’s no way to mistakenly buy the wrong glue sticks…they only sell one kind :).

Be careful when your hot glue gun is on! Try not to let it tip over because that can sometimes cause the hot glue to come out of the wrong places and ruin your glue gun.

I have a “home made” hot glue gun holder. There are lots of great DIY ideas for making your own hot glue gun holder, and if you’re big into DIY projects, you definitely need one!

Here are just a few reasons why you’ll need a hot glue gun:

• DIY Household Decor- wreaths, wall art, collages, embellishments, etc.
• Fixing just about anything.
• Wood Crafts
• Floral Arrangements
• Working with fabric
• And so much more!

Shop for glue guns and accessories!

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2. Keep mason jars on hand.

They are great for so many things when it comes to arts, crafts, and DIY do’s! Storage is one of the top uses for mason jars, and you can literally never have enough of them! Right now I have a new case of mason jars in the garage just waiting to be used!

Storage…oh the things you can store! Not sure what to do with something? Put it in a mason jar and stick it in a box(or on a shelf if you have room). Then, all of your random items will be in the same place, because some of them just don’t have a place of their own!

Here are some other great uses for mason jars:

• Use a mason jar for cleaning your brushes. It’s so much better than a red solo cup! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve nearly knocked one of those cups over! A glass jar is sturdy and reusable!
• Use mason jars for crafts. You can make so many things with mason jars! They’re great for indoor and outdoor projects!
• Use mason jars in the kitchen. My stepmother came over last weekend and noticed my new case of mason jars, and she got so excited! She proceeded to tell me about what she does with hers, and she mostly uses them in the pantry for spices, granola, baking supplies, etc. You can never have too many mason jars!

I get mason jars really cheap at Dollar General during certain seasons because they don’t carry them year-round. They usually come in 3 sizes, so make sure you get the right size for your needs!

Shop for discounted mason jars!

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3. When it’s time for your project to dry…put it somewhere and WALK AWAY.

I’m known for this…finally being satisfied enough with my painting to let it dry before going to the next step(this also applies to mod podge, paint markers, etc.).

This is important because canvases and other DIY projects may dry at different rates in different places. So, you’ll think that one spot wasn’t painted enough and feel the need to touch it up a little. Just don’t.

I always look at it way too soon, and feel like something needs to be touched up. That’s a bad idea….you will probably make a bigger mess if you try to touch something up before it is dry. Just wait, and put your project in the garage if you have space!

If you do a lot of DIY Canvas Projects, then you may want to find a place for a small drying rack. I hardly ever finish one canvas project before starting a new one, so a drying rack is perfect for keeping everything out of harms way!

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4. Tweezers are your best friend!

Not just any tweezers! You should have a pair of ingrown hair tweezers, and a pair of regular tweezers.

Ingrown hair tweezers are great because they are “pointy” instead of flat at the end, so it’s easy to grab things that are small. You can use them for bead work, jewelry making, and more!

Tweezers come in handy when you’re painting and those pesky stray bristles decide to find a new home on your painting! You already know that trying to grab them with your fingers is going to make more of a mess than just leaving it there. Definitely use the tweezers!

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5. Save newspapers and some magazines.

I almost always have some old newspapers in my craft room or the garage.

Then, last week I wanted to paint something and I was out of newspaper! It was rainy that day, so I really needed something to cover up my table before getting started.

Instead, I used cling wrap. It was okay, but not as easy as a few pages of newspaper!

Also, I have a notebook for clippings from magazines that I want to save for later. This is a great idea if you have way too many magazines laying around! Just cut out the projects and ideas that you like, and keep them all in one place. You can glue or tape them into a composition notebook for a quick and easy way to store your clippings!

5 DIY Don’ts