DIY Valentine's Day? A Master Craftswoman Weighs In

By Lexi Green
February 9, 2011

Ashley Meaders Ashley Meaders is what we like to call a master craftswoman. While many may boast of their skills with scissors and paper or a needle and thread, Ashley Meaders schools them all with a DIY style that is at once polished and homespun. She started her eponymous Atlanta-based design business, I Make Stuff, a little over 3 years ago after crafting the DIY wedding decorations for her own ceremony, a quirky-sweet affair for which she made everything from hanging paper lanterns to invitations. Nowadays, she focuses primarily on helping brides and wedding planners develop their own perfect DIY decor, which, she promises, “aren’t the norm.”

Among our favorite Ashley Meaders creations: a couples’ swing made out of multi-colored fabric, a series of custom stuffed hearts and the unique backgrounds she creates for Smilebooth, a company that helps installs thoughtfully designed, charmingly retro photo booths for parties.

It’s not hard to spot an Ashley Meaders creation when trolling your favorite design blogs. She frequently contributes her imaginative DIY deocorating ideas to top design blogs like Design*Sponge and OnceWed. She also serves as the event designer at Flashdance, a company that describes itself as a “collaboration of artists who think you deserve a rad wedding!”

Since this design maven clearly knows what it takes to create a romantic craft or event space, we asked her to inspire us for Valentine's Day.

Ashley Meaders Creations

Previous Next

Photo Credit: all images courtesy of Ashley Meaders

The Inside Source: What are some of your favorite love-filled do it yourself craft ideas?

Ashley Meaders: My favorite love-filled project was probably the Design*Sponge Valentine’s Day column I helped create and write last year. I put together a collection of some of my favorite sweet and romantic little things. I love the idea of hanging something lovely up in your home as a nice surprise for your better half.

The Inside Source: Any simple Valentine's Day projects you could recommend to our readers?

Ashley Meaders: I think just finding a unique way to send a message to your Valentine is always fun. Maybe hand-stitch a simple note on a heart-shaped pillow or use a typewriter to write out a love letter, like Miniature Rhino does.

The Inside Source: How do you usually celebrate Valentine's Day?

Ashley Meaders: My husband and I just like staying at home, ordering in, and watching a movie.

The Inside Source: Chocolate or flowers?

Ashley Meaders: Flowers... Celosia is my favorite.

The Inside Source: Finish this sentence: Every day should be like Valentine's Day because...

Ashley Meaders: You have an excuse to eat as many candy hearts as you want.

The Inside Source: When you're not working on your DIY design projects for work, where can we find you?

Ashley Meaders: In a Smilebooth!

The Inside Source: Are there any romance-centric Ashley Meaders' craft projects that we can look forward to in the future?

Ashley Meaders: I’ve got some really exciting weddings coming up this year that I can’t wait to share with everyone.

The Inside Source: And finally, how do you use eBay? Whether it be helping you with inspiration for your designs, or personal use?

Ashley Meaders: I love using eBay to search for weird vintage finds and unexpected materials for installations or tables.

Ashley Meaders rounded up these romance-inducing eBay finds.

Heart Shaped Lantern: "I love the idea of using these for the couples’ sendoff at the end of a wedding."

Red Heart Shaped Lantern

(buy it now price, $2.99)

Vintage Valentine: "This would be so cute on top of a little cake."

Honeycomb German Valentine

(sold for $31)

Vintage Valentine: "I think it’s such a cute idea to re-use vintage Valentines to give to your family and loved ones."

Vintage Terrier Dog in Love Valentine 1940s

(buy it now price, $9.99)

Betsey Johnnson Dress: "You gotta have an awesome dress to celebrate the day!"

Two of Hearts Dress

(buy it now price, $149.99)

Miniature Brass Lockets: " I want to make myself a necklace with four miniature lockets on it... one for my husband and the other three for each of my cats!"