Archive for Must Reads
Seeking a Craftier RSS
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If I had all the time in the world, I would have no problem reading craft and design blogs all day, every day. There are so many good ones, I find myself actually overwhelmed by them and don’t add them to my RSS for fear of not getting to them all rather than feeling guilty about it. (Here’s a good story on that idea…it comforted me to know I wasn’t alone!)
However, in taking a look at my Reader, I’m feeling like I need to get over it. Here is my current list – mostly built on recommendations offered through Google.
- Craft (aka Craftzine)
- Centsational Girl
- Design*Sponge
- How About Orange
- Paper n Stitch
- The DIY Diaries
- Yanko Design
- Make
- MoCoLoco
- Sew, Mama, Sew
- Thrifty Decor Chick
- Young House Love
- The Big Picture
- Better After
- Core 77
- Lifestyler
- New Dress a Day
- NOTCOT
- Oh! Joy
- Smitten Kitchen
- The Purl Bee
- Web Urbanist
I try to get to more than what’s on here directly, for example, friends like Ramshackle Glam and Gertie’s Guide to Better Sewing and staples like Apartment Therapy. Not to mention all of our Twitter friends — but what do you all read? Send any and all suggestions in the comments!
Rejoice! Domino Magazine is Back Online
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Miss you, Domino.
Design addicts – weep for joy! AOL’s Shelter Pop reports that the Domino archives are now available at Brides.com. Check out the back story here. Now if only we could convince them to come back for real!
In the meantime, can’t wait to browse the available articles and get inspired.
Must Read: New Dress a Day
Posted by: | CommentsFriend of Yay! DIY, Chad, brought this fabulous site to our attention yesterday (and ladies, he’s single…call him) – and a full 24 hours later we’re still in the throes of obsession.
Marisa of New Dress a Day turns muumuus into must-haves! (Images courtesy of New Dress a Day)
Los Angeles-based Marisa started “New Dress a Day” while in the midst of a creative funk. Her mission? Take her favorite hobby of scouring vintage stores for fabulous pieces to supplement her wardrobe and add one big twist: forgo all regular shopping and instead, create a new dress every day based on these thrifty finds. That means muumuus, nightgowns, oversized shirts, even pants – all get turned into fabulous pieces. And they are fabulous! And that’s not all – she’s limited herself to $365 for the entire project – so each outfit can only cost a buck!
Follow Marisa and her year-long adventure over at New Dress A Day! And look out for a special “11 Questions for Crafty People” with Marisa soon. Personally, this is exactly the inspiration I needed to learn to use this sewing machine once and for all!
The Country Living Paintbrush
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If only our bathrooms were this nice. We're going to need advertising to afford this one day.
Stumbling around the Internet for some design inspiration for my new apartment, I came across this handy tool from Country Living. Called the Country Living Paint Brush it allows you to experiment with paint colors and trims in various rooms of the house. It’s a pretty neat way to see what a certain color combo would look like (even though the rooms are way nicer my new Queens digs.) I wish they would let you upload photos of your own rooms to experiment, but maybe that will be in version 2.0.
Anywho, this is a really nice time waster – whether you have President’s Day off or not!
Don’t Leave Those Leaves Next Fall
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Photo via MondoGump.com, originally seen on TreeHugger.com. Original original? Leonardo da Vinci.
Today’s snow has us longing for fall, what with its cooler weather, pretty colors and cuter clothing. We’re also pretty pumped to gather up some leaves after seeing this! For those of you out there with major artistic skills (I do not put myself in this category for the record), this is pretty incredible.
We spied this new art form, called Leaf Carving on TreeHugger recently and though I’m sure I am sure I do not possess the artistic wherewithal to do it justice, it just looks so cool!
Perfected in China and practiced by the hands of skilled artisans, a knife is used to gently scrape away the delicate layers of fallen leaves all the way down to their transparent surfaces. Using what we’re guessing is equal parts patience and incredible skill, the artists tease amazing images from the leaves. A single leaf carving might take a month or more to complete.
Though we are in no means wishing for winter again while in the midst of the current one, once those leaves start dropping, rest assured we’re going to gather a few and give this a try. On a scale of one to impossible, we’ll guess this is beyond the higher side, but even a very simple image (like a heart) would be beautiful.
Twentysomethings Get Creative in Recession
Posted by: | CommentsToday’s New York Times has an interesting story about people who have been able to parlay their unemployment into a more creative – and sometimes lucrative – career and lifestyle. It’s not the first story of its kind during this still-down economic cycle, but this one struck me for the ingenuity its subjects employed. And even more inspirational, some are making significant money!
We’re curious – are any of you selling the goods you make for dough?
Jealousy Alert – Homes & Gardens Room Makeovers
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Photo courtesy of Homes & Gardens
I’m not one to get too jealous over things I don’t yet own, but I can’t help being a little bit envious of just about every room in this incredible gallery by Homes & Gardens. I think I covet just about every room, knick-knack and pattern!
Guess I’ll just have to re-configure my dream house to be roughly 150 rooms and 87 bathrooms large. That should be enough space to fit all this, right?
Beer for All
Posted by: | CommentsWhile Erin prefers the warm comforts of gin or wine, my drink of choice (at least seven times out of every ten) is a beer. In the last few years, I’ve become a big fan of micro-brews and craft beers, which is why this recent article in New York Magazine about the hobby of home-brewing caught my eye. Looks like there are more than a few craft brewers offering workshops about how you can create a brew right in your apartment or home.
This seems great! But also slightly terrifying! Great because I like making things, but terrifying because what if it comes out good? What if I don’t even have to leave the house to get a decent drink ever again? I’m sure I don’t have to explain to you the ramifications of such a dilemma. I’m putting this in the “things I might do” pile. For those who have an easier time getting out of their pajamas (I have been known to spend entire weekends in them) – I encourage you to try and report back!
Bedeviling Deviled Eggs
Posted by: | CommentsWe had to give props to New York Mag’s Grub Street for going to incredible lengths to recreate The Spotted Pig’s Deviled Eggs. We’re talking multiple taste tests and serious intuition-based research to create what sounds like an almost carbon copy of an egg straight from heaven.
Photo: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, NY Mag Grub Street
The article also includes a handy slideshow with step-by-step instructions on how you too can make the eggs at home. And in related news, I’m going to the grocery store tonight for some special ingredients and probably not leaving the house on Sunday.
NYT article: That Hobby Looks Like Alot of Work
Posted by: | CommentsThis Thrusday’s style section of the New York Times led off with a great story about making a career on ETSY. Thought some of you DIY-ers may find it as interesting as we did: That Hobby Looks Like Alot of Work.
Welcome to our Blog!
Posted by: | CommentsWelcome to YAY, DIY! We’re Lia and Erin, two New York City gals who met at work, discovered a mutual love of all things crafting and DIY, and haven’t put down our glue guns since.
We believe that with a little know-how, beautiful goods can be created at home, on the cheap, no matter what level of artistic ability you boast.
From furniture to food and knitting to knick-knacks – we’ll teach you how to create beautiful items for your home and the people in your life, without breaking the bank and under the time constraints life demands.
Reach us anytime at yaydiy@gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you!
Erin & Lia
