Dec 20, 2010 | DIY
Since I’ve posted a how-to for a cheap n easy Easter Wreath and a similar one for a Fall Wreath, I thought a Winter Holiday Wreath was in order. Though you don’t have to buy your bits and bobs at the Dollar Tree per se, I found that they had such a variety of items I could just mix and match add-ons to their pre-fab wreaths…which alone, looked a little sad and like you bought it at the Dollar Store. And we want something a little more fabulous, no?
(Everything except the tiny ornaments I bought at the Dollar Tree…and the ornaments were in the $1 bin at Target near the entrance of the store!) Though the method is a little self-explanatory, I figured why not do something easy when everything’s all caught up in that last-minute countdown to Christmas?
You Need:
*evergreen wreath base
*4 assorted decor sprays (mine had pine needle sprays, pinecones, tiny horns, wrapped packages, and plastic fruit, already affixed!)
*large red velour bow
*pack of tiny ornament balls
And…
*hot glue gun & gluesticks
*wire cutters
How-To:
1. Trim the ends of the decor sprays so they won’t stick out from your wreath. Also: Fluff out the pieces of “evergreen” towards the outside so the wreath looks a little fuller – we’ll be angling all the stuff we’re sticking on towards the inside to create the illusion of a nice, full wreath.
2. Attach the bow at the bottom of the wreath base – mine had a pipe cleaner attached to the back for easy-affixment.
3. Hot-glue the decor sprays around the wreath.
4. Add the tiny ornaments, hot-glued in-between. (I chose ones that were within the same color scheme of my other decorations: red/gold.)
Done!
Okay, that took 5 minutes. Now on to the million batches of cookies I still have to bake!
Did You Know? The familiar stick-on 8-point ribbon bows that so many of us use on our holiday gifts are actually called “German Christmas Stars” (among many other names). There is a great step-by-step illustrated tutorial here for those of you who want to try folding your own (just don’t flatten down the points to get that “present bow” look).
Happy DIY’ing! (And if you’re looking to jazz up this wreath a little bit, do so with my Super-Easy $5 Holiday Wreath Tutorial…coming up shortly!)
xoxox
Carly
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Dec 15, 2010 | DIY, Fashion
How goeth the holiday shopping? I am terribly behind and having mini panic-attacks in-between braving the crowds at the mall and waiting in a line that stretches 3 times around the Post Office just to use the Automatic Mailing Machine. Hopefully everyone else has it under control – but if not and you’d like some ideas for that person who prefers to do everything themselves – and who has more than just a little craftiness up their sleeves – look no further and check out these DIY-themed gifts, all available online: (all under $50* – except for one* very important gift!!)
1. The Big-Ass Book of Crafts, $19.95
2. Beginner Studding Kit, $23
3. Wood DIY Gnome, $4.99 (sale)
4. Charmed Knits: Projects for Fans of Harry Potter
, $10.19
5. Kenmore Drop-In Bobbin Sewing Machine, $141.99*
(This is, BTW, the exact same machine I use – Hub gave it to me for my birthday 3 years ago. It is by far the best machine I have ever used – glides through EVERYTHING, even leather up to 3/4″ thick (six layers of sueded split top leather at 1/8″ thick a layer), and it’s never broken or given me any grief. It has 90 stitches on it (not that And I’ve never sent it in for maintenance, oiling, or anything. It’s pretty fabulous and I can’t say enough good things about it!)
6. Gingerbread Train Kit
, $19.95
7. Mayan Magic Chocolate-Making Kit, $24.99
8. Urawaza: Tips & Tricks from Japan, $15.95
9. Felt Whole Cakes Pattern Set, $5
10. Black & Decker 14V Drill with Stud Finder, $34.99 (sale)
If you know anyone who wants to get into studding their clothing, shoes, handbags, and accessories, the studding kit will set them on their way to spiky fabulousness – or for the DIY gourmet, make-your-own-chocolate or a sweet gingerbread train that will have to be safeguarded against prying little fingers until after the holidays.;-) And no serious DIY’er should ever be without a power drill – I use mine to drill holes in pendants, sand and buff metal jewelry, distress denim…and of course, make holes in walls! (and your drill doesn’t have to be pink for it to be perfect for you, despite what the hardware store guys may think:-)
xoxox
Carly
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Dec 31, 2009 | Life
So – I have to apologize first off for not keeping up with this blog as much as I’ve been wanting to.
First the Christmas rush – then the rush of sending New Year’s cards, then some other things happened, so I took a bit of a breather from my self-imposed once-a-day posting schedule.
Just a little time off, ya know? It’s the holidays – and I’m proud to say I’ve been slacking!!
So what have I accomplished in this time?
I’ve spent alot of time with the family. Just relaxing at home, playing games and doing activities. Finally putting the Christmas lights up.
I’ve baked and decorated more cookies and sweets than I ever want to see again in my life. Chocolate Coffee Toffee Oatmeal Cookies, Lemon Yogurt Cookies, Sugar Cookie Cutouts, White Chocolate Cranberry Bark, Chocolate-Dipped Ginger Almond Cookies, White Chocolate Lemon Shortbreads. Enough already!
After all the holiday hoopla had died down, the birthday/Christmas presents unrapped and oohed and aahed over – I also sprained my ankle. It was one of those dumb injuries where I was just walking along, tripped on nothing, fell down, and hurt myself. Well, not really.
The real story is that I was done taking some photos of a finished DIY that I was going to post here – I was holding the dress in one hand and my camera in the other – went to place the camera on the table, and my slipper got caught under my foot and the dress got caught around the dining room chair – I twisted myself around so as not to shatter the camera lens and place it as best I could on the table, overbalanced, spun around in aformentioned godforsaken slippah-o-death – cracked my hip on the windowsill behind me, and managed to come down hard on my right foot in precisely the wrong way – and my foot turned like 180 degrees as I fell. I swear I couldn’t do it again if you paid me.
So I couldn’t walk last Saturday (the day I did it) and it was kind of puffy and blue on top – even though I kept it elevated for most of the day – then, progressively, daily it’s gotten bluer and – sort of dead-looking. The puffiness has gone down, but there’s a ton of blood pooled right under the skin. It’s disgusting. I can finally walk again by hobbling around but I still can’t bend the foot properly. I really mashed those darn metatarsals!
I’ve also beaten Crash Bandicoot and Crash Bandicoot 2 (both for the second times in my life) on Playstation. All very well and good. I know – I’m cooler than cool.
I’ve managed to get through a couple letters in Nina Garcia’s The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own, which was a birthday gift from my mother. It’s a good basic – and surprisingly witty at that. I think I’m on B by now. (I swear, once you have kids reading goes out the window. Well, it’s either reading or blogging – not both. Does reading “Cars: The Official StoryBook to the Pixar Movie” 3 times in a row count??)
I managed to send in a couple entries to Steve Madden’s Sole Search on Brickfish.com just mere hours before the contest deadline, so since the prizes are decided by highest voted entries – no one had any time to vote. Ah well – I guess I shot myself in the foot with that one or sprained my foot hardy har har. I found it particularly ironic that I am designing glamazon shoes with teetering 5″ heels while at the same time propping up one black-and-blue puffy foot on my desk. Here are the shoe designs I submitted:
I’m also beefing up my illustration portfolio to submit to some local companies – and I have one big project in the works – can’t say anything specific just yet (will rev
eal more in late Jan/Feb), but I promise there are many forthcoming DIY’s to do with said project!
I’ve also ordered (well, because I’m immobile, instructed Hub to order) the traditional Japanese 2-tiered New Year’s Celebration box of food – brined shrimp, pink-and-white fishcake, kelp-wrapped simmered carrot packages, stewed lotus slices and rolled devil’s-tongue jelly, sweet beans, chestnut paste, salted herring roe, and candied sardines galore. Thank goodness I don’t have to piece it all together from scratch like I’ve done in previous years!! I’ll be eating out of this special box for three days straight come New Year’s, as dictated by Japanese New Year’s traditions. *sigh* Honestly, the only things I like in the box are the chestnut paste (middle row on the right), sweet black beans (upper left in green circle), and rolled puffed egg (second from right on the top – those things that look like brown cogs). The brined shrimp and the salted herring roe and I have an agreement: neither one of us looks the other in the eye – and thus, I can get away with not consuming them. Besides, Hub is the one who really enjoys the contents – Little Tot and I will fight over the few sweet items. (Truth be told, I am okay with the candied dried sardines as long as there’s walnuts mixed in with them, but alas, not in the box we ordered.)
Ah yes – and in the past couple days (perhaps anticipating my New Year’s Box of herring roe and kelp packages??) I’ve snacked myself silly on toffees and Walker’s shortbread (the shortbreads being one of my MAJOR vices. Damn you, Walker!!) Back to eating healthy tomorrow!
How about you guys? Anything you’ve managed to accomplish during the holidays?
xoxox
Carly
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Dec 25, 2008 | Fashion, Life, Media
by Carly J. Cais, Fashion Designer & ChicSteals blog
As a designer I’ve developed an eye for style over the years, and an appreciation for the fact that sometimes, designer pricetags can be downright scary. While life necessitates a splurge once in a while on that can’t-live-without-it fabulous item, much of the fun of fashion is mixing high with low to create outfits that are creative, and also budget-friendly. Each week, I showcase five hot designer-style steals (each for $100 or, in most cases, for much, much less)…along with one must-splurge item.
Since all year we focus on getting that look for less, at least once an annum we indulge in dreaming of getting that look…for, well – gasp! – retail. And the holidays are the perfect time to indulge in sparkly dresses, sleek clutches, and feminine toppers.Inspired by our fave celebs and fabulous fashionistas, here’s our fantasy a-girl-can-dream wish list of five fashionable items for the perfect holiday look, plus a festive splurge:
LIQUID LEGGINGS From Mischa Barton to Kate Bosworth to Lauren Conrad, the ruched Black Rats by Sass & Bide have become a favorite Hollywood way of showing off their gym-toned gams. The subtle wet-look sheen updates the quintessential legging, making it modern and sleek whether paired with a tunic, oversize tee, or black drapey top and black blazer for an Olson-sister-inspired look. Sass & Bide Black Rats leggings $180 at Net-a-Porter.com.
(Chic Steal: The $21 ING Faux Leather Legging from Macys.com)
BROOCH-DETAIL PUMPS Show off your fabulous legs (or leggings) in perfectly pointy and tres Audrey Hepburn-esque pumps. The 3″ heel is the perfect counterpoint to the retro-chic brooch at the front, and Audrey would have no doubt appreciated the iconic red sole, courtesy of Monsieur Louboutin. (To get the look for a tad less, pick up a pair of affordable satin pumps like the Abaete for Payless Zoey ribbon-weave pump 
and add a shoe-clip or a vintage-style brooch – Sorrelli makes an eyecatching crystal-cluster pin.)
We love this look for evening or everyday glam with a pair of skinny jeans or with a pair of bold cobalt Hue tights. Christian Louboutin Satin Brooch Pump $865 at FootCandyShoes.com. (Chic Shoe Steal: Satin Rosette Peep-Toe Heel $23 from GoJane.com)
SEQUINED DRESS You heard it here first: sequins are a huge trend for celebs & the rest of us for 2009, especially sequin shift dresses. The sweet design and shrunken shape are just perfect for a holiday fete…even if you leave the bow at home for fear of looking like a human Xmas package. Perfect with slightly sheer dark tights, bare legs (if you dare), or even under a military-style jacket and jeans for day (trust us – it really works!). L’Ecole Des Femmes Sequin Bow Dress $218 (sale) at ASOS.com. (Chic Steal: Sequin Minidress $40 at Forever21.com)
CHEERY TRENCH Make like Jessica Simpson and inspire a bit of Holiday spirit in a festive bright red trench. The tailoring and shape create a feminine silhouette, and the fact it’s from Fendi means it will keep you in chic style for a long while. Pair with slim-cut drapey pants in a contrasting white, or try a coordinating print dress and oversized earrings. Fendi Cotton Twill Trench $1850 at eLuxury.com. (Chic Steal: Animal-Lined Trench Coat $90 from Spiegel.com)
EDGY CLUTCH Birds of a fashion feather – like Rachel Bilson – know that a fabulous, custom-made clutch in is just the thing to cure the holiday blues. This retro redux number by Antoinette Lee – fans include Gwyneth Paltrow and Heidi Montag – is the perfect size for carrying all your essentials plus necessary extras, and it features a detachable cuff that’s like a separate piece of jewelry all by itself (not to mention built-in security). Whether paired with a tee tunic and leggings or a short frilly frock, when cuffed on, you will literally be a slave to your fabulous purse. Lua Chain Clutch $271 from StarsandInfiniteDarkness.com. (Chic Steal: purple faux leather (vegan!) Julie clutch $33 at Amazon.com)
STEAL OF THE WEEK: PAVE MOON NECKLACE The best things really do come in small packages, and sometimes even with a small pricetag. This $40 crescent moon pave necklace in a rhodium finish looks luxurious and fabulous – a la Jennifer Aniston. Ultra-thin, ultra-light, and ultra-affordable, the 1.5″ sparkle at your throat would look equally chic with a celeb-worthy LBD, or even at the collar of a cozy pointelle-knit cardigan. Crescent Moon Necklace $40 from PortiaJewelry.com.
And our ultra-steal of the week that costs nothing to wish for? World peace, of course, and Goodwill to all! Happy Holidays from all of us here at ChicSteals and Fashiontribes.com – and may 2009 be an even more wonderful year for all of you.
– Carly J. Cais
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