Will the Economic Climate Lead to Your DIY Renaissance?

Lifehacker posted recently about how The "Greater Depression" Can be a DIY Renaissance and referenced 2 bloggers who are seeing and living this trend. While Columbia and I have been feeling the pinch, it is not solely because of the ecomonic problems facing our nation. I chose to stay home with Pumpkin and cut our income in half. This makes our financial struggles self-imposed, but they are still real.

While we have always enjoyed the idea of diy projects in the past, we have definitely kicked it up a notch these past 2 months. A limited income has actually made us appreciate what can come from out hands and encourages us to diy more often, and in more adventurous ways. Here are a few examples:

1. We make our own bread. I tried it to see if I could do it. Then I realized how easy it is with a kitchen aid mixer. We keep meaning to break it down into 'cost per loaf' but haven't yet. This has expanded into making pizza dough, bread sticks and french bread.

The first loaf - my shaping ability has improved, as has the taste of the bread! Practice really does make perfect in the case.

2. We make Pumpkins baby food. Part of it is cost, but most of it is knowing what she's eating (other than stuff on the floor that is). There is so much enjoyment in making it for her, too.

A sampling of food from the freezer - 1 cube ends up being tbsp so we know eactly how much she's getting.

3. I made Pumpkins Halloween Costume. I posted about it here. It has really encouraged me to attempt to make more of her clothes... as soon as I get a chance!

At the end of her first Halloween - What else could Our Little Pumpkin be but a pumpkin?


Has the economic situation made you think more about DIY projects? If so, we'd love to hear about it... or see it!