Refashionista: Cutoff shorts for summer

Summer is finally here! We've been having perfect summer weather this past week. This means, that it's time to dust off those summer clothes and put shorts back on top of the trouser pile in my closet. It's also  the perfect opportunity to upcycle some jeans that you're not wearing anymore. Cut-offs are super easy to make and customize with ribbons, lace, fabric paints, dye, fabric and so on and so on.

I had a pair of simple light blue denim jeans that I never really wore much. Somehow, I just didn't feel pretty in them. They fit great at the waist though, so I thought they'de make a great pair of shorts for the summer.

The process really was super simple:

I think the above process is self-explanatory. Take some jeans, cut off the legs, zig-zag or overlock the cut edges, pin lace to the legs, add some cute flower embellishments here and there, sew all of that in place, and that's it!

Love my new shorts! I hope they'll get loads of wear this summer.

Updates on life lately

It's been a while! Sorry for the radio silence on the blog, but life has been busy lately and school has been my top priority. Now that the exams are almost over, I can finally get back to making pretty things.

This pause in blogging has got me thinking about my blogging goals and the time and effort I've but into this blog. I've realized that although I love blogging and sharing my creations, it's become a very time-consuming hobby. Time that I could've put into working towards my true dreams of becoming an operatic singer. So, you're going to see some changes around the blog. I'm still going to share my creative inspiration and projects, but there will be fewer posts. Singing and music have to become a priority again.

Summer has always been the most inspiring season for me. After a sunshiny weekend in the countryside, I'm feeling re-energized and motivated! I can't wait for all the wonderful moments that this summer is going to bring. I'm sure it'll be a summer to remember!

Thanks for sticking around!

Refashionista: Flower embellished cardigan another way

A good refashionista knows how to create different variations with the same technique, so I thought I'd share this cardigan refashion that uses the same principle as this tutorial, but leaves the cardigan in one piece.

Instead of cutting the material for the flowers from the same cardigan, you could use a different source. Find an old t-shirt that matches your cardigan, as I did with this one, or why not use a contrasting or complimentary color to make the flowers. The possibilities are endless, it's all a matter of your creativity!

Summer is definitely a cardigan season around these part, so I hope this inspires you to give your old cardigans a new look for the upcoming season.

DIY Romantic Lace T-shirt (and pattern)

I think no-one would argue with the fact that t-shirts are a staple in any wardrobe, especially during the warmer months. I was doing a little spring cleaning in my closet the other day, putting away my winter wardrobe, and organizing for spring, when I realized I had only a few basic t-shirt, and half of them were black. Gasp! So, as soon as I got some sewing time I whipped up this pretty little thing. And when I say whipped, I mean it, because this one came together super fast.

Since the process of making this t-shirt was so simple, I thought I'd share it so you could give it a try yourself if you fancy. I used lace to add a touch of romance and give it a more feminine feel. The great thing about this pattern is that it can has lots of playroom and can be customized according to your individual style.

Be sure to click "read more" below to see the full tutorial, including how to make the pattern!

Refashionista: Re-sized navy blue spring coat

I'm a petite person, so I often find pretty things in thrift stores that are way too big for me. Although, oftentimes I'm a little bit sad to let those gems go, there are also some diamonds in the rough that can be refashioned to fit my small frame. This navy blue spring coat is just such a diamond. I got it for only 1€ and had to make it about 10 sizes smaller, but I couldn't imagine my wardrobe without it.

I made this project a year ago, and this coat has been my absolute favorite spring/fall piece ever since. I made quite a few changes, but the overall style of the coat remained the same. I took in the sides A LOT, starting from the hem following the side seam and then the sleeve seam until the end of the sleeve. I was lucky that the sleeves had only one seam instead of two like other fitted sleeves do.

The second big change was to shorten the hem  by about a mile (just kidding, but sure did feel that way). And I also took in the shoulders by adding a shoulder dart. Finally, I took in the gathering on the sleeve cap to make it less 80's and more 21th century, and relocated the buttonholes and buttons.

If you'd like to give this kind of a refashion a try, here are a couple of tips to look out for when sourcing the base garment:
1) look for details you love
2) make sure that your ok with the details you cannot change or that are too work-intensive to alter
3) look for simple construction and simple lines - those are easier to alter than lots of seams and darts

Needless to say, I love my coat! I actually have a light beige oversized coat waiting in the closet to be refashioned. I hope to add a new coat to my spring wardrobe soon!

Let's be friends!

One of the things I love most about blogging is that it allows me to meet wonderful new people and other fabulous bloggers. There are so many amazing peeps in the handmade and blogging community! And I would like nothing more than to meet even more of you. So, if you have a small handmade business, Etsy shop, or a blog, get in touch! We'd love to get to know you and find ways to work together. For instance, you could participate in our ad swap! (more info on our sponsor page)

I can't wait to get to know you!

Dying your hair naturally with henna

 

Today's topic is a little bit different from our usual posts, but since you've complimented on Elle's and Anneliis' hair, I thought you'd like to know more about the secret to their beautiful hair color. Some of you may be familiar with henna and other natural dyes, but I thought I'd share some resources and one amazing henna transformation.

After seeing Elle's gorgeous hair, and a little push from me, Tamar's sister Marita agreed to give henna a try. She'd been sending me pictures of beautiful redheads and talking about going red, so I thought I'd just give her a little nudge to go through with it. The good thing about henna, besides being all natural and good for you hair, is that unlike chemical dyes, it only covers the surface of the hair and therefore fades away with time. So, the only risk you'll take is having to walk around with red hair for a couple of month. It's not permanent.

In the above picture you can see Marita's hair before dying. At this point, she had three different hair colors: her natural dark blonde out-growth, then a dark blonde dye job (used to be a little more ginger), and then the dark brown chemical dye that she had before. She'd been trying to go lighter, but as we all know, there's no returning from a dark brown chemical dye.

Here's Marita's hair after dying with henna. I think it looks so beautiful! Don't you agree? Although there's still a difference between the upper part and the lower part of her hair, it's so much more subtle. And the color really suits her pale complexion and green eyes.

Here's what Marita had to say about the whole experience:
"Dying my hair with Henna was the first step in my hair makeover process. I've since made even more changes to my hair care routine like changing my hair brush, and using natural hair care products. I also don't blow-dry my hair, but let them air-dry instead. All of this has benefited my hair greatly. It used to be tangled and frizzy, it grew very slowly and I had a lot of hair falling out. After making these changes, my hair has become so much softer, yet stronger, the falling out has decreased, and my hair is growing faster.
Although the dying process is so much longer than with chemical dyes, it's well worth it. Even more, it makes you think more about what you do to your hair with those chemical dyes. I definitely plan on continuing to dye my hair with henna."

If you'd like to know more about henna and other natural dyes, here's a great resource.

As always, we'd love to hear your thoughts! If you have any questions or thoughts on this topic, leave them in the comments below.