Make It Mondays: Popsicle Stick Bracelets

Last Friday, while catching up on some blogs, I found the most amazing tutorial

on how to make bracelets from popsicle sticks. 

Isn't that just the bee's knees?

Apparently it came from an old craft book from the 70's!

Check out the original post here on Suzy's Artsy Crafty Sitcom

Take your sticks, soak 'em & bend 'em:

Paint them:

full tutorial here!

How amazing is that

I've found some more inspiration for mine:

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lavender wrapped bangle

from Bits 'n' Beads by Gilliana (on etsy)

check out the blog too!

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this one came straight from pinterest with no link

if you know where it's from let me know!

Found it!

Happy Monday!

What will you be up to this week?

PS. Don't forget to check out the link parties in the Side Bar or click here!

Make it Mondays: Wearing Friendship Bracelets

I am a strong advocate of friendship bracelets.  But now that I am going to be in the 'work force' I don't think the usual bracelet clad summer wrists are all that acceptable as a young professional.

So how do you take it from Campy to Chic?

Dress them up!

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Add some brooches or pins

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{click it, theres a tutorial!}

Make a bracelet out of leather cord & pair it with silver or gold bangles

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wear only one big one with your daily jewelry

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add charms

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Or parts of other broken/out dated bracelets

How will you wear your friendship bracelets this summer?

PS. Don't forget to check out the link parties in the Side Bar or click here!

Tempted Tuesdays: Bows as Belts

I've been taken by bows!  I had the sewing machine out & made a cover for one of my sketchbooks & was left with the perfect size of fabric to make a little bow.  I've also been crocheting some bow ties to be added to the shop shortly.  I am now completely smitten with bows!!

I love the idea of bow belts as well.  Here are some I've found on etsy:

I love the look of this one from Fabric Parade

this one can be a belt, headband, or necklace

from Nicta

the belt fuels my blue obsession as well.

pick it up from Absolute Queen

and finally this dress is just so sweet 

from Rusty Cuts

Now I'll finish sending some emails to get ready for my semester & head back to the sewing machine!

What are you currently inspired by?

Also, don't forget about the February Tights Challenge!

PS. Don't forget to check out the link parties in the Side Bar or click here!

Remember When I Said....

I really wanted a wig from this shop on etsy?  Well, I still do & am hoping I make a few sales on etsy to fund it :)

But I decided, by the friendly pushing of my friend Meg, that I should dye my hair purple/pink.  And I did! It came out a lot better than I thought it would & I think it's going to fad to a nice bubblegum pink which rocks.

It's faded a bit because I washed it this morning with out thinking.

Yesterday it was a bit more purple-er

You can check out a video of me talking about it here

PS. Don't forget to check out the link parties in the Side Bar or click here!

Tempted Tuesdays: Do Blonde's Really Have More Fun?

I love my short hair & I love dying it blonde.  But recently I've been thinking I sort of love long hair & absolutely love brightly colored hair.

This is (give or take) my hair now:

I don't have it blonde now, but you can trust it is going back asap!

I can NOT stand to grow my hair out.  I hate it sitting on my ears & I didn't take care of it when it was long.  But I've been falling in love with colored hair ever since I've seen Katy Perry rockin' it:

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I was reading a blog I totally love Susanna Bean where she mentions picking up a blue wig from an etsy shop.  I thought to myself, I might just do that:

Here are some from Tiffany DeMichele on etsy:

Berry Pink w/ Purple Streaks

Foxy Red Wig

Here are some other from Miss Violet Lace:

Gold Blog Wig

Ginger Spice Wig

Birthday Girl Wig

Vanilla Sugar

Sooooooooooooooo many to choose from!

So what do you think? Should I save up & do it?  I think so!

PS. Don't forget to check out the link parties in the Side Bar or click here!

Sum Up Sundays: Thrifted Finds

A few days ago I posted about what I would love to find out thrifting.  Well I can mark off a few things on my list, including owls!!! Check out the list here.

I found a set of two for 2 bucks! One is for my sister & the other for me.  I am going to paint them because everyone loves a fun color.  He might even have a name!  Here they are:

I also found a pair of red shoes with a small little heel for .99 cents.  The two watches were $5.99. The red one is a wind up watch & I am pretty sure it is broken but I changed the battery in the other one & it works fine!  I have another watch that looks like the silver one only it is gold & has little rhinestones around it.  I need to grab a battery for that one too.

I am going to put a picture of my puppy in the wind up one so it's sort of like a locket.  Keep an eye out for that tutorial!

Happy Sunday! I can't believe we are already at the beginning of the 2nd week of 2011!

PS. Don't forget to check out the link parties in the Side Bar or click here!

Sum Up Sundays: Holiday Style Re-Cap

Now that the fireworks are done & the tree is on this side of being almost ready to take to the curb I thought I'd finally share a little sum up from the holidays.

I baked cookies with my grandmother:

I plan on making some Strawberry Jam with her this summer, too

Opened the stockings Santa brought with my family:

Worked a bit but not quite enough & got some cool gifts!

First off let me say that if you are on a budget another store you should keep in mind for fashion is Claire's.

Loads of people think Claire's is just for young girls looking for style

they also have awesome stuff for grown up fashionistas. 

From working for the company, I totally know that we keep in style.

It's also our goal to make sure you know what is in style!

Icing by Claire's is the older version of the store & they have great bags, make up, decor, & jewelry.

Claire's has awesome sales going on right now some of the bags are I believe like 30%-50% off, 

holiday stuff is 75% off & there is a 10 items for $10 going on with the sale items.

So, with that I'll say that this bag was part of my birthday present from my grandmother:

She also bought me a ring, leggings, & another sale purse from Icing.

Thanks Gramma, money is the best present! :)

This hat was $4:

this is one of the two I have that remind me of Molly Ringwald

I bought these buy one get one 50% off from Macy's with gift cards from my uncle:

I like the blazers because I am going job hunting 

& the blazers can go from fun to professional with a roll of a cuff

My mother & I went to Burlington so I could stock up on dress pants for less.

And this is the other hat that reminds me of Molly a la 80's

I wore this to work on New Year's Eve:

this picture stinks lol but it looks like this minus the scarf

Did I mention that the line at Macy's that these are from is called Material Girl?

My big gift from Santa was a little vacuum & a SEWING MACHINE!!!

Since it snowed & I left my sewing machine at my gramma's I couldn't play around on it

Tomorrow is the day though!

Hope your Sunday rocks! What are you going to be up to?

PS. Don't forget to check out the link parties in the Side Bar or click here!

Tempted Tuesdays: Get Ready for some Geek, A Style DIY Post

I haven't discussed it before, I don't believe, but I am a huge (& I mean HUGE) Harry Potter fan.  I check Harry Potter blogs just as much as I do all my other craft, decor, inspiration blogs.  I. Love. HP.

I've read every book about twice I think, I have all the movies, I had a HP towel for summer camp when it first came out 13 years ago.  When this final part is over I have to grow up & I don't think I am ready!

Well, I have totally been obsessed with the Deathly Hallows to the point of considering joining all those crazy people out there by getting it tattooed on my somewhere.  I am not quite ready for it yet...but hey, its a new year in a few weeks.

I saw this on We Heart It & fell in love! I know that We Heart It isn't the best place to be able to give credit.  But if you know where this image is from, please, please, please let me know.

We Heart It says to link it here

How cool would it be to make a shirt or sweatshirt??  I am totally going to look through some old shirts from home to see if I have any blank ones.  Use acrylic paint to paint the image on with a wide brush.  The more handmade it looks the better.

What a great last minute DIY gift idea.  I know a few Harry Potter fans who would love one of these!

I am also in love with Emma Watson's new hair.  I love short hair & I wish my sister would go back to having short hair because she looks so good with it!

I totally want to take a thrift store sweater & pair it with one of my button downs.  Love, Love, LOVE her!

Also, 4 days til Christmas! Have you decked the halls & donned your gay apparel? If not you better get to crackin'

Oh did you see the lunar eclipse?

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Sum Up Sundays: Bracelet Tutorial

So on Monday I posted about my love for some beaded bracelets I saw over on Free People.  I decided to tackle trying to make a few.

Here are the supplies:

- Needle nose pliers

- Beads

- Memory Bracelet wire (you can find this at any craft store & even Wal-Mart)

step one:

cut off enough of the memory wire to wrap around your wrist a few times.

bend a little loop at one end to keep the beads on the wire.

step two: 

string the beads onto the wire.

fill the whole length of the wire with beads.

step three:

leave a little "tail" once you've strung on all of your beads.

step four:

use that tail to make a little loop like you did in step one

to secure the beads on the wire.

this is what you get

add some charms if you want

(I know that silver & gold aren't supposed to go together)

(sue me lol)

For the single bangle:

cut a length of straight wire 

(non-memory, I don't remember what gauge. But your seed beads need to fit on it...so not too big)

repeat steps 1 - 4

to finish, bend around soda can/bottle to create shape. 

open one loop & hook it through the other loop.

close opened loop

now you have a bangle!

Here they are styled together with some bracelets I have.

 PS. Don't forget to check out the link parties in the Side Bar or click here!