And I am just dying over that Tempura Maki Roll costume by Chictopian ONETWOTRINA!! So creative!
xoxox
Carly
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So Fall is now finally waning towards colder days, and the first week of November has come and gone. Here’s hoping everyone had a great Halloween! [if you celebrate it, that is;-)]
How Does She?’s DIY flowers from rick-rack and burlap are super-sute, and super-fast! Did I mention that the little rick-rack flowers are supposed to take only 15 minutes to make?! She’s linked up a ton of flower-making tutorials in the post – so check it out and be prepared to find a bounty of floral inspiration and must-do project!
The Winners of the Today DIY Style Week from MSNBC were announced, and as Outi from Outsapop so astutely pointed out, the winners are all accessory-making projects rather than clothing projects. Clothing is definitely a lot more difficult to DIY, since there’s such a range of sizing which often can’t be distilled to a “one-size-fits-all” set of how-to instructions. (Maybe also a reason the Today Show didn’t bother with featuring any clothing projects, since specific instructions would most likely not be applicable to a mass audience.) But that doesn’t mean that we definitely shouldn’t try!!
DIY Pearly Sunglasses by the In (ner) Sole o Cutie Boots let you channel your inner Lolita. Try using other items besides pearls, like buttons, beads, gold leaf, or even spikes for a Gaga-esque makeover as well!
Angela Osborn‘s Guide to Dressmaking – 8 Helpful Hints is exactly what it says it is: encouraging taking one’s time, following patterns step-by-step, and making a muslin/toile to deal with any fit issues before cutting into the good fabric. (Among other useful tips!) She also offers up an eponymous line of digital patterns available for download, where you can put those great dressmaking hints to work for you right away!
I love this incredible (and easy!) tutorial for Easy 3 Steps to a 3 Way Shirt from Cut Out + Keep user Emilyyy! Totally doable for even the most sewing-phobic.
DIY Cone Stud Spike Bracelet is a simple accessory that packs a bit of a punky punch. Check out Thanks, I Made It for the how-to!
Jazz up an old cardigan with some handmade flowers for an Anthropologie-inspired piece. Tea Rose Home used some fabric yo-yos, felt, and lace to make her gorgeous creation – how beautiful is that?
Studs and Pearls used Clorox bleach and paints to create an on-trend DIY Galaxy Turban Headband. Out-of-this-world chic at its best!
If your project was featured above, feel free to grab a button and share the DIY!
If you have a DIY how-to or tutorial that you’d like to see featured on Chic Steals, please email me at carlyjcais at chic-steals dot com – and I’ll try to squeeze it in to one of my Links of the Week posts! (Tutorials/how-to’s with steps and photos included please! So everyone can share in the DIY goodness:-)
xoxox
Carly
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9vgx2fLHt4
Just found this uber-cool vid on styling a men’s shirt into a dress. And you know me – I’m all about re-purposing men’s shirts, right??! Though maybe not all of the different styling ideas shown can work for all of us, I think we can all experiment with and see what works for each of our body types, and with what size of shirts! (Maybe with some leggings underneath for winter?) Also, how about formulating our own guy’s-shirt-configurational possibilities??!
Still drowning in class and personal projects, and now Lil Tot has some flu or bug. I’m still here, though – and hopefully will be getting a DIY Links of the Week post up tomorrow!! Thanks~
xoxox
Carly
Found via the amazing Outsapop.
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I’m currently swamped with projects and midterms for my classes, so today I’ll leave you guys with this quickie blog post.
Are you watching Lifetime TV‘s new series, Project Accessory? I’m on the fence about it (although I do love accessory design!) simply because I’ve heard mixed reviews about it, and have given up on y formerly favorite show, Project Runway, after the move to this network and the meddling of Bunim/Murray with everything that made the show great. Word has it this permutation of the soon-to-be franchise is still trying to find its footing inamongst the inevitable comparisons and the producers’ fondness for manufactured drama.
But here’s something neat and DIY-related! Project Runway alum Laura Bennett (Season 5) is coming out with a book called Handmade Chic: Fashionable Projects That Look High-End, Not Homespun (Jan. 2012), and is blogging for Project Accessory. Every week she’ll feature a DIY of the winning project, which is really cool! (Much better than the buy-the-winning-look possibilities that have cropped up from time to time throughout Project Runway’s run…since this democratizes fashion for everyone!).
Check out the first project and follow along with her blogging here:
Has anyone been watching Project Accessory? What do you guys think so far…must-see TV, or only good enough to read the recaps?
xoxox
Carly
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Another one of my tutorials was featured on the ILoveToCreate blog this week, so I’ve reposted the tutorial here for everyone who might want to try it out! I received a question about how to make a necklush [those looped fabric scarves that have gotten popular recently] a little while ago, and when I went to search for a tutorial that I’d read a couple years back, I found that the tutorial was gone and the blog no longer existed!! So I decided to write (er, re-write) the how-to. Granted, I don’t have a lovely Necklush in front of me so I can’t say exactly how they’re made…but this is my best DIY approximation, which includes a little side-fringe for those who like fringes. Hope it helps!
Carly J. Cais I am a DIY’er, designer, sewist, maker, and marketer. Chic Creative Life is where I share what I do, and help others bring their unique style into their own lives.
