DIY used to be one of those hopelessly uncool niche things — like knitting — that only old people did. Everyone else was too busy earning money so they could buy their sweaters at JCPenney.
Now, however, we have things like knitting/Jane Austen book clubs, and grandpa’s style is actually fashionable (thank you, Macklemore). DIY has become the epitome of cool in our hipster-centric, vintage-crazed decade and, to be honest, I’m lovin’ it.
Unfortunately, DIY requires many skills that you may or may not have acquired as a child, depending on how popular you were or how artsy your home life was. For many people, myself included, DIY makes me learn as I go. I didn’t cut or emboss as a child, and I definitely didn’t have an eye for style until much, much later. DIY doesn’t come easy. Sometimes it’s downright frustrating.
Since I’m doing DIY projects for my wedding, I have the additional pressure of making everything look perfect. Nobody wants their wedding to look homemade (even if that’s exactly what it is), unless you’re purposely going for that “homegrown” look.
It’s hard to know what you should do yourself and what you should have someone else do for you. In the beginning of my quest, I was determined to do it all. However, I quickly learned that not only is that impossible, it’s also a really bad idea.
DIY should be fun. No one wants to be wearily slapping Mod Podge on mason jars the night before their big event. Fortunately, I’ve already experienced some DIY catastrophes and learned the corresponding lessons early in the game, so I can avoid them and help you to, as well.
Here are some things things to keep in mind while you DIY:
**Don’t DIY alone.** This mostly relates to large projects that are really close to your heart. It took me forever to ask some people to help me fold flowers for my bridesmaids’ bouquets, and when I did, I was amazed at how fast the process went. It was unfortunate that I waited so long to ask for help that I grew sick of doing the flowers myself and put them off for weeks. I lost so much time on that one.
**Pick a project.** Seriously, don’t set yourself loose in Michaels to wander around the aisles, getting a million ideas but being afraid to start any of them because of the timeline or the cost. Know what you want to do, how long you have to do it and what supplies you’ll need to get started.
Also, have all your coupons in hand when you enter the store so you know what you can afford. Craft stores are magical, but they’re also overwhelming. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked into one, decided to do about five different crafts and ended up walking away with nothing because I got too intimidated. It’s an easy way to waste your time if you’re bored, but it’s not for the serious DIY-er. Skip this tip if you’re spontaneous and you know you can make it work.
**Be honest with yourself.** Some of the projects you’ll find on Pinterest are downright gorgeous, but they’re also costly, time consuming and not for someone who doesn’t use their Cricut and their wood-burning kits on a regular basis. There are some things that you’re better off letting the professionals do. Sure, it may look cool to take apart a desk, paint it seafoam green and turn it into a home entertainment system, but have you ever stripped the stain off of wood before? Are you willing to learn now?
If the answer is no, go to Etsy, or some other seller that makes really cool things like that. Just because you say “not right now” doesn’t mean you’ll never be able to do that craft — you might just need to give yourself time to work up to it.
I know there are a lot of ways that I’ve bitten off more than I can chew in this DIY world, but I’m excited to learn from my mistakes and share what I’ve found with you. If you do find you’ve created a Pinstrocity, don’t give up. Half the fun is in the making.