Darby Smart To DIY For Box is a monthly craft subscription box for teens and adults. I have been an on-and-off subscriber for the past year or so, and I really love Darby Smart's project selections!
This box was sent to us for review purposes. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
The Subscription Box: Darby Smart To DIY For Box
The Cost: $19
ACTIVE DEAL: Get your first box for free! (just pay $4.95 for shipping). No coupon needed - just use this link.
The Products: Each box will include all the craft supplies you need to complete a new DIY project.
Ships to: US only
This month's project is a DIY Note-Able Tote! This is pretty neat concept, actually, and the first time I've heard of such a thing. Turn an ordinary tote bag into a chalkboard tote bag, so you can write your list right there on the side of the bag! How innovative!
On the back of the card is a variety of ideas for "chalkboarding." I like that they give suggestions on where you might take your newfound crafting skill after completing the project. Conveniently, you can buy more supplies at their online shop.
Darby Smart included all the materials I needed to make my tote bag except masking tape, plus I used a disposable cup for the paint to make it a little easier than just pouring paint onto the brush.
FYI, Darby Smart does not include instructions in their boxes. Instead, they provide a code you can use on their website to look up the instructions. I appreciate their efforts to reduce paper waste, but I like to get away from technology when I'm crafting. I think I would prefer paper instructions.
This is my completed tote. I still think it's a great idea, but the finished product is not as clean and crisp as I had hoped. The paint bled through the tape a little, and when I painted the coating over the lettering, it spread the paint a little and made it a bit dull. They included the chalk marker for making the list. Also, just fyi, the items I wrote on the tote are a bit of a joke. You can bet if any of these three items ever appear on my grocery list, they would not be forgotten!
The Verdict: I'm a little disappointed with the way my project turned out, but I guess not every one will be perfect. This is a new-to-me technique that I was excited to learn about, but not my favorite project overall. That's going to happen from time to time with a surprise DIY crafting kit every month! It still turned out okay, and I much prefer craft kits to trying to go out and source the supplies on my own. I do wish they had included a little masking tape though. We get it pretty frequently in the kids' subscription boxes, so it can't be too pricey. This was not my best month with Darby Smart, but I still love it.
What do you think of Darby Smart?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.