Statistics show that there have been one squillion DIYs posted on Rookie in the six years it’s existed. To commemorate this fact of life, I’ve chosen 20 favorites. I know that sounds like a lot, but remember, there’s a total of one squillion.

I went for the singular things you can make, over the more general guides to stuff like thrifting, crafting, buying a guitar, recording music at home, writing poetry, starting a blog, taking photos, journaling, throwing a party, writing a novel, collaging, customizing a varsity jacket, customizing a DENIM jacket, starting a business, making your room look like a movie, buying a used car, making friends, KISSING, dancing, writing a screenplay, making gifts customized for a friend, making a pen pal package, giving presents without having to buy anything, computer programming, creating a DIY space, keeping a photo diary, structuring life with depression, taking a break with your significant other, or approaching the person you like without throwing up. Hell, listing all of those would make me feel like I had to name all the fashion and beauty tutorials from such wizards as Marlena Mayle, Rian Phin, Amy Rose Spiegel, Ogechi Egonu, Hannah Johnson, Marie Lodi, Sunny Betz, Arabelle Sicardi, Indigo Nelson, Gabby Noone, Kiana Fernandez, Chanel Parks, Sofia Bews, and Savana Ogburn. And that would open up the whole can of worms that is our ongoing Life Skills series. Do you have enough tabs open yet?

No, this post is for when it’s a Sunday afternoon and you just want to make something with your hands or learn a new trick that you can put into action right away. So, without further ado, and in no particular order…


1. How to Do a Rainbow Kick with St. Vincent
I would’ve liked soccer so much more that one year I did it in elementary school if St. Vincent had been my teacher.

2. How to Make a Computer.
I chose this as one of my favorite Rookie posts ever in our contributor super-post. Maggie Thrash makes this smartypants tech-y venture super simple, but that doesn’t mean you’ll feel like any less of a hacker genius for doing it.

3. How to Make a Zine.
Longtime Rookie artist Emma Dajska teaches a DIY so simple that after you’ve done it once, you’ll never forget how, and will teach it many times to other people.

4. Balloon Animal DIY With Ira Glass.
On video, PLUS an Ask a Grown.

5. Voodoo S’mores With Amy Sedaris.
It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there, which I think means that your enemies are edible, which also means that your voodoo dolls of your enemies should be edible, too. I especially love this video because you can hear my sister, who was taping it, trying not to laugh.

6. DIY Emergency Tampon.
A crucial skill, performed with ninja-like agility by Danielle Henderson.

7. Fake Your Own Céline Bag.
Who needs a Céline bag when you can have a Céline Dion bag?? This is the celebrity content the people deserve!!! (By Gabby Noone, of course.)

8. How to Make Your Own Deodorant.
Another important hygiene one, from Chanel Parks.

9. DIY Planetary Mobile.
Hunter Schafer brings a classic craft to COSMIC heights. Plus, I love how the guide is illustrated and collaged.

10. Do It Yourself.
The ultimate DIY—masturbation—by Jamie Lauren Keiles.

11. DIY Neon Sign.
You know how you’re always like, “I would love to have a neon sign of my favorite song lyric/affirmation/line drawing, but I do not have the budget of Kris Jenner in her Tracey Emin phase”?? Savana Ogburn, to the rescue!

12. DIY Display-Case Tube Top.
The dream of every club kid or person-who-finds-club-kids’-style-inspiring-but-doesn’t-take-to-the-lifestyle. Rian Phin has done so many great DIYs and should really just have her own line of clothing already, but I found this one extra creative.

13. How to Clean Your Room in 10 Minutes.
This one is less “fun,” but BOY IS IT USEFUL. Brought to you by the queen of our Life Skills, Krista Burton.

14. Tech Trek: Create Your Own Font.
You already made your own neon sign; why not put the text on your computer in your own writing, too? Another one from Maggie and Tech Trek co-columnist Amber Humphrey.

15. How to Look Like You Weren’t Just Crying in Less Than Five Minutes.
By Krista, of course. Again, this is more practical than it is a fun craft to try at home, but because it is an actionable item, I’m counting it. It really works! I’ve tested it out many times, for you!

16. How to Make a Garbage Cake With Aidy Bryant.
A highly specific step-by-step that must be followed closely!

17. Make Your Own Chinese Dumplings.
As with any cooking show, the main event is the charisma of your host. Unlike any cooking show, this one has the great privilege of being hosted by Jenny Zhang.

18. DIY Elaborate Pet Photo Shoot.
You know the end of Best in Show, when they follow up with all the characters to see where life has taken them, and John Michael Higgins and Michael McKean are staging a calendar photo shoot of their dog in different scenes from old movies? That could be you, with the help of Krista!

19. How to Make Solar-Powered Art.
This is probably one of my favorites because it feels like both a science experiment and a magic trick. Courtesy of Madeline Keyes-Levine.

20. How to Highlight and Contour Your Whole Face.
This tutorial by Indigo Nelson is the most-viewed post on Rookie, ever. That’s not hyperbole; it’s in our analytics. That’s because hoards of people out there STILL DON’T KNOW WHAT CONTOURING IS (myself included), and NEED ANSWERS. Thankfully, Indigo’s got them, and uses a cartoon version of herself to go through all the steps.

And finally, as a bonus (as if there’s any system to this at all): Making a Thing With the Blow. This instructive video applies to all creative pursuits, no matter the scale. ♦