Good Morning, Monday

wolverine western boots ♥ self-made skirt ♥ lacy shirt & old navy cardigan via crossroads trading company ♥ diy bracelet ♥ a.j. morgan sunglasses

The weather can't quite make up it's mind, so I've been wearing a lot of dresses and cardigans. A little patriotism in the color choices, a little Americana with the boots, but I tried to keep things in check last week on Memorial Day. 

DIY Convertible Sash

A while ago a reader asked for a tutorial on how to make those versatile stretchy strips of fabric sold at American Apparel as The Sash. It's a pretty rad accessory that can be worn multiple ways: as a belt, sash, scarf, necktie, turban, etc. It is also probably the single easiest thing to make, but I've just been putting off writing the post. Messing about with blogger takes much longer than actually making the belt! I also ended up using extra dye to turn my sash turquoise for the after photos, so don't get thrown off. All you really need is a piece of jersey (also known as t-shirt knit)!

 

What you'll need:
- 5" or 1/6th yard jersey knit**
- 5-10 minutes
- scissors

**The stretchier the knit, the better the sash will fit and hang, so be sure to give the jerseys a few tugs. I used a fabric similar to men's t-shirt weight—not the most flexible. Swimsuit lycra and stretch lace are other fun options. American Apparel's sash is 85" wide, which allows you to wrap it around the waist or head multiple times, instead of just once or twice. In stores, jersey generally comes 60" wide, so a simple 60" by 5" piece shown above should be very easy and inexpensive to acquire. I had a fair amount of leftover beige jersey, so I just cut a 5" strip off of that. If you'd like, you can cut out two 50" by 5" pieces and join them together at a short edge to create a longer sash. Also, ya don't have to make it 5" wide; that's just a general guideline that matches the store version.

Jersey fabrics don't really unravel, so you don't have to worry about finished any edges. If you'd like, you can trim the short ends at an angle to add flair, or use pinking shears for a sweeter look. Heck, you could pink the entire rim of the sash! Or make a wider sash and cutting in fringe... oh my, I'm getting more ideas! Are you?!

Okay, now it's up to us to animate this lifeless scrap! I tried to show the basic variations, but I'm sure you can come up with more, especially if you make a longer one. Bandage dress, anyone? ;)

Happy Crafting!

<3 Meghan

P.S. I always try to answer any questions in the comments so everyone can benefit, and I love love love it if you send or post pics of your creations and how you live in them!

Knot At All

Pardon my blah face. I slept so much over the weekend, I'm having a hard time shaking this grogginess! It was actually tolerable to wear just a little cardigan, even though thunderstorms were in the forecast. Before the deluge, I got some shots in during the dreary afternoon. I'd almost forgotten this nautical print skirt I made last winter, but as I was doing that annoying morning panicky dance in front of the closet not seeing anything that "felt right," I started digging and found it again. What a comfy skirt perfect to add some color to. (Typin' of colors, per a request, I'm working on a Color Combining 101 post and it's reignited my passion for the color wheel! Look for it later this week.)

The spiced chai (with honey and soy milk) from The Bagelry is my favorite in town, if I can't get to my trusty Trader Joe's powdered mix. When I went to pick up my hot beverage this morning, I also spotted some cream soda for later, and then got hooked up with a free smoothie! And for lunch I was craving this amazing tortilla soup from Cafe Campesino... lot's of liquid love today. Had to loosen my belt a notch or two ;)

tank top \\ Forever 21
full skirt \\ self made
bag \\ Kimchi Blue
wedges \\ Target
belt \\ thrifted
tail \\ H+M

I had a fabulous weekend full of food, thrifting, boy time, movies, shopping and zzz's. But as a blackberry user, I've been growing more and more jealous of all the fun stuff pretty much every other smartphone offers. Hipstamatic, cool photo filters, Words With Friends, I want to play, too!! So I collected some snaps from the weekend and faked it ;) I can't wait for August and phone upgrade time!

I hope you've had a wonderful start to June <3

Mustard Seed and Flatform

I'd been eying these shoes at Crossroads for a few weeks, yet wasn't totally sure. But I kept thinking about them and then one day, there they were in the half-off section waiting for me. They add a modern element to a vintage-y, lady-like outfit. This gingham shirt has been getting a lot of wear lately, and I love how the fabric adds interest to the outfit while tying in the black shoes. I'm sorry I'm lagging on tutorials, I need to make one for this pleated jersey skirt asap! It's perfect for spring/summer.

Restyling Ideas:
- ditch the cardigan and replace the gingham button-down with a sheer, lacy black top
- add textured tights and a slouchy beanie for nighttime adventures
- add a third color with a belt or scarf (I'm thinking watermelon pink!)

I'm so excited for our dinner + movie date tonight! Eric's back is finally almost mended, so he can handle sitting upright for a few hours in a theater seat and a restaurant booth. After a few months of physical stagnation, I'm so happy that he is feeling much better! Sushi and X-Men, here we come!!

 ring \\ H+M, $6
vintage basket bag
skirt \\ self made, $4
cardigan \\ H+M, $19
Gap shirt \\ Crossroads, $8
Rampage flatforms \\ Crossroads, $5

Happy Weekend!!

xo