Three Awesome Women Who Inspire Me (Fearless Tool-Wielding Women Who Create And Build)
Today, I’m doing a different kind of post, inspired by a sweet comment I received on Instagram the other day. I had someone DM me and say that a webinar she watched posed the question, “Who do you admire? Who does the kind of work and lives the life you aspire to?” She said that my name came to mind. That just blessed me so much, and it got me to thinking about who I admire. Specifically, I asked myself what women in this DIY/decorating/building category online I admire the most, and immediately, three women came to mind.
1. DIY Huntress
Sam at DIY Huntress is a builder, maker, creative powerhouse. First of all, she works out of a 12″ x 12″ shed that she and her dad built and turned into her workshop. Every time I see this space, I feel a twinge of jealousy. 😀
I mean, any woman with her own workshop filled with tools that she actually knows how to use would make my list of women I admire. But there’s a difference between just knowing how to use them, and actually making beautiful things with them. Sam definitely makes beautiful things, and she shares her projects on her blog and YouTube channel so that we can see the process. Every time I get a notification that she’s posted a new video, I drop everything I’m doing so that I can watch immediately.
My favorite projects of hers include this live edge table and bench. She actually welded those bases herself!
And another favorite was this outdoor chevron coffee table…
I follow DIY Huntress on her blog, YouTube and Instagram.
2. Pneumatic Addict
Elisha at Pneumatic Addict is another fearless, tool-wielding builder who loves to take on new challenges and learn new skills and techniques.
As far as my favorite projects of hers go, this recent exposed edge plywood night stand is at the top of my list. I was actually in the planning stages of my exposed plywood edge herringbone coffee table when she posted this, and it was so fun seeing how she used and embraced the look of the exposed edges of plywood in her project.
And I was also amazed watching her build this chair out of stair treads.
I follow Pneumatic Addict on her blog, YouTube, and Instagram.
3. Pretty Handy Girl
Brittany at Pretty Handy Girl absolutely makes my list of women I admire for two reasons. First, she’s breaking all kinds of stereotypes because she’s an actual licensed general contractor. You know…that field that is absolutely dominated by men? Yep, she’s joined them. That’s something I’ve wanted to do for a decade now, and while I’ve been thinking about it, she actually did it. And second, Brittany has the guts to do the things that I’m still afraid to do, like go down into the dark crawlspaces under houses.
Maybe if I keep watching her as she fearlessly tackles these things, I’ll gain enough courage to crawl under my house. So far, that hasn’t happened. 😀
But in addition to breaking stereotypes and being fearless, Brittany also takes old, unloved, forgotten houses and breathes new life into them. She took this old house…
…and turned it into this…
The inside transformation is equally as amazing. Here’s how the kitchen looked when she bought the house…
…and she transformed it into this…
You can see all of the befores and afters here.
I follow Pretty Handy Girl on her blog and Instagram.
I’m sure there are plenty of other amazing women who I follow online, and I may do more posts like this in the future. These women doing amazing things (especially things that are breaking down stereotypes and showing that women can wield power tools and make awesome things) deserve to be highlighted and celebrated.
If you follow other awesome women online who build and create, I’d love to know about them!
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
I’m an architect, so I collect #womenwhobuild! You’ve shared two who are new to me, so here’s a few more…I find these via IG tags, and suggestions on my RSS feed reader.
Remodelando la Casa has done some pretty impressive large-scale detailed built-ins, and is now working on a garage organization/workshop.
Anne of All Trades does all sorts of things, but particularly traditional handmade furniture (and old engines, and farm animals). She also has a great IG network worth following.
Remodelaholic is on their 5th project house, and shares others’ projects several times a week.
Sawdust Girl is another cabinet maker, who offers plans.
Her Tool Belt does a variety of smaller projects.
Sandra (Sawdust Girl) and Cristina (Remodelando la Casa) are phenomenal !
What a great post! I’m so envious of all of your talents!
SAME HERE…!!
I’ve followed Anna White for some time. She has empowered many new builders and offers free plans.
She is awesome and I like that she and her husband seem to be a great team at working, parenting and creating. Anna makes the plans and is not afraid to give pointers along the way making the build a better process.
Ana White is my go-to when I’m considering building something. She and her husband do amazing work in interior Alaska!
Kristi, thanks for this awesome post! I love seeing people whose work I enjoy, offering praise and recognition to others, especially to other women. You are definitely someone I admire and find inspiring and I often tell my husband and friends about the wonderful things you show us on your blog (+IG and YouTube). It is a welcome distraction when my phone notifications go off and it is one your your updates!
Thank you for sharing your list and supporting other handy, diy-loving, like-minded gals! YOU are the one who always inspires me, so if these women are your inspiration, then I can’t wait to check them out!
You are in an awesome league of talent. Looking forward to the day when there is no after thought about gals in all of these professions or doing these things, it’s just a natural phenomenon.
Still recall delightfully winning a tool kit at a company picnic where an unenlightened dude felt the need to offer me a tutorial, “I’ll be you don’t even know what those are?” Yup, he shrunk when I politely rattled them off. Been handling tools since I could walk thanks to my dad.
You keep on mentoring lady!!!!! Love learning from you.
Happy to say when I go to Home Depot men are much more progressive about my shopping and projects. Still need to educate a few but things have improved. I get in trouble when I know what I need or want but don’t always have the correct vocabulary. Appreciate your details
https://www.youtube.com/user/darbinorvar
I love this post too. Kristi, if you are impressed, we know these ladies are great, and worth following as well. Thank you for another very interesting read today. Can’t wait to see the progress on your mom’s kitchen as well!
My favorite YouTubers (besides Kristi, of course) are:
Ana White
April Wilkerson
See Jane Drill
Such a great topic!!
Sarah Fogle from Ugly Duckling House is amazing. She seems to do it all, and she has a great online personality.
As a reader who admires you, I never thought about the fact that you would have people you admire too.
Absolutely love Sarah! She has a range of talent that just keeps getting bigger.
Thank you for this post right I have very little down time to read blogs but I never ever am too busy to read yours sometime during the day . Loving that you are taking the time out of your very busy schedule to help out your mom. I guess sometimes it’s best to get out of your own forest for a while to breathe some renewed air and see sky .
I also follow Brittany at Pretty Handy Girl. She is what I had wished to be back when I was young! I used to follow a lot of them, but not constantly. I did follow Remodelaholic for a while, but she started doing so many “sponsored” posts that it turned me off. That’s why I stopped following most bloggers these days, and on Instagram, if they have sponsored posts, I skip right past. Ads drive me crazy! That’s what I like about your blog – no ads! I do also follow YHL, but mostly to see what they are doing these days, not because they have projects.
oh, I follow all but the last one (I’ll have to check out her blog) as well! Love these bloggers/builders!! Jenwoodhouse is really good too.
Love this post! Women picking up women! Not that there’s anything wrong with having male role models, too, but there’s definitely not enough female representation in the realm of power tools. Will have to check these ladies out!
I love blogs, and now I have so many more to check out! I’ve seen Remodelando and Sawdust Girl, and YHL, but I really appreciate that you, Kristi, stick with explaining things in detail, and you share so many pics throughout the process. I am tired of people glossing over the how-to of something, or to just show a color they chose, because actually they paid someone to do all the work, and so do t have more to show other than a before/after.
I’m sorry to say this video window that opens up and takes over 1/3 of my screen, as I scroll down is infuriating. If you can get rid of “ad choices” my blood pressure will be grateful. Extremely frustrating when trying to read your fabulous blog.
Love this latest post on women inspiring you!
Thank you
Ilene
I apologize for my message about ads. I downloaded ad locker and now I can see your entire blog again without having to look at some fried chicken ad blocking my page. Please forgive me, I was so frustrated.
I am in love with the first woman’s worship and wall of tool chest and electric tools. Amazing!
Oh WOW!
Thank you Kristi!! Never knew these women existed, and I’m inspired just by your blurbs on them, so I’ll have to visit their blogs. Except now I have MORE people to follow (sigh – in that it just causes me to spend more time at my computer)
My goodness, I’m so honored to be on your list! In actuality, I’m inspired by you and your endless energy taking on new home projects. I’ll have to come visit and we’ll crawl in your crawlspace together. 😉
Hello!
I’ve been planning to send you this thank you note for a while and reading this post reminded me I had fallen short of that. You and your amazing video tutorial on Greek Key Application absolutely inspired me to attempt to do the same to the swing bed mattress on our back pergola space. I love it! It wouldn’t have happened without you! I’ll send you a pic! You really are an inspiration! Thank you!!!
I’d love to see a picture of it! So glad you found the tutorial useful. 🙂