DIY | loveliness. | Page 2

Category: DIY
- dye job
  
  Posted at 6:06 pm by jasminedesirees, on January 15, 2013
  
  I bought this dress in Vegas last spring, and even though I loved it when I bought it, that’s the only time I’ve ever worn it. I realized after wearing it the first time that I absolutely hated the long lacy sleeve on one side, and that while the dress was gorgeous, the nude part under the lace was actually a lot lighter than my skin tone, which made the dress extremely unflattering on me, kind of like I was just wearing Spanx with lace stapled on top.
  
  I viciously hacked off the sleeve one night, and even bought some light brown dye to try to dye the under-fabric, but sadly it is made of polyester which is apparently the only fabric in the world that can’t be dyed, and it looked exactly the same afterwards.
  
  I accepted my failure and the dress had just been sitting in my closet for about 6 months, but last week for some reason I remembered it, and refusing to accept defeat, turned to Google for answers.
  
  There were a bunch of kind of scary tips involving gas masks and goggles for dying polyester, usually in random out of the way “WikiAnswer” type message boards, but I decided to try one of them. It’s not like I am wearing it the way it is now anyway, so if it doesn’t work, what have I lost?
  
  I bought a spray bottle, some Camel coloured dye, some rubbing alcohol and some gloves and set to work.
  
  I had originally planned on using the spray bottle to saturate the dress with the alcohol/dye mixture, but I got sick of that after about 2 minutes (patience isn’t my strong suit) and ended up pouring the whole thing into a plastic garbage bag with the dress, and rubbing it around to get the colour on it.
  
  According to the instructions, you use rubbing alcohol because it evaporates a lot faster than water, then you iron it on a really hot setting to get the dye to absorb into the fibers, then you rinse it quickly in the coldest water you can find, and once it dries you are good to go.
  
  The dress still isn’t as dark as I would like it, but it is darker than it was. If anyone has any tips on dying polyester, I’d love to hear them!
  
  Posted in DIY | 0 Comments
- i heart glitter
  
  Posted at 4:57 pm by jasminedesirees, on January 8, 2013
  
  We moved into our house almost a year ago, and we did a LOT of work to get it looking the way we wanted. Most of the big stuff is done (except the kitchen cabinets and countertop) but now I’m trying focus on the smaller details that will change it from someone’s house to our home.
  
  I’ve been wanting to find some art work or something to spruce up our bedroom, but I’ve had a hard time finding the right thing. Then a few weeks ago I attended the Renegade craft fair in SF, and I was struck by inspiration. One of the booths had a garland of tiny gold glitter hearts and twine at a paper card display.
  
  I tried to buy it from her, and it was embarrassing for both of us when she had to explain that it wasn’t actually one of the products, just a decoration she had bought to brighten up the table. I was able to find sort of similar ones on Etsy, but they were all very expensive, and not large enough for what I needed, so I decided to make my own.
  
  I already had twine from an old project, so I picked up some gold glitter paper and a heart stencil at Michael’s, and set to work.
  
  It only took me about 45 minutes to make, and I really like it. The after pictures aren’t the best (my new camera should be here today or tomorrow, can’t wait!) and I don’t know if I’ll keep it up forever, but it’s really nice to have something up there and it adds a little extra glitter to my day.
  
  Posted in DIY | 0 Comments
- scavenger
  
  Posted at 5:32 pm by jasminedesirees, on December 27, 2012
  
  I finally made it out to the Concord Flea Market and it was really neat. I was a bit overwhelmed at first, because they sell EVERYTHING there. Like everything. You can buy electronics, clothes, jewellery, antiques, shoes, sewing machines, prom dresses, parakeets, there were even quite a few tables set up for people selling drugstore products like tampons and deodorant.
  
  I wonder who is coming here and buying random remotes? Does anyone ever find the one remote they were truly looking for?
  
  I am always drawn first to the jewellery, and antiques, especially anything you might use in the kitchen. I nearly bought an entire set of crystal glasses and a pitcher, until I remembered I have nowhere to put it.
  
  Ditto antique tea cups, I wanted to make my own candles and put them in there. I may go back and try to find some more of those because it looks really cute, but again, I really have nowhere to put them.
  
  Pet Rocks.. I wonder how much they were charging for these?
  
  Since I can’t figure out how to work my electric sewing machine, I’m pretty sure this one is out of the question.
  
  I did end up buying a few things:
  
  This watch. It doesn’t work, it needs a new battery, but I saw it and I thought it was so cute. I’ve been looking for a thin gold bracelet to wear with some bangles, and I have freakishly tiny wrists and it fit me perfectly with no alterations needed, plus it was only $2.
  
  I bought these little glass bottles, when I showed them to my husband he said “Why would you buy those? That is someone’s garbage, they are trying to get it out of their house and you bring it to ours”. But I have a project in mind and I know they will be ravishing when I’m finished, that will teach him.
  
  I also bought this antique Italian mirror, the frame is very heavy silver, and I think with a little TLC it could be really beautiful again.
  
  Posted in DIY | 0 Comments
- DIY
  
  Posted at 1:38 pm by jasminedesirees, on October 27, 2012
  
  I’ve always imagined myself to be quite creative, and figured that the reason some of my DIY attempts that would come off perfectly when I imagined them in my head left me with 3rd degree hot glue gun burns on my hands, a tornado of glitter around my house, and nothing to show for it but a twisted heap of gnarled cloth instead of the beautiful avante garde wall piece to complete my living room decor was because I simply lacked the time and patience to properly read directions, or make sure I had all of the correct supplies before launching head first into a project. It is possible I secretly believe that I am something of an creative genius, and that my true inner talent will somehow emerge during the artistic process.
  
  While I do lack patience, it can never be said that I lack enthusiasm, and I often dive right into a project the second the idea strikes me, and worry trivial things like the fact that I don’t know how to use power tools, and in fact was promised a B in my wood working class with the singular condition that I never step foot in the shop again, later. I believe my most commonly used phrase during one of these fits of creativity is “I’m sure it will work just as well if I do it like this instead…right?”
  
  There have been a few successes, like the time I made matching tie-dyed shirts for me and That One Guy, but to be fair it is very difficult to mess up tie dye, even if the colours in my final product did verge a little bit closer to brown than I’d have liked.
  
  I’d given up on my little craft projects a bit in recent months, after I spent $60 to make myself a necklace that was A) heavy and unattractive and B) something I could have bought for about $5 at Forever 21. But lately, probably because of a little site called Pinterest, I’ve been feeling quite crafty. I have hundreds of mason jars left over from my wedding, and tons of ideas. Recently I made this little beauty:
  
  A mason jar vase covered in gold glitter and I am in love with it! I have my wedding bouquet in it, and while it does have a few bare patches, and a long fingernail swipe on the right side, I am so proud of it, and feel quite like Martha Stewart. Of course it was very easy to make, it took me about 15 minutes, and I was drinking wine, eating chocolate and watching Love Actually at the same time, but still.
  
  Inspired by my recent success, I have undertaken the endeavor of making myself a Halloween costume. I fear that my years of dressing up ridiculously will be beyond me before I know it, and soon I will be at home passing out candy, or taking some little monsters of my own out and then stealing their candy, so I decided to go big this year. I’ve always wanted to dress up as a peacock for Halloween, but in years past I always felt that it was a bit too much (which when you look back at my costumes from years passed, I hardly think any of them were much better) but since my motto lately seems to be, “Screw it I’ll do what I want” I decided that this is the year.
  
  Once this incredibly important decision was made, I started looking online and found some really cute costumes… for $200. I decided to employ my own creative skills and make myself a costume using a tutu and corset that I already had and:
  
  Hot Glue
  
  Peacock Feathers (I bought them on Ebay, $20 for 100)
  
  Some Ribbon
  
  Some Elastic
  
  Needle and Thread
  
  and some glitter (obviously… although come to think of it, I don’t know when I last saw a glittery peacock in the wild)
  
  And here is the top, finished:
  
  I have no idea how sturdy this is going to be, and for all I know all my feathers could be blown off immediately by the first gust of San Francisco wind, but you can’t have everything in life.
  
  Posted in DIY | 0 Comments
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