Aug 25, 2011 | DIY
The lovely girls of A Beautiful Mess, who run the vintage boutique Red Velvet, are offering a DIY Dress Up e-Course where you can learn sewing techniques to help you make a variety of projects. From a headband to a stylish bag to even drafting your own patterns for a dress that fits you perfectly – the course is organized into 17 “sessions” on a private, password-protected blog. You can take this course any time, 24/7, to view the in-depth photo tutorials for each session. In the tutorials they instruct you on utilizing your sewing machine to its fullest, thinking like a designer in designing your DIY pieces, reading patterns, and making many items to add to your closet. And the cost? A mere $29!
They’ve posted a FAQ here as well.
So here’s a question for all of you: do you believe reading a blog series online would be beneficial in upping your DIY skills? Or do you feel the online format would not be able to provide enough of the assistance necessary? Or perhaps that photo tutorials on blogs are a dime a dozen and that all of these techniques could be learned elsewhere?
Discuss! Is this the future of DIY classes?
xoxox
Carly
~If you liked this post, please share it!~
Leave Comment
Aug 24, 2011 | DIY
It’s that time again!
I’ve been preoccupied with family visiting and my mother’s birthday, and so am still a couple days behind my blog “editorial schedule” LOL. (I can’t believe I’m at the point where I even have one??!!) I can’t wait to finish cleaning out my office and get back to the DIY! So here’s what’s been going around the Internet this week…
Create your own Burberry-style Emu Coat at ILoveToCreate! No, not made of emus…or emu-patterned…or looking like emus…well, you’ll just have to see for yourself. Is this extreme crafting in the making?? 
Michael’s Medieval Cuff Project has shades of Dannijo written all over it…and all you need is some general-purpose craft glue for this fabulous metal and chain mishmash!
A Pair and a Spare had the amazing opportunity to collaborate with J. Brand, and created some Jason Wu-inspired lace jeans. Super-easy and chic!
Angela Osborn posted an incredibly inspiring Guide to DIY. Essential advice for any beginner looking to start any DIY’ing of accessories or wearables!
I’m inspired by these Prada-inspired flip-flops from the amazing Bye Bye Soccer Mom, who layered a couple pairs of Old Navy flip-flops for the same effect. So creative! (And you couple also potentially try craft store thick foam for contrasting layers in-between.)
Have you seen …love, Maegan‘s DIY Leather Cut-Out Statement Necklace? So easy to make, and yet so glam. If you have any leather scrap lying around, this is the perfect use for it!
NEW DIY BlOG DISCOVERY! SwellMayde, who’s done a number of on-trend projects and collaborated with Foam Magazine, came up with this Ethnic Blanket Vest earlier this year…which would be perfect now that Fall’s just around the corner. Check out all her other fabulous projects too!
Proof that simply subtracting about 1.5″ from either side of the Center Front of a button-up blouse will produce an attractively-draped V-neck. Patternmaking 101? Naw -it’s a new blouse makeover tutorial from Freshly Given! Amazing results, and just from a little nip/tuck.
If your project was featured above, feel free to grab a button and share the DIY!
<a href=”https://chiccreativelife.com/category/links-of-the-week”><img src=”https://chiccreativelife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/diylotwfeaturedbutton-2.png” /></a>
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
-all photos copyright their respective authors; photo array by me-
~If you liked this post, please share it!~
Leave Comment
Aug 21, 2011 | Fashion
My mother is currently visiting us so today we decided to take her out to see the Oregon coast since she’s never been before.
About a 2-hour drive away is Astoria, OR: a quaint old coastal fishing town that is bustling with tourists and locals alike on a Sunday. We went to the Sunday market, rode the trolley, had fantastic strawberry French toast at an organic cafe with an extremely chatty server and a fridge that had broken and spoiled their hand-made pizza dough, visited “Mikey’s house” from The Goonies movie, stared longingly at the too-cold-to-even-think-about-a-swim Pacific Ocean, saw purses with dogs’ faces quilted onto them, people with corn hats, and works of art rendered in coffee, and gazed on the grave of Ranald MacDonald (no, that’s not a typo – he was a missionary who visited Japan in 1848, believing that the Japanese and Native Americans were one and the same people, and was believed to be the first-ever English teacher in Japan). I poked in an architectural salvage shop and found a pile of glass door pulls and a crib with peeling (possibly lead-filled?) paint, and my mother bought a book of mazes for Lil Tot at The Purple Cow toy store. All in all, a good day.
xoxox
Carly
~If you liked this post, please share it!~
Leave Comment
Aug 18, 2011 | Fashion
Hair: Hairdo Wrap-Around Pony
Pointy sunglasses: thrifted
Sheer back galaxy tank: handmade by me
DIY cage cuff: tutorial here
Watch: Citizen Eco-drive
Black Jeggings: UNIQLO
Lace-up Oxfords: thrifted
Finally I got around to photographing the tank I made with my galaxy fabric! (more…)
Leave Comment
Aug 17, 2011 | DIY
Welcome to another DIY Links of the Week! I’ve decided to condense 2 weeks into one again – mostly from lack of time and being away part of last weekend camping. There’s been a lot out there on the Internet, and all of you have been so kind in sending me links to your tutorials in the meantime. Let’s hit it!
Wanting to add to your “arm party” of bracelets this Summer? Follow Maryjanes and Galoshes‘ braided leather bracelet tutorial and quickly make some pretty suede braided bracelets. Love!
Channel your inner Cher and make a boho-style tassel leather fringe necklace with black & white & loved all over. And extra points for creativity – she made it with an embroidery hoop as the base!! How’s that for innovative?
Have any old pants with an elastic waistband lying around? Make them into a cute sheath dress with elastic straps, courtesy of Comely Vesture. Can you even tell the dress was once a pair of pants?? And definitely check out all her other amazing refashions and tutorials on the blog!
It seems that everyone wants to hack the sleeves off their shirts now that it is Summer. Case in point: A Cleaner Closet shares her makeover of a silk blouse into a bias-edged shell. I love the schoolgirl-vibe to this refashion!
Sometimes tech needs a feminine upgrade. I’d love to makeover my boring old laptop case into a ruffled laptop case with the help of Less Cake More Frosting, shared on Tatertots and Jello. Plus, you could do this with any old bag!
Finally, you can DIY furniture, electronic equipment, and lasercut jewelry without owning the tools thanks to Ponoko’s innovative making system. Now if only a garment manufacturer could somehow implement a similar model for clothing!
Just lovely! Make a DIY Bow Pillow with E Tells Tales. The perfect use for leftover jersey from your stash!
If your project was featured above, feel free to grab a button and share the DIY!
<a href=”https://chiccreativelife.com/category/links-of-the-week”><img src=”https://chiccreativelife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/diylotwfeaturedbutton-1.png” /></a>
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
-all photos copyright their respective authors; photo array by me-
~If you liked this post, please share it!~
Leave Comment
