You must, must, must check out P.S.—I Made This…. Like, now. Stop reading and click on over. OK, so what it is: a new DIY website that gets you thinking of everyday things in different ways. Oh, and the DIY projects are seriously chic. These ain’t the frumpy how-tos that you sometimes see. Plus, bonus points, they also run little inspiration boards and photos of the process/materials needed (check out one above). And who doesn’t love a good inspiration board? Seriously, head on over there. [P.S.—I Made This…]

Here at The Frisky, we’re pretty big Etsy fans. We have a soft spot for all those darling creations and a major appreciation for the type of crafty folks out there who actually take the time to make goods by hand. But sometimes we’re cruisin’ through the site and suddenly come across these sort of random stand-outs that make us think, “Gee, really?” as in, one of these does not belong. Now there’s a storage unit for the more unfortunate items that show up, like these adorable tampon cozies (above). At Regretsy, you’ll find an eerie Michael Jackson baseball, throw pillows that look like condom wrappers, a Lil’ Kim baby gown, and crocheted toilet paper (man those knitters are creative!). Last week, the site refused to link to the real Etsy stores behind the craft fails, but they kind of blew up over the weekend and maybe that’s the reason why you can now click through to purchase the dubious goods. Think of it as your one-stop shop for gag gifts, or maybe just your new favorite four o’clock slack-off site. [Regretsy]

I feel really old when I admit this, but when I was a little girl my mom and I used to sit around on the weekends, listen to Moody Blues records, and make hook rugs together. Awww…the death rattle of the ‘70s. We are not crafty people—I don’t think either of us has made anything since—but the process was simple. It involving a patterned, plastic board type thingy, some yarn, and a needle-type implement called a latch. Lately, I’ve been feeling nostalgic for the hook rug days. But as it turns out, ‘70s crafts are becoming ironically cool again thanks to sites like Etsy and Crafster whose tagline is, “No Tea Cozies Without Irony.” Why? I think with all of the technology, there is a part of us that longs for simpler times with tangible things—like hands, yarn, records, and talking face-to-face. I think this year I will put my Crackberry away for an afternoon and do some crafting. Here are some more ‘70s crafts that I kind of can’t wait to get my hands on.

Over at Double X, Sara Mosle initially sings the praises of popular online indie retailer Etsy.com, but then points out a problem. “There are virtually no male sellers on Etsy. If the site is such a great way for anyone to market handmade goods online, then why is it such a female ghetto?”

So begins her essay, “Etsy.com Peddles a False Feminist Fantasy,” is which she seeks to prove that Etsy specifically attracts women in their mid-thirties, often with children, who want to believe “that you can have a family and create hip arts and crafts from home during flexible, reasonable hours while still having a respectable, fulfilling, and remunerative career.” Mosle says there’s little proof that there’s much money to be made selling goods on Etsy—hence the absence of men, who, obviously, only pursue lucrative or purely recreational “hobbies.”

If you drank a lot of bubbly last night (I know I did), you probably have a few empty bottles lying around your apartment. While you’re getting over your hangover today, make a mini chair by following the instructions provided by Instructables, or glue Champagne bottle crown caps to magnets for chic refrigerator adornments. Keeping your hands busy should distract you from that throbbing head.

We love it when we’re on-trend. Earlier this month, we showed you how to make really cute button earrings and how to embroider a notebook. We thought crafts would make really thoughtful gifts. And apparently the rest of the country did also because craft sales are up.  Noticing less figures in their bank balances, holiday gift-givers have decided to make their presents or purchase handmade items from others. “With the recession, people are looking for ways to save money, and doctors are recommending [crafting] as a major form of stress relief,” said Victor Domine, a spokesman for the Craft & Hobby Association trade group. One woman stitched cable-knit coffee sleeves for her friends to use instead of the cardboard ones. But creativity-challenged gift-givers are also choosing to go the handmade route, purchasing gifts from our favorite online marketplace Etsy and others. [New York Times]

Maybe you’re broke as a joke, maybe you live in the no sex toy sales state of Alabama, maybe you’re just a crafty bitch—but no matter what the reason, you can DIY your own dildo! If our list of household sex toys wasn’t enough, according to Alix Shedd of The Indypendent, using simple items you’ll find at your hardware store, you can tailor your own personal sex toy. Hey, if you build it, they will come!  So here’s how to step up your self-love life in five simple steps…

Making presents always seems like a good idea. Homemade creations are supposed to be less expensive and more thoughtful than “store-bought” gifts, but sometimes (actually, most times) it doesn’t work out that way. Unless you’re a voracious crafter and have tons of glue sticks and supplies on hand, you have to buy all of the supplies first. And craft stores can be daunting. Plus, it’s pretty much a given that the final product will turn out nothing like you intended. I came across these instructions for making a portrait entirely out of chocolate, and while I know I will fail (how’s that for a positive attitude), I might try anyway. I’m thinking about creating a milk chocolate Matt Damon.  [wikiHow]