DIY Links of the Week 11.22- 12.6.10

 Again, 2 weeks condensed into one cuz I’ve been lazy.

The Ongoing Project DIY’ed Tom Binns’ rhinestone, pearl, and safety pin necklace.  I love her version and can’t believe it wasn’t on my radar before!

Faux fur bootie covers – so lovely! Required2BeInspired DIY’s her own version, inspired by a pair of Dune boots she saw on ASOS.

Speaking of ASOS…Love the idea of Minx nails but the $50+ price tag + salon appointment hassle is scaring you off?  Try the $12 DIY version – Nail Rocks, available at ASOS.com.  I just ordered meself the gold metallic, but they also have animal print, lace print, and designer graphic prints…and I’m dying to try them all.

Ever wanted to DIY your own knitwear?  (*Guilty!)  Trendy Workshop allows users to create their own sweaters, scarves, dresses, and more in cashmere or cotton.  Based in France, the company has an online editor where you can choose from different silhouettes, colors, sleeve styles, text, and detailing for each piece.  Once finished you can have them produce and ship you the finish piece, and/or add it to your own webstore on their platform.

And – more nails again – sometimes glittery polishes just aren’t…glittery enough, ya know?  Kate from This is What I Do DIY’ed her own version of the glitter manicure…with real glitter, and it looks just perfect. (found via A Pair and a Spare)

Nixxi’s No-Sew DIY dress tutorial on Ecouterre is amazingly simple…and stylish, and multifunctional! Got 5 minutes?  Give it a try!

The 34 Great Homemade Gifts You Can Make list from Get Rich Slowly is an oldie but a goodie – and a great list to turn to for inspiration when it’s well into the holiday season and you’re in need of creative gifting inspiration.

And BurdaStyle is having an amazing Holiday Giveaway a DAY (until December 30th)- just leave a comment on each giveaway post on their blog, and you’ll be entered! 


Hope all of you had a lovely two weeks filled with DIY!


All imgs from their respective sites except the cookie jar mix, which was from here.
xoxox
Carly

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DIY Links of the Week 11.8 – 11.21.10

Combining 2 weeks into one since I got so busy since the second week of November.

Annette featured my Lace Top to Lace Vest tutorial in her 25+ Free Vest Patterns on Craft Stew.  She’s included a whole bunch of really great vest patterns and projects that I can’t wait to try!

Ever wanted to make a Hermes-style clear purse? Scottish Toile shares her how-to here.

Cupcakes and Cashmere posted a Semi DIY for those Yves St. Laurent fringe pumps that are making the rounds on teh interwebs. Instead of spending the $69.95 on the Steve Madden pumps, though – you can find the same version for $39 from Newport-News or $32.90 from Alloy.  Or you can even take a plainer velvet or suede pump and add Bondo to the heels to sculpt them just like the originals, like christeric did.

My Vintage Secret shows you how to make your own pair of DIY shearling boots. Just like the Burberry Fall 2010 version:-)

Bye Bye Soccer Mom shows off her studded pant cuffs DIY – done so simply with iron-on grommets, they look edgy and fabulous!

Suzannah at Adventures in Dressmaking shares her tutorial for making a leaf-embellished cardigan.  Her finished piece looks perfect enough to be sold at Anthropologie!

xoxox
Carly

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DIY Links of the Week 11.1 – 11.07.10

I contributed a tutorial to Foam Magazine on how to Make a Rope Knot Necklace.  Check it!

If you’ve ever wondered how to make felt hats, The Fashionate Traveler has a wonderful video on How to Make a Felt Pillbox Hat.  She has a great tutorial on making a military-style cap out of an old farmer’s straw hat by steaming it over a steam-cooker. (!!)

Amy Sedaris‘ new book Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People hits shelves.  Less DIY and more funny?  I’m adding it to my reading list!

A T-shirt turned into a shirred-top skirt?  Sounds right up my alley!  Check out sewlikemymom‘s tutorial on Instructables.com.

I just came across DIY Style, a site that has a number of crafty tutorials and vodcasts (video podcasts).  They even produce a line of patterns through McCall’s! (DIY Lingerie, anyone?  Sign me up!)

Lucinda at thriftandthread posted her tutorial for turning a tee into a knot-bust dress.  It’s so easy to do and the results are so pretty you’ll be wondering why you didn’t think of it before! 

Hope you guys all had a week filled with DIY!

xoxox
Carly

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Links of the Week – DIY and Otherwise 10.11 – 10.17.10

Though I’ve been in Paris (Ah, Paris!) most of this week, I’ve still been surfing the net.  (Not even Paris can keep me from that!)  Here are some DIY- and fashion-related stuff I’ve noticed around the past week…and a couple other links that caught my eye.

*…love, Maegan shows how to transform an old jersey skirt into a scarf/belt/hair-tie.  I just love multifunctionality!

*Got a lot of old books laying around your house?  Flavorwire has some great ideas for what to do with old tomes – rather than having them clog up your bookshelves.

*iartistlondon sells DIY kits for famous art pieces – like that crystal-embellished Damien Hirst skull.  (Though 8,601 crystals seem like an awful lot to have to affix oneself!)

*H&M launched a dress that costs $4.95.  $4.95.  Less than a Value Meal at McDonald’s.  Though the article doesn’t truly quote any H&M sources, whether the company is encouraging disposable fashion with these extremely low prices is definitely food for thought.

*DIY Junk Food??!!  You had me at HELLO!  Videos on make-it-yourself kale chips and Twinkies.  Um, awesome!!  (And I luuuurv making kale chips – and more importantly, Lil Tot lurvs eating them!! As do I.)

*Through Outsapop.com I’ve just discovered the blog Between the Lines.  Beautiful photography and DIY tutorials for simple, useful things.  LOVE!

*Twin Rabbits in Cups had both me and my 5-year-old transfixed though multiple viewings.  I love when their nose woffle in sync.  Soooooooooooo cute!  *squeeee*

xoxox
Carly

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Links of the Week – DIY and Otherwise 10.4 – 10.10.10

Just some DIY- and fashion-related stuff I’ve noticed around the past week…and a couple other links that caught my eye.

*Stuck for a Halloween costume?  Try one of  Flavorpill’s Pop Culture & TV-themed ones.  (Partial nudity & strong language warning!)  They also have a guide for Musician-inspired costumes, which gave me a laugh, too.

*365 days in a year – 365 brand-new dresses…each fashioned from a $1 thrift store dress.  Get some great ideas for refashioning and altering what you already have into stuff that’s cute and wearable at NewDressaDay.com.

*Shwin and Shwin is a new DIY blog I’ve discovered, full of crafty ideas, dresses from scratch (make-it-yourself patterns!), and handmade goodies for the kiddos.

*Why is Eco-Fashion So Expensive?  ecouterre spells it out with the help of Bodkin designer Eviana Hartman.

*I’m still wrestling with the idea of getting more personal on my blog but having trouble with it (I mean, who actually wants to see photos of me in my bra anyway??! LOL) and ProBlogger has some great advice regarding that.  Not about photos of me in my bra, I mean.;-)

*Sea of Shoes is having a Spring Fashion Art Contest.  Perhaps I’ll enter some of my fashion illustrations – and if you’re an illustrator, please enter too! (Deadline= Nov. 1)

*Have you heard of the label DIYCouture?  It’s a clothing collection that provides you with no clothing (!), just a book with instructions on how to make each piece.  The 12 patterns are easy, and you can custom-fit them to your size, choose your own fabrics and notions, and essentially make each piece exactly how you want it.  Stressing that when you make something yourself you value it more, this label strives to bring fashion directly to the consumers and eliminate the disposable nature of mass market clothing. (And at around $14, the book for each pattern is about what I pay at the sewing store for my patterns anyway!)

*On another note, I totally have Portland artist Jon Garcia‘s “The Wedding Song” stuck in my head.  He’s got such a fabulous voice!

xoxox
Carly

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DIY Roundup 5 Favorites

This week flew by in a flash!
I’m sure you all were feeling the same, as this week’s DIY Roundup only received 5 entries!:-(
There’s something about the beginning of Fall that just gets everyone their busiest…

Nonetheless, I had a great time visiting all your blogs and checking out your pieces.  You’re all so creative!  Here are the top 3 projects:

#3: Upcycle Leather Fringe Necklace

Shy Shirley has linked her version of a BCBG Max Azria leather tassel necklace – and the results are just FAB!  I love her addition of beads to the final piece – stroke of genius.

#2: Bow Ruffle Shell DIY Tutorial

From our friend from last week SewPetiteGal, we have a beautiful embellished-shoulder tanktop. Again, it’s so well-done I can’t tell it’s not RTW – and it’s so elegant!  Just beautiful!

#1: untitled by Simply Step Back
(actually an Easy Ruffled Scarf Tutorial)

This scarf is a wonderful alternative to the usual knit or crocheted scarf, and it’s so feminine and looks beautiful for Fall!  Great job!

Thank you so much for sharing, and please enter any other projects you have in my next DIY roundup!

If your project has been featured above, feel free to grab the button below.

xoxox
Carly

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DIY Roundup 5

Whew!  What a crazy week.  I haven’t had much time to DIY anything, since Monday I was getting packed to go to the airport, Tuesday I was in Burbank, CA, Wednesday I had my third interview with a company I’ve been applying to for a job, and Thursday…oh wait, Thursday’s TODAY!

Well, that means another DIY Roundup (5)!  Here are 2 pieces that I managed to make this week. From the September 2010 issue of Lucky Magazine [I know – you’re like “Lucky AGAIN??!” sorry, I just can’t help myself;-)], I spotted these A.V. Max feather bracelets on the model in a photo (circled below), and was promptly in love.  “Well, I don’t have any feather bracelets!” I said, and then promptly sat down to make some.

For my version I used a pack of multi-colored quill feathers (not the shorter pheasant feathers like the above photo) from Michael’s and two oxidized bangles from their semi-new “Industrial Chic” line (just removing the decorative jumprings on them first).  Some Loctite Vinyl, Fabric and Plastic glue and a couple clothespins later (and about 20 minutes’ drying time per glue application) I had two pretty, feathered bangles – one in black, and one in white – perfect to match with any outfit!

So now you get to share your own DIY’s!  If you have a DIY project or tutorial, please feel free to link below!  (However you can only link YOUR OWN PROJECT.  Please do not link others’ projects!)

If you’ve linked up your project to the Roundup, feel free to grab the button below.

Can’t wait to see everyone’s projects!
xoxox
Carly

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DIY Roundup 4 Favorites

So my last DIY Roundup has now officially closed, and without further ado I’d like to share with you the projects that got the most clicks.

I had a great time visiting all your blogs and checking out your pieces.  You’re all so creative!  Here are the top 3 projects:

#3: Geometric Necklace by Katarina

From She sells sea shells, this tutorial uses FIMO clay and powder pigment to simulate the look of the House of Harlow enamel necklace that’s been such a covetable piece for a couple seasons now.  I’m amazed at how incredibly similar her results look and her creative her problem-solving was!  Fantastic Job!

#2: untitled from SewPetiteGal 

(actually a DIY Ann Taylor LOFT Ruffle Cardigan)

SewPetiteGal updated a cardigan by sewing rows of ruffles down the front, just like a piece she spied from Ann Taylor LOFT.  Her finished piece is so well-done and such a match for the original it’s uncanny!  Elegant and chic.

#1: untitled from Angela

(actually a Sweater to Sequined Sweater Upcycle)

Angela from Unique Meets Chic took a piece of sequined fabric and sewed it under the front of a see-through sweater, creating a layered Balmain-style piece in the process.  I love how it just shows a hint of beautiful sequins showing through!  And this is a great way to turn a boring old sweater into a more glamorous piece for evening.

Thank you so much for sharing, and please enter any other projects you have in my next DIY roundup!

If your project has been featured above, feel free to grab the button below.

xoxox
Carly

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