Home and Garden

Ideas For DIY

Farewell Craft Gossip

by

Today is my last day as editor of the Home & Garden channel at Craft Gossip. My reasons for leaving are bittersweet. I have become so busy with freelance crafting work (which is a sweet thing!) that I have been unable to dedicate the time needed to this blog (unfortunately, a bitter thing). Therefore, I felt that I must hand the reins over to someone else that can give this blog the attention that it needs. Staying on would not have been fair to me, the owners of CG, or you.

I started the Home & Garden channel three years ago in July. Since then, I’ve been highlighting ideas for decorating your home, lighting up your garden and organizing your craft room. It has been so great finding all of those ideas and bringing them to the Craft Gossip family!

I just wanted to say thank you to Vikram and Shellie, the owners of CraftGossip.com, for the opportunity to bring this channel to life. They were willing to take a chance and try it out, and I’m thankful that they did. It has been such a pleasure getting to know the other Craft Gossip editors as well as you, the readers! Thank you for all of your submissions, your occasional comments, and for reading each day.

You can still find me at my personal craft blog Crafts by Amanda. Stop by and say hi sometime! Farewell, but not goodbye. 🙂

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Comments

  1. Amanda – So sorry to hear you are leaving CraftGossip. I’ve enjoyed reading your posts and appreciate your support in showcasing some of my projects. Good luck with your future endeavors. We will miss you!!

  4. Sorry to see you go.. but I’ll see you on your personal craft blog- Crafts by Amanda.

  9. No matter where you go, crafting will follow! We’ll miss you, but we all wish you many artistic adventures ahead. Happy crafting!

Have you read?

Building with Nature: My Experience with Natural Birdhouses

If you’re someone who enjoys DIY woodworking projects and has a soft spot for garden wildlife, Natural Birdhouses by Maria and Amen Fisher is a must-read. I picked this book up recently and have been completely inspired by the earthy, sustainable approach it offers to building homes for birds, bats, and even beneficial bugs.

What really drew me in was the focus on using found wood and natural materials—think branches, logs, reclaimed boards, and other bits of nature you can often source from your own backyard or a nearby forest. Not only does this make the projects eco-friendly, but it also gives everything a beautiful, rustic feel that blends effortlessly into any garden or backyard setting.

The book includes 25 step-by-step projects, all clearly explained and illustrated, which makes it accessible for both beginner and seasoned crafters. Even if you don’t have a fully-equipped workshop, most of these can be tackled with just a few basic tools and a bit of patience.

I started with a simple birdhouse design, using some weathered fence boards I had stashed in the shed. The instructions were easy to follow, and I was surprised how quickly it came together. Within a couple of days of putting it out in the garden, a curious little sparrow showed up—talk about instant reward! I’ve since bookmarked the bat box project and one of the insect hotel builds for next weekend.

What I really love about this book is that it’s not just about crafting; it’s about encouraging wildlife and creating a more natural, welcoming habitat right in your own yard. It’s a great way to involve kids, too—mine were fascinated by the idea of building a bug hotel and couldn’t wait to help collect materials.

If you’re looking for nature-inspired DIY garden projects that not only look good but also serve a purpose, Natural Birdhouses is full of ideas that check all the boxes. It’s creative, environmentally conscious, and a great way to spend time outdoors while giving something back to the ecosystem.

I’d definitely recommend this to anyone into sustainable gardening, backyard birdwatching, or rustic outdoor décor. Let me know if you give it a try—I’d love to hear what you build!