Make Your Own in Boston

The first time I went to 1154 Lill Studio was in Chicago, where my sister and I spent literally hours designing our handbags. With 25 different bag shapes and hundreds of different fabrics to choose from, this can be a little trying for those of us who are indecisive.

We finally left, satisfied with the choices we had made and 4 weeks later, my brand new bag showed up at my door. My purse that nobody else has.

1154 Lill on Newbury Street is the perfect place to have a girls’ night or a birthday party. Bags are a bit pricey, generally costing from $26 (for a wallet) to about $200 (for a large tote), but they are so so worth it, just to have a bag that’s exactly what you want and one that nobody else has!

Make Your Own Jewelry at Beadworks

Go in and buy beads to take home or partcipate in a class offered by the studio. Or throw a party with all your friends. I always thought if I made my own necklace, it would look like something from summer camp, but Beadworks proved me wrong. The jewelry you can make at Beadworks looks just like something you’d buy in that trendy new boutique.

Salad bars are the best because you can add anything and everything you want, instead of working with the combinations the restaurant wants to give you. Sebastians Cafe won the Best of Boston award for best salad bar and the options for your salad are endless.

Sebastians is the go-to lunch place for many Bostonians. Who knew a salad could be this good?

Think you’re not creative? Pay a visit to Spark Crafts and they will prove you wrong. Whether you want to learn to make greeting cards, jewelry, knitted items, or anything else, the classes at Spark will help you come up with fabulous results.

You’re your own unique person, why would you want to smell like anyone else? Well, now you don’t have to with the Body Shop’s Invent Your Scent collection. Combine the various perfumes to create a scent of your very own.

I’m not telling you my favorite combination because I want it to stay one of a kind. But here’s some advice: Mix one (or two) of the scents with another one of your favorite perfumes for something completely out of the box!

Now you can profess your love of everything Boston with Cafepress.com. Whether you want to declare your obsession with the Sox on a t-shirt or tell everyone “Boston is wicked awesome” on your coffee mug, head over to Cafepress.com and create it!

In my opinion, you can never have too much Boston gear!

Other Make Your Own Guides on Guidespot

Learn to Make Something at Paper Source

I don’t know about you, but I get extremely overwhelmed when I walk into Paper Source. There are so many beautiful papers and products to help me make…well, something. I just never know what to make or where to begin.

That’s why the workshops Paper Source offers are so fabulous. I need someone to tell me, “today you’re going to be making a drop spine box” and then to show me how step-by-step.

If a wedding is in your future and you want to make your own invitations, attend one of Paper Source’s wedding invite classes and you’ll learn how to make one of a kind invitations that look like a pro designed them!

If we’re talking about making your own creations, we can’t leave out making your own ice cream sundae. Cold Stone Creamery is the ultimate in ice cream.

The first summer I lived in Boston, I went to Cold Stone so much, I was finally forced to take a bit of a break. Basically, you can choose any type of ice cream and any mix-ins, toppings, etc. According to their website, there are 11 million possible creations. 11 million! If you’re not good at making decisions, you can choose one of their signature creations. I recommend Orea Overload, Peanut Butter Cup Perfection, and Birthday Cake Remix.

If you tip the employees, they’ll sing, which isn’t always a good thing.

Painting your own pottery may sound a bit childish, but now that you’re all grown up, think about how much better your piece could be?

Paint yourself a mug for your morning coffee or a platter to display in your living room. And you know, your mom still appreciates homemade gifts from you!

I dream of being able to knit, but I just can’t seem to follow written instructions. Which is exactly why I can’t wait to take a class at A Good Yarn in Brookline.

The shop has loads and loads of yarns, everything from worsted weight to cashmere. So if you’re already a pro knitter, you can just stop in and purchase supplies. Or, if you’re like me, you can sign up for a class and be well on your way to becoming a knitting whiz.

I was a bit skeptical of Fire and Ice at first. It basically sounded like one giant salad bar…with raw meat involved. But then I went for lunch and realized how much fun it was.

At Fire and Ice, you get to make your own stir-fry and the options here are endless. Every kind of meat you can imagine, from sirloin to chicken, to turkey, bacon, and meatballs. There are various fishes and plenty of vegetables as well. Once you have your stir-fry concocted, you choose a sauce (lots to choose from, from mild to hot) and bring it to the giant grill where chefs will cook it up for you while you watch.

My only complaint is that the bowl never seems big enough for everything I want in my stir-fry!