DIY

My DIY Philosophy

I had always been a mild DIY-er, but it wasn’t until recently that I realized the amount of waste my craft & DIY projects created. Inspired by Craft Leftovers and other blogs, I made a conscious decision to: 1). be creative while minimizing the amount of waste I produce as a crafty, creative person, 2). reduce my participation in a mass-produced material culture that thrives on disposability and spreads homogeneity, and 3). incorporate as many environmentally responsible practices as possible into my crafty and non-crafty life. I may fall short of these goals often, but that doesn’t mean my enthusiasm for them has waned.

So, my DIY philosophy is: you really can Do It Yourself. From tools and supplies to the finished objects themselves, you can do it all! DIY projects can save your pocket-book and cut down on waste, especially if you thrift for supplies. DIY can also be a valuable teaching tool for children and adults. Doing It Yourself can give you a sense of accomplishment. Plus, Doing It Yourself is fun! When I can’t DIY, I turn to my locally owned businesses to help me when I fall short. In other words, if DIY seems impossible: it probably isn’t, but if you’ve tried, tried, and tried again with no success then your next best option is to support local businesses. This strengthens your local economy, fights homogeneity, and (to me at least) strengthens a sense of community.