Whether making friendship bracelets at grade school or sewing a button onto a blazer, most of us have experienced one or more crafty moments in our lives.

When the economy took a hit, a lot of people seemed to turn back to their sewing machines, needles and thread simply to save money and still look fashionable.

I have always admired people who can take some sequins or rhinestones and totally transform their old clothing into something stylish. Furthermore, many of those people have turned their hobbies into successful do-it-yourself blogs or fashion brands making a ton of money doing what they love.

My personal favorite D.I.Y. blogs are cupcakesandcashmere.com and honestlywtf.com. I draw a lot of inspiration from these blogs for my writing as well as style, and I want to encourage other students to do the same because it is the easiest way to borrow ideas.

I used to prefer looking at other people on streets and close friends to borrow cool ideas that I could transfer in my own outfits and lifestyle.

However, that turned out to be the worst idea ever. A girl that I used to know didn’t consider my actions as a compliment to her style. Instead, she felt that I was a “copycat.”

The thing was, she never wore anything that wasn’t mainstream fashion. A lot of people wore the same things at the time, but because I was around her so often, she thought I didn’t have my own ideas. My finances never allowed me to get what I wanted as soon as my desired piece of clothing came out. And when I did have enough money, she already had it.

I believe I’m not the only one who has been in such a situation or met such people. Therefore, to stay original (and not lose fashion friends), I dare your inner crafts goddess to make something cool for yourself.

It takes some courage to screw up and I always screwed up when I tried just because I’m not patient enough; however, I know you can do it!

Two things you should make yourself this season are:

1) Embellished collar for your button-down (preferably denim) shirt.

2) Bejeweled clutch bag for party nights out in the holiday season.

For a guide on how to do it the best and in the most fashionable way, check out the D.I.Y. websites I provided earlier or find other ones that fit your taste.