Thursday, August 28, 2014

Book Review: The Bust DIY Guide to Life by Laurie Henzel and Debbie Stoller

Everyone knows that DIY is big right now.  Sewing and knitting aren't just for your grandma any more, and hammers and nails aren't just for your husband.  Women from all walks and stages of life are trying their hand at household projects.  The Bust DIY Guide to Life has projects of every kind, from sewing for your home and planning for emergencies, to planting a garden and altering your own clothes. 
I found some of the projects here to be trite and overly simplistic.  They also seemed more aimed at single girls than married women.  Projects for the home like a duvet cover stenciled with dollar signs and diamonds, record sleeves used as wall art and snowflakes made from popsicle sticks just weren't for me.   Most of the projects for the home I couldn't imagine ever wanting...but the book wasn't a total bust (pun intended).  The chapter about what to keep on hand in case of a natural disaster was handy, as was the one about cleaning  your house with natural products.  My favorite chapters were the ones about altering your own clothes and making your own jewelry.  I felt like those were chapters I could really relate to.  Some of the instructions seemed a little difficult to decipher, but the pictures and diagrams made them clearer. 
Unfortunately there was an error in my download copy and I couldn't read the second half of this book.  It was a disappointment to me, because I really wanted to read the tips about hair and money.  Maybe I'll buy the book just to be able to read that part.  I'm not familiar with "Bust" magazine, and I don't really think I'd be a fan of it.  It seemed to me like Ms. Henzel and Ms. Stoller try a little too hard to make DIY cool.  Sewing your own skirt isn't any more cool just because you put a dirty word in the name.  And I definitely don't need the kind of case for my glasses that these ladies designed.  But I can't wait to make my own cocktail ring and maybe etch some pretty glasses.
Overall, I feel like this book is like a Thanksgiving turkey.  Some people like the dark meat, and some like the white meat.  So choose the kind you want, enjoy it and throw out the bones!  If you're at all interested in DIY, you'll probably find something here.


Happy Reading and DIY!
Lyndsie




I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my review.  All opinions are my own.

No comments:

Post a Comment