Tag Archives: fashion

Love Your Clothes Again + Shopping Checklist Printable

I posted this a couple of years ago but it is still relevant and I thought it could bear repeating. At the end of the post you can find two free Shopping Checklist Printables.

Everyone gets tired of their wardrobe from time to time. Clothing options can sometimes become boring for me even after it seems like I just shopped the mother lode. Right now I have other things I have to spend money on. Sigh. But if I had extra money to spend right now, and I were going to do some clothes shopping, here are two outfits I would put right in my closet.

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If you’re in the same boat ~ tired of your wardrobe, getting the itch to buy some new clothes but it’s not in the budget ~ allow me to share a tip I have used to reignite my enthusiasm for the clothing and accessories I have to work with. This is a great winter weekend project. You’ll need to allow about two hours (give or take) to do this exercise but it will be so worth it.

1. Pull out 4 or 5 of your favorite layering tops (underneath layer). Choose tops that have some kind of detail front and center like lace, shirring, cutouts, etc.

2. Pull out 4 or 5 top layer pieces > jackets, see-through tops, button-down shirts, low-cut tops, etc.

3. Decide if you want to put together dressy outfits or casual (or both) and choose 4 or 5 bottom pieces accordingly (pants, skirts, shorts, jeans).

4. Now comes the fun part. Take each top layer piece and pair it with any of the under layer pieces that coordinate in color or style, keeping them on the hangers or laying them down in sets.

5. Add a bottom layer piece to each paired combo.

6. This step is crucial and I urge you not to skip it: Try them on! Yes it will take time but think of it as a shopping trip. Combinations that look good on the hangers might not look great on you, and vice versa. Things like length of top, cling factor, fullness and structure dictate how they will fall and mesh together. This is where it takes patience but once you find a combo that works you’ll have an outfit that flatters and you will feel great in it.

7. In my experience, some pieces go with everything and some don’t work with anything. Those in the second category (I call them loners) are pieces that I either get rid of or, if it’s something I really love, make a note to find something to pair it with next time I go shopping.

8. This might be my favorite part of the whole process. Once you have decided what works together, lay out your winning outfits and go to your jewelry stash. Play around with different pieces, try out-of-the-box color combinations, layer up on necklaces and bracelets. Take a fresh look at your cache and use it to the fullest to bling up your outfit.

9. At this point in the process, it may be a good idea to take pictures of your outfits, because if you’re like me, once everything is back in the closet you’re likely to forget (or not see) the exact combinations you put together.

10. You will be amazed at the new outfits you discover if you think outside the box. Now you can look forward to the next event in your life, be it coffee with the girls, date night or Sunday church, knowing you will feel pulled together and polished.

Just because you don’t have any immediate plans to go on a shopping spree, that doesn’t mean you’ll never buy anything new again. With the eventual shopping splurge in mind, I created two shopping checklists ~ one for your clothing and one for your accessories ~ for you to print and keep handy to stay tuned in to your closet and accessory “inventory”.

Use this checklist to take inventory before you shop. Just write “Have” or “Need” in the spaces to help you decide what CLOTHING to buy.
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click_for_printable

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Use this checklist to take inventory before you shop. Just write “Have” or “Need” in the spaces to help you decide what ACCESSORIES to buy.
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click_for_printable

Do you have any tips for overcoming boredom with your wardrobe? Do share!

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7 Ways to Nurture Your Creativity

Don’t you love it when you have a surge of creativity and you know that all you want to do is create something beautiful? Do you ever have days (or weeks) where you feel you’ve lost your creative edge? I certainly go through dry spells and wonder where on earth my creativity has gone. On those days I have a few tricks that I find helpful in shaking it off and getting the juices going strong again.

Today I’m going to share 7 tips that have helped me and might help you if you give them a try.
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1) Sit outside with a cup of coffee or glass of wine, a notebook and no agenda. Drink in the beauty of nature and allow yourself to be inspired. Write down any creative thoughts you have but don’t feel pressured to think of any.
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2) Walk through a fabric store and experience the different textures and colors. This always stirs up my imagination whether I’m planning to work with fabric, another material or even if I have no clue what I’ll do next.

3) Watch an episode of Project Runway, Cake Boss or Flea Market Flip with the volume muted. You’ll be amazed at how freely your own thoughts flow when their conversations aren’t influencing your thoughts.

4) Read. The Bible and devotional books are full of artistic imagery. Jesus Calling is the devotional I am currently using and loving. When I spend time in the presence of the One who created me, I never fail to feel a fresh infusion of creativity.
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5) Go to a public place and people watch. Observe the way they dress, the way they interact, their hairstyles, their smiles, the way they laugh. Humans are creative beings and their passion can be contagious.

6) Light a candle and listen to classical music. I love Vivaldi. I somehow feel like more is possible as I thrill to the sounds of the maestros.
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7) Take a walk with your camera. Use your artistic eye to find and take shots of things you find interesting. Don’t worry about whether you’ll want to keep or use the photos, just snap freely. This unleashes my creativity every time.

What do you do when you’ve lost your mojo? I’d love to hear your tricks! Share what works for you in the comments and you might help someone else out of their slump!

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Linking with: Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson,The Scoop, Mod Vintage Life, Between Naps on the Porch, From My Front Porch to Yours, Cozy Little House, A Stroll Thru LifeIvy and Elephants, Common Ground, Shabby Art Boutique, French Country Cottage, Amaze Me Monday , VMG206, That DIY Party, Funky Junk Interiors ,Savvy Southern Style

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DIY Double Dip Flip: Chandelier Lamp Shades

Welcome to DIY Double Dip Flip! Heather and I are excited to share our third project in this series where we start with an inspiration piece from either fashion or decor, then we each show you our unique take on how to use the idea on something entirely different in decor or fashion. For this month’s inspiration, Heather chose an entire set with soft spring colors and lots of great texture.

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………………………………………………………………………A similar pullover C’est Si Bon

Being a lover of frayed edge denim, I was immediately drawn to the ripped knee patch jeans and decided to make that my jumping off point. I am in the middle of making changes in my breakfast nook and my chandelier needed a makeover.

So my flip for this month is DIY Chandelier Lamp Shades.

After my husband spray painted the fixture black I dressed the lamp shades in layers of frayed canvas.

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These were really easy to do and I’ll show you how with just a few steps. But first I want to show you the “before” picture of the chandelier.

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It’s not a very good picture but you can see that the fixture was an ivory color and the shades were black. You can also see the old wall color.

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The black fixture gives the space a more grounded feel. The frayed canvas cloth adds softness and texture. I love my new wall color and I can’t wait to show you the entire space when it’s complete. You can catch a glimpse of another finished piece for the nook here.

Now back to the lamp shade tutorial.

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Here’s what you’ll need to make your own tiered, frayed canvas lamp shades.

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A template for you to adapt for your own use. For standard chandelier type shades the width of the template needs to be 14 inches. I had to print it out on two sheets and tape them together.

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Cut out your 2 template parts and tape them together.

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Measure out and mark the pattern to be divided into 3 layers. The first mark for the bottom layer will be at 1 5/16 inches, the second mark at 2 5/8 inches.

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Make the same markings in a few more places across the pattern and pencil in the connecting curves.

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Cut out the three pieces. These will be the patterns for your three layers.

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Cut out your fabric, leaving an approx. 1/8 inch allowance above and below the pattern.

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Fray the fabric strips. Note: the bottom and middle layer will only need to be frayed at the bottom edge.

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The top layer will need to be frayed at both the top and bottom edges. You can fray the ends too.

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Glue the bottom strip to the lamp shade leaving enough fringe to cover the entire bottom rim.

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Overlap the middle layer and glue. Glue the top layer making sure to extend it far enough up to cover the top rim of the shade.

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This design could also be adapted for full size lamp shades.

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So you’ve seen my take but you haven’t seen Heather’s! Be sure to go visit her blog Woods of Bell Trees to see how she interpreted this month’s design.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Linking with: Shabby Art Boutique, French Country Cottage

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DIY Double Dip Flip: Lacy Box to Lacy Jeans

Welcome to the second installment of DIY Double Dip Flip where we start with an inspiration piece from either fashion or decor, then we each show you our unique take on how to use the idea on something entirely different in decor or fashion.

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And now for a look at this month’s inspiration:
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A pair of antique green lace metal boxes Lacy Metal Boxes

Here’s how I interpreted the design to turn plain jane jeans into lacy jeans.
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It’s really easy to create a lace insert in the pocket of a pair of jeans or jean jacket.

Here’s what you’ll need:
vA pair of jeans, jean shorts or jean jacket with a pocket
vA scrap of lace that has been washed
vA piece of card stock or paper
vA shape to trace around or a computer printer
vA washable fabric glue such as Aleene’s OK to Wash-It
vA button
vScissors
vMarker or pen

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Trace desired shape such as a star or heart, or print one from your computer

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Cut out the shape.

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Place the cut out shape on the pocket and trace around it with a marker or pen

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Cut the shape out of the pocket

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Wash the pair of jeans. After washing, the pocket will look something like this. You can fray the inside of the shape more if you want by pulling on the threads.

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Iron the design until it’s flat.
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Cut your washed lace roughly the shape of the whole pocket. Glue the lace inside the front panel of the pocket.

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Sew the button onto the lace and through the back layer of the jeans.
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There you go, you now have a pair of lacy couture jeans! Be sure to read the instructions on your fabric glue. Most of them have a dry time of several days to allow it to cure before washing.

So now you’ve seen my take on the design. Heather is sharing her super fun project on her blog using the same pair of boxes as her inspiration. I know you’re going to love it but you have to visit her to see what it is! Be sure to check out her flip over at Woods of Bell Trees.

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Phrase Art Phriday: Comparison

Comparison. Deciding if we measure up based on our assessment of other people’s merit, and whether we think we are better or worse than them. It sounds silly when put that way and yet it’s a trap that most people have fallen into at one time or another. Many times we don’t even realize we’re doing it.

I can be happy and content with what I have, what I made, where I am one minute. Then moments later after viewing images on the internet of other people’s creations, locations, etc. I can suddenly feel deflated.

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How wise Mark Twain was to boil this important truth down into one sentence. Nothing can rob us of our confidence like comparison. The reverse is just as unhealthy. If I feel good about myself because I have determined someone else to be inferior, well that’s just not right!

The photograph I chose for this week’s Phrase Art Phriday is one that I took in 2007. I was right in the middle of the antiques business at that time. I had a large collection of vintage hats, many with lush embellishments like velvet flowers, beading, feathers and fur. I enjoyed displaying them in my rented space and most of them sold fairly quickly. The two hats in the photo are quite plain compared to most of the ones I had. I loved the one on the right because of the blush color ~ a color that’s hard to find in just the right shade. It’s displayed on a bowling pin. A humble pedestal for a modest hat. It would surely get lost amongst a display of more elaborate hats. It wouldn’t “measure up.” But set apart on a tattered bowling pin with simple surroundings there is nothing out shadowing it. It is lovely just the way it is.

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Purple and Pearls

I almost titled this post Purple, Pearls and Pudge because that’s how I feel right now! I have been indulging in fattening foods while hibernating during this long cold February. As a result, my jeans are fitting more tightly and I don’t like it! It’s time to shake it off, eat less and move around more.

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Just a quick outfit share, not particularly inspired. I purchased this sweater during a thrift shopping spree several months ago. It has a sweet look that is more fitting with how I dressed a few years ago. I was drawn by the pearls and the price and the desire for new things in my closet.

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I paired it with a white button down blouse, giving it a slightly preppy feel. I added a simple pearl bracelet and a pair of my lace covered ball earrings.

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I’m okay with the overall look for a casual day, but I’ll probably pass the sweater on after a couple more wears.

I’ve been doing the hula hoop for exercise. I’m bored with the treadmill and other “regular” exercise. I can’t wait to get out and bike ride when the weather gets nicer. What’s your favorite non-exercise exercise?

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