DIY: Don't just Do it Yourself, Do it for Yourself!

Cutting Edge Stencils truly believes in DIY art, crafts, and home decor. Our highest goal is to empower you with our stencils and easy instructions. Why not take on your home improvement and home decor projects when we can give you the tools and knowledge to do so? That is what gives us the greatest satisfaction, helping you to say "I did that!". Do it yourself projects are such a great way to feel like you have made a huge difference in a space, without spending a lot of money. More importantly, it is a form of creative and self expression. It is a way to feel proud of an accomplishment and to walk into a room and know that you played an active role in making it beautiful and a representation of your personal style. It is also very empowering because you can choose when, where, and how. This post is to honor the DIY community. Cutting Edge Stencils is featuring three DIY blogs who have used our stencils and asked them to shed some expert advise on DIY projects. I hope you enjoy these unique DIY projects as much as we do! Not Just A Housewife - Stenciled Ceiling: This project landed Stacy a page in Better Homes and Gardens magazine. She used Cutting Edge Stencils Damask Anna stencil. Isn't it just amazing? Here is what Stacy has to share about her experience as a DIY blogger: Stacy from NOT JUST A HOUSEWIFE: Do you feel like it is absolutely necessary to be artistic to be a DIY'er? I think that it is different for every DIY'er. I have some family members who consider themselves DIY'ers but are more along the lines of handymen who fix things up and make things more functional. They definitely do not worry about being artistic. But I personally couldn't imagine NOT being artistic with every project I do. Besides the monetary benefits associated with DIY, what do you feel are the best aspects of Doing It Yourself? To me the fact that you save money by doing things yourself comes second to the pride I feel when I have accomplished a new project. Especially if it is something I have never done before. I think it is fun and a great way for me to have a creative release. To date, what has been the DIY project that you are most proud of? That is like asking me to pick my favorite child! But if I had to narrow it down it would be my stenciled ceiling that landed me in the pages of Better Homes and Gardens and my floating wood shelves (that are also drawers!) made from reclaimed wood in my office. Not Just a Housewife's floating shelves. Definitely worth being super proud of. Have you had any DIY projects that have failed miserably and which ones? I was in a hurry to finish my office and the last thing I had to build were 2 storage cupboards that go under my floating shelves. They are not a total fail but you won't see any close-ups that is for sure. I learned my lesson to not hurry a big project. Any advice to someone who feels like they aren’t “crafty” enough for DIY projects? Just jump in and do it. You will surprise yourself. Things always take practice, but you have to start somewhere. And if you fail, keep going. . Lolly Jane is such an inspiring blog with truly beautiful DIY projects. The photo above is of DIY stenciled curtains. Kelli and Kristi used Cutting Edge Stencils Julia Allover stencil in a gray and teal color. Here is what they had to say about DIY: KELLI & KRISTI from LOLLY JANE: Do you feel like it is absolutely necessary to be artistic to be a DIY'er? Yes! You can be creative in small ways like decorating for the holidays or big ways like painting every wall in your house. There's room for creativity in ever day life, it just makes us smile when we've created something pretty. Besides the monetary benefits associated with DIY, what do you feel are the best aspects of Doing It Yourself? Knowing you did do it yourself. It does save you money by being a DIY'er but it also lets you own what you've done. You can say "I made that!" and it's really satisfying! To date, what has been the DIY project that you are most proud of? Building a mirror from scratch! It was one of those projects that I didn't know if it would turn out or not. And since it's never been done before, I had to start from scratch to figure it out. I love the result too! Lolly Jane's hand-crafted mirror hanging on a wall stenciled with Cutting Edge Stencil's Julia Allover stencil. Beautiful! 4. Have you had any projects that have failed miserably and which ones? I attempted to make a picture frame by myself using hot glue only...not a good choice! It held up for a couple of weeks then fell apart. Embarrassing! 5. What is a DIY project that you have always wanted to do but you feel is beyond your DIY capabilities? Building furniture. I have built a crate from scratch and have learned to successfully build frames, I even built a bench. But when it comes to more complex pieces of furniture, I feel like it's out of my element. I can paint any furniture I come across but to actually build from scratch would be amazing. It's on my "to accomplish" list though! 6. Any advice to someone who feels like they aren’t “crafty” enough for DIY projects? You just need confidence!! That's it! I've had neighbors and friends who have copied some of our tips from our blog and they said, "You gave me confidence I could do it, and I did!" That makes us feel so good to empower other women!! That's what our main objective is with our readers, showing them they ARE capable of being a DIY'er! 4 Men & 1 Lady used Cutting Edge Stencils Birch Forest Allover stencil on this feature wall with triptych wall art. MICHELLE from 4 MEN 1 LADY: Do you feel like it is absolutely necessary to be artistic to be a DIY'er? Yes and no. Anyone can follow directions for building something and call themself a diy'er. However, if you were to compare two identical projects with someone who considers themselves artistic vs. not I think the artistic person's project would be more appealing. People who are artisitc usually have that "eye" for giving a project that special something to make it perfect. Besides the monetary benefits associated with DIY, what do you feel are the best aspects of Doing It Yourself? Definetely the satisfaction of doing it yourself. I recently had a professional come in and tile both bathrooms because I just didn't have the time. Looks great. However, I decided to tackly tiling my kitchen backsplash myself. Everytime I walk by it I stop a moment and just take pride in my work and know that I did it myself. Plus, the bragging rights aren't bad either! To date, what has been the DIY project that you are most proud of? I'd have to say the entryway in my last home that we painted with stripes. We thought it would take a weekend to complete...ended up taking three long weeks of working in to the late night. After we finished it was really dramatic and everyone who sees it says it takes their breathe away. Have you had any projects that have failed miserably and which ones? Oh yes...many! Most noteably we attempted a feature wall with an intricate pattern. (This was before I knew about stencils which I totally would have and should have used). We used a lot of tape to make the design. When it was time to pull back the tape everything came off all the way down to the drywall. Builder came to inspect and discovered the painter they used never primed the wall. What is a DIY project that you have always wanted to do but you feel is beyond your DIY capabilities? Upholstering a chair. I'm really intimidated by it. Upholstery is really expensive so DIY'ing was my next best option. One day I'll tackle it. Any advice to someone who feels like they aren’t “crafty” enough for DIY projects? The best way to learn is to just get in there, roll up your sleeves and give it a go. The worst that can happen is you start over if you mess up or call in a professional to help.