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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I returned from the IFB Conference with a stack of business cards, which I thought was fantastic. If you have a blog, a website, or especially a business (no matter how small), you should have business cards.

While they seem like a holdover from simpler times, there are a few reasons why handing a small square piece of paper to a potential client, contact, or friend is still an effective way to network.

1. It’s a tangible representation of a person and their brand.
2. It serves as a reminder for forgetful people. *coughmecough*
3. It’s like a little piece of art in your purse or pocket.
4. It makes you look professional.

The easy way

Even if you don’t have top-notch design skills, you can still try your hand at creating a business card. There are two easy ways to do this:

1. Logo + text

It’s as simple as putting your logo on one side and your contact info on the other. Creating a grid is an easy way to ensure everything lines up in an aesthetically pleasing way. Don’t be afraid to right-align your text or use portrait (vertical) orientation. Easy-peasy.

2. Photo + text

There’s a good example of this at the end of the DIY lightbox post. If you create a product–crafts, jewelry, clothing, food, widgets–take a good photo of it and use the image on your card. Just crop it a bit and add your contact info. You can sample colors from the image to find complementary shades for the text.

Printing

With all of the online printing services it’s easy to have cards printed inexpensively. I’ve had good experiences with and heard positive feedback about:

• Overnight Prints
• Moo.com
• Vistaprint
• Uprinting

Don’t forget to see what your local print shop can do! If you’re in  Cincinnati, Seemless has extremely fast turnaround.

Most of the sites mentioned prompt you to upload an image file (JPG or TIFF) or PDF–several even offer die-cutting and more advanced features. For example, at Overnight Prints, you can add rounded corners for an additional $2 per 100 cards.

Enforce your identity

Make sure your cards reinforce the visual branding on your website, labels, packaging, etc. Your goal is to create an identity for your business or product, so all of your materials should have the same look and feel. If you’re feeling really creative, you can also use stickers, stamps, or even handwritten cards for a personal, crafty touch!

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After doing research for the product photography how-to post over at StyleSampleMag.com, I decided to try my hand at building my own bootleg lightbox. It was pretty simple, and I had most of what I needed just laying around the house:

1. Find a box. Cut holes in it.

I used scissors (an X-acto knife probably would have worked better) to cut out opposite sides of an old shipping box and a smaller “flip up” opening on top–all the better to take overhead shots with, my dear.

2. Cover the large cutouts with something translucent.

I used some white muslin from the time I thought I’d create my own patterns (ha!), and taped it to the box with packing tape. Be sure to pull the material tightly before securing it to the box! You could also use white paper or a different type of sheer-ish material.

3. Cover the inside of the top of the box with white paper.

I glued plain ol’ printer paper to the inside top of the box with a glue stick, and covered the inside-facing portion of the “flip up” opening with aluminum foil to encourage light reflection.  For giggles, I also created two small “reflectors” using paper, foil, and the leftover cardboard cutouts.

4. Tape a piece of white posterboard inside for the backdrop.

I got a large piece of posterboard at CVS for 99 cents and taped it to the inside of the back of the box. It naturally curves down to the bottom, resulting in a seamless background.

5. Light it up!

The ‘hood hardware store closed early (go figure), so all I had available were two desk lamps. No matter! These lights were free and seemed to work pretty well.

Results

I tested the setup by putting my camera on the macro setting and taking pictures of small jewelry and cosmetics items. The results:

They turned out pretty well! A few required simple color and exposure adjustments, nothing too elaborate. These images could easily be used to sell crafts and jewelry on etsy or small items on eBay, or turned into simple business cards:

Total cost: $o.99. All in all, not a bad project (unlike the great hemming debacle)! If you decide to try it or have done something similar, let me know how it goes/went!

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Since last week, I:

Wore the new AllSaints top I bought in the sale.

I love wacky asymmetrical draping, but FriendBoy immediately said “You’re wearing Theo’s shirt!”

It is now officially known as my Gordon Gartrell.

Hit the Jodi Arnold event at The Limited.

Due to underestimating traffic (I don’t know how I did the rush hour thing every day), I missed the fashion show, but did manage to snag the tunic I wanted as well as one or ten of the little cake hors d’oeuvres that were being passed around. Win-win as far as I’m concerned.

Found another (?) gray hair.

I’ve had two gray hairs since I was about 8 years old, and I used to be able to pinpoint their location with GPS-like precision. Since I stopped straightening my hair, it’s not easy to find anything in there, so I’m not sure if it’s a new gray or one of the old ones. Hmm…

Tried the new butter tart at The Bistro.

Doesn’t the name just sound like a good idea? Butter. Tart. How can you go wrong? The tarte tatin used to be my fave, but the gooey caramely-ness of this new concoction has just earned its own place in my dessert-lovin’ heart.

Hemmed a pair of my own pants!

I got motivated and learned how to do a basic catch stitch from this YouTube video:

Now that I think about it, I can’t remember the last skill I learned that didn’t involve a YouTube tutorial–god forbid I pick up a book and get some learnin’ the old fashioned way.

I got out my tape measure, needle, thread, scissors, even a seam ripper ’cause I was serious about getting the job done! One leg at a time, I carefully measured, cut, ripped, and stitched by hand. This was the result:

Oops.

Seriously, one leg was a full inch  shorter than the other. Ha! There goes my career as a tailor…

Bought a hot glue gun.

Who knew they were so inexpensive? I’m feverishly searching for random items to glue together at this very moment. As soon as I can think of a good reason to add feathers to my plastic plants, it’s on.

What have you been up to?

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I finished another project! I bought this satin brocade suit at one of my favorite thrift haunts last year, and realized I hadn’t taken full advantage of it due to the ill-fitting skirt.

In a rare fit of domesticity, I decided to take it in myself instead of spending another 11 months pretending I’d take it to the tailor “someday.” Since I’m not clever enough to thread my sewing machine (the whole bobbin-catching-thread thing never works and the entire process stresses me out) I pinned it and took it in by hand! It was surprisingly relaxing, and took less than an hour.

Of course, I had to wear it the next day.

I enjoy these hands-on creative projects! I was inspired by Sanchez’s Challenge (where are you, girl?) and though I’m pretty sure I’m not disciplined enough to do a project every day, I think I’ll try to make it a point to do more projects that don’t involve using a computer. Sometimes it’s nice to get your hands dirty, you know?

Do you make things as a creative outlet? What do you make?

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