Make it yourself, Milwaukee
![TCDIY_Tshirt necklace](https://urbanmilwaukeedial.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/TCDIY_Tshirt-necklace.jpg)
A necklace I made from a neglected T-shirt. There’s nothing like accessories created from free stuff you have lying around around the house.
I like to make things. Do-it-yourself projects can bring personality and pride to your living space and to your everyday life. Say you need a reading lamp for your living room. Instead of buying a new lamp at Target, you might go to the hardware store, buy a light fixture kit, gather a few tea cups and ceramic kettles for your base, glue everything together with a strong adhesive and boom, a homemade lamp. Now that sounds like a good time.
Plus, folks like me are always looking to save a buck, and the DIY mentality is often focused on inexpensive alternatives to store-bought items. And, with the growing popularity of this method of fashion and home decor, the Internet is flooded with resources to satiate your creative appetite. And now you have a resource right here in Milwaukee, in this column on ThirdCoast Digest, every other Sunday beginning today. Welcome.
I am a visual person, so my intent is to share my projects, interests, methods and local resources with photographed steps and descriptive how-to instructions. I’m still learning along the way so I’ll make plenty of mistakes and discoveries as I go. Stick around for upcoming projects as I move into a new apartment, and probably talk about my mom a lot. She’s like Yoda but with crafts—she can re-upholster a chair with her mind.
Every year for Christmas my mom insists that my siblings and I create gifts rather than purchase them. This request has produced laughable poetry, a pencil drawing of an old photograph, pressed foliage, Etch-a-Sketch promises (i.e. picking snowberries, snuggling, etc.) and various paintings.
Though resistant at first, I now prefer gifting handmade crafts. With friends, I usually find a theme and make variations. In college, I painted the cover art from my companions’ favorite albums, including Harvest Moon by Neil Young and Terrapin Station by the Grateful Dead.
For example, I needed a new coffee table, and after a weeklong thrift store search, I thought I’d ask my mother if I had any old furniture hanging out at home. I did. There was an old chest I painted in high school that no longer suited my style, but fit the space perfectly. I decided to use an antiquing process I found on one of my aunt’s favorite blogs to bring fresh color and character to my space.
At a recent gift exchange, I was challenged to make something for my boyfriend. After playfully Google-ing “DIY man gifts,” I stumbled across an instructional video on how to make a tie. Brilliant. I made my own pattern from a beat up tie that I had tucked in my closet, and was so exhilarated by the process that I made a second one the next day. Mind you, neither are perfect, but I like their imperfections and learned what I would do differently next time.
I am deeply satisfied with the completion of a project that takes time, effort and a little bit of experimentation. And the high only gets sweeter when you give the product to someone you care about and they actually like it, or at least claim to.
I look forward to sharing ideas, learning more about creating a unique space and embracing an everyday DIY mentality. Let’s do this. Stay tuned for our first project as I try to make an ugly couch not ugly through the magic of pillows.
Great ideas, Carly! I love the t-shirt necklace. I’m happy you will be sharing instructions and pictures on how to make your creations. I’m a visual person, too, and I always need pictures (and someone to hold my hand)!
Here’s to paint, glue and the button jar!
Sharry Sullivan
Carly, you are one of the most stylish and unique individuals I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. This is such a great avenue for you. You once gave me a hand painted flower canvas that still hangs on my walls wherever I’m living. I simply love it!!! It also serves as a conversation piece, which as you know, I’m constantly stifled by lack of conversation. I can’t wait to see more, so good luck to you and happy crafting!
Carly, in the spirit of the frugal, “use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”. I like what you are doing.
So cool to meet a fellow crafty Third Coaster. I make my own soap and other bath products. And I just made my first jewelry box. I’m looking forward to reading your future columns. Thanks for the inspiration.
[…] my first column, I was the headless, long-necked bust wearing a yellow T-shirt necklace in one of the photos. I had a few friends ask for the directions, so here they are. I must give […]