DIY: More Dresses

Mini Floral Tie Strap Summer Dress.

The inspiration from Topshop for $180.


Mine for $1.99 plus tax.



Asymmetrical Draped Neck Jersey Dress

The inspiration from Piperline for $152.

Mine was made from fabric I got for FREE.


Gathered Neckline with Pleats

The inspiration from Modcloth for $75.



Mine for $3.99 plus tax.



Maternity?

DIY: Mini Floral Dress

When I was a little girl, I hated wearing dresses. I was a tomboy. I thought dresses were for girly girls and flower dresses were for super girly girls. Oh how things change as you grow older. Mini-floral dresses are everywhere this summer. The mini floral prints are the perfect in between boring solids and gaudy flower prints.

Every store I go into has their own version of the dress.

Urban Outfitters and Nordstrom have these dresses for $48.



Mine is $2.99 + tax. It's a pink/purple mini-floral dress with elastic waist and camouflage pockets!

DIY: Party Dress

I've worn more dresses this year than ever before. They're so much fun and feminine.
It's a lot easier than coordinating the top and bottom too. I don't like strapless dresses, because it makes me feel too exposed. However, I'm a big fan of one shoulder dresses, and they are totally in this year. Combined that with bright and bold colors.


I found this pink woven fabric for $2.99/yrd. I bought 1 1/2 and I only used 3/4 yrd.
I can't wait to go out in this.

DIY: Maternity Dress

After my first DIY dress, I was really motivated to make more. My friend's been looking for a cute maternity dress. I did some research and realized that most maternity dresses are either too "mom" looking or they're too expensive. Trying not to go over my head with a complete new design. I used the same elastic waist and sleeveless top as my first dress. Instead of the big flap collar. I did a more tailored pleated effect. The fabric is a heavy weight jersey. The jersey itself has elasticity, so it will adjust itself as my friend's belly grows. I'm pretty happy with the result.


This is a cute dress I found on Etsy for $250!!!. The jersey fabric was $4/yrd and I used only 1 yard. Can't wait for my friend to wear it!

DIY: Summer Dress from Scratch

I was walking pass the fabric store on my way home from work today, so I went in. I love browsing through the different fabrics. I get excited about raw material, the possibilities are endless. Anyways, I found some fabric from the remnants pile. I bought 1 1/4 yard of light weight woven cotton for only $2.69.

For inspiration, I browsed the Urban Outfitters website. Their retro chic style is totally me. However, they hardly have sales. Here is a dress I tried to copy. It's $58.



Here is my version. This is my first dress I made from scratch. I'm pretty happy with the result.
Instead of using a belt, I sewed an elastic band. The $3 I spent would've paid for the tax on the Urban dress, so I saved $58!!!

DIY: Puffy Skirt

I am this close to signing up the Wardrobe Refashion pledge. Given how the economy is now, I'm doing every bit I can to save and to recycle. However, pledging to not buy any new articles of clothing for 4 months is a little much for me. My sewing skills and time will not allow me to generate new items every month (or depends how often I shop and how much I buy). But I'm still making an effort. With the summer approaching, it'll be a motivator. Summer clothing are also easier to make.

Here is a skirt I made following Dacia's tutorial. I bought this fabulous fabric from a craft supply show. I got 4 yards for only $5! I could make 3 skirts with it!

DIY: Cornice

This was a DIY project I did for client who was looking to update her bedroom window. We met with a EZ Blinds rep to look through options and pricing. We liked the idea of a cornice. It really brings warmth and traditional attributes to a room. The quote for two 9' wide windows was over $2k. That was definitely over the budget. I suggested that we make it. We liked the fabric from EZ Blinds sample book. I found the exact fabric on Interior Mall for $44/yrd. Then I found a DIY Cornice Kit from DIY Decorator for $99 each. It comes with complete instructions. The material for the two windows were less than $500, less than 1/4 of the EZ Blinds' price.

Step 1: Assemble the cornice kit as directed.


Step 2: Cut fabric and batting big enough to wrap around the entire cornice.


Step 3: Staple fabric to the backside of the cornice. Tug tightly as you go.




Step 4: Add hardware and hang!

Refashion: Hawaiian Shirt to Skirt

My brother was cleaning out his closet and this Hawaiian shirt caught my eye. I love yellow and this print is so summery. This is a 15min refashion. All you need is a men's shirt and a 2" elastic band.

Step One:
Remove any pockets from the shirt.

Step Two:
Cut the top portion of the shirt, right under the arms or whatever length you want your skirt to be. (Remember to allow 1/2" for the seam.)
Step Three:
Sew the elastic band to the top of the skirt. Pull the elastic band while sewing, so the skirt will gather and it'll expand when you put the skirt on.
Tada!


This dress from Target is $20. I only paid $.39/yrd for the elastic band.

Amy Butler has rugs!

I've been a big fan of Amy Butler's fabrics for a long time. The colors are so whimsical and joyful.

Amy Butler and Chandra rugs teamed up for this collection. I love it, but I don't love the price tag. Still nice to drool over. They're gorgeous!

Transformation of the Den

It's almost been two years since we've moved in. It's still a process to transform the condo into a home that reflects our personality and fits our needs.

This is how it was when we first saw it.

The yellow wall had to go.

The bookcase served its purpose for a year and a half, but we outgrew it pretty fast. We finally commissioned a carpenter to do a built-in. It was quite the process.

To save money, we painted it ourselves. One coat of primer and two coats of paint.

We loved how it came out. It looks like it's been there forever.

DIY: Children's Tshirt Refashion

Here is a refashion I did for my two nephews.



They look so handsome.

DIY: Jaden's Growth Chart

My other nephew, Jaden, turned one today. For his birthday, I made a growth chart since he’s growing everyday. I’ve done a lot of research on the different types out there. There are many cute animal themed ones, but I was afraid he’ll “outgrown” them. I wanted something that’s durable and he can have as a keepsake. Maybe someday he can compare his height to his kids.

I saw this. It’s simple and neutral. The $60 price tag was a little much and I was afraid the vinyl might lose its grip over time.

To make my version, I bought a 6 feet long ½”x4” piece of pine for $13. I just used acrylic paint I already have.




To personalize the board, I added lemon picture frames made from felt that's attached by velcro.

It works better when he's standing up.