DIY or die??

As I spoke of in my introductory post, one of the things I've realized as a void in my closet is the presence of DIY projects. I don't have the slightest idea how to sew or dye things or add embellishments, but I do have a fierce creative desire to create some pieces of my own, especially with the recent buzz generated in the blog world about the UO DIY or DIE event held in NYC. And how could ANY self-respecting fashionista pass up the chance to be able to smile sweetly at a compliment and say, "Oh, this? I just made it myself!" =] So, without much guidance or instruction, I've decided to make it a mission to plunge forward into the world of DIY, with these sneakers from Urban Outfitters as the preliminary project. They look like a perfect blank canvas to start with. Also on my mind:

• Destroying/Shredding/Embellishing an oversize V-neck tee shirt. The ideas I have for this are endless. Where to begin?? Paint? Rips? Bleach? Beading?
• Cropping an oversize tee shirt. After being inspired by The Glamouri on Blogger, although I have no idea how to sew, I'd love to learn so I can make myself a slouchy grey version.
• Overdye/Dyeing some old clothes. Jessica Schroeder is a fabulous example of dyeing projects that turned out amazingly.
• And of course, these DIY grey sneakers. I plan to use bleach to turn them into some super cool 80's inspired acid wash kicks.

Going into this alone is admittedly a bit daunting... I can't say that I'm 100 percent confident I won't ruin my clothes completely, but I'm too smitten with the potential results not to give it a go. If anyone has an ideas or tips or even book recommendations that might teach me how to sew, I'd love to hear from you. Pictures promised once I get my hands dirty. What do you think of my DIY plans??