Now that it’s summertime, I find I have much more time to dedicate to my crafty pursuits. I’ve dusted off my trusted sewing machine and once again busted out my knitting needles. I love that I have the time to be creative – instead of slaving over a biology project whose destiny is the recycling dumpster, I can spend my days creating beautiful crafts. If you’re a veteran crafter or just diving into the wonderful world of DIY, everyone can enjoy these books and the projects they offer! I’ve taken these 4 for a road test and rest assured, they are all you need for a summer full of creating!

1. Stitch n Bitch, by Debbie Stoller

I consider myself a pretty crafty lady, so when the whole knitting craze hit a couple years ago (remember – Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson started and it just took off?), I had to get in on it too! I tried watching videos online and I bought several knitting magazines, but I just couldn’t master the whole casting-on thing. I was down in the dumps about my inability to master this new craft, when along came a little gem called “Stitch n Bitch.” Now, I figured that any knitting book that had the word “bitch” in the title had to be good (and sassy!), so I picked myself up a copy. And guess what? The genius that is Debbie Stoller finally taught me to cast-on! Debbie is so down to earth and makes knitting so fun and hip! This book is great for beginners, but also has pattens that keep seasoned knitters intrigued and on their toes. Read More »

I do a lot of online procrastinating. Let’s be honest, who doesn’t? In class I stalk people from high school I haven’t spoken to in years. When I should be studying, I scour iTunes for my next artist obsession. And when I’m writing an essay I am always simultaneously shopping my favorite stores.

In my travels across cyberspace I come upon a lot of new sites. From fashion blogs, to a new collection of funny videos, to online magazines with entertaining stories about college life.

But my most recent discovery has quickly developed into a must visit. It’s psimadethis.com and it’s amazing.

It’s a do-it-yourself website, giving readers ideas for DIY projects and inspiration boards for coming up with your own ideas. It even has links to the best places to get materials for specific projects!

This doesn’t seem at first to be anything ground breaking; there are a million DIY websites. So why am I obsessed with it?

1. Erica, the girl behind this site, is just awesome. She’s creative, trendy, and cool. Ok, so I don’t know if she’s cool, but the stuff she’s making is cool and I want to be her BFF.

2. These projects are super easy. You don’t have to be a fashion design student or even really crafty to pull them off. And the instructions are specific and accompanied by pictures, so it’s like having an art teacher right there guiding you so you don’t mess up and end up with another paper weight (yeah, I’m scarred from 4th grade art class…). Read More »