DIY

Comfort plus cuteness makes for a winning combo, so punch up your look with a poncho!   Create a fresh look by reinventing a classic piece and stay cozy with this nouveau hoodie overhaul. To create, make a cut from the side seam of the sweatshirt body as well as each side of the inner-arm.  Open up the neckline with a crew neck cut-out.  Be sure to cut ONLY the top layer so you don’t loose the hood.  Close up the back by pinning large safety pins (or feel free to sew) across your new open seam. Cut the bottom sides (both front and back) into a curved shape, keeping the back a bit longer than the front.  Secure the sleeve to the torso, which creates a poncho silhouette. Use large safety pins and pin approximately halfway down the bodice.  For the armhole, attach buttons on the top and bottom front sections.  Use any button you like and attach with safety pins or sew. Use the same buttons to add accents to the shoulder seam.

Burgundy, merlot and cabernet wine…their rich and mighty hues add great flavor to design.  Lanvin recently created yummy earmuffs in this of-the-moment shade.  Get inspired, stay warm, and feel good with a fuzzy fix! To create your own: fold a piece of felt in half, which will be the base of the earmuff.  Trace and cut a circle leaving approximately 3 inches flat on the bottom fold.  The size of the circle can vary per person.  You will need two of these felt rounds.  When open flat, circles should be connected in the middle.  Apply small amounts of glue onto the outside of the felt, and begin wrapping around a fur or faux fur strand, gently holding it in place until set.  Continue to glue and coil inward until you reach the center. When completely covered, trim excess fur.  Attach each muff by sandwiching them outside of a headband, gluing insides of felt together.   P.S.  We’re also over-the-moon for these fox fur headphones from Beats by Oscar de la Renta…check them out! 

All hail McQueen!  Keep your manicure out and about, while your palm stays calm and carries on.   Alexander McQueen’s fingerless gloves inspired these delicious DIY glovettes, created with our friends at Who What Wear.  To create your own pair, cut the feet off of a pair of socks, which leaves you with a “tube”.  Cut all of the fingers off minus the thumb then snip off approximately 1/2” of thumb’s fingertip. Make a 1”-vertical slit on the outside of the tube to create the thumb hole.  Slide gloves inside the tube, pulling the thumb through the hole.  Find two sparkly brooches or buttons and glue thin tube shaped beads with a hot glue gun or super glue.  Once dry, pin or sew to the top of the glove.  

This season, give the gift of DIY with our Limited Edition WINE BAG KIT.  We partnered up with C.Wonder for a fun and festive Limited Edition DIY collaboration.  Be sure to check out the COCKTAIL PARTY KIT & STATIONERY KIT for other crafty and uber cool gifts for friends and family.  Oh, and P.S.-  it’s totally okay to gift yourself too! Use chalk to create personalized wine bottle bags for gifts, party favors and more!  Write, doodle, or draw on the chalkboard labels. Create special personal messages or monograms!  Peel off the decorated “chalkboard” label and adhere to the center of the bag.  Slip in your favorite bottle of wine or sparkling lemonade and tie a festive bow.  P.S.- use a slightly damp paper towel to wipe the chalk label dry and begin designing again.    CHECK OUT ERICA’S HOLIDAY HOW-TO VIDEO HERE!

Tiz’ the season for DIY and who says only trees are for decorating!?  Keep calm and get your craft on with a bold accessory that boasts this season’s chunky knit trend. Make a statement with a sweet and soft style essential that’s perfect to cozy up to.  To create:  Make a bracelet base using armature wire, which is extremely easy to form.  Find a cylinder-shaped item that fits your wrist- jars work great.  Continue to wrap around until you achieve the desired width.  Use wire cutters to snip the end.  Wrap Martha Stewart Crafts Lion Brand Mambo Yarn (P.S.- it’s available in several other colors including hot pink!).  Slide under one coil, and wrap around until the entire bracelet is covered.  Secure the end with a knot and snip on the inside of the cuff. Lastly, add a bit of bling and wrap rhinestone chain on top for a sassy touch. Baby, it may not be cold outside- so be sure to look cool!

Brace yourself with lace!  Valentino’s F/W 2011 Collection displayed smokey hues of lace mixed with chunky knits, which our friends at WhoWhatWear and I thought needed to be DIY’ed ASAP.   Loose yourself in a lovely-cozy-cool- creation that’s perfect for the cold weather and any winter wonderland. To create: sketch and cut out a pattern onto plain paper, which will be used to block out the center area of the sweater.  Remember to get creative with the shape of your pattern.  The pattern should be placed approximately 2-3 inches below the neckline and approximately 5 inches from the bottom of the sweater.  Cover the center portion surface of your sweater with the lace, pin the pattern over top the lace.  Follow the pattern, and trim lace.  Use a foam brush to apply a thin layer of fabric glue on the sweater where you want the lace to adhere.  Pat the lace down on the sweater and wait till completely dry to trim any excess lace. 

Declare your love for cool tools and be a cut above the rest!  Girls on-the-go with modern, multifaceted style need to be prepared for anything that comes their way.  Enter life’s must-have accessory; the Swiss Army knife.  For centuries, these legendary tools have battled rogue threads on our cocktail dresses, smoothed chips in perfectly manicured nails and so much more.  Our pocketknife pal stays put in our purse and is as essential as lipgloss!  Aside from the obvious “fix-it” functions, we’re big fans of using this handheld toolbox to DIY. Read on to learn how you can create a coveted “kiltie” embellishment for heels in need of an overhaul.   To create, trace and cut a template (almost like a stretched trapezoid) on paper.  P.S.- The size will depend on your shoe size.  Be sure to measure the template to the shoe before cutting and also leave a few extra inches toward the upper portion to tuck into the shoe.  Use your Swiss Army knife (on a cutting board with a flat surface) and cut two pieces of fabric.  Any type of suede or leather-like material works.  Use mini snips to cut two-inch slits. Continue to use snips to create an inverted “V” fringe.  Pierce two tiny slits with your knife half-way down.  Feed cord through the holes, leaving space for your ankle to fit in. Lastly, add a bead detail to the ends and tie a cute bow.   Get creative with your colors of materials, cords, and shoes-  mix and match your heart away… Your  Swiss Army pocket knife pal is super sharp… your DIY style should be too!

Dazzle with a tassel… everybody is doing it!  We adore to adorn dangly accents from curtains to coats.  This season, tassels are popping up all over the place.  Burberry’s  big and bold tassels throughout their Fall/Winter 2011 Collection,  inspired a DIY that is to DIE for.  From their boots to their bags, we’re utterly taken by their stunning and rich leather tassels. It’s on:  to make bold tassels reach for a leather-like material.  Cut 2 rectangle pieces approx. 16” x 6” inches.  Use a marker and a ruler to draw straight lines, which will transform into future fringe.  Leave a 1” inch space from the top and mark lines spaced 1/4” inch from from each other.  Use fabric scissors to cut the leather.  Once cut, glue the cord to the inside of the fringed fabric on one end.  P.S.- make sure to glue on the inside, not the outside of material.  Continue to glue and roll the fringe and cord together.  Hold in place for a few seconds until the glue sets.  Once rolled to the end, either tie tassels onto a bag handle or use a super strong tape to secure on the inside of the bag.  P.S.- You can remove tassels and tie onto just about anything and everything in your closet or home.  Get creative. Take the plunge and take to the tassel!  

































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