Do-It-Yourself-To-Death

[ via Martha Stewart ]

Is DIY, like, SO last season? I don't know... I've been rocking it since the 80s, when everything I owned was hand tie-dyed and all of my Christmas gifts were made from papier maché. Exhibits A and B:

[ rolled-down wellies. so hot. ]

And I just DIY'ed my whole wedding (the 'Y' standing for me, plus Alex, and a gaggle of our amazing friends and family). Everything was made from scratch: the dessert, my hairpiece, the invites, décor. Madness!

 [ THE dress, before and after I got my grubby little hands on it ]

[ handmade invites! ]

Maybe it's just the term: "DIY". I think maybe I'm as sick of it as I am with the terms "green" and "eco". Maybe because Etsy made it possible for every macrame-mamma to sell handmade goods to the entire planet. Not that I'm complaining. Etsy is incredible! I ran a little Etsy shop for almost 2 years, selling my handcrafted bags and jewellery. And of course, when I actually make time for it, I plan to re-open shop under a new name, selling my handmade pet coats (the first step in Project Be-My-Own-Boss). 

 [ one of my old Naynu clutch designs (SOLD) ]

So yeah, I have a confession: I abuse DIY in an obscene way. Everything is a bloody project. I don't think the concept is dead though...maybe we just need another term, because this one is getting muddied by so many handcrafted horrors (thanks, Regretsy). Any suggestions?

 

 [ via regretsy ]

Anyway, I will continue to do-it-myself, thank-you-very-much. Because: a. I love it. b. It's in my blood (thanks, Grandma Murray).  c. I'm a control freak  d. It's an extension of my other sickness: extreme frugality. 

...AND best of all: e. Because it may have finally paid off in a big way! I'm not getting my hopes up, nor am I sharing too much. But, if all goes well, I may be lending my craftiness to a nation-wide TV program. EEK! It's all up in the air, but even to be CONSIDERED is so great! More later...