Friday, December 27, 2013

Best of 2013: DIY Projects

In last year's reader survey when you asked for more DIY projects, I was a little nervous. DIY made me anxious because I tended to think of it as something creatives did. (I didn't fully embrace the creative label for myself a year ago.) Thank you for challenging me to grow and for the enthusiastic response you showed to these projects. These were some of the most popular posts not just for DIY, but for the entire year.
 
Supplies for Personalizing a Plain White Binder
 
When it comes to writing, I find it takes between two to four hours to conceive of, develop, edit, and publish a story. That estimate doesn't include styling a photo shoot, taking photos, selecting images, and editing. It doesn't include prototyping a DIY project, documenting the steps, and storyboarding how best to share those steps. The same goes for recipe posts.
 
As you might imagine a lot of DIY projects and recipes never make it to a blog or a publication. This is true not just for me, but for other creatives as well. The path from idea to execution to publication and sharing is a long one, especially when you're a team of one.
 
DIY Project: Thank You Cards
 
Because of the work that goes on behind the scenes with DIY projects, I'm always appreciative when you like or really like something I did. DIY is definitely outside of my comfort zone -- not just because I tend to create digital projects versus physical projects, but for their personal nature as well. Almost all of my DIY projects record or reflect on a moment in my family's or my life.
 

Top Five Most Popular DIY Projects

Without further ado, the most popular DIY projects of 2013 according to you were:
  1. Hanging, ever-changing mood board and photo gallery
  2. Photo memoir box
  3. Wire-bound event scrapbook
  4. A year of monthly portraits
  5. Ribbons of photos wall art
What did you create in 2013?
How did you record moments in your life?

 
Be sure to tune in Monday for your top five most popular maxims as well as your favorite snapshots of Gates. Then on Tuesday, I'll wrap up with the top five memorable moments of 2013 (a combination of your favorites as well as mine).
 
Ciao Bella!
Eden!
 
P.S. Don't feel like commenting? Strike up a conversation with me elsewhere: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest.
 
Credits: All layouts designed by and images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.