Creative Genius: The Crafty Lumberjacks

All photos courtesy of The Crafty Lumberjacks

The Crafty Lumberjacks are exactly the people we had in mind when the idea of the “Creative Genius” first floated around the DIY Network office. They are the friends you love to follow around the holidays because their home is filled with DIY touches that up the festive quotient of your Instagram feed. They aren’t just on Pinterest; they live Pinterest. So naturally, I jumped at the chance to interview this DIY duo.

Andrew and Dennis, both actors, met while traveling with the national tour of “Fiddler on the Roof.” They found themselves crafting in their off-hours, and making Valentines and goodie bags for all their cast mates. When the tour ended, the Crafty Lumberjacks blog was born for all those friends who wanted to keep up with the crafty pair’s latest projects. (One of their earliest projects that everyone loved was this Zombie Prom (Judy) Garland.) Three years later, they’re still getting crafty in their off hours. The blog is going strong, thousands follow their Instagram account, and you may recognize them from shout-outs on Sweet Paul and BuzzFeed among others.

Both guys have been DIY-ing since childhood: Dennis acted as his mom’s assistant during her craft shows on Long Island, and Andrew worked his way through vintage craft books at a young age. So it comes as no surprise that they share creative duties gathering ideas from everywhere – TV, Pinterest, even the Crate & Barrel bag used to wrapped boxes above. (Andrew’s idea: Genius.)

When I checked in with Andrew and Dennis, they were in their Queens apartment telling me about some of the holiday crafts they’ll be cooking up this season. Like most of the crafters I know, Halloween to Christmas is their favorite time of year! At that moment, they were thinking of ways to incorporate Lincoln Logs into some holiday decor, so I loved seeing this cute little cabin show up a few days later on Instagram.

The thing I dig most about this crafty pair is that their projects always get a lot of “Wow!” without a huge investment or twenty steps. They keep it simple. “We have no time for meticulous!” Their goal is simply to be creative, and they knock it out of the park. Most of their crafts can often be completed while sipping Old Fashioneds and Netflix-ing. In fact, they encourage it. (Click here to get their recipe for the perfect Old Fashioned.)

So if you’re looking to get your holiday crafting on this weekend, check out Dennis and Andrew’s blog for DIY ideas and even a few recipes. (Sriracha Maple Bacon Cheeseball, anyone?) Follow them on Instagram to see a little Christmas cheer in your stream each day. And if you love homemade gifts, but don’t necessarily want to make them yourself, click over to their new Instashop!

The Creative Genius series on Made + Remade features fabulous DIYers and makers who inspire us. Meet more Creative Geniuses and help us share the spirit of DIY!