Sheet trick spruces up a bedroom

Q. I really need a new comforter and my room has no style. I need to make everything match because it's driving me crazy! -- Lauren, 17, Bismarck, N.D.
A. My guess is that you really don't need a new comforter, but that you just want a new comforter for a new look! Well, that's okay and really easy to accomplish with just a little bit of sewing and three sheets that are the same size as your bed.
Here is what I suggest: Make a comforter cover and a matching curtain to pull your room's look together. Let's say you have a twin bed. Take two flat twin sheets in a pattern that you like, maybe one that matches your walls, or two colors that go with your room's decor, and sew them together like a huge pillowcase, using a 1/2-inch seam allowance around the edges. At the top near the opening, at about every 15 inches sew ribbons on each side of the opening so that you can tie them together and close the top. Insert your comforter and safety pin it to the corners on the bottom. Tie the ribbons on the top, and boom! You have a whole new look for your comforter.
Next, make some curtains out of the third sheet to match your bed. If you have anything left, you can use some of it for some simple pillows! You can get twin sheets for as little as $4 each in some places! So this project could cost only about $15 -- not bad for a whole new look.
Let me know how it goes.
Q. What is a good store to shop at for low-cost but good quality accessories for your bedroom? Thanks, Kelly, 14, Trenton, N.J.
A. Here is a rundown of some of my favorite places to shop for great bedroom things. Check these sites out online and see what you think.
UDryIceOnline.com: They have some great furniture and lighting and also some great desk accessories.
UPBteen: Pottery Barn has also just started making a line of items for teens called PBTeen. They have comforters with pompoms and great curtains. I also like their Lucite end tables. I think you will, too.
UPearlRiver.com: For an Asian look, try PearlRiver.com. They have everything from fans and lanterns to fun umbrellas and room dividers. All of it has an Asian flair and is really cheap, too! I love this place!
Now if you want to create your own style, I think that places like Target and Kmart are perfect for finding things that fit your budget and taste.
Don't forget to check out the Salvation Army and Goodwill for odd pieces of furniture that can be spruced up with a bit of paint and fabric. Mix and match, and most of all have fun. Make sure you write to me and let me know how it turns out.
XNeed help with your room? E-mail your question to markmontanonyc@aol.com. Mark Montano writes "Cool Room," a monthly room makeover column in CosmoGirl magazine. He is also the author of "Super Suite: The Ultimate Bedroom Makeover Guide for Girls" and an award-winning fashion designer in New York City. He has appeared on networks such as MTV and Lifetime to discuss hip decor and his fashions have been featured in publications such as Vogue and The New York Times. For more information about Mark and his work, check out www.markmontano.com.

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Humiliating moments
SEVENTEEN MAGAZINE
BLOW OUT
I was at the beach with my friends on a very windy day. I'd forgotten to put on the bottom part of my bikini, so I wrapped a blanket around myself to change because there were no bathrooms. As I was trying to maneuver my undies off, my crush came up and asked what I was doing. Before I could explain, a gust of wind blew the blanket right off me! There I was in all my windswept glory -- underwear around my ankles -- in front of my crush.
JUST FOR KICKS
I had a huge crush on this guy at camp. One day, our counselors took us to the beach. I figured it was a great opportunity to make my move, so when I saw him in the ocean with his friends, I swam out to them. We started talking, and I was so focused on my guy that I didn't see a huge wave coming. It completely tossed me around, and in the process, I kicked him -- hard -- a few times where it, um, hurts. He was in so much pain that a lifeguard had to come and haul him to shore!