A Community of Women

learning & growing together

Have you ever

wanted to...

Do It yourself?
BE A PART OF A LARGER COMMUNITY?
BE A PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER?

Then welcome to DIY Girlfriend (DIYG)!

DIYG is a community of Girlfriends that support and encourage each other to do DIY projects themselves.  With DIYG, you will get step-by-step instructions, videos and the tools you need to do your own DIY projects.

DIYG believes in learning more and growing outside your comfort zone to go further.  As a part of the DIYG community you’ll be a part of a sisterhood that will support you on your journey to grow further.

DIYG also believes in giving back and being a part of something bigger.  Therefore, DIYG supports such organizations as Habitat for Humanity,  Convoy of Hope, Builders International, SheBuilds, World Vision, and North America Women in Construction (NAWIC).  DIYG supports non-profits that build others up and help them go further because growing further is what we’re all about!

Go Further

learn

Step-by-step video tutorials to repair, build and replace common household projects.

grow

Helpful tips, tricks and full how-to tutorials  in our community of women builders.

ideate

Projects ideas that will help to inspire  your next project.

share

Share your knowledge and completed projects with others.

Together we can make a difference

Cristy Gies - Founder

There are 3 words that describe me: passionate, tenacious and fiercely independent. As a single mom raising 4 boys with a tight budget, I learned very quickly that I would need to put all three adjectives to work to do more to make ends meet. Armed with a degree in Social Work and multiple certifications in project management, I was not even remotely equipped for the task at hand. However, that did not stop me because I believe anyone can do anything if you work hard enough and long enough. Hard times have birthed many businesses including DIY Girlfriend.

Fast-forward 15+ years and many Google searches, I have learned how to fix toilets and disposals, lay bathroom tile, change out light fixtures and bathroom faucets, replace electrical outlets, change ceiling fans and light switches, make window flower boxes and even taken on projects to help other single moms and widows. My passion is to learn, share and grow others so together we can all go further.

At age 58 and after 30+ years in a successful career as a project manager, I left my corporate life to pursue my dream of helping other women grow further. Why? Because anyone can do anything at any age if you work hard enough and long enough. A group of supportive girlfriends doesn’t hurt either.

Above all, I am a wife, mother and loyal friend to many DIY girlfriends! My highest priority is my family and faith in God. With them, and a good girlfriend, anything is possible. My greatest inspiration is my mother and sisters, the first DIY Girlfriends I ever knew. I come from a long lineage of strong women and my mother is at the top of the list. Also a single mom, my mom fixed many things in our home, made the majority of our clothes, did the family’s annual taxes, painted most of our house, knitted many of our hats and scarfs all while running a full-time business. No wonder I have been called a tenacious work-a-holic and maybe with some strong OCD tendencies.

I am blessed with a supportive husband who encourages me daily to grow and go further. My husband and I firmly believe in giving back. We volunteer and support many non-profits such as Habitat for Humanity, Builders International, SheBuilds, Convoy of Hope, World Vision, Christian education and various other non-profit ministries that help women and children transform their lives.

The DIYG team

London Richards

Builder and Designer

Savannah Palmer

Social Media

Candida Infante

Branding and Creative

want to be a part of diyg?

Whether you want to collaborate or build a partnership DIYG is excited to hear from you.  

Designer and Builder

London Richards

There are three words that describe me: Creative, ambitious, and hardworking. 

 

If you were to ask my friends they would say I’m the happiest person they know.  Being happy on purpose gives me strength to see all the positive and creative possibilities in life, work, and friendships.  I take my happy attitude to work, school, and my home.   

 

My creative outlets are multiple. I find joy working with digital design, handcrafted projects, even building challenging products I’ve never built before.  When I’m doing DIY projects, I always ask myself, “How can I do this the simplest way that produces the coolest outcome so that other DIY girls can make it too?”  

 

I’m a student working towards a major in Graphic Design and a minor in Interior Design.  I am excited about these possibilities and what it can bring to my work and career.  

 

I absolutely love animals.  I’ve tried my hand at being a pet mom to some out of the ordinary animals in my life.  From tortoises, VERY large breed rabbits, guinea pigs (which I am very allergic to, I found out). Ultimately I landed on my Great Pyrenees, Lab, and German Shepherd mix breed sweetie who I named Cricket.  She “helps” me with all of my projects by sticking her nose right where it doesn’t belong most of the time.  

 

I’m happy to be fortunate enough to design and build for DIY Girlfriend where I can have a positive effect on the ease and certainty our projects and products can bring to ladies of all ages!

Social Media

Savannah Palmer

Born and raised with small farm town Iowa roots and a big city heart. I’ve never met a stranger and have always been passionate about getting to know individuals and making those around me feel known. 
 
After graduating high school I dreamt of being a Texas A&M Aggie but my father talked me into a place a little closer to home. So we found a place called Bolivar Missouri where I went on to study Public Relations and Marketing at Southwest Baptist University, and remained there to acquire my Masters in Business Administration. During that time, I met and married my husband, Justin. 
 
After purchasing our first home, we learned through friends, family, and YouTube how to tweak small aspects of our house to create at atmosphere we enjoyed. Soon I learned that the most difficult part of any project, for me, was just getting started. Most projects seemed difficult until each were broken down in manageable pieces, taking one step at a time. 
 
Over a few years, we designed and created a fire pit, landscaped and built a raised garden bed, replaced sinks and light fixtures, corrected drain systems, and even learned how to patch a hole in the wall. 
 
 
I now work in project management and have the opportunity to work alongside Cristy and London in DIYg through running the social media. I’m passionate about marketing and spreading information to the masses. The “Learn. Grow. Share.” mentality of DIYg encompasses everything I love about women in community. A strong community of friends and family is truly how I learned any of what I know now. 

Branding and Creative

Candida Infante

I was never the little girl that would be playing with dolls. I enjoyed playing with my Tonka trucks in the mud.

 

I grew up in southwest Missouri learning to work on jeeps, ride dirt bikes and playing in the dirt. I was fortunate to have parents that taught me the importance of understanding how to repair and fix things. Growing up as a tomboy has proven overtime that it has its perks! It helped me grow and become a strong and driven woman feeling that there were not limitations on the things I could accomplish.

 

As a single mom, I put that drive and knowledge to work. Without the money to call for every household need, I had to learn the hard way…calling on friends to teach me and relying on those (sometimes not so great) YouTube tutorials. Proud of the knowledge I had gained and only wanted to learn more. Today I can add setting tile, fixing thermostats, and changing the brakes on my car to my list of skills. 

 

In 2014 I met my wonderful husband, Brian, and gained 3 children. As a family of 6 we were on a budget and the knowledge of how to fix, repair and replace everyday things around the house proved handy and took some of the stress off my husband. He appreciated the shortened “honey-do” list.

 

I was fortunate to have a strong and patient community around to help me grow and learn but, not everyone does.

 

I am excited to work with DIYG to spread the knowledge and encouragement needed to help women become knowledgeable and empowered to take on those home projects.