What I'm Reading: P.S. I Made This

At first glance, I was really not into this book, but once I sat down and gave it a read, I ended up enjoying it. P.S. I Made This is by Erica Domesek, who writes a popular blog on DIY fashion (and the more I look at her blog, the more I like it!). The book is divided into three sections of DIY crafty goodness: Jewelry, Accessories, and Apparel. Each project has a mood board with it, to inspire you to come up with your own great ideas. There is also a short blurb about the theme of the item (nautical, hippie, military, etc.) citing different famous fashion icons.

Amazon

I enjoyed the Jewelry section the most. There were some great ideas for making necklaces and earrings from inexpensive materials. Some of it was over-the-top for me (like a necklace made from bouncy balls) but other items were more subtle (bangle bracelets made with ribbon and plumbing clamps). Sadly, I don't wear jewelry often anymore but someday, when I don't have an inquisitive little one, it will be fun to make and wear more necklaces and bracelets.

The Accessories section had some tips for updating simple things like canvas shoes and a canvas tote, or for adding bling to a tired pair of old heels. The denim bag from a pair of jeans looked sort of kooky, but I was still feeling the lure of all the pockets that would come with such a bag.

The reason I said I was initially unimpressed with this book was because I flipped through the Apparel section first. It was the shortest and had some downright silly ideas (a coffee filter ruffle tank, for one!). But as always, I found something I liked with an idea of upcycling leggings with pretty ribbon.

Overall, a lot of the stuff in this book leans towards craft-project, and featured too much hot-glue and paper to be very practical. I would call it a good place for some quick inspiration. I was able to read it in about an hour and came away feeling like it was time well spent. I can't wait until AB is old enough to do craft projects WITH me, then I might not feel so silly doing them on my own!