National DIY DAY Ambassador| Megan Makes | Royal Oak, MI
My blog is actually a YouTube channel... it's a DIY, recipe, fashion and product review channel. I started it because I was originally writing DIY blog posts instead of videos, but realized I was a lot better at video editing and camera work than writing, so I transitioned from a traditional blog to more of a "vlog." The concept is exactly the same, just more visual! I started my original blog because I was constantly DIY-ing things and I wanted others to see what I was up to (it was my first year out of college). It sparked an interest with my Facebook friends, so I just went from there!
The most challenging part is finding the time to get all your videos recorded! I work full time on top of my YouTube page, I post once a week, and I only shoot my videos in natural light. Sometimes I get so many ideas it's tough to figure out which video will take precedence over the others.
Please share your favorite creative quote:
“You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” - Maya Angelou
Please share a link to your most creative (or favorite) DIY or craft project blog:
It's hard to pick just one of my favorites! But I really like this one:
Can you tell us your biggest craft fail?
Oh boy - my biggest craft fail. I'm sure I've had a few of them! Just keep in mind that not every project is going to work, or go off without a hitch. One is I was trying to make a mason jar heart votive and I was using heart stickers as the "cutouts" for the paint... I got really impatient waiting for the paint to dry and I started peeling off the stickers and was taking ALL the paint with it! I ended up giving up on the project, but with every failure comes another project to try!
What is one piece of advice would you give someone wanting to start a blog or creative business:
Stick with it, and stay consistent! My first year after having a YouTube channel, I barely had 100 followers. Now I'm a little over 2 years in and I have over 700! It may not seem like much, but my channel is growing faster and faster every week. Honestly, I credit it partially to posting a video on the Friday of every week... then followers know when to watch out for a new one!
Where do you get your creative inspiration?
This is going to sound cliché, but everywhere! Pinterest, Google, browsing stores, looking at past, current and present trends/fads... I look at something with an open mind and say, "You know what? I think I can make that!" I'll let you know that mindset is what pushed me to teach myself how to crochet.
What are you most excited about for National DIY DAY?
I'm so excited to share National DIY DAY with others who have a similar mindset to me! I love creating and sharing with other crafty people.
In 5 years, what is your goal for you and your blog?
In 5 years, I'm hoping to have grown my blog enough to have a significant following - at least a few thousand. I'm hoping that I'm still creating videos that people enjoy, and that when someone is trying to figure out where to go for a tutorial that they'll think of coming to my page!
Please share with us a fun fact about yourself:
I used to be a sports reporter! That's the whole reason I got into creating videos in general. When I got out of the business, I felt like I was letting something I enjoyed and was good at go to waste... that's part of the reason why I started my YouTube channel! I never wanted it to not be in my life. And yes, I'm a HUGE sports fan (especially Michigan State, if you watch enough of my videos you'll notice).
Connect with Megan: Website | Pinterest | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube | Email