A number of years ago, my best friend Allison and I developed what we call the Theory of Artisanal Things. The Theory states that there are certain items that nearly every person has in her home, like toothbrushes, doorknobs, boxes of Kleenex. And, since you’ve got to own these things no matter what, you might as well have the unique, beautiful versions of them. There’s no reason to think that you can show off your style and personality only through your clothes and wall art. You can also show off your style and personality through your dish drying rack.
Subscribing to the Theory of Artisanal Things means that I spend an undue amount of time perusing crafts fairs and Etsy. I am more obsessed with DIY crafts than anyone else I know, except for people who actually make DIY crafts. Personally, I can’t even sew, let alone sculpt charming stained glass nightlights. But what I can do is buy things.
So, for example, if you have to have a pillow on your couch, why would you not have a pillow made out of an old Backstreet Boys concert t-shirt?
(http://www.etsy.com/view_
If you absolutely insist upon using napkins at the dinner table, shouldn’t those napkins have images of cats screen-printed on them?
(http://www.etsy.com/view_
If you’re going to use coasters on your coffee table, instead of just getting beer bottle rings all over it, which is frankly what I would do, then I really think your coasters should be made out of old magazines.
(http://www.etsy.com/view_
I also spend an inordinately creepy amount of time thinking about Salt ‘n’ Pepa salt and pepper shakers.
http://www.etsy.com/view_
You are unique. Your style is not interchangeable with anybody else’s. So there’s no reason why your salt shaker should be interchangeable with anybody else’s, either. That’s the Theory of Artisanal Things, in a nutshell. And it’s pretty great, except for the fact that right now one of my lamps is just a bare bulb because I can’t find a lampshade for it that is artisanal enough. After all, every theory has its drawbacks…
