Hey there!! I am Anika Gandhi.
I am the creative force behind Anika’s DIY Life.
I am here to empower and inspire you with ideas, tools, and skills you need on your journey to fill your life with DIY!
I want to show you that if I, having NO experience with DIY, can do this, YOU totally can too!
Come join me and learn with me!
My Story
I grew up in India. Growing up, I was always crafty – the handmade card, macrame, embroidery, and a little crafts kind of person. I had ZERO exposure to power tools or DIY – it wasn’t really a thing in India.
I came to this country 18 years ago for grad school. I got my Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, got married, and got a job.
8 years ago, on a quest for some cute furniture for my daughter, I stumbled onto the world of DIY blogs! I realized I could do this! I picked up a power drill for the very first time and built my first project.
I was hooked!
I started this blog to show others that it is possible!
It is possible to not have any experience and pick up power tools for the first time and build your own furniture.
That feeling when you walk into a room to see all the beautiful things YOU built… I want everyone to experience that!
Since building that little table, I have gone on to build almost 90% of the furniture in our home.
You can click here to see all my woodworking projects.
Not just woodworking, I have taught myself many facets of home improvement and updated many parts of the home.
You can click here to see my home improvement projects.
My mission however remains constant.
I always make sure to make all my projects approachable and doable for everyone. I want you to look at the project or tutorial and think to yourself – “I can make that!”
I believe it so much that I put it on a T-shirt 🙂
Get your T-shirt here. I have a few other fun designs too!
I am humbled, thrilled, and excited that my work has won me a few accolades and been featured by so many amazing magazines, blogs, and websites, including those listed below.
I won the Best Creative Skill Award (International) at the 2019 Amara Interior Blog Awards.
Features
I have collaborated multiple times with Jen Woodhouse and Rogue Engineer to design and build projects.
Click on the logos to go directly to the features of my work.
A few fun facts!
Now that you have a formal introduction, here are a few fun facts about me –
- I am quite scared of touching anything non-human.
- I have serious nausea towards tea! I could not even drink it to save my life! NOT KIDDING!! This is a big problem in social situations given that I am from India! I am not a big fan of coffee either (My friends (including my husband) wonder how I got through grad school and Ph.D. without caffeine!)
- I am a trained Indian classical dancer (in Bharatnatyam). I have also learned Jazz and Modern and I love all things dance and music!
- I am a “pseudo” vegetarian… I prefer vegetarian food any day but then buffalo wings are my weakness 😉
- I absolutely love earrings – the bigger, the blingier, the better!!
Write to me!
I absolutely love hearing from my readers! Send me pictures of your projects, questions, feedback or a note just because! Email me at anika{at}anikasdiylife{dot}com
Or you could write to me the old fashioned way (which I love by the way!) –
P.O. Box 974
Cypress, CA 90630
NamcyMc Fadden
Great to find your website. I have my own Ryobi power tools. Ive built a cedar fence, wood deck for 5th wheel Rv, apochade plein air box, a cedar garden gate. I have grand ideas and want to keep things simple so I dont overwhelm. My ne t project is to build a 37 1/2 tall, 30 1/2 wide, 28 1/2 deep laundry table to sit next to my stacked washer dryer and over the hampers. My other idea for this is a murphy table to come down. See too many options to try and make it right.
riki sewell
First, a much belated “Welcome to the USA”.
Then: What an amazing person! Especially a Woman from a pretty chauvinistic society. My late Wife would have so enjoyed engaging you in conversation. She was an algebra teacher for 38 years, and the last few years, worked on her doctorate in math. She died 10 years ago.
I am not sure how I got connected to Your marvelously wonderful web site, but, I am so glad I did.
Looking forward to more of Your posts.
Most gratefully, with admiration, riki sewell
ps I live in Long Beach CA not that far from Cypress. Just sayin’…
Anika Gandhi
Thank you so much!
Nancy Hill
I love your work and your explanations are so clear! Unfortunately, at 81 I don’t have the time or energy to add another DIY skill to those I already have! But I still enjoy seeing what you do, especially since my Father was a highly skilled finish carpenter! He could do anything with a piece of wood!!
Janna West
Hi Anika,
I just purchased the diy woodworking plan for $7.99 and I am unsure where the plan went after my payment was processed? Maybe because I am on my phone. Just wondering how I access the material I just paid for! ah, technology. Thank you!
Anika Gandhi
Hi Janna,
Please email us at hello@anikasdiylife.com and we will take care of it.
Anika
Paula
I love your videos, your projects and the kindness!
My sister is an architect and mom was a teacher, wonderful women wish such a creative mind! You remind me of them ☺️☺️