DIY Gold-jeweled toes for Slip-ons

Being a not so sporty person (huge understatement), I also don't own a lot of comfy shoes. All those sneakers and slip-ons don't really go with my style most of the days. But, when we were on our honeymoon in Pärnu, we happened to see a sales booth selling these super comfy plimsolls for just 13€, so naturally we bought like 4 pairs (I'm not kidding). Friends, these are slippers, for realz. They should not be an acceptable shoe, but they are. And, they come in every color. I've been wearing them like they are for a few times, but I just had that nagging feeling that something was missing. And, if you know me, and I think you do by now, you know I had to give them my own little twist.

Introducing, golden toes! I had some embellishment stones in my stash and used them to jewel my shoe tips, so that everyone can spot my bling a mile away.

BEFORE 

 Want in on the sparkly toe trend? (which I just created, ha!) Here's how:

 You'll need:
1) Shoes to make over
2) round and square golden embellishment stones or rhinestones
3) Super glue (E6000 works best)
4) Toothpicks

The steps are super easy.
1) Just take a stone, add some glue to the back of it with a toothpick (makes the application so much easier), and place it in the center of the shoe tip. This does not have to be the exact center, I totally eye-balled mine.
2) Start glueing more round stones on both sides of the center stones. I added 4 on either side, but if you have more stones, you could cover a bigger portion of the shoe tip.
3) When your done with the first row, start at center again and do a second and third layer. Continue until you have the whole shoe tip covered in round stones.
4) At that point, switch to the rectangle stones and place them in between the round ones in a diamond placement.
5) Last, add a row of rectangles in between the diamonds (see picture below).
6) Repeat with the other shoe.

I simply love how these turned out. A comfy shoe disguised as a stylish shoe. That I can do!

Have fun crafting, my friends!
xo Hanna

FYI: if you'd like a pair of those slippers, I found this place online you can get them from (not an affiliate link).

DIY Flared jeans into skinnies with an embellished cuffed hem

Flared jeans used to be all the rage. I remember getting my first pair of flares back in the 7th grade. I felt so fashionable, you wouldn't believe. Now, most of us have already stepped on the skinny jean train, myself included. Although, it did take me a couple of seasons to really get into them. Somehow, I thought I'd look terrible in skinnies. But, luckily I got over it.

So, when I was going through the to-refashion piles back at home, these flared jeans sparked an dea in me. I'd seen a pair of embellished and cuffed jeans on Pinterest ages ago, and thought this would be the perfect match. Also, it's the perfect project to bust some rhinestone stash I had left over from other projects.

 Materials needed: 
1) jeans
2) pins and scissors (only when modifying the cut of the jeans)
3) sewing machine (only when modifying the cut of the jeans)
4) rhinestones, embellishment stones, pearls, beads
5) glue (E6000 works best)

 Step 1 

 If your jeans are already skinnies, then skip this step. But, if you're using an old pair of flared jeans and want to skinnify them, take these steps.
Turn the jeans inside out and put them on. Pin the flared part of the jean legs close to your calves. Take the jeans off (be careful not to hurt yourself with the pins). Sew new side seams where you pinned. Cut off excess fabric from the sides and zig-zag or serge the raw edges.
Dont' worry about the extra length, you'll need that to create the cuff.

 Step 2 

 Turn the hem twice so that it's the right length for you. When you want to use this on a new pair of skinnies, buy a longer pair to be able to cuff them.
Gather all your rhinestone and plan out the pattern or design of the cuffs. Then glue the rhinestones or embellishment stones in place. You could also sew them in place if you have sew-on rhinestones/embellishments, but I really couldn't be bothered.

Easy, peasy! I think next time I'd add even more embellishments, but I wanted to only use supplies I already had at home. More bling is always better, wouldn't you say? (haha)

Hope this inspires you to give your old pair of jeans some oomph.
xo Hanna

DIY Gold leaf headband

Happy Monday! I hope you've had a wonderful start to your week. Mondays can be a bummer, as we all know, so why not start this week off with making something pretty for yourself. This headband takes very little time and effort, but looks stunning. Plus, it's a great project to make use of those old artificial flowers you're not using anymore.

I've been seeing a lot of pretty gold leaf headbands on Pinterest these past few months, and I really wanted to make one for myself. I don't usually wear headbands because they're uncomfortable to wear with classes, so I didn't want to spend money on something I would rarely use. Which is why I used only materials I already had for this project.

You will need:

• artificial flower leaves
• Golden permanent marker or spray paint
• metal headband
• bobby pins
• strong adhesive (like super glue or E6000)

1. Start by cutting the leaves off the stem. Your final design depends on what type of leaves you use of course, so you could also use very small leaves on a stem, in which case ignore this step.

2. Use a permanent marker or spray paint to color all the leaves you plan to use.

3. Let the leaves dry. Once they're completely dry, you can start making the headband.

4. First, mark the center on the metal headband. I wanted the leaves to overlap a little in the center, so I glued the first leaf so that the tip was about 1cm over the center line. Use bobby pins to stop the leaf from moving. When you first place the leaf and the glue is still wet, the leaves have the tendency to stick up from one side or move off center, so bobby pin are perfect for avoiding that.

5. Continue glueing the leaves to the headband from the center towards the sides. After all the leaves have been glued and you're happy with your design, add more bobby pins and leave the headband to dry.

I'm pretty happy with the end result. I would have liked to use smaller leaves, but I wanted to use materials I already had, and those were the best option from that.

Pattern Hacker: Working with leftover fabric

Today I'm starting a new series on the blog called "Pattern hacker". I've been sewing more from scratch lately which I haven't done much of in the last couple of years. I've noticed that I almost never use patterns as they come. I make a lot of modifications along the way - from slight changes in fit to changing the whole look of the pattern, to combining different patterns into one. Seeing the full potential of a pattern is such a valuable skill, and I'd love to inspire you to see your pattern stash in a new light. So, this new series will give you ideas, inspiration and tips to make the most of every pattern.

Now, onto today's hack. The project, like most of my sewing, is fully inspired by the fabric. I got this coral pink lace from a local shop that sells industrial selvedge fabric and sample garments. The lace came in different sized rectangles, which were smaller that 50cmx50cm. Needless to say, I had to get creative in order to make a garment from these fabric pieces. But, I loved the texture and pattern of the lace, and, oh, the color! (Sadly, the worst color to photograph.) I just new I needed to have it. Also, it came with a very good price tag. So, I bought 2 bundles for 2€ each.

Finally, I found a suitable pattern from my stash of Burda magazines. It's model 112 from Burda 04/2009. The pattern had a 2-piece raglan sleeve which fit perfectly with one of the lace pieces. To make things easier, and more wearable, I decided to make the back and line the front with a solid coral jersey I had in my fabric stash. (You might recognize the fabric from my summer maxi. I have a lot of yardage still left over.)

Now, the only problem I still had was the front pattern piece. The only way to use the lace was to cut the front into multiple separate pattern pieces. You can see my alterations on the picture below:

First, I measured the center of the pattern piece, and then drew lines from the outer corners to the center creating 3 pattern pieces. I cut the lowest triangle (nr 1) on fold. The sewing order for these pieces would be:
1) attach 3a to 2a
2) next, attach 3b to 3a
3) then, attach 1 to 2b
4) finally, sew the diagonal seam (only one possible seam left).

Other alterations I made: raised the front neckline by 4cm, and used fabric bands to finish the hem, neckline and sleeves.

I'm so happy with the end result. It's super comfortable, the fit is just what I hoped for, and I'm still very much in love with the color and fabric. I've been wearing it constantly over the past 2 weeks, and that in itself is an indicator of project success. Hooray!

I'd love to hear you feedback on the new series, so leave your thoughts in the comments!

Customize: DIY new insoles for old shoes

I'm a sucker for a simple project. This little shoe makeover took me about 15 minutes, but gives my thrifted shoes a new and improved feel. If you've been following this blog for a while it's now news to you that I'm a confessed thiftoholic. I also get most of my shoes second hand. The only down part about that is that unlike clothing, shoes are harder to clean, and who wants to wear old shoes when the insides look like they've been worn to pieces. So, with this pair of pretty flats I decided to change the insoles to give it a cleaner look and, more importantly, a cleaner feel.

The process was super simple and quick:

Just take out the insoles, use one of them to trace a sole pattern, and cut out new insoles from fabric. Then use an adhesive to glue the new insoles into the shoe, and you're done. It's as easy as pie!

Customize: Button embellishment

You all know I love me some buttons. Whether they are in my ears, on my clutch or....on my pants/trousers. Buttons can be a fun alternative to pearls, and a good way to to recycle. I always remove all the buttons from old clothes that can't be upcycled. So, if you have some colorful buttons, why not use them to spruce up an old pair of pants or a pocketed skirt.

I'll be back tomorrow with the second part of Pearls & Scissors' fall lookbook.

Customize: Beaded neckline

I think you might get tired of hearing this, but restyling your existing wardrobe can be easier than you imagine. Sometimes a simple embellishment can create just that breeze of freshness you were longing for.

I found this sweater amongst my Mother's unworn clothing. I have a habit of going through all of our family's unwanted clothing every now and again to find hidden treasures. It's even better than thrifting because I get everything for free and my Mom gets some additional closet space.

I loved the color combo of navy blue and forest green, but the whole thing was a little dull. So I added different glass beads to the neckline creating visual interest and giving a simple sweater some much needed flare.

This is not a new project, but I simply had to share it with you. I've heard so many people say they'd love to be able to do what I do. And I'd like to tell them "You can!". We are all creative by nature and I'm sure all of you have some amazing ideas. Start with a small and easy project and see how you like it. Not every technique is for everyone, but I think there's bound to be something for everyone. You'll just have to find your own.

Refashionista: Guest post at Coffee and Cardigans

I'm guest posting over at Callie's fabulous student chic blog Coffee and Cardigans. Hop on over for you're morning dose of refashion inspiration and learn how to add cute pockets to an old boring cardigan.

Happy Monday! Another busy week ahead of us. Let's make the most of it!

DIY: Glitter heel and toe

I'm slowly getting into restyling the shoes I don't wear for some reason. I've seen beautiful glitter heels around the blogosphere and I really wanted to give it a try.

I had a pair of plain ivory leather heels that I had scored for next to nothing many years ago, but hadn't worn much 'cause they were a little bit dull to be honest. So, they were the perfect candidate for a makeover.

Now, this project was not as simple as I had anticipated. All the tutorials I've seen have looked so simple. And, let's be honest, everybody writes "easy and quick diy" in the descriptions these days. Who would want to do a "long and difficult diy" anyway? But, sometimes there are things that make a project a little bit more time consuming. In hindsight, I wouldn't say this project was hard, but there were some hurdles I had to overcome along the way. On the bright side, hopefully learning about my mistakes will make your project that more easier.

I'll share the whole process and my tips after the jump, so be sure to click "read more" below.

Refashionista: Lace embellished Tee Tutorial (from H.E.R. archives)

This was my first and to this date the most popular tutorial I have made. So, I thought it would really be a crime not share it with you.

Lace can make a simple t-shirt so much more special and elegant. I'm not a t-shirt+jeans kind a gal, I usually don't wear simpel t-shirts, and that's exactly why I'm thinking of ways to make them just a little bit more special. If you're like me, I think you're going to love this tutorial. And this one.

Be sure to click "read more" to see the full tutorial.

D.I.Y. Button embellished clutch

As you may have noticed I seem to be obsessed with buttons lately. Ever since I bought that box of vintage buttons, I've wanted to incorporate them in to every project I make. And the button clutch is just another form of my obsession. But, I love it so! I mean, look how fabulous the buttons make the clutch.

If you share my admiration, then be sure to click "read more" to see the making process and my tips for recreating this look.

Refashionista: Zipper Tee Tutorial (from H.E.R. archives)

Today I'd like to share a quick and easy refashion idea from H.E.R. (my previous blog) archives. This is another perfect beginners project. It's super easy,cheap, and you can whip it up in half an hour. And, you don't have to be sewing savvy. All it needs is strait seams that you can do by hand if you don't have a machine.

Be sure click "read more" to see the full tutorial.

Customize: Painted rain boots

I first presented this project 3 years ago at my old blog Hapa's eco renewals. Since I'm still wearing these rain boots 3 years later, I thought I'd share this fun makeover with you. Especially because the fall is imminent and it's so much more fun to sing in the rain with your new custom painted rain boots. Don't you think?

It's quite an easy process and the outcome looks great. But, I do have to warn you that this method is not perfect, the surface will start to crack a little and it will look a bit like craquelure after a lot of wear. Like an old painting. But I don't mind, for me it just gives it more character.

Here's what you need:
1. A pair of rain boots
2. Spray paint
3. Inspiration
4. Clear lacquer spray
5. Old newspapers
6. Acrylic paint in different colors, depending on what you want to paint
7. Some paint brushes

1. Wash your boots and prepare them for painting. This means covering any parts you don't want to paint and stuffing them with old newspapers to seal the openings. Spray paint twice with your color of choice. Two coats ought to do it.

2. I used Estonian folklore as my inspiration. It was wildly popular back then to use patterns from traditional needlework and paint them on rain boots. Of course I had to try it, too. I used acrylic paint to paint the flowers. Let them try completely and then spray with a clear coat (I used clear lacquer for wood). This will waterproof the paint and gives it a nice clean finish.

I'm infamously bad at drawing, so my flowers don't look so hot, but they still look pretty from afar. And who's going to inspect that close anyway, right?

If you'd like some inspiration, type "muhu sussid" or "muhu kummikud" into google image search and you'll find plenty of pretty patterns.

Are you guys ready for the fall? I'm not a big fan of autumn, because the weather tends to get really cold and chilly and rainy and just plain bad around here. But, these rain boots sure cheer me up.