Counting Down

Top: Gap / Cardigan: from a local boutique / Jeans: Gap 1969 Always Skinny sz 00 / Shoes: Target / Bag: Vintage Coach, via eBay / Sunglasses: Target / Belt: Target / Bracelets: DIY (how to, here!)

 

So the good news is I "inherited" this belt from my mom. Hooray for free stuff! The bad news is is broke all of two hours after taking this picture. :-/ It was a cheap-y belt from Target, so I suppose the fact that it lived for a few years is quite good.

I'm trying to be mindful of what I buy on the (super) cheap and what I spend my money on. Colorful skinny belts that will last a few years? $20, max. But, classic bags or workhorse shoes that will last forever? I'm trying to work up the courage to spend more on those sorts of things. Thus, my decision to buy that beautiful Cambridge Satchel as soon as I move to, fittingly, Cambridge, MA.

Speaking of which, I have only 3 days left working in the elementary school I've been in for the past year, 5 days left at this job, 10 days until I move, 11 until I start school, and 12 until my birthday! Whoah, there. I'm a serious combination of excited and nervous for what the next few weeks has in store. Wish me luck!

Hope you are all having a lovely week!

DIY Jewelry

As I've been (fruitlessly) trying to find holiday gifts for my friends and family, I've run across a fair amount of jewelry that I'm pretty sure I can DIY for a fraction of the price. Anthropologie, especially, is a great source of inspiration.

If I can manage it, I'm going to try to DIY versions of a few of these pieces for the upcoming holidays. I chose these designs because they seem to me to require very little talent and few materials; usually just wire and/or chain, and charms and/or stones.

 Coiling Branch Hoops ($32.00)                          Rain Remains Hoops ($29.95)

 Frosted Stone Earrings ($19.95)

I unfortunately forgot where I found these earrings--they've been in my inspiration folder for so long!

 Anthropologie is also featuring these "DIY" charm necklaces. To put together a necklace (here) you choose a chain and up to five charms, customizing the design to your liking. The chains are $18.00 and the charms seem to be around $15.00 each. That means the necklace I put together (above) would cost me $93.00 plus tax and shipping! What do you want to bet I could make almost the same thing at a fraction of the cost?

 

And lastly, alas, I don't think I can DIY these earrings, but they really caught my eye as they remind me of one of my favorite artists, Andy Goldsworthy, and his beautiful work with serpentine shapes.

 But, even if I can't make those last earrings, I sure can try to do the rest! Wish me luck!

Will anyone else by DIYing some of their holiday gifts this year?

Homemade Wrap Bracelet

I've been feeling a bit craftsy lately and figured, since holiday time is tough for those of us with smaller budgets, it might behoove me to find something creative yet inexpensive that I could make for Christmas/Hanukkah presents. Enter, this great little wrap bracelet! They are easily customizable, can be made in any color combination and length that you'd like, and work (in my opinion) equally well for both women and men.

* * * * * * * * * *

For one double-wrap bracelet, you will need:

• 3 feet of leather cord or leather thong (like this or this)
• 1 foot of ball chain (like this)
• 1 ball chain connector (like this)
• 4 feet of hemp cord, waxed linen cord, or embroidery floss (like this)
• A pair of scissors 

Measurements can go up or down, depending on the size of the person's wrist.

All of these materials can be found at a local crafts or beading store. For the bracelet below, I got my materials at Beads by the Bay, my boyfriend's mother's shop, in lovely Morro Bay, CA. Materials for two double-wrap bracelets (6 feet of leather cord, 2 feet of ball chain, 2 connectors, and all the hemp cord seen in the photo below), cost me $8.50. That means one double-wrap bracelet cost $4.25, but all subsequent bracelets will be even cheaper because I have a bunch of hemp cord left over.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Once you have your supplies...

Begin the bracelet by folding the leather cord in half, making a small loop at the top. Lay the end of the hemp cord down the length of the leather for about half an inch. Begin wrapping the hemp around both the leather and the piece that is laid flat:

 
Wrap about 5 times around, very close to the top of the loop, then place the ball chain on top of the wrapped cord. Leave about three ball chain links free at the end, and then wrap the hemp in the joint between the third and fourth balls:

Keep wrapping the hemp cord tightly around the leather, in between the joints of the ball chain. Be sure to keep the two sides of the leather cord even (i.e., not twisty or inside out) as you go. The best technique I found for doing this efficiently was to hold my right thumb over the "stitch" I just completed, and wrap with my left hand. Then, I moved my thumb to the next stitch, and continued (...slowly....) along the length of the bracelet. The bracelet will begin to turn as you go, ending up looking helix-y.

   Continue wrapping while checking for fit around the wrist. Once you've got the desired length, cut the ball chain and the leather (but NOT the hemp cord just yet!) and attach a ball chain connector to the end. Tie a few knots at the end of the ball chain, making sure the hemp is secured, and then trim the dangling end of the hemp.

 When you're done, you'll have a nice stacked bracelet like (half of) the one below! The bracelet shown is actually two double-wrapped bracelets, stacked together. I think when it comes to this style, the more the merrier. The bracelet can be easily removed by unclasping the connector. Here it is, modeled on the boyfriend:

   You can choose multiple color combinations of ball chain, leather, and cord to create unique gifts for the people on your list (...yourself included...). If you want a bit more of a sparkly look, you can use linked crystal chain instead of the slightly industrial-looking ball chain.

(Sorry for the fuzzy iphone photo)
Multiple colors, all stacked up! I think I'm keeping these for myself.... :)
 
Happy beading! And if you have any questions, just let me know in the comments!

The World's Easiest DIY: Jean Shorts

Honestly, this might not even be worth a DIY post.... I think everyone and their mother has probably made jean shorts out of old jeans. I do, however, have two tips that may or may not improve your jeans-shorts making process!

Start with: Weird old jeans that you realize you've had since middle school. Note the really strange fade-out at the shins, unflattering flare at the bottom, puckering around the knees, and too-light wash.

Top: from a local boutique / Jeans: Paige petites (very, very old)

 Step 1: While standing, put your finger where you want your shorts to end, then mark just below that with a sharpie.

 Step 2: Fold your jeans over and make sure everything lines up. This will save you from having your pant legs be two different lengths. Cut just barely above your line.

 

 Step 3: Roll up the cuffs to hide the frayed ends, and give your shorts a slightly more finished look.

Step 4: Wear with a loose tank top and no shoes in your backyard. Mojitos optional. (Though possibly mandatory for those of you also in LA. 84 degrees on Halloween day?! Craziness.)

Dress as a Skirt (And give blood!)

Top: From a nearby boutique / Skirt: Betsey Johnson dress, sz s (gift) / Belt: Target / Sandals: Gap / Necklace: gift

I hope you're thinking "Hey, cute skirt!" because then I could say to you "Thanks! It's actually a dress!" and feel all proud of myself. :) I got this adorable Betsey Johnson dress as a gift from a family friend, and I love the pretty print and light material.
It is a bit too short to wear out unless I'm feeling adventurous (or wear it as a tunic over shorts), so, inspired by a bit of style blogger over-consumption recently, I thought I might be able to turn it into a skirt.

I tucked the top in underneath the smocking, pulled it down to my hips and voila; after a bit of pulling and tugging, turns out, it worked great!

The smocking at the empire waist of the dress helps hold it up as a skirt, and this little Target belt helps as well.

Maybe you were also wondering about the odd style statement I seem to be making on my left elbow? It's a bandage from giving blood earlier in the day (Go! Give Blood! Do it! Sign up here! Fellow petites might want to know there's a 110 lb weight minimum to donate, but if you're over that, please do so!)

Anyone else had success with the dress-as-a-skirt look? I think I'll try to do it again with some other pieces in my closet...