Posted by Erica on
There’s nothing better than the first sight of pumpkins in early October . . . a sign that fall is officially here and the holidays are soon to follow. While I’ll be carving a few shapely gourds in time for Halloween next week, I was inspired to decoupage a small batch with paint and black lace. They’re delightfully ghoulish and a great way to keep those pumpkins lasting longer!
You’ll need:
- a pumpkin
- thin black lace appliques or fabric
- craft paint
- Mod Podge
- 2 medium sized brushes
- 1 small brush
Posted by Erica on
Not only is Aldo commemorating their 40th anniversary this year, they’re also celebrating their long term commitment to reduce waste. By adding handles to their eco-friendly shoe boxes and turning them into bags, the goal is to reduce bag consumption by 40% this year and 70% by the end of next year. So when Aldo asked us to repurpose their special edition shoe box into something functional, we embraced the challenge. Reuse, repurpose, recycle . . . no problem.
You’ll need:
- a shoe box
- wrapping paper
- exacto knife or scissors
- ruler
- eyelet setter or hole punch
- eyelets
- Mod Podge
- sponge brush
Posted by Erica on
After purchasing an abundant (and unnecessary) amount of sequins for last week’s tutorial, I mulled over ways to repurpose them into another project. Inspired by those beautiful African necklaces made from recycled vinyl, it was obvious that a bracelet DIY was in order. Simple and fast . . . I dare you not to make just one!
You’ll need:
- 8 inches of strung sequins (available here and here)
- 12 inches of 0.5m elastic cord
- 12 inches of embroidery floss
- scissors
- needle or pin
Posted by Erica on
I must admit when Grace, of Stripes & Sequins, suggested that we each try making our own Markus Lupfer-inspired sequined sweater, I was uncertain. Attempting to attach tons of tiny sequins onto a sweater seemed difficult and downright messy. But I’m known to never turn down a DIY challenge and after the first successful attempt, I’m happy to report that this tutorial isn’t nearly as difficult as it seems. Because I chose a design that covered a lot of surface area, using sequin trim was a huge time saver. Thank you, Grace, for motivating me to just go for it!
You’ll need:
- a sweater (I went two sizes up)
- 10 yards of assorted sequin trim
- pattern (downloadable here and here)
- fabric pen
- Jewel-It glue (last used here)
- scissors
- tweezers
- needle & thread (optional)
Posted by Erica on
We were immediately inspired the moment we saw bare nails with blood-like, drippy polish accompany Prabal Gurung‘s spring collection at New York Fashion Week. Halloween is one of our favorite holidays and thus, the timing couldn’t have been better to recreate this deliciously daring DIY for our phalanges. Though a more vampy, burgundy color went down the runway, I went for more vibrant red . . . but the best part about this tutorial is that you can make it your own with just about any color, for any season!
You’ll need:
- Revlon nail enamel in Fearless
- a handful of wooden toothpicks
Posted by Erica on
I suppose we can call this week’s tutorial somewhat of a refresher course on how to master the perfect sliding knot. But the real reason why I had to recreate this familiar DIY with you is to share a little thing I recently discovered called a crimp end, that’s especially made for rhinestone chain. It’s a nifty finding that attaches to the ends, allowing you to finally put some use to all those few leftover inches of sparkle. Pay close attention and I’ll show you how to add to your growing and ever changing stack!
You’ll need:
- a few inches of 2.5mm rhinestone chain
- a pair of brass crimp ends
- 10-12 inches of 0.8mm chinese knotting cord
- wire clippers
- flat nose pliers
- scissors
- lighter
