Ferndale DIY Profile: Lisa Boesch, Screen-printer

Lisa Boesch is the owner of ellembee, which features clothing for women (including maternity), men, and children. Stop by her booth at DIY Street Fair this weekend to check out her wares

1. Tell us a little about yourself.

I am a workaholic. Design of any kind turns me on. I make a mean Cadillac margarita; on the rocks, with salt. I collect good quotes. One of my favorites: "Two things only a man cannot hide: that he is drunk and that he is in love." - Antiphanes.

I really want a dog, but I travel too much to have one. Dave Ramsey is my hero. 

2. What does DIY mean to you? 

DIY to me means getting your hands dirty. It means channeling your inner MacGyver to make it work with what you've got. DIY is giving new life to old treasures, and making something your own. DIY means troubleshooting and finding a better way to get the job done. 

3. Tell us about a DIY project (or projects) you have worked on and why it was DIY.

My company, ellembee, has been DIY from the start. I was working as a bedding designer in southern California when I got laid off in 2008. I packed up my life, moved back to Michigan, and started my own tee shirt line for gals. My experience in screen-printing up to that point was one small project that I had done in college, and yet I decided to start a company based on it. Ha! I checked out screen-printing books from the library written in the '70s, and I watched a ton of how-to videos on YouTube.  I messed up more shirts than I care to admit (I still do!), but I figured it out and made it work for me.  I didn't have money for a printing press, so my dad and I rigged up a system using plywood and some hinges. To sum it up: I have DIY'd my way through four years of business and it has been an amazing experience!

4. Why does the DIY attitude fit Ferndale?

I think Ferndale was DIYing before DIY was cool. The community here seems to have a get-it-done attitude mixed with a sense of resourcefulness that embodies DIY. 

5. Who is your favorite DIY artist/musician/human?

My girlfriends Siouxsan Miller and Anne Simonetti of in Ferndale are my true inspiration. They've taught me how to be a good friend, how to keep sight of what's really important, and of course---how to DIY with style.

This profile is part of Ferndale Patch's month-long  where we talk with residents, artists, musicians, crafters, anyone with an opinion about DIY. The project will lead up to the DIY Street Fair Sept. 16-18.