Built Not Bought: Win Money For Being Awesomely Home Fixated

Making things from scratch and by hand was once the norm. Today if you bake your own garlic bread, people are impressed (“You mean you crushed the cloves yourself? Wow!”). So just imagine the kind of shock and awe you could inspire when you reveal that you actually make “stuff” – like furniture, décor and accessories. I’m telling you, people will lose their minds, even if you’re not exactly a craftsman.

And now, besides the treat of basking in your own glory, you have a chance to win some cash. Family Handyman Magazine (from Reader’s Digest) is hosting the Built-Not-Bought Contest. You made it, now brag about it. The contest asks that you submit pictures and describe what your creation is and why you built it. It could be anything from a coffee table to a tool cabinet to a nightmarish clown bed a la Homer Simpson.

To enter the Built-Not-Bought Contest, you need to be a US citizen over the age of 18. Entries must be submitted by October 31, 2009. Good luck!