Dec 1, 2010 | DIY, Fashion
Scarf Bow (on head): DIY. Denim Shirt: DIY. Pinafore Top and Flower Ring: Marc Jacobs. Feather Bangles: DIY. Tiered Silk Zipper Skirt: DIY (Forever 21 oiginally). Tights: Express. Suedette Booties: Forever 21.
Day 29 in my 30 Days of Outfits Challenge: November 29.
I’ve got to rush out the door, so here it is quick…
DIY IDEAS:
Tie a printed silk scarf into a bow and clip into hair, or secure to a headband.
Add feathers to some metal bangles to jazz them up (my rough how-to is here).
Re-fit an oversized button-down shirt to your size using my tutorial here.
Drill a hole in a metal mailbox number (from the hardware store – I chose #7!) and make into a pendant necklace.
Tutorial coming soon!
Add some stretch jersey to the waistband of a skirt and a zipper down the center to make it into a statement piece. (My original idea was here.)
Oh, man – I am late! Better run now….
xoxox
Carly
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Dec 1, 2010 | DIY, Fashion
Rhinestone Mesh Earrings: DIY. Rainbow Bow Tunic: DIY. Oversized Rhinestone Ring: Express. Multicolored Rhinestone Flower Rings: Vintage. Lacy Shorts and Silver Heels: Forever 21. Hot Pink Tights: Delia’s. Maribou Clutch Handbag: DIY.
In the home stretch now, baaaaaby!
I had a friend’s party to attend on Sunday, so I just wore what I was planning to wear to the party all. day. (I hope there isn’t a law against that;-))
The earrings I made for a tutorial I wrote for an upcoming issue of Snippets from CutOutandKeep.net. As soon as the issue drops, I’ll be sharing it here as well!
I wore my Bow Tunic backwards since it was looking too circusy with the pink tights and all. (These are the only shade of pink tights I have so I had to make do!!) The tutorial for my Men’s Shirt to Bow Tunic Dress is here.
I made this maribou feather clutch by gluing feathered trim onto a thrifted clutch. I love how fun and feathery it is!
Tutorial for Maribou Feathered Clutch coming soon!
I managed to snag the lace shorts from Forever 21 when they were selling them last year. Up until then I had only seen lace bloomers sold in Japan (or on Ebay), so I was really happy when I found them in Forever 21 in an American size. They’re great to wear under tunics or tops that would just be a little too short without them:-)
I actually used a Bumpit
in my hair for this hairstyle! I bought a pack awhile ago, suckered in by the advertising, and never had occasion to use them. But I’ve found they’re really fun and they actually do what they say they do. I think I’m channeling Leslie Hall from Leslie and the Lys today. I have never, not once in my life, worn my hair like this, in this semi-beehive. It’s totally ridiculous and I’m loving how silly it is!!
Have any of you walked outside the house knowing your hair looks out of fashion or even- gasp! – unflattering and just not cared because you were having such fun with it???!
Hope everyone had a great weekend!
xoxox
Carly
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Nov 30, 2010 | DIY, Fashion
Silver Chains Earcuff: handmade by me. WORD! Velcro T-shirt: DIY. Ruched-Sleeve Top: Kenneth Cole new york. Rings: Forever 21, Claire’s, Payless, and handmade by me. Cut-Off Jean Shorts: DIY. Tights: ?? Tricolor Socks: Target. Belted Legwarmers: from Japan, a long time ago. Sam Edelman Zoe Booties
: Amazon.com.
Day 27 in my 30 Days of Outfits Challenge: November 27.
This t-shirt I made last year by attaching some velcro strips to the front, and adding iron-on letters to bits of velcro so I could spell out whatever I want. I didn’t make enough E’s, though…apparently;-)
Tutorial for WORD! Velcro Tee coming soon!
My shorts I made from a pair of beloved jeans that I wore so much I wore huge, gaping holes in the knees…so I cut them off, added faux pockets sticking out beyond the hems, and distressed the denim with sandpaper and my drill.
Tutorial for Faux Pocket Jean Shorts coming soon!
I fell in love with the earcuffs made by Etsy seller uptights...but being me, of course I made my own version out of some chain and charms I had floating around in my bead-drawer.
My version of the earcuff.
I love the delicate, swingy chains and how they mix in with my hair! (I may indeed add a spike to the top as a counterbalance, but they’re pretty heavy, so I feel like my ear will get sore after a day of wearing it.)
If you love earcuffs and body chains, definitely check out her Etsy store above!!
I layered a pair of belted legwarmers over a pair of scrunched-down thigh-high socks for extra warmth. I love these Sam Edelman shoes – I just removed the harnesses for this outfit since I thought the silver buckles clashed with the bronze buckles of the legwarmers. You could totally DIY these belted legwarmers with a couple of belts, or you could make your own with some vinyl and belt buckles. Either way, it would be pretty easy!
Pudding is perplexed by me for some reason.
xoxox
Carly
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Nov 30, 2010 | Life
A reader asked who takes my pictures. That would be this person – my husband, or who I call “Hub” for short. He is the person who takes my photos…well, at least the photos where I am visible. For most of my tutorials, atmosphere photos, and close-up shots, I am wielding the camera.
For everything else, it’s Hub.
It is also, incidentally, the anniversary of they day Hub and I started dating today!
10 years to the date.
I can’t believe I’ve been with the same person for 10 years (a decade…all of my 20’s, really). It’s mind-boggling!
Hub is a very shy, private person and from the beginning insisted on me keeping him out of my blog, never sharing his name or face on the internet. (same for Lil Tot) He is very kind and loyal, very technical when it comes to electronic stuff (he’s obsessed with cell phones, for instance), is not particularly “chatty” or “social,” and tends to just go with the flow most of the time. He goes out of his way to make sure other people are content (often to his own personal discomfort) and is incapable of being dishonest or devious in any way.
We met in Tokyo sometime in mid-to-late November 2000, and started dating shortly thereafter. In 2002 when my visa expired and I had to return stateside, Hub transferred to Temple University in the U.S. so we could stay together. In 2004 after he graduated, he wanted to move back to Hawaii, where he’d gone to high school. So we moved there, and got married in April of 2004 (though we put off having the ceremony until a year later so our families from their respective countries could both attend). In October 2005 our son was born in Honolulu. In 2007 Hub put in for a transfer through his job, and we moved to Oregon in November. Now he attends pilot school full-time and is working towards getting his commercial license (he already has his private pilot license), a dream that he first told me about soon after we met 10 years ago.
We knew almost from the moment we met that we were fated to be together.
I know that sounds corny but both of us kind of felt like we had found a “match” in each other. I, an American having spent 6 years in Japan, and he, a Japanese having spent 5 years in the U.S. Both of us were fluent in the other’s language. Both of us had lived too long in the other’s country to just return to life as normal in our own. That expatriate experience we both had had when we were both very young was a shared experience that not many other people had…which was probably why we clicked so well. He was steady and dependable and had an offbeat sense of humor. I think he was drawn to my creativity and “anything-is-possible” attitude.
So, from Tokyo to Philadelphia to Honolulu to Portland...through 10 years of visas, pets, graduations, moves, continents, jobs, apartments, kids, and first houses…it’s always been us two, separated from both of our families by thousands of miles, most of our best friends by oceans or more…it’s been a long journey, and hopefully it’s only just begun!
circa 2001
Happy Anniversary, dear Hub!
xoxox
Carly
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Nov 29, 2010 | DIY
Earlier this month I wore it in an outfit, today I’m going to show you how to DIY it. It’s DIY in 5 – minutes, that is. The easiest, quickest ways to take a piece from blah to fab and update it to current trends.
Fur trim is applicable for anything hooded: a sweater, hoodie, or jacket. (Or even on pocket edges, lapels, flaps…you get the idea!;-) As the temperatures drop, the need to bundle up increases – and adding a layer of furry material adds a ton of warmth. I always shop cheap when I can – but often affordable prices mean skimpy manufacturing techniques and minimal trim and details. Add more value to your bargain pieces by adding a quick-and-easy line of faux fur trim to your favorites.
You Need:
*hooded piece to embellish
*faux fur trim long enough to go around the hood – mine was 5″ wide (or a strip cut from faux fur by the yard)
And…
*scissors
*measuring tape
*sewing machine and thread matching fur
*hand-sewing needle and thread matching your hooded piece
*skewer, knitting needle, or chopstick
How-To:
1. Measure around your hood to find out how long your trim needs to be. (Add about 3/4″ to each end so you have enough trim for the seam allowance.) Cut trim according to measurement.
2. Fold the trim over on itself lengthwise and sew into a tube on your sewing machine, leaving about 2″ unsewn in the center of the seam. Taper the ends.
3. Trim the excess at the ends.
4. Turn right-side-out using a skewer, knitting needle, or chopstick.
5. Use the skewer to pull any fur our of the seam if it was caught in there while sewing.
6. Use a hand-sewing needle to stitch the trim around the edge of the hood, stitching the opening in the trim tube closed as you go.
This is a super-easy way to add some wintery furriness to your favorite jacket or hoodie – and even if it takes more than 5 minutes to complete – it will most certainly take no longer than 15!
Happy DIY’ing!
xoxox
Carly
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