Johnson took a turn spreading the dark, gloppy substance. Then she tried her hand at aligning the tiles, using spacers to set them the proper distance apart.
"I have an island [counter] for my kitchen and I'm trying to tile the top of it," she said. "That's why I'm here. I like doing these kinds of projects anyway. And it saves money.
"And the difference in what I save could mean a vacation for me."
before you diy ...
Katie and Gene Hamilton, a St. Michaels couple who write a do-it-yourself syndicated column and have written a number of books on DIY projects, offer these insights:
Do-It-Yourselfers' Mistakes:
* Scheduling a big project before a holiday or family event.
* Tackling too large a project.
* Neglecting to prepare family members for the inconvenience (no electricity means no hair dryer).
* Not budgeting enough money to eat out.
* Losing their sense of humor.
Don't Do This at Home:
* Install drywall
* Install roofing on a two-story house
* Sand floors
* Take on plumbing projects that require a building permit
For more information, see the Hamiltons' Web site, diyornot.com.
