Mark Montano has been described as quirky, funky and, in his own words, "undeniably cool." He's as comfortable designing for the fashion runway as he is in the world of interior design. But can he show thousands of women some easy ways to add their own decorator touches to their homes without breaking the bank? Montano will meet that challenge at the Womens Home Expo™, November 12-14th at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

The featured designer on TLC's hit show While You Were Out, Montano has a flair for making works of art out of found objects. Turn that old teapot into a lamp. Create frameable art using a copy machine. For Montano, whose more mainstream work includes writing a regular column for CosmoGirl magazine, anything is a treasure!

According to Montano, anyone with access to a copy machine can become his or her own 'Andy Warhol'. "You can make beautiful art with very simple supplies," he explains, "some of them even free." The results can include everything from Rorshack art to photo clocks.

Lamps are great way to express your personality. Montano believes that lamps can be made from all kinds of objects including kitchen containers, jars and even teapots. Or, you can dress up your lamp shades using tissue paper, decoupage, faux flowers and leaves, party bags and more.

And lampshades are just one category of items in your home that can be customized using simple decoupage techniques. Montano says that anything from trays to trashcans can be transformed using his decoupage which takes about one fourth the time of traditional decoupage.

Want to decorate your windows according to the season? There are simple techniques that allow you to create a frosted or even stained glass looks that are non-permanent. So feel free to display a snowman on your front window this winter, and change it to stained glass hearts in time for Valentine's day! Montano will show you how.

And anyone who admires murals and wall stencils will want to learn the sponge technique called Trompe L'oiel. "This is an easy way to make the coolest trees and vines on your walls!" exclaims Montano.

Joining Montano at the expo will be Joan Steffend of HGTV's Decorating Cents and JoAnne Liebeler (Passport to Design, Home Savvy and Room for Change). A number of additional designers, contractors and vendors will be there to help you accomplish your design dreams, whether they are trendy or traditional. You can save time, money AND get ideas from the pros all under one roof! As a special treat, show producers are putting together a special designer panel that will meet on stage each day to answer audience questions.

Benefiting Other Area Women
One dollar of every paid admission will be donated to WomenVenture, a nonprofit economic development agency for women. WomenVenture's mission is to assist women in securing their own economic success and prosperity. WomenVenture helps women start and grow their own businesses, change or develop careers, and train for well-paying jobs in non-traditional industries.

This year's Womens Home Expo™ is sponsored by FM 107, TLC's While You Were Out, KSTP TV, Sea Dreams, Benjamin Moore Paints, SimonDelivers, KSTC 45 TV, GolfGreens of Minnesota, Lincoln Mercury and Stressfree Living. Discount tickets are available at www.101expos.com.

Show hours are November 12 from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m., November 13 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and November 14 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $3 with the half price coupon available on the Web site (www.101expos.com), and free to kids 17 and under when accompanied by an adult.

The Womens Home Expo™ is produced by Mid-America Events & Expos, Inc. which also produces the Body Mind Life Expo™, the Seniors Spring Show™ and the Seniors Expo™.

Media note: For further information, or to schedule an interview with Mark Montano, contact Media Relations at 612-798-7220.

For Viewers or listeners: More information on the Womens Home Expo™ can be found at www.101expos.com or call the Expo hotline at 612-798-7256.

Biography -- Mark Montano

While You Were Out's Mark Montano is an energetic and undeniably cool designer. His creative musings have manifested in the arenas of fashion, interior design and writing. Originally from Colorado, Mark attended Colorado State University and then moved on to the Fashion Institute of Technology, earning a M.A. in costume history and decorative arts. An internship with Oscar de la Renta gave him an appreciation for exquisite fabrics and the inspiration to begin his own line.

Mark joined CosmoGirl Magazine as a contributing editor, a produces a monthly column of creative room makeovers ("Cool Room"). At the same time, he also writes a weekly column distributed by Knight Ridder Publications. In 2002, Mark also published a collection of room makeovers called Super Suite, which was selected by the New York Public Library as "Books for the Teen Age 2003 List."

Mark's flagship boutique is based in the East Village of New York.