DIY Not?

Handmade Nation, Fayth Levine's book (yes, I have it) and soon-to-be-released film (yes, I will be seeing it) documents the rise of DIY and the new wave of art, craft and design. Full of a vibrant, break-the-rules sensibility, DIY has elevated craft from home ec class to attract a following of hip young women...and given a new meaning to the term DIY. The power of the handmade movement boils down to this: being able to use your own creativity to construct your life. 

Fayth, known as the "ambassador of handmade", attributes her title to a simple fact: "When someone takes the time to document something, she [or he] become the go-to person for that movement." Each crafter involved in handmade is documenting some niche art, from paper cutting to decoupaging to hand-stitching--and those who produce most prolifically are known well within the movement. 

Indie craft is becoming a true cultural force. Shunning mass-produced fare in favor of handmade goods, it creates an independent economy free from corporate ties. And those who are supporting this new economy love the goods, as evidenced by the success of Etsy.com. The mix includes disciplined artisans who have been honing their craft for years to funky, free-wheeling indies whose motto is "it's okay to mess up." 

I heart this movement, which allows me not only to be a part of it; but to experiment, try various mediums, explore my inner creativity, and purchase and surround my family with the work of small-scale artisans.