Silk and Leather Love

Fashion DIY. “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says I’m possible." Audrey Hepburn

Hi!

So I was playing around with some left over beads and ended making these wire wrap rings. If you’re stuck for a mothers day present this would be a great little gift. Plus if your mum’s like mine homemade gifts always mean so much more. 

What you’ll need: Wire - 20 gauge, pliers, large flat bead, cilinder a little bigger than your ring size (I used a texta)

What you’ll need to do:

  1. Cut 50cm piece of wire and thread the bead to the middle. Bend back wire against the ends of the bead, so the bead will stay in place.
  2. Pace bead against cilinder and wrap wire ends around cilinder twice. Try not to overlap the wire and keep the wire taut. Bend the wire across the bead and bend down, preparing to wrap the ends around the ring band. Repeat for both sides. 
  3. Wrap the ends around the ring band, pull tight and trim.  Tahh dahh.  
Hope you like it!! XX

Hi!  

I have been wanting to do this DIY idea for quite sometime now. The other day I found this men’s shirt at an op shop (thrift shop) and I knew it was time to get crafty. This is a really cheap DIY, literally only cost me $7 for the shirt. 

What you’ll need: Large mens shirt, dress or tank top, sewing machine, scissors, tailors chalk, iron, elastic & pins.

What you’ll need to do: 

  1. Lay your dress over the shirt. You could also use a tank top because its the arms holes you need. Using the tailors chalk trace the arm holes. Then draw a straight line directly from the bottom of the arm whole to the bottom corner of the shirt. Repeat on the other side.
  2. With both sides together cut out the dress. Turn the dress inside out. Stitch right sides together and neaten. Overcast or overlock arm wholes. Iron arm whole seam inward and stitch. 
  3. To make the dress more fitted you can add a piece of elastic to the back. Try the dress on to determine how much you need to take it in. I used a piece of elastic 12cm long and stretched it over 22cm of the back. Pin the elastic to the inside of the back of the dress. Stitch elastic to dress, pull elastic taut while sewing. Tahh dahh!!
Hope you like it. XX

Hi!!  Long time no post. 

So todays DIY in inspired by Anna Davern’s Pear Diamond Earrings.  I saw a picture of these amazing earrings on Pinterest awhile ago and went about making them.  It didn’t occur to me until yesterday that the earrings aren’t actual crystals beads, however I had already made my Swarovski crystal bead version.  Plus the Swarovski crystals look amazing when the light hits them.  

What you’ll need: Wire, pliers, strong glue, 2 blank stud posts, 2 large Swarovski crystal faceted drop beads and 2 small Swarovski crystal faceted drop beads. 

What you’ll need to do:

  1. Cut a small piece of wire.  
  2. Shape wire into a U.  Thread on beads, one size on each side of the U.  Trim excess wire and butt ends.
  3. Glue stud posts to the top end of the small bead.  

Tahh dahh!!! Easy as that! Hope you like them. XX

Hi again,
So I love this Melbourne artist Kat Macleod.  I loved her work so much when I was young that I would cut out all of the illustrations she did for a newspaper and pay homage to them by sticking her work on my bedroom wall.  This DIY is in dedication to her work.  Check out Kat Macleod’s work at The Jacky Winter Group or any book written by Michi Girl.  Enough words for now, let’s get creative.  

What you’ll need: Paper (or watercolour water), tape, pencil, watercolour paints, magazine, glue, bits and bobs. 

What you’ll need to do:

  1. Find an image of a model in a magazine and rip it out. Tape it to the back of your paper then attach to the outside of a window or a light-box if you own one.  Trace the image.
  2. Now it is time for the watercolour paints.  Start with the skin and try to accent the body using as little paint as possible.  For example lightly shade in the cheeks, neckline, bust, inner arm and knees.  Continue painting the image until the face, shoes and other are completed.  
  3. Using your bits and bobs collage onto image as clothing.  I used sticky notes for the top, a fabric scrap for the skirt and shoelace for the belt.  
  4. For the finishing touch add a few droplets of watercolours or flicks.  Tahh dahh!

Hope you like it!! XX

Hi again!!  This is a quick easy bracelet to make.  It litteral took me 5 minutes to make one bracelet and it looks fantastic.  So I hope you like it as much as me. 

What you’ll need:  Wire, beads, cross charm and pliers (rounded and cutters)

What you’ll need to do:

  1. Cut the wire long enough to fit over your hand including a little extra. 
  2. Using the round tipped pliers secure the end of your wire and than wrap it around creating a loop. Thread the cross in the loop and tighten. 
  3. Thread on the beads.  Before making the next loop for the cross measure the bracelet to fit.  As before making a loop for the cross.  Try to make it tight and close to the last bead threaded. 
  4. Attach the other end of the cross, tighten and tahh dahh!!!
Hope you like it!! XX

Hi!  Here is a last minute post with a super last minute Christmas gift idea. Hopefully you’re all organised and don’t have to make any last minute gifts. 

What you’ll need: Key pendant, chain, toggle clasp, 4 jump-rings, drop bead and pliers.

What you’ll need to do:

  1. Using your pliers trim your chain to the desired length.  
  2. Attack the key pendant to the chain with a jump-ring.  
  3. Attach the toggle clasp to the chain, leaving left over chain at one end.
  4. Using a jump-ring attack the drop bead to the left over end of the chain.

Tahh Dahh!! Your done! To add the finishing touches wrap using this cute box template and print matching card and envelope. Hope you like it! XX

P.S. I’m trying a new format. Let me know what you think.


DIY Mini Terrarium

Hi! 

So it is nearly Christmas.  A time of a mixture of stress and joy.  Here is a DIY gift that will hopefully reduce your Christmas stress!!  This DIY is easy and quick to do to make… and would make a great gift!

What you’ll need:

  • Brandy glass
  • Stones
  • Soil
  • Succulents (I used sprouts off a plant I already own or you can purchase the plants)
  • Fine stones
  • Christmas ornament

What you’ll need to do:

  1. Place stones in bottom of brandy glass.
  2. Layer soil on the top of the stones. 
  3. Make a little hole in the soil and plant succulents.  I used 2 sprouts per glass.  Pack soil around the plants.  Water succulents.  
  4. Sprinkle the fine stones over the top, covering all the soil. 
  5. Place Christmas ornament.  Give to a friend!

Tahh Dahh!!

Hope you like it!

XX

Christmas Gift Box

Hi!!

I have official caught Christmas fever!  I was wrapping presents a few nights ago and needed something the wrap little presents in.  I searched throw the messy wrapping paper draw and decided it would be easier to make my own gift box.  Here’s how it went.  

Christmas Gift Box Template Download

What you’ll need:

Christmas Gift Box Template, scissors, textas, tissue paper and ribbon (optional). 

What you’ll need to do:

  1. Download free Christmas Gift Box Template and print.  Cut out and decorate.  Get creative!
  2. Flod along lines and press with fingernails.  Fold sides with hook first then loop over one side.  
  3. Place tissue paper and gift inside, then loop over the final side.  Tie bow through hook. 

Tah Dahh!!

Hope you like it! 

xx

DIY Christmas Cards with matching Envelopes and Gift Tags (Free Printable’s)

Hi everyone,

It is that time of the year again.  It has gone so quickly!!  Today’s DIY is on making your own Christmas cards with matching envelopes and gift tags.  This DIY involves free printable’s I designed.  I have given created the design with 3 different colour schemes you can choose from.  So here we go!

Here are the different colour scheme options:

Printable downloads: 

Pretty pastel: PP card, PP envelope and PP gift tag.

Starry night: SN card, SN envelope and SN gift tag.

Cherry on top: CT card, CT envelope and CT gift tag.  

(to download simply click on the shaded names above.  Form goggle docs click on file at the top left corner and then download).  

What you’ll need:

Printable of card, envelope and gift tag. 

Scissors

Scarps of paper (for card)

Needle and thread (for card)

Glue stick (for envelope)

Sticky tape (for gift tag)Ribbon (for gift tag)

What you’ll need to do:

  1. Card - Download and print card template in the colour scheme you want.  Cut it out.  Cut out matching coloured paper the same size and small white rectangle for the text inside the card.  Glue white paper to coloured paper insert.  Stich card and coloured insert together, sewing down fold line and tie to secure (I love the cute crafty look stitching a card together brings). 
  2. Envelope - Download and print envelope template in the colour scheme you want.  Cut out template. Fold envelope in half and flaps inward.  Glue down side flaps and press.  
  3. Gift tag - Download and print gift tag template in the colour scheme you want.  Cut it out.  Cut a small piece of ribbon and sticky tape this to the back of the gift tag.  

Tah dah!!!

Hope you like it and have a Merry Christmas!!

XX

Suitcase Table

Hi!!

I have been wanting to do this DIY for ages but I had trouble finding table legs.  I ended up finding a cheap side table from Ikea and used the Ikea table legs and bolts.  

What you’ll need:

  • Suitcase (I used a decorative one made of wood)
  • Table legs (I used legs from a cheap Ikea side table)
  • Bolts
  • Washers
  • Nuts
  • Ruler
  • Tape
  • Spanner
  • Drill
  • Pencil

What you’ll need to do:

  1. Use the ruler to find the middle of the length of the bottom of the suitcase.  Mark the center with tape.  
  2. Repeat the above process but find and mark the width of the suitcase.  Place table legs butting along the drawn centre lines and mark.  Make sure the legs are pointing to the corner of the suitcase. 
  3. Place table leg along marks.  Drill a hole in the suitcase using the table leg as a guide.  Screw bolts in place with appropriate tool.  I used the Ikea tool, you may need to use a screwdriver depending on the type of bolts used.  Open the suitcase up and secure with washer and nut.  
  4. Tighten nut with spanner.  Repeat the previous process for each table leg.  

Tahh dahh!!

Hope you like it!!

XX