Where Do You Find Inspiration for Your DIY Projects?

A lot of my inspiration comes from my family. My wife and kids often ask me, 'Can you build this?' I also do some Google searches to find images of different builds I might like. By looking through a lot of images and designs, I find things that spark my creativity, and then I search for free plans that I can tweak with my personal touches.

I usually get my ideas from what people around me say they need or want. I really enjoy making gifts, so I tend to produce my best work when I know it’s for someone special. It motivates me to make sure there are no flaws for them to notice!

Sometimes I pick projects based on what I want to learn or practice. For instance, I might have leftover wood from previous builds and I'll look for a project that helps me use it up, like making dovetail boxes. I try to keep my skills sharp by incorporating different joinery techniques. Plus, I often end up gifting these projects to family to keep them from piling up! Some of my best pieces have come from just playing around with some old wood and letting inspiration hit.