 I Try DIY has been up for just about six years, and it’s only now that I realized that I never really did introduce myself to my readers. The thing is, introductions have never really been easy for me because even the simplest questions prove to be difficult to answer. I’ll take a stab at it, so you can see why! |
Do you want my real name? Or what I prefer to be called? My real name is Michelle Karla Sumulong. I prefer to be called Mikko. So much so that when people try to call me by Michelle, it really doesn’t catch my attention. I don’t even look! My parents never even use my full name when they scold me. That means something, right?
People often ask why my parents decided on Mikko instead of Mika. Pretty much, being the first grandchild to carry the Sumulong last name, it was a nod to my paternal grandparents, Mila and Komong. The extra K was just a choice my Mom made.
Well… I was born in Anchorage, Alaska, grew up in Antipolo City in the Philippines, went to college back in Anchorage, Alaska, started living in the real world in New York City, took a two-year break in Alaska, and now I currently reside in BGC in the Philippines. I still very much feel like an Alaskan New Yorker lost in Manila!
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It’s complicated. Well, is it really? There came a point in my life when I wished my real life (aka, crafting life) could amount to my work life. I was trying to find that happy place where work-life balance meant finding the type of work you won’t mind taking over your life. I stepped away from corporate work about a few years ago to do this. This, being crafting. I make crafts. I teach crafts. I write about crafts. I help with crafts. I sell crafts. Basically, I craft in many forms.
By trade though, I’m a Human Resources professional. I’ve been doing some form of human resources since I started working while I was in college. I still do some HR consulting and project work to this day.
The I Try DIY blog was born out of being unemployed for the first time in 10 years. That year, I decided to take a break from life and just did whatever would make me happy. I found happiness in crafting, and spent months exploring what could be done with paper, thread, beads and other unconventional materials. I even got to work on The Friendship Bracelet Book! I often went on shopping trips thinking, “Why buy when I can DIY?” Friends and family started to catch on, asking me to make accessories and trinkets for them so they wouldn’t have to spend as much.
As cliche as it may sound, I Try DIY is not just a blog or brand, it’s a way of life. I’ve always prided myself on being the type of person who will sit down and make things from scratch. No, it wasn’t just a new thing I picked up. I’ve been crafting for as long as I can remember. Handmade and homemade was not just a trend or a fad for me. When I started the blog those years ago, it was my goal to help people realize just that. The challenge that I extend to my readers is to ask themselves, “Why buy when you can DIY?”
Outside of this blog, I Try DIY is there to help you with your DIY & Crafts needs. That includes facilitating craft workshops, setting up craft activities, selling craft tools and supplies, designing and creating handwritten fonts, writing tutorials and books, assisting with DIY parties and more! If you’re looking to team up on a project, do send me a message. I love meeting and crafting with new people.
