do it yourself. or not.

i am in constant admiration of handmade letterpress cards.  like these:

from bumblebeepress' etsy shop

from letterform's etsy shop

from paperwheel's etsy shop

when i received an email newsletter from paper source a couple of weeks ago telling me that i could buy my own letterpress machine, 8 bizzilion ideas flew through my mind. 

can be purchased here 

but then i paused.  and i started thinking about all the advice i read in the blogs i heart.  they often point out that you can't do every little thing yourself.  when the time + money + energy it takes to create something yourself exceeds the satisfaction in the end project, it might be time to let someone else take this one.  

when rachel of heart of light guest-posted at 100 layer cake back in march, she posted an awesome little flow chart for DIY projects, and it is spot. on.  for these types of decisions.

 

download this chart here

so where did i land with the letterpress?  for my own sanity, i will continue to purchase pretty handmade letterpress cards.  not to say i won't make handmade cards from time to time as inspiration strikes, but investing in the machine and the ink and the templates?  i politely decline.

does anyone else ever have similar battles?!

xo. di.