Host a Clothing Swap Party!

Whoo!

What better way to clean our your closet than to have a fashion show 

with your good friends and get some new digs in return?!

That is just what three of my lady friends and myself did last Saturday

when I hosted what will most likely become an annual (seasonal?!) event!

I hosted a Clothing Swap Party!

If you haven't heard about clothing swaps, let me fill you in.

A clothing swap is like shopping your friends' closet.

Everyone brings an agreed minimum amount of items,

that can include clothes, accessories, shoes etc. that are in good, clean condition.

Our group agreed upon at least 10 pieces, and we kept it to clothing and accessories.

To make things easier, I recommend hanging up your clothing items.

We all pitched in and organized the clothes by tops, skirts, pants, and jackety-things (a new term we invented) and it made it go really quickly!

TIP:

I would recommend marking your hangers by tying a colored ribbon on them,

or putting a piece of colored tape around it, to avoid mix ups with other swappers.

After the clothes were all organized this is how I chose to proceed.

Instead of going at it all at the same time, we took turns, each lady drawing a number to determine what order we would 'shop' in.

But before we started shopping, we got to look over the items,

and each lady was given an equal amount of stickers that she could use to mark the pieces 

she wanted.

 When your turn came around, you were allowed to pick 3 pieces.

If two ladies had marked or 'claimed' the same item, we just did a little fashion show,

and had each one try on the piece, to see which it fit better.

 There really were no problems in this area, everyone was very gracious.

Once everyone had about three turns each, 

we just went in and picked through the leftovers together.

It was really relaxed, we simply asked, "Does anyone mind if I take piece," or "is anyone else interested in this?" and it worked out very smoothly.

Everyone ended up with several pieces that they really liked and looked great on them.

One thing I did notice that I found interesting was that on at least two occasions,

someone tried on a piece that they really weren't sure about, but when they modeled 

it in front of the others, they received a wonderful response that they hadn't expected!

It was a lot of fun and everyone agreed that we need to do it again

I ended up with a pretty intimate group, only four ladies including myself,

and I was worried there wouldn't be enough items to generate a good mix to choose from,

but it ended up working out great! Everyone brought more than 10 pieces, which helped a lot.

 

 Since it was a ladies get together,

I used it as a excuse to try out a new Pinterest recipe, and a special girly one at that!

I made these French Vanilla Cappuccino Cupcakes!

They turned out pretty good, although I would make a few adjustments in the future.

 

So there you have it, ladies get together with new clothes and dessert!

 I call that a triple win!

Have any of you been to a clothing swap? 

Anxious to host one?

I hope this gives you a great idea for a ladies night out!

Hand Painted Thriftstore Mugs...Fail?

 Give a girl two thrifted mugs.

Two painter pens.

40 minutes.

And what do you get?

T H E S E!

 Free-hand, one of a kind painted mugs!

Believe it or not, I took pictures of flowers on our shower curtain and referred to them for inspiration!

Pretty darling, huh?

Now...I need to make a confession.

These were done a long time ago.

How long you ask...errmmm...last November?!

Why the long wait to share?

Well, it is kind of a half success/half fail project, 

and I don't like sharing things with you unless I have it figured out!

So actually, I'm coming to you for help!

Here is the situation.

Originally I was going to paint these using the infamous colored sharpie method from Pinterest.

However, after doing some research, I found lots of failed sharpie projects.
The poor dears put so much time and effort into beautifully, detailed designs
only to discover it scratched right off, even after baking.

I like to make my own mistakes, but I have no problem learning from those of others,

so I decided to go another route.

At Wal-Mart I purchased two Painters Brand Opaque Paint Markers, 

one medium-point blue and the other metallic silver in fine point.
Truthfully, I couldn't tell a difference in the applicator size and wish they had been smaller.

I found the points too big to do small, fine detail work.

Though I took another route, I'm sorry to say that I ended up in the same predicament as
the failed Sharpie gals. Even after baking my mugs twice, the design scratches off with my fingernail!

My poor, drooping heart!

Upon some investigation I discovered that these were acrylic paint pens.
The pens themselves were not labeled anywhere saying acrylic, I only found that out by visiting the product website and reading up on them.

Acrylic = non permanent, not food safe as is.

 This is where I need your help.
I want to preserve my designs if I can, but I still want to keep them food-safe. 

In this wide, wonderful wold of crafters, I'm hoping one of you can give me some hard earned knowledge from hands-on-experience as to how I can fix and improve upon this situation!

Is there something food safe I can coat these with?

What sort of paints should I use in the future that are food safe but permanent? 

I would love to do more painted ceramic projects, 

it was quite addicting and the results are so rewarding!

There are dozens of ideas floating around in my head (and some on my Pinterest boards).
Colored paint, colored mugs, stencils, sayings, verses...so many designs, so many possibilities! 

RED-y

Sometimes a girl just needs a little change.

Last weekend I decided to make that change, and it is one I've been planning since last fall...

I dyed my hair red!

Why red?

Because every time in the past that I have tried to color my hair a nice brown color,
it turns out with a red tint to it. I always tell them 'warm' tones, maybe that is where I went wrong...??

My grandma has told me that her hair always throws red when she tried dying it,

so maybe it is just in my hair code?

Anyway...I thought I would give in and actually color it red this time.
 I also did a little choppage while I was at it...just simple stuff...split ends, an attempt at layering in the back, and evening up my not-bangs.

Although this isn't the first time I've colored my hair, it is the first time I have done it at home by myself!

I was a little nervous, but once you jump in and get started, it really isn't rocket science.

 I used Revlon ColorSilk in #31 Dark Auburn.

I like the results fine, but I was hoping for that deeper, darker red tone, truer to the depiction on the box.
Just one week later, I already see it fading, even though it is supposed to be permanent.
Originally, I wanted to use Henna as a dye. But after a little research, I learned henna is very permanent.
You can't remove it or dye over it, or your hair might start smoking!
So, if I didn't like the red, I was stuck until it grew out.
I figured for $3 bucks I could get an ammonia free dye at Wal-Mart and do a far less scary test run.

Let me take this opportunity to draw your attention to the jean vest I'm sporting.

It was thrifted quite a few months back, but ended up sitting atop my large refashion pile
because it was just a bit too bulky.
Finally, I sewed some darts into the side seams and took it in. Simple fix.
It doesn't really qualify as a refashion, but I figured I could squeak it in this way.

This top.

I am in love.

Also a piece that has been in my refashion pile for a long time. But I really don't know why!?

I literally pulled it out just a couple days ago and there is nothing wrong with it. 

I've been wearing it ever since- it is so comfortable and I just love the print. 

You can't tell with it tucked in, but it has a loose fit and rounded hem.

 

 And these shoes!

They are currently my favorite pair, and my most recent thrift score.

And when I say recent, I mean two months ago. I haven't been thrifting a lot lately.

Too busy and broke! That, and I feel bad buying more clothes when my refashion pile is overflowing!
(That might be a sign I need to get back to refashioning, huh?!)

 Outfit: Jean Vest: thrifted ||Top: from a friend, Aeropostale ||Skirt: thrifted, refashioned 

Shoes: thrifted ||Belt: Bealls, old

How about you?
Is there a change you have been contemplating for a while?
Have you colored your own hair, and if so what products do you recommend?

Day 24: Guest Post with Diary of a MadMama!

Today, 
I am so pleased and excited to share with you one of my favorite bloggers!

I stay on top of all her posts, and look anxiously forward to each one!

Allow me to introduce to you, Jen from Diary of a MadMama!

This t-shirt dress and the floral hi-low hem makeover below

 are just two (there are so many to choose from) of my favorite refashions from Jen...
can you tell I like dresses?

 I 'met' Jen through the very first Refashion Runway Competition,

held by Beth at Renegade Seamstress, and immediately singled her out as my favorite!

I've been following her ever since.

I love her sense of humor and creativity!

She does some of the most unique and 'out of the box' refashions I've ever seen.

I hope you enjoy her as much as I do!

~~~~~

Hello there!

Jen here, from Diary of a MadMama.

I am so honored that Desarae would so kindly ask me to be a guest blogger!
I have been blogging for a little over a year, and I've really enjoyed the journey so far!

Recently I refashioned the sleeves of these sweaters into fingerless gloves:

Meh

Since all I used were the sleeves (and not even all of the sleeves), I still had a lot of sweater leftover.

Not wanting anything to go to waste, I thought of the perfect way to use up the leftovers...
A WINTER MAXI SKIRT!

I love the comfy-coziness of maxi skirts, and I HATE being cold
(especially this winter in Michigan, with arguably the worst winter weather I have ever experienced).
A maxi skirt made out of sweaters = warmth and style!

As a side note, I purchased the grey and red sweaters for 49-cents each at my local thrift store,
which fits my weekly "49-Cent Friday" blog series (the black sweater was given to me for free!).

The grey and red sweaters have strands of sparkly silver threads woven into them,
giving them a shimmery effect.

The black and grey sweaters are very stretchy, making them perfect for this skirt.
I mean, if the sweaters aren't stretchy enough, I'd end up walking like a geisha!

Since the red sweater had a higher wool content, it wasn't as stretchy,
so I decided to use it as the waistband (and top section) of the maxi skirt,
keeping the other (more stretchy) sweater pieces as the bottom of the skirt.

So to begin, I cut the sweaters across at the armpits like so:

Snip!

Snip!!

With the red sweater, I trimmed higher above the armpits to give myself more material, since I was using it as the upper, waist portion of the skirt.

Snip!

I just trimmed down the sides a bit to make it smoother.

Snip!

Using the brand-new serger I got for Christmas, I serged around the top of the red sweater...

Pretty stitches 'eh?

...and then trimmed the ribbed waistband off of the black sweater:

Snip!

After that was trimmed off, I placed the black sweater into the red sweater (wrong-sides together):

And serged them together...

Whirrrr...

Then I placed the grey sweater into the black sweater (once again, wrong-sides together):



Once I serged that together, it was all done! And since I left the ribbed band on the grey sweater, the bottom was already finished.

I love that the red sweater already is snug, which means I didn't need to add elastic.

This skirt is super comfy and I love it dressed up with my wide, black belt:

By the way, what do you think of my slippers? ;)

I hope you like this quick and easy refashion.
Thanks so much for having me, Desarae! :)

~Jen


~~~~
I'm linking up at Anchored in Love Divine
for the Blog Everyday in February Challenge!

DIY Recovered Sewing Bench

Hello friends!
Today I'm opting out of the Blogging Everyday in February 
prompt idea to bring you a project post instead!

If you have been keeping up with me,
you will recall in my January/December Month in Review post
the mention of a promised project post.
Well, I'm a woman of my word, so here it is!

Along with the new sewing machine and dress form,
another new addition was added to my little sewing nook.

 For some time, I have been wanting a sewing bench to replace the folding chair I was using.

When I found this sturdy specimen at a garage sale for $10, I was thrilled!

It was ugly, but that was easily remedied with a quick recovering job!

 From the same garage sale, I also secured a very large piece of heavy, sturdy fabric,

which I'm assuming was upholstery fabric or the like.

Isn't this a fun, colorful print?!

Here are the supplies I used:
screwdriver
heavy duty stapler (not the kind you use for paper)
scissors
measuring tape
hammer

 

First things first, I unscrewed the top lid of the bench.

(It is already off in the 'before' picture.)

Look at all that storage space inside!

To make this project simple, I wasn't going to remove the old covering,

but simply cover over top of it.

I measured the length and width of the lid,

then measured how far they overlapped the previous covering piece,

which was about 1 1/2 inches.

So I added 1 /1/2 inches to my length and width measurements

so I had enough to fold in and staple down. 

While stapling down the fabric,

I made sure to fold the raw edge under so it wasn't exposed.

I cut a notch around the hole where the lid reattaches to the seat.

For the corners,

I folded the material over in what sort of looked like pleats,

being sure to staple each fold so it didn't come out.

This gave a smooth, unpuckered appearance to the edges.

Here it is all stapled down.

After snipping off the excess material at the corners,

it looks much more clean.

Ta-da!

 Beautiful, no?

In order to recover the outside of the bench,

I first needed to remove the gaudy gold, plastic trim.

This required a little patience and a screw driver.

I cut out my piece of fabric the same way I did for the cover:

measured the length, all the way around the bench + a few extra inches for overlapping

and the width from top to bottom + extra for folding the raw edge under.

I was able to use the salvage edge for one of my edges, which eliminated the need to fold over.

I started my piece on a back corner of the bench,

a place most out of the way for the seam.

Don't worry about the first raw edge, as you can see in the above photo,

this will be covered when you come back around.

Smooth and lightly stretch the fabric taut as you go, to avoid wrinkles.

Staple the top and bottom and you move around.

I also had to fold under the raw edge along the bottom of my fabric.

When you come back around to your starting point,

fold under the raw edge, pulling the fabric taut,

and staple all down the edge of the seam.

This was the end result.

With my busy fabric, it hid the staples and they weren't very noticeable,

but if you don't like the exposed staples down the seam, you can try super gluing it instead.

Also- if you want to cover up the staples on top and bottom,

you can super glue a ribbon or trim over top, creating a border.

I had originally planned to do this, but on second thought,

you can barely see the staples and I liked the unbroken look of the pattern, so I left it be.

After I was done stapling everything in place,
I lightly tapped all of the staples down with a hammer, to ensure none were sticking up.

There you have it!

This was a a pretty easy project that truly updated and beautified an otherwise boring piece!