Live Simply: My Favorite DIY Projects

I do this thing where I’ll start a project, be really excited about it, and then forget about the whole thing after a while. A recurring example of this process is whenever I go thrifitng and I think “I can definitely upcycle this: I’ll hem it, embroider it, or completely alter it!” However, that way of thinking has led me to destroying skirts in trying to take in the waist, dresses hanging up in my closet that still have pins in them, and T-shirts balled up in a corner because the attempted embroidery went horribly wrong. I’ve always liked the idea of making things myself or customizing them to fit my personality and aesthetic, but my attempted thrifted upcycles never went well and I’ve abandoned all of those projects.

However, the past year or so has been full of a schedule packed with classes and essays, extracurricular work, and working multiple jobs. All of these responsibilities require mental energy, and while I enjoy reading books for my major and creating things online for jobs, using so much mental power can be draining. I realized that I needed to do something with my hands, something that could allow me to turn off my brain. So I started some projects, thinking that I’d end up abandoning them— but how I surprised myself. Below I’ve made a list of my favorite projects I’ve done in the last year or so that have let me use my hands, be creative, and get a break from all the reading, writing, and mental work I have to do.

T-shirt Blanket

While going through clothes in my childhood bedroom, I had to face my overflowing t-shirt drawer. There were all these shirts from junior high and high school— musicals I’d been in or gone to, the clubs I was in, activities I had participated in, and free shirts I received from my current university. I’m a person who has a tough time getting rid of anything that has even the slightest sentimental value to me, so while I haven’t worn these shirts in years, they seemed too important to get rid of. So I took a trip to Target, purchased packs of craft thread, went home, and started cutting the shirts apart to fashion into a blanket. Since I didn’t have much of a plan, the blanket turned out to have odd dimensions, but I eventually got this cute bee fabric from Joann’s. This is probably my favorite thing I’ve ever made and I love the sentimental value and functionality of it!

Bees & Honey Decor

This was a project I undertook while I was waiting to move into my current apartment after my spring semester ended. Mixing all of the yellow, brown, and orange shades was so much fun and took me back to the one painting class I took in high school. Using the coasters always makes me happy because I painted them— I did that!

Seasons Coasters

I bought these dishes/coasters from the Target dollar section and was so excited to do something with them. Since I bought four, I thought it would be perfect to paint one for each season. Even though I already have too many coasters, I like having these ones around the apartment to hold essential oil bottles and more!

Ukulele Painting

This was a project I did during the 2020 quarantine, but it makes me happy whenever I look at it. As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, I started to learn how to play the ukulele during 2020 and I wanted to make my ukulele special. My ukulele, fondly named Gino, is now covered with these cute clouds I painted. I’m honestly surprised the clouds turned out looking like clouds and they just make me happy because they remind me of warmer weather and summer.

Canvases

I impulsively bought these canvases from Five Below and knew I had to do something special with them. I had a box of random decor that previously were taped and pinned to dorm room walls. I had spent so much time printing things out or creating them that it seemed a waste to throw them out. So I decided to make a collage! The collage is packed full of memories from the first two years of college dorm living, so it’s so special to me… The coffee one just proves how much I adore coffee!

Ongoing Projects

I have two ongoing projects: a sunrise quilt and a patchwork shirt. The first is inspired by something I saw on Pinterest and I started it after I finished my t-shirt blanket. While I haven’t made much progress since the fall, I’m excited to keep working to give my brain a break and my hands something to do! The other project is a recent one. I thrifted this shirt and fabric over Christmas break after seeing photos on Instagram of denim shirts with patchwork designs. I still have to sew squares on the front and potentially shorten the shirt (not crop, but it is a bit too long since it’s a men’s shirt), and I think it’ll turn out super cute!