Inspiration for Valentine's DIY

How adorable and trendy is this heart ring. You can learn how to make your own here.

If you're looking for a cute but simple way to incorporate a little love into your outfit on Valentine's day, you might want to check out this diy refashion.

You remember those heart necklaces that you could break in half and then you and your boyfriend both had half a heart? Well, I think this lego heart is a very cool alternative. You could attach a chain to both pieces and make them into necklaces.

I'm definitely going to makes this headphones cord wrap diy. It's so practical, yet pretty and cute. Love it!

This is such an awesome diy! It looks so adorable, and would make a cute little Valentine's decor.

And if you're looking to add more Valentine's decor to your home, this is a pretty way to do it.

I love browsing through all the Valentine's themed DIY projects that have been popping up all over the interwebs. I don't think I'm going to have time to try some of them out this weekend, but I'm gathering inspiration and planning on a DIY weekend next week.

Happy crafting!

My Style: Pretty in pink

Lately I've noticed how long my hair has grown. I like it this way though. I'm restless when it comes to hair -  every now and again I get the itch for a new hair color or a new hairstyle. Same goes for my style. I just need something different all the time. As soon as I get into a style rut I feel demotivated and I lose my crafting mojo. I guess those two go together for me.

I rarely throw anything out of my wardrobe completely. If I get tired or bored with a garment, I just put it on hold for a while on the top shelf, or away in a suitcase, just to get back to it later. Sometimes we just fall out of love with a piece after getting an overdose of wearing it over and over and over again (as often happens with pur favorite pieces). Well, sometimes a little separation is just what an old love needs to flame up again.

I've had this cardigan since the 10th grade, when I got it from H&M. That's a decade ago! We've had our separations and some away-time, but I'm still in love with it. It's usually more a spring and summer piece for me (looks so pretty on dresses), put lately I've been in dire need of some spring, even if it is only in the form of outfits. This time I played around with it and put it on backwards. Ever since this wardrobe reinvention post, I've been obsessed with finding unusual ways to wear sweaters and cardigans. The narrow black belt has become a real wardrobe staple for me, as have the skinny jeans. I can't believe I didn't own a pair of skinnies before these.

Outfit details:

Cardigan: H&M from a decade ago

Jeans:  supermarket find

Belt: Tally Weijl

Jewelry: made by me

DIY Upcycled Heart Pin Brooch

Valentine's week at Pearls & Scissors in in full swing! Today I have a very valentinesy DIY project to share. This cute heart shaped brooch is an easy upcycling project to make and wear on Valentine's Day to add a little romantic spirit to your outfit. It's also makes a cute handmade gift for a friend.

I used an old red t-shirt for this project and it really does come together quickly. Here's how to make your own:

1. Make a heart shaped template the in the size you want. I always fold the paper in half, draw half a heart and then cut on fold to make a symmetrical template. Using this template cut out 5 hearts from a t-shirt, and 1 heart from felt. Also cut a small circle from felt to later cover the pin on the back of the brooch.

2. Stack all the hearts on top of each other so that the felt heart is on the bottom of the pile. Now use a chip of soap to  draw 3 hearts inside each other onto the fabric. Try to leave even spaces between the hearts. Use embroidery thread to stitch along the the drawn hearts.

3. This step can be made either now or at the very end. Attach the pin to the back of the brooch with a glue gun or other adhesive. Now cover the pin with a small felt circle. To make the pin usable, cut two little holes into the felt circle to bring out the needle of the pin and clasp where the pin closes. Glue the felt patch into place.

4. Take a pair of small scissors (nail cutting scissors work well) and cut the first 3 layers of hearts between the embroidered hearts.

5. Use ironing starch to curl the edges of the cut layers and make the brooch a little bit sturdier. Spray the fabric with starch and mull the edges with your fingers to curl them.

I'm really enjoying small little projects like this brooch lately. It's perfect for calming that creative urge when you don't have a lot of time for crafting. Happy crafting!

Refashionista: Lace heart sheer back tee

Welcome to the first themed week on Pearls & Scissors! Doing themed weeks was one of my goals for the blog this year, and here's the first of the series. Since Valentine's Day is just around the corner, I thought a Valentine's themed week would be just the right fit. So, over the course of the week I'll share some sweet projects to prepare for Valentine's day.

The first project is this cute lacy refashion. It's one of those really simple 30-minute projects that adds so much to a simple garment.

The process is really simple:
1. Take a simple t-shirt and measure the width of the back. Now draw a heart shape on paper a little bit narrower than you shirt back.
2. Place the heart template on the back of your shirt (turned inside out) and use a fabric marker/tailor's chalk or a chip of soap to trace the heart shape onto the shirt.
3. Take you lace fabric (preferably with some stretch in it) and place it over the heart shape. Make sure it cover the markings. Pin into place about an inch from the heart shape. If you can't see the heart shape through the lace trace it onto the lace as well. You have to see it to be able to trace it when sewing.
4. Sew along the markings with a zig-zag stitch. When sewing knits, make sure to use a needle suitable for knits, otherwise you could have trouble with skipped stitches. Once you've done with the sewing, turn the shirt right side out, and cut out the the heart shape inside the seam. Make sure you cut as close to the seam as possible.

It's the same basic method I used in this tutorial as well.

I'm very happy with this simple refashion. I have another cute top in my wardrobe, and I used only thrifted materials, which is just an added bonus in my mind. I think it makes a perfect piece in a Valentine's day outfit.

Sunday Spirit: Snippets of my weekend

I finally got around to putting up some curtains in our living room. We've been living in this apartment for one and a half years already, but I just could decide on the curtains in our living room, and I didn't want to spend a lot of money on them. I finally found a solution I'm happy about.

I spent most of my weekend sewing and plotting new projects. Tamar was away in Finland singing, so I had the place to myself. A perfect scene for a sewing weekend, since I can make a big mess without disturbing anyone. And I always make a big mess when creating.

I also did a lot of practicing. It's so good to be able to sing and practice again after having been sick in the beginning of this year.

We've had some sun over the past few days, and it's been so refreshing. Sometimes a sunny day is all I need to reload my batteries.

I performed at my school concert today in a beautiful church. It felt great to be on the stage again and perform. Everything went beautifully, and I got a real energy boost from it. Can't wait for the next concert!

How was your weekend? Did you do anything exciting?

Favorite Friday: Bows

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Bows are the cutest things! I love them on shoes and dresses, mittens and hats, in my ear and on my finger, and around a man's neck. They're simply that adorable. I think I have to make some bows tomorrow.

DIY: How to turn a regular scarf into an infinity scarf

Are just as in love with infinity scarves a I am? If so, this might be something for you. I was in desperate need of a red infinity scarf to match my red barrette and cloves, but I knew knitting one would take hours, and I wasn't really sure about the design. I didn't want to spend hours on a scarf I might not like once it's done. So I came up with a much quicker solution using a regular scarf I knit a few years ago.

The process is pretty simple. Remove the tassels, then sew the two ends of the scarf together and you've got yourself a new infinity scarf. I'm very happy with my "new" scarf. And I got to use something I already owned ( I really don't need to add to my ever expanding scarves and hats collection).

Happy crafting!

Wardrobe Reinvention: 3 fancy ways to wear a jersey skirt

Last week I posted 3 casual outfits with my black jersey skirt. Today I want to share 3 fancy ways to wear that same skirt. It really is a very versatile piece of clothing.

I love the skirt as a tube top paired with skinny jeans and some awesome jewelry. This is my favorite outfit from this series.

The royal blue blouse has become a real wardrobe staple. There are just some pieces that go with everything. And it's a perfect match with the black skirt as well.

The riskiest outfit is the wide-legged trouser and skirt as top combo. I wasn't sure it was going to look good, but I think the outcome is better than expected. I could see myself wearing this to a concert or to the theatre.

I had so much fun putting together these outfits. I'm already thinking of my next wardrobe reinvention project.

Refashionista: Constructing a waistline with shirring

A funny thing happened to me yesterday - I forgot what day it was. Has that ever happened to you, that you just forget what day of the week it is. So, while I thought it was still the weekend (since I have this week off from school), it was really Monday. And that's why there was no Refashionista post yesterday, like there usually is. Sorry, if you were looking forward to it!

Today's my Monday then, and here's this week's refashion project. Today I wanted to share an easy and quick way to nip in the waist of a boxy shirt. Shirring is a very easy technique, but very effective when it comes to refashioning.

I used it to construct a fitted waistline on this buttoned up shirt I found while going through my Grandma's numerous closets.

Just click read more to learn how I did it.

Sunday Spirit: Winter fun

It's been a beautiful and fun weekend. We've had freezing weather all weekend with temperatures reaching -26 degrees Celsius last night. It's cold! Today it was only -10 C, so we thought we'd go skating. Skating is one of the very few sporting activities that I actually enjoy, so it was fun getting my skates out and just going a few rounds. And I feel so good after a bit of exercise and some fresh air. I really should be outside more and find more sporty things that I enjoy. I know I should, but somehow I never do.

What have you been up to this weekend?

Favorite Friday: Embroidered

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I'm so inspired by embroidery lately. It used to my least favorite craft, but now I'm really getting into it and thinking about starting a few projects. When I do get something done, I'll be sure to share.

What about you? Don't you just love embroidered goodies?

Thrifted Style: Little black dress + bow tie

Ever since I became a passionate thrifter and seamstress back in high school, most of my wardrobe has been filled with self-made and thrifted goodness. I believe that it's totally possible to be stylish and trendy without buying retail. I'm so glad to have met Anneliis, who shares my passion for thrifted fashion. I love having a friend who I can go treasure hunting in local thrift stores with. Anneliis and Ann visited me a couple of weeks ago at my parents' house in the countryside, and we had a little photoshoot with some thrifted goodies. Also, a chance for me to work on my photography.

Outfit details:

Dress: thrifted

Bow tie: from my brother's childhood

Golden earrings: thrifted

Black heels:  mine from ten years ago

Wardrobe Reinvention: 3 casual ways to wear a jersey pencil skirt

Time to reinvent the wardrobe again! Today I'd like to share 3 casual ways to wear a simple jersey pencil skirt.  Mine is vintage and was passed down to me by my Mother. It's simple, classy and so versatile.

For the first casual look, I combined the skirt with a striped cardigan (thrifted) layered over a simple white button-up blouse (vintage). I added a narrow belt and a piece of my favorite jewelry (made by me). I love this look, but I think it's a little too corporate for me, too neat. Would be perfect if I worked in an office.

For the second outfit, I paired the skirt with a loose fitting knit sweater (thrifted), and some button earrings (made by me). I love the spring feeling of this look!

For the third look I turned the skirt into a top. Perfect for layering under a warm cardigan (gift from Mom) paired with skinny jeans (retail). This is a perfect day to night look. Come back next wednesday to see how, I'll be sharing 3 ways to dress up this blak jersey skirt.

See you soon!

Refashionista: Sweater into Skirt (tutorial)

I'm a huge fan of upcycling and I love refashioning old garments. Sweaters are a fountain of ideas when it comes to refashioning - there are so many ways to repurpose and remake them. But this refashion is still my absolute favorite. The idea came to me about a year ago and I made several skirts for my shop back then. I shared this tutorial on Merrick's blog a couple of months ago, but I thought I'd share here as well, in case you missed it back then.

The above two are versions I did for the shop. It's pretty easy and quick, but very very cute. A sweater skirt is perfect for the cooler months! Just pair with some colorful tights and boots and you're good to go.

Get the tutorial after the jump!