Thank you for stopping by The Inspired DIYer!
I am Ashley, wife of a football fanatic, and mom of two spoiled fur-babies – a corgi named Loki and and a long-haired terrier named Watson. I started The Inspired DIYer to document my DIY projects and my journey towards a frugal, simple life.
My Story
I am a pharmacist by day, but have always loved design and building things with my hands for as long as I can remember. I grew up on a farm where there was always something that needed to be done – fencing for the horses, a coop for the chickens, or a pen for the pig. My sister and I would spend hours after school outside helping our parents complete the day’s chores. My passion for building things started with these projects growing up.
When it was time to attend college, I moved out of state to attend pharmacy school. My creative outlet kind of fell by the way-side with on-campus living and an intense curriculum. It wasn’t until my roommates moved onto clinicals, I had an apartment of my own and was living on a shoe-string budget that rekindled my passion for building things. My first projects included a bed frame, a desk, and a bookshelf. They were not very aesthetically pleasing, but I was learning, limited in tools, and each one served its intended purpose. I still have that first bookshelf which now resides in the garage to hold my collection of tools 🙂
As far as living a frugal, simple life, when my husband and I moved back to our home state to be closer to family, we started new jobs and built a house where I was commuting 45 minutes each way; all for what we thought was the “American Dream”. Our house was larger than we needed and we had student loans looming over us everywhere we went. We re-prioritized what was important to us and sold the house we had built to buy a smaller, more affordable home so that we can pay down debt, be less stressed, and enjoy more of our free time.
In a world filled with consumerism, my DIY projects focus on fulfilling a purpose in my home, all without breaking the bank. All of my woodworking projects are created when I can’t find the perfect piece needed or is not the style I am looking for; or I find the perfect piece, but realize it is way outside of my budget. My creations are far from perfect, but their imperfections make them all the more cherished! I love being able to say, “I made that!” and seeing my craftsmanship improve with each new project.
What You Can Expect
The Inspired DIYer is all about creating a beautiful, intentional life. You can expect information on cleaning, organizing, money management, and any humorous “faux pas” anecdotes of mine that may help those of you who are interested in living an intentional life. All DIY or woodworking projects of mine will come with lots of pictures and links to step-by-step tutorials to help you create a similar “masterpiece.” You can also expect decorating ideas that are obtainable for any budget.
What You Shouldn’t Expect
This blog is not about minimalism or living with only a certain number of possessions. It’s a blog that falls somewhere in-between consumerism and minimalism. It is for those who are fed up with the constant bombardment of advertisements and buying the latest “on-trend” items but who think becoming a “minimalist” sounds daunting and scary. The Inspired DIYer is not about NOT spending money or buying items, but being more aware and intentional with your purchases. It’s about realizing what you are willing to spend money on and what you aren’t.
You also won’t find DIY projects that are overly complicated, expensive, and require a ridiculous amount of tools or uni-taskers. These projects won’t be without flaws either. As a self-taught woodworker, there will be projects that will take me longer than the anticipated amount of time and there will be imperfections because I’ve decided to go “off-script” and try something new, but I’m hoping that together we will learn new skills and inspire others to take the leap and create something beautiful.
With that, I hope you enjoy the blog and perusing the articles! If you’d like to receive updates, sign up for The Inspired DIYer newsletter, and get new content delivered right to your inbox!
Ashley