DIY: Nutty Bracelet

I've recently discovered the blog called Honestly, WTF, which has tons of awesome (and easy) DIY tutorials.  I fell in love with the simple braided hex nut bracelet.  All you need is 16 (or more) small hex nuts (Home Depot!) and some cotton twine, or I used yarn.
-Cut 3 one yard pieces of the string and tie them together leaving about 2 inches of string above the knot
-Next, braid the string for about an inch or two
-Then, you start to braid in the hex nuts (this is a little tricky) before you move the left string over the center one, thread a nut on the left string, cross it over, thread a nut on the right string, cross it over...and so on
-Once all of the nuts are braided in, just finish with another inch or two of regular braiding, tie another knot AND YOUR DONE! :)

Now you can wrap it around your wrist a couple of times and pair it some other bracelets to make a super cool arm party.

Decided to include Kiki in some photos because she is just so damn cute

:)

© Olivia Joel- 2011

DIY: Reconstructed Old Purse

Remember that American Apparel leather carry-all pouch I showed you while ago?  While I still am eager to buy one, I know in the back of my mind a simple leather pouch with a zipper is so not worth the $50-$60 they're asking for it.  I was set on making my own from some faux leather and zipper I bought online...and failed miserably.  It seems so simple (and it is) but I don't have a real sewing machine, just a little hand held one that doesn't sew through leather very well.  So...I had the genius idea of grabbing one of my old purses that I never use anymore, and reconstructing that into my very own cotton carry-all pouch.  What's even better is that the zipper is already on the bag, all I had to do was flip it inside out and sew it into a rectangle shape and VOILÁ!  A printed, not plain, pouch clutch!
Here are some before and after photos:

I loved the print of this purse and it already had a zipper...so this was the perfect purse to use

First, I cut off the straps

This odd half circle shape didn't work well, so I turned it inside out and sewed it into a smaller rectangle shape

And now it looks like this!

TADA!

Bright and Bold

Found this editorial in Teen Vogue's May 2011 issue photographed by Richard Burbridge.  I love how the models' heads are cropped out to make all the bold and colorful accessories the center of attention.  My favorite is definitely the third page, so graphic!  Oh yea, can I have those Prada wedges on the first page? I'm obsessed.