DIY as First Reaction
I thought some more about the Moonjars post. I wonder where I learned, i.e. was conditioned, to react to a product by saying, ‘I can make that myself!’
My parents like to remind that pre-1960’s Korea was a really poor place. The scarcity of food and supplies turned my grandmother into a vegetable thief so her oldest son could get vitamins from tomatoes in the neighbor’s garden. I am ashamed that she did this for several reasons, but ultimately that’s the kind of choices people have to make when strife is plentiful and food is not.
Growing up, my mom would always take me to Homemaker’s, a local fabric store. It was the local Jo-Ann’s, before such large chain stores existed. I loved going there. I liked the bolts of silky challis, the florid chintzes, the sparkly bits in the Notions department. My mom made us Halloween costumes herself from Simplicity and Butterick patterns. I was really sad when it closed down because at the time, the mega-chains didn’t exist to fill the void. I think it’s an appliance store now.
My mother, aunts, and grandmother spent their idle time at home crotcheting, gardening, etc. setting an example for me that has honed my DIY reaction to stuff I see at the mall. My mom made all the floral centerpieces for my sister’s wedding reception. My aunt is a florist and told her what to get and how to make all of it herself. Sometimes my mom drives me nuts asking me to help her make things. She used to pooh-pooh my knitting habit. But she’s come around and so have I. I see that she really gets a huge bang out of making something herself and she doesn’t think hand-knitting all the time is bad thing (after I gave her some warm socks).
Mom surprised me with her subscription of Martha Stewart’s Living. When I go home, she always encourages me to read it, and help her find things she saw in it, like specialty bulbs or little project supplies. Luckily she doesn’t go overboard buying supplies. She doesn’t have time to craft all day. That’s the downside of the DIY mentality. Are you going to get around to doing it, or are the supplies going to sit around? Donna Jean’s absolutely right in her comment back to me.
Is there a natural simplicity we can restore in our lives that we can encourage by asking ourselves whether or not we can make something instead of buying it?
N.B. I feel I have more to say about this soon.
Anonymous wrote:
I think so, yes. My own DIY tends towards food — I make my own bread, grow vegetables, etc. I’m a city girl and I love going out, but there’s a real sense of satisfaction in making something yourself. And it also assuages creative needs, at least when it’s a “can” rather than “must” do.
Posted on 04-May-06 at 9:32 pm | Permalink