Craft & Cork >> General Interest

Man and women enjoying wine during DIY project
May 26, 2016 | By daryl.time@arterracanada.com

DIY with benefits

Many of my friends and acquaintances don’t know that, amongst my many other DIY hobbies, I like to do my own home renovations. In fact, someone came over to my house recently, admired my new ceramic tile floor, and then asked: “Who did this for you?”. Another visitor even asked for the “contractor’s” business card. You can only imagine how much I enjoyed their surprise when I revealed I did it myself.

craft-and-cork-diy-tile-floorNon-DIYers have asked me why I take on so many DIY projects.  They think it would be easier to just buy it, or at least to hire someone else to do it—and they are not wrong.  Being a DIYer takes time and can be difficult… but it’s almost always more rewarding!  I wouldn’t get the same feeling of accomplishment if I revealed to my house guests that a designer come up with the ideas or a contractor had done the work.  Doing it myself provides a sense of creative expression that I would not experience if I didn’t tackle these projects on my own.Ceramic tile floor in a modern luxury kitchen

An added bonus to being a DIYer is that most of my DIY projects save me money.  It always amazes me when I look at what things would have cost if someone else had done them, compared to spending less money and taking a little bit more of my time to do them myself.  Knowing I have extra money in my pocket as a result always makes me happy.

What keeps me interested in pursuing more DIY projects is knowing there are countless other creative DIYers out there willing to share their ideas and inspirations. When I did the ceramic floors in my house, social media sites like Pinterest and Facebook were filled with people sharing their experiences, designs, tips, and tricks.

In fact, it was through this vast network of DIYers that I stumbled upon another DIY passion of mine–craft winemaking. I had always been interested in wine, so after reading a few blogs and forums about making your own wine, I knew I had to try it. Like with my other DIY projects, I found help from the professionals, who made my chances for success even greater.

IMG_1162When I made my very first batch of wine, I took the advice of other DIY craft winemakers I met online and started off with the best quality kit available: an RJS En Primeur Winery Series Kit.  This brand of kits has all the most popular wine varietals, including my favourite Cabernet Sauvignon. While I have made several of the En Primeur Winery Series kits and all have turned out amazing, the Cabernet Sauvignon continues to be my go-to wine.

The best thing about being a craft winemaker is now when friends come over they aren’t just asking me about my ceramic floors, they are also asking me where I got the wine! So, keep it up fellow DIYers, it’s time to show everyone what you can do!

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One thought on “DIY with benefits”

  1. I have lots of wine corks I’ve collected for my daughter’s first wedding anniversary coming up in August. She had her wedding at a winery venue. I need someone to make something unique for me out if them for a gift. Thanks

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