So on Monday evenings, the CAC hosts an adult craft night called, appropriately, “One Night, One Craft.” Anything that encourages grownups to act like kiddos is something I can get behind.

The most recent night was dedicated to do-it-yourself mendhi, and I thought “Why not?” It’s sort of like drawing on yourself, and much like Simon, I like to do draw-rings.

The instructor showed us how to mix the henna and coffee into a paste, then create a cone (I swear cone-making was the hardest part) and fill it with the mixture. I sketched out a basic idea – a stylized ‘T’ – and went to town on my arm, trying not to be jealous of my neighbor’s intricate design. Clearly, SHE had the cone thing down pat.

After a messy evening spent with my arm coated in sugar and lemon juice and wrapped in plastic, this was the result!

Now I kind of understand why people get full sleeve tattoos: it makes you feel like a badass.

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I’ve had this standard-issue Gap denim jacket for years, and though it was still cute and functional, I felt like DOING something to it. Why leave a perfectly good item of clothing alone when there’s all sorts of potential to screw it up?

So, for your viewing “pleasure,” I present this quick fashion DIY video. Enjoy!

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I’ve been testing out my DIY scarf necklace to see how it fares in hot weather…

I also made a shorter, braided necklace using scraps in my craft box. I think I like the way they look together.

I also like how easy it is to make it look like I put some effort into getting dressed (when I most certainly have NOT) just by throwing them on over shorts and a tank. I’m all about lazy layering!

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I love a good scarf, I really do. But when it’s 127 degrees out, walking around with a large swathe of fabric draped around your neck is not really the most prudent idea. Things get SCHWETTY.

So, I’ve been thinking about making something a bit more accommodating, like a cross between a scarf and a necklace (a scarflace? a narf?). This is what I’ve come up with so far:

I didn’t do a step-by-step DIY because this is just an experiment (read: I had no idea what I was doing) and I have a few other ideas, but what do you think?

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Since I tend to gravitate to “colors” like gray and black, I wanted a cheap and easy way to add a shot of color–something bright and playful, almost cartoon-y.

I found this slightly weird necklace in the $1.00 bin at a flea market and decided it was my mission in life to paint it an obscenely bright traffic-sign yellow.

The whole project only took about 10 minutes, and I let it “hang dry” on my fire escape for the rest of the day.

I can’t wait to wear it with something gray, or maybe black–or ooh, navy. Mission accomplished!

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Y’all won’t believe this, but I finished another DIY Collection project! This time, I decided to take on the sleeveless blazer–I’m much better at destroying and deconstructing than I am at creating.

I decided to use this rarely-worn rayon-blend blazer I picked up from a thrift store last year. I love the pattern and the shape, but hardly ever wear it because it’s usually too hot for long sleeves by the time I remember I own it.

Step 1-4: Remove the sleeves.

I say this was multiple steps because it took FOREVER. I turned the blazer inside-out and used a seam-ripper to remove TWO rows of thread (1 attaching the sleeve to the body, another attaching the inside edge to the lining) from each side, which took way more time and effort than I expected/liked. Hmph.

Step 5-7: Re-sew the hem.

This really was (kind of) three steps, since I (1) folded and pinned the hem back in place before (2) stitching it and (3) ironing it flat. This is when I remembered how much more difficult it is to add a relatively even hem AROUND an opening than it is to hem straight ACROSS.

After much whining and some pretty crooked stitches, it was finished!

So, I really just removed the sleeves and re-hemmed the opening. I promise it was harder than it sounds!

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You guys! I finished a mending* project thanks to something I learned on the internets!

So, I’ve had this vintage beaded skirt  for years, but never really wore it because the elastic waist was SO stretched out. Even a belt wouldn’t keep this sucker up.

Enter this video and my newfound do-it-yourself-y-ness, and I decided to try my hand at fixing the waistband. MYSELF.

Step 1: Remove the thread from the waistband. I used a seam ripper, but it still wasn’t as easy as it looked in the video. Dangit.

Step 2: Open up a section of the waistband casing (that’s a TECHNICAL term, you know) and cut the old elastic inside before pulling it out through the opening.

Step 3: Insert new, stretchy elastic into the waistband. I didn’t measure the elastic because that seemed too much like the right thing to do, I just stretched it around my waist and guessed.

Step 4: Sew the ends of the new elastic together and stitch the opening in the casing shut.

Even with the double row of stitching through the elastic, it was a fairly easy project! And I love the result:

Isn’t the beading pretty? It’s like getting new clothes without going shopping!

Thrifted oxford; Limited belt; Nine West shoes; Gucci sunglasses

Yay for me and learning from the intergoogle! I already have another project in mind…

*I literally have a basket of mending like ladies had in Ye Olden Days. I’m 80.

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Okay, so in these pictures I’m really just walking/standing/generally looking confused, but since ‘crop top’ rhymes with ‘drop top’ , you start thinking about old Dr. Dre & Snoop videos, and, well…you get the drift.

Thrifted top and pants; vintage belt and shoes, Hark+Hark necklace

This is the result of my first DIY collection project–I think it turned out pretty well, especially considering the fact that my seamstress is a complete amateur. I also wanted to point out that high-waisted pants are a HUGE part of this whole crop top equation ’cause I ain’t Britney ca. 2002 and, really, no one wants to see all that. Really.

Have a great weekend!

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You’re not going to believe this, but I actually got around to doing a project for my DIY capsule collection! I decided to tackle a fairly easy task first: a crop top. Now, technically it only required extremely basic cutting and sewing but just humor me here, mmkay?

I found a cute little oxford shirt at Atomic Number 10 and decided it would make a perfect crop top. Here’s what I did:

1. Gather your materials.

I used a rotary cutter, but regular ol’ scissors work just fine.

2. Measure where you want the hem.

I decided the best length was between the 4th & 5th button, then used the ruler on the cutting mat to measure the length. To make sure it was (mostly) straight all the way across the hem, I used a pencil to mark the length on each side, then connected the marks.

3. Cut!

I used the pencil line as my guide, then added a 1/4 inch hidden stitched hem. I hand sewed it because I’m not clever enough to use my sewing machine.

Et voila! Pair with a high-waisted skirt or pair of pants so just a sliver of tummy shows, and you’re good to go!

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Every few months I do this weird thing where I decide on a certain “look” for the season: Disco Housewife, Downtown Powerbitch, Rocker Pageant Princess, etc. It rarely pans out (’cause really, who can afford a new wardrobe every few months?), but it’s fun to play around with these little capsule collections in my head.

This time around, I’m still loving the ’70s secretary look, and I feel like even if I can’t revamp my ENTIRE closet, I can still incorporate some of the elements of my little fantasy. I mean, retro styles are fairly easy to acquire with a little digging at thrift stores, and modernizing old clothes shouldn’t be that difficult. So I’m wondering…could I DIY my own capsule collection? 

Here’s what I’m thinking:

Then, once the elements are in place, add a few current accessories and the fun really begins!

DIY projects aren’t really my strong suit since they require things like WORK and PATIENCE, but I think I could try some of the simpler ideas and maybe call in the pros for the complicated stuff.

What do you think? Ever tried something similar?

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