I grew up as a blonde. I was naturally blonde as a child, and when I reached high school, I started getting highlights, and when I finally decided in college that I no longer wanted to be blonde, I made the mistake of purchasing a permanent brunette dye at the drugstore (I'm sure the cashier was laughing on the inside as I paid).

Since BlogHer is this week I have planned out my outfits scrupulously...does anyone else do that? Anyway, today I pulled a new skirt out of the dry cleaning pastic to wear...as scrupulously planned. It's Calvin Klein, I got it on sale at Macy's, and I've worn it exactly once: At BlogHer Business last March. Put it on to discover the hem is completely unraveling across the front! What to do?? Changing outfits just didn't seem an option. No, I had planned to wear this, and wear it I was going to do. So I went downstairs and grabbed some Scotch tape and taped that hem.

Are you an artist, crafter, writer, DIY-er (or many of the above) looking to sell your BlogHerrific wares? Come sign up for the BlogHer '08 Swap Meet! Interested in purchasing some homemade goodies? Please stop by.If you're not sure what the Swap Meet is all about, read Jen's fabulous Call for Artists here. Then get the details below... When: Saturday, July 19

When is DIY Cost Effective? Ah, the power of being able to say "I Did it Myself!" and the feeling that somehow you have saved untold amounts of money is very seductive and empowering. Yet, doing it yourself is not always the most overall cost effective path both in terms of time, money, and opportunity cost. So, how can you best decide when to DIY and when to hire an expert?

Inspiration is an elusive thing.  One season everything we look at inspires a new project; another year and nothing turns us running to our supplies.  The occasional jump-start helps.  A run through the crafting blogs gave me news of shows and projects that have inspired the bloggers and that might inspire you.

Love or hate your auto repair center? I came across a great article in the Automotive Management Institute Instructor Blog and thought I would share some this and get your thoughts on what level of customer service you are looking for at an auto repair center? Share your good, bad and mediocre experiences at automotive service facilities and suggestions to make your experiences better by commenting below.

So, it has been raining cats and dogs in California this week and was lucky I had snagged myself some RainX wipers recently. Of course, they were in my garage as I drove in a torrential downpour (it was almost like a hurricane. Almost.) and used my three-year-old, stock wipers. Oops. Lesson learned the hard way. When I got back home, the first thing I did was install new wiper blades. Turns out you don’t need a special tool. You just pop ‘em off and pop ‘em on!

Last week, on my personal blog and spurred on my too many holiday parties, I started trying to explain what my job is: I write about very hands-on activities (crafts and gardening) and how the people involved in these represent themselves and their work in a Web 2.0 world.  Two seemingly opposite activities that in truth work together well.  So I was immediately intrigued when Jill of

This 8 minute YouTube teaser is from a yet-to-be-released documentary: Handmade Nation.  You would have to live under a rock to not realize the huge rebirth in Art, Craft, and Design that has been occurring throughout the world in the last several years.  Recording this movement in both a book and documentary film is Faythe Levine and Micaela O'Herlihy,  the creators of Handmade Nation: a documentary about The Rise of DIY Art, Craft and Design.  The book will be

Okay, in case you're lounging this Labor Day, here's a few goodies to enjoy along with your beverage of choice. Stephanie Roberts of Cool People I Know is making a list and checking it twice. Read this post on life lists and start keeping track of what really matters. A perfect exercise for artists and other creatives who want to keep inspiration in clear focus.