Links of the Week – DIY and Otherwise 10.11 – 10.17.10

Oct 18, 2010 | DIY

Though I’ve been in Paris (Ah, Paris!) most of this week, I’ve still been surfing the net.  (Not even Paris can keep me from that!)  Here are some DIY- and fashion-related stuff I’ve noticed around the past week…and a couple other links that caught my eye.

*…love, Maegan shows how to transform an old jersey skirt into a scarf/belt/hair-tie.  I just love multifunctionality!

*Got a lot of old books laying around your house?  Flavorwire has some great ideas for what to do with old tomes – rather than having them clog up your bookshelves.

*iartistlondon sells DIY kits for famous art pieces – like that crystal-embellished Damien Hirst skull.  (Though 8,601 crystals seem like an awful lot to have to affix oneself!)

*H&M launched a dress that costs $4.95.  $4.95.  Less than a Value Meal at McDonald’s.  Though the article doesn’t truly quote any H&M sources, whether the company is encouraging disposable fashion with these extremely low prices is definitely food for thought.

*DIY Junk Food??!!  You had me at HELLO!  Videos on make-it-yourself kale chips and Twinkies.  Um, awesome!!  (And I luuuurv making kale chips – and more importantly, Lil Tot lurvs eating them!! As do I.)

*Through Outsapop.com I’ve just discovered the blog Between the Lines.  Beautiful photography and DIY tutorials for simple, useful things.  LOVE!

*Twin Rabbits in Cups had both me and my 5-year-old transfixed though multiple viewings.  I love when their nose woffle in sync.  Soooooooooooo cute!  *squeeee*

xoxox
Carly

Links of the Week – DIY and Otherwise 10.4 – 10.10.10

Oct 11, 2010 | DIY

Just some DIY- and fashion-related stuff I’ve noticed around the past week…and a couple other links that caught my eye.

*Stuck for a Halloween costume?  Try one of  Flavorpill’s Pop Culture & TV-themed ones.  (Partial nudity & strong language warning!)  They also have a guide for Musician-inspired costumes, which gave me a laugh, too.

*365 days in a year – 365 brand-new dresses…each fashioned from a $1 thrift store dress.  Get some great ideas for refashioning and altering what you already have into stuff that’s cute and wearable at NewDressaDay.com.

*Shwin and Shwin is a new DIY blog I’ve discovered, full of crafty ideas, dresses from scratch (make-it-yourself patterns!), and handmade goodies for the kiddos.

*Why is Eco-Fashion So Expensive?  ecouterre spells it out with the help of Bodkin designer Eviana Hartman.

*I’m still wrestling with the idea of getting more personal on my blog but having trouble with it (I mean, who actually wants to see photos of me in my bra anyway??! LOL) and ProBlogger has some great advice regarding that.  Not about photos of me in my bra, I mean.;-)

*Sea of Shoes is having a Spring Fashion Art Contest.  Perhaps I’ll enter some of my fashion illustrations – and if you’re an illustrator, please enter too! (Deadline= Nov. 1)

*Have you heard of the label DIYCouture?  It’s a clothing collection that provides you with no clothing (!), just a book with instructions on how to make each piece.  The 12 patterns are easy, and you can custom-fit them to your size, choose your own fabrics and notions, and essentially make each piece exactly how you want it.  Stressing that when you make something yourself you value it more, this label strives to bring fashion directly to the consumers and eliminate the disposable nature of mass market clothing. (And at around $14, the book for each pattern is about what I pay at the sewing store for my patterns anyway!)

*On another note, I totally have Portland artist Jon Garcia‘s “The Wedding Song” stuck in my head.  He’s got such a fabulous voice!

xoxox
Carly

DIY Roundup 6

Oct 7, 2010 | DIY

Thanks so much for everyone’s recent feedback regarding my DIY Roundups.  I’m glad to know that many of you enjoy them!  But every week does seem a bit much, so I’m going to take Bromeliad’s suggestion (thanks, btw!) and try these Roundups every 2 weeks so that people can link up more of their projects.  Sometimes we just can’t get enough done in a week (as I’ve definitely experienced lately!;-)

Since I haven’t finished photographing everything this week, I’ll share with you a pair of DIY earrings I made awhile ago.  I just bought a pair of cheap gold hoops from Claire’s and some tiny silk roses from Michael’s.  I removed the stems from the roses but kept the petals bunched together, and threaded two roses onto each hoop.  I then added some dangling pieces of chain in the center for a pair of sexy, feminine rose-and-chain hoop earrings.  (You may have seen some similar types of earrings for sale in retail stores lately, utilizing silk orchids, daisies, or other flowers, and chain, beads, and other dangles.  I was also wearing these earrings in one of the photos from the Tigard/Tualatin/Beaverton Valley Times’ shoot🙂

So welcome to DIY Roundup 6! If you’re unsure how to link up your tutorial (or finished project), here’s how:

Just click the light blue “Ad Your Link” button that appears to the bottom left below.  Follow the instructions in the Inlinkz window, pasting in the URL of your project or tutorial (from your own blog, Facebook page, Flickr account, Craftster.org, CutOutandKeep.net, etc).  Don’t forget to write the NAME/DESCRIPTION of your project – like “Bow T-Shirt” or “DIY Lanvin Necklace” – not your own name or your blog’s name!!! You can link up any piece you’ve made or tutorial you’ve written from any time, not just in the last two weeks (though it would be nice if it’s a recent project, just to keep the content fresh).  It’s all about sharing and bringing in more like-minded visitors to your site!

So now you get to share your own DIY’s!  If you have a DIY project or tutorial that you’d like to share, please feel free to link below!  (However you can only link YOUR OWN PROJECT.  Please do not link others’ projects!)

If you’ve linked up your project to the Roundup, feel free to grab the button below.

Can’t wait to see everyone’s projects!
xoxox
Carly

DIY Roundup 5 Favorites

Oct 1, 2010 | DIY

This week flew by in a flash!
I’m sure you all were feeling the same, as this week’s DIY Roundup only received 5 entries!:-(
There’s something about the beginning of Fall that just gets everyone their busiest…

Nonetheless, I had a great time visiting all your blogs and checking out your pieces.  You’re all so creative!  Here are the top 3 projects:

Shy Shirley has linked her version of a BCBG Max Azria leather tassel necklace – and the results are just FAB!  I love her addition of beads to the final piece – stroke of genius.

From our friend from last week SewPetiteGal, we have a beautiful embellished-shoulder tanktop. Again, it’s so well-done I can’t tell it’s not RTW – and it’s so elegant!  Just beautiful!

This scarf is a wonderful alternative to the usual knit or crocheted scarf, and it’s so feminine and looks beautiful for Fall!  Great job!

Thank you so much for sharing, and please enter any other projects you have in my next DIY roundup!

If your project has been featured above, feel free to grab the button below.

xoxox
Carly