Make a large Girly tote bag inspired by Vanessa Bruno and LL Bean on Made by Genevieve. It looks so perfectly done and rivals those you could buy in a store! (And check out all her other DIY tutorials on her site too – they’re fab!)
Desde Tenefire Con Amor made an awesome DIY Prada Banana skirt just using fabric paint on white cotton. The great thing about those Prada bananas is that they have this hand-painted quality, so the more sketchy-looking, the more authentic!
Add some DIY to your office space with the help of Design*Sponge. I love all the great patterns from fabrics and paper that can be incorporated into your office area – how fun!
Erin Siegel Jewelry posted a how-to for a Simple Link Bracelet. Imagine making a bunch of these with your favorite charms and stacking them with other bangles and cord bracelets? Lovely and summery!
Autodesk, one of the world’s leaders in design, engineering, and entertainment software (3dsmax, CAD) just acquired the largest DIY community on the web: Instructables.com (for around $2 million). source I truly hope they improve the uploading editor (because it takes so goshdarn long to upload a project that I rarely do it), and that Autodesk doesn’t exclude how-tos and projects that may come close to some of their licensed products and software – as well as respect intellectual property ownership (which according to some of the comments, they have not had the best track record in). It remains to be seen!
Make a Custom Pair of Tap Pants with Haley Pierson-Cox on CraftZine. Boy, the fabric she used for her shorts looks so familiar!! I guess that polka-dot satin just lends itself so easily to a pair of frilly, lovely shorts. A must-do before the summer’s done!
…love, Maegan made a stunningly amaaaahzing pair of DIY embellished jeweled pumps, inspired by Dolce + Gabbana. The final result is completely droolworthy!!
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 included please! So everyone can share in the DIY goodness:-)
xoxox
Carly
-all photos copyright their respective authors; photo array by me-
(just click on the photo to see the product linked)
I always find that even when I think I don’t need another single thing in my wardrobe, clicking on over to ASOS.com always proves me wrong. I see this – I see that – I start drooling – my “how can I DIY this?” wheels start spinning – and before I know it, I start having dreams about a certain top or dress or bag or shoes (glitter peacock platforms anyone?).
I know, I know – I’m probably the worst example of rampant consumerism…but a world filled with frills and charming prints and lace and sparkly things is a world that makes me happy.
Feeling utterly uninspired lately, what with still getting back into the routine here after a month of being away – and mounds upon mounds of unpacking still littering my bedroom and computer room – I haven’t been up to DIY’ing much lately, or even web-surfing to any useful extent. Here are some things that have been on my mind lately and saved in my “Inspirations” folder…and maybe I’ll finally get off my bum and start doing some of them?? (more…)
Since coming back from Tokyo and getting up at 1 or 2 in the morning for the first 5 days or so, I’ve had some time to kill waiting for the grocery store to open so I can start my day. I’ve dove into my video collection and pulled out everything video that I used to love growing up – mainly because I wanted to re-visit the fashion from that era. It’s amazing to see what looks silly to our eyes now – and what fashions are still around! Here are some of my favorites:
The ultimate sleepover movie in the 80’s! I had no idea that it had been Sarah Jessica Parker and Helen Hunt in the two lead roles for the longest time, even after they both became known for the rest of their careers. Remember Helen Hunt’s beret with the grasshopper on it from the DTV tryouts? Or her outfit where she changes on the school bus simply by flipping her Catholic School uniform inside-out and securing it with the help of velcro? SJP’s outfit where she competes at the dancing competition for DTV killed me – I even made a similar version way back then, scribbling on a cut-up white t-shirt with pink fabric paint and pairing it with some hot pink spandex leggings.
I can watch this movie over and over again – and even now, when I’m at least 10 years older than everyone in the movie, the cool kids still look “cool.” Remember Cindy Mancini’s outfit that got splashed with red wine? Suede fringe and rabbit-foot earrings! I was always shocked at the boldness of it.
Who could mention iconic 80’s teen movies without including The Breakfast Club? Kids from all the different cliques in school are forced to spend a day with each other in detention – and emerge friends. (At least for the day.) Molly Ringwald was wearing that pink outfit that could pass for fashionable even today – and gives Ally Sheedy a makeover (I preferred her before all in black though!). I think anyone who watches this movie will find all of the characters relatable, even if they themselves identified as a “jock” or a “nerd” during high school. (sorry I don’t know why the above video isn’t loading:-(
The ultimate 90’s high school makeover tale. Who didn’t want to get up and put together her outfits like Cher? Watching it brings you back to all the great mid-90’s fashion: over-the-knee black socks, clunky-heeled shoes, bright colors, matching plaids. Why is it that movies with “makeovers” appeal so much?? This has three: the high school math teacher, Tai (Brittany Murphy, R.I.P.), and Cher herself. And it just makes you smile!
Watching the whole TV series was like watching 10 years of fashion fly by. I was always partial to what Donna Martin wore in the high school years – but all the flowered, breezy minidresses, combat boots, black velvet chokers, and bodycon dresses bring back memories.
Did you have any “fashion-inspirational” movies that you loved growing up?
Jil Sander’s S/S 2011 RTW Collection was filled with punchy-bright minimalist maxi-skirts with gathers at the waist – making all the models who walked in the show vaguely reminiscent of upside-down tulips. I re-created the bright column skirt with knee-length slit in one side, to herald the beginning of Summer and the return of warmer days. (I would have shared this much earlier, except I left my paper scribbled with all my measurements back in the States, during the last month I spent in Tokyo. So here it is finally!)
How to Make a DIY Jil Sander Column Maxi-Skirt
Since I wanted to make this DIY as simple as possible, I created instructions for a straight skirt (not a fishtail-cut like the peplum version), along with a removable peplum. In the Jil Sander Collection the fishtail orange skirt has an attached peplum, and there are also separate peplums that can be worn on top of pants or other pieces as desired. Therefore I decided to make two separate pieces for ultimate versatility; these are the instructions for the skirt.
So it’s been two weeks since my last roundup, and it’s that time again! I’ve been busy wrapping up my last week in Japan, packing, and then arriving back in the States and wrangling with jetlag for the last 5 days or so. There’s nothing like getting up at 2 AM every day, primed and ready to go as if it’s morning (well, I guess it technically is), puttering about on HIGH for a few hours, and then falling back into bed around 10 AM, and sleeping until 4 in the afternoon. And then the day’s over. Well, that’s been my week so far – let’s see what loveliness other, more productive people have been up to lately:
Susie from StyleBubble created the most professional-looking DIY painted skirt, inspired by Balenciaga’s S/S ’11 Collection. I never thought orange and blue when paired together could be so attractive!!
From The Illustrated Nail, Maison Martin Margiela-Inspired Nail Art takes those anonymous numbers to a whole new level. I love witty things like this that are akin to an “in-joke” that only the people INto fashion will really get! (source: StyleList)
Hate creating yards and yards of ruffles? Ruffle Fabric is a wonderful site that provides already-ruffled fabric by the yard – perfect for so many projects – and Suzannah from Adventures in Dressmaking has created an easy-to-follow tutorial for sweet little flower girl dresses using this fabric. (Easily adaptable for larger sizes!)
The Style Projects posted a great and simple tute for an OBEY inspired DIY necklace. If you use a chunky nail necklace as the base, no jewelry-making ability is required for this rocker-style dupe!
I’m loving the chic DIY cut-out blouse featured on Freshly Given. All you need is a structured blouse with a collar since you’ll be cutting off the sleeves: a brilliant solution for those hot summer days when you still want to look chic and put-together.
Have a boring, kind of creepy mannequin lying around your house? Decoupage it with vintage sewing patterns like Stacie from Stars for Streetlights did! (Hint: you can do this with any piece of hard furniture or any object around your house…maybe some customized sewing room decor?)
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 included please! So everyone can share in the DIY goodness:-)
xoxox
Carly
-all photos copyright their respective authors; photo array by me-
Featured in The Japan Issue (Issue #24 of CutOutandKeep.net’s online zine “Snippets) is my article Crafter’s Paradise, with a short list of some of the best craft stores in Japan, as well as mention of some interesting crafts unique to this country.
Thanks so much to Cat and the whole Cut Out + Keep team for including this!
xoxox
Carly
P.S. It seems some of the links weren’t included in the article; you may be looking for the online shopping sites for Yuzawaya and Tokyu Hands; as well as the English Map to Nippori Fabric Town, which I’ve relinked.
P.P.S. Also, here are some Tips for Shopping at Craft Stores in Japan:
GO EARLY. Most stores open around 10:00 AM (or even 11:00 AM!!), and get fairly crowded as schools let out in the afternoon. Aisles tend to be smaller, so sometimes fighting crowds in the late afternoon/early evening can prevent you finding some treasures.
BRING A TAPE MEASURE.Japan uses the metric measuring system, so if you aren’t familiar with meters and centimeters, make sure you have converted your measurements to metric prior to going, or you bring a tape measure with you so you can estimate yardage better when buying fabric.
KNOW THE LINGO. Finding someone who has the English vocabulary of crafting-specific terms and tools is like searching for a unicorn. If you don’t speak Japanese and don’t know the names of what you’re looking for, look up the words you need online before you go. I really like this online dictionary. (P.S. Even if you speak very, VERY good Japanese and you don’t know the term exactly and think you can go to the store and describe what you’re looking for and the sales staff will just fill-in-the-blank helpfully, think again. It’s a little strange, but most Japanese people are unable to supply the word in a guess-what-the-foreigner-means guessing game of words. And even if they know what you’re talking about, they’ll usually lead you to what you want in the store, never actually supplying the word you’re grasping for.)
BRING A SAMPLE. If you’re looking for something similar to something you already have (say you want to replace a broken clasp on a necklace you have), and you don’t know the exact specifics of size/type of what you need, just bring it. The staff will usually be happy (and oftentimes, relieved) to help you find a replacement or duplicate if you have a visual sample with you. Also, the system for designating the size of headpins, eyepins, clasps etc. is completely different from that of the U.S., so bringing a sample will help avoid confusion.
DON’T OPEN YOUR PURCHASE IN THE STORE. This is true at any store in Japan. Your bag will be taped shut at the top to prevent theft. The person at the register may ask you if you’d like to consolidate your shopping in one bag (if you are carrying a bag or two from another store), and place all your bags into a single large bag from their store, taping the top closed in the process. If you’re going to open it, wait until you’re outside the store; it’s just good manners.
Our flight to the States is supposed to be today, but a typhoon is scheduled to hit Tokyo this afternoon so it remains to be seen if our flight will be canceled or happen as scheduled.
If everything goes off as planned, I should be back Stateside on Wednesday! See you after I’ve recovered from the jetlag!;-)
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.
Photo 
Photo 
Photo 
Hair: top bun created with the help of my 
Our flight to the States is supposed to be today, but a typhoon is scheduled to hit Tokyo this afternoon so it remains to be seen if our flight will be canceled or happen as scheduled.
