Do you love one-of-a-kind products?   Do you like making things with your own hands? Then join the Carpe DIYem campaign spearheaded by European handmade online shopping mall Dawanda. If you're new to the handmade scene, here are some of Dawanda's compelling reasons why you should embrace the DIY lifestyle today:

• Life and soul is breathed into each product during the development process, as it's not a faceless, mass-produced operation.
• Products are often locally sourced and produced, which saves energy and is good for the environment.
• Handmade items come in a wide variety of styles and types. The idea for a product can come from any single designer, and is not driven by media or market forces.
• Traditional handcraft techniques are kept alive, improved upon and passed on to others.
• Handmade products last longer, because designers put more emphasis on quality than on cost effectiveness.
• Buying handmade products not only keeps your style unique, it's also a testament to the power and importance of being an individual.

Live and Let DIY!