DIY tutorial: floral bag

My most recently completed project is this fun floral bag.  I think it's from an old sheet that my sister got from my grandma, and I love the print!

This project was super easy.  Cut a rectangle of fabric.  The piece I found was 46 in x 18 in, so I just used that amount, and I think it ended up in a nice size.  Fold all four sides towards the center 5/8 in, making sure to fold the right side in, and pin.

The short ends will fold over the top of the long ends.  Sew directly down the middle of all four seams.  (This is one of those projects that is all straight seams, so you can put the "pedal to the metal!":)

 Fold both short ends up 3 inches and pin.

Mark a line 1.25 in down from the first stitches.

 Pin between the stitches and the marked line (this way you don't have to move the pins:).  Sew along the marked line, and then sew over the top of the original stitches.  This will create a casing for the ribbon.  Repeat on the other side.

Fold the material in half so that both casings match up.  Pin along both sides.

Sew down both sides, along the top of the original stitches.  Start on the bottom row of stitches of the casing.

For the drawstring, I used to wide ribbons (the kind that is the handle for Ann Taylor bags?  Love!)  Both ends were already knotted, so I just used that to pull them through the casings.  But if you use a cord or some other material, put a safety pin through the end and use that to thread them through the casing.  Put the ribbon through one side of the casing and then turn and put it through the other side.  Repeat with the second ribbon.  Tie the ribbons together.

And your bag is finished!  I love the combination of the floral print and the grey ribbon.  I hope to show you soon what I'll be putting into this bag:)

Happy Monday!

DIY: framed jewelry hanger

My sister was recently looking for a new way to hang all her jewelry up as the previous organizer was  falling apart.  So I set to work finding some inspiration on Pinterest (http://craftaria.com/2011/05/diy-jewelry-display/ and http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2009/05/diy-recycled-frame-jewelry-holder/) and here's what she came up with.  She stapled chicken wire to the top part of the frame, taped the stick underneath it.  Nails in the stick and on top of the frame hold necklaces and bracelets.

Two really simple necklaces.  A stone and a key attached onto pieces of ribbon.
Hope you're having a wonderful Monday!

Color inspiration

Do you ever discover a blog and wish that you could create a folder on Pinterest called "Inspiration" and pin every single picture on the blog into that board?  That's what "Creative Mint" has become for me.  I found it recently via another blogger, and love every single thing that I see!  Her color combos are so adorable.  I also think it's so cute how her posts are categorized by color:)  I don't know if the blog is still being updated, but it's worth checking out for sure:)

I could put a bazillion more pics on here, but go check out the blog for yourself!  http://acreativemint.typepad.com/a_creative_mint/

DIY: Easy Dress Extension

My sisters and I love the store "Romy" in our mall (based out of the Northwest).  It has a really boutique-y feel, and there are ALWAYS awesome sales.  The other day I found this dress for $5.76!  Can you believe it?!?!?!  They only had large, but once I saw the tag I didn't really care if it was XXXXXL, I knew it would be fixable;)  The bodice was a little bit too loose, and the skirt a little too short, but with two dresses in hand, my mom was able to fix it up pretty quickly:)  She pretty much made a slip to extend the length of the dress without actually touchign the dress!  She made it look so easy, you should try it!
Supplies:

• Two dresses (or a dress and a second layer of material to match)
• White material.  We used a white sheet because it already had a casing: PERFECT!:)  If you don't have a sheet handy, you can easily modify the instructions.
• Elastic
• Basic sewing supplies

Measure how much longer you want your dress to be.  (I sat down with it on and we decided to add just a few inches, but totaled the floral material to about 13 in. just to be extra safe)  Measure from your waist to where you want the dress to end.  Using a measuring tape and disappearing pen, mark all the way around the second dress where you want to cut.

Cut aroung the entire skirt according to your marks, careful to not cut both layers of fabric at the same time.

Secure the side seam stitches on the skirt part that you have cut out.  Measure the width of the skirt piece (mine was 24 1/4 in).  Fold the side of your white fabric towards the center that much plus an inch for the seam.  Subtract the height of your (floral) material from the length from your waist to where you want the dress to end (16.5).  Cut your white material that high.

Fold the white in half, right sides together, and sew down the side.  Turn right side out.  Use a double stitch to keep the non-casing end from fraying.  Pin the floral material inside of the white piece, right sides together, and sew.  Turn right side out.  Sew about half inch above the bottom of the white material, making sure to catch the floral fabric on the other side.  This will give it clean finish and insure that the seam will not flip up.

Clean look from the outside (not that anyone will see:)

This is what then entire piece will look like now.  Measure your waist and cut that much elastic.  Rip a few stitches from either side of the seam of the white material that you made earlier (if you are using a sheet, you are just opening the casing a bit on both sides of the seam).

Sew one side of the elastic as close to the seam as you can.  Use a safety pin to thread the elastic through and sew it one the other side.  You're finished with the skirt part:)

For the bodice, all that my mom did was fold the straps over about a half inch and whip stitch all the way around to secure it (sorry, I don't have any pictures.  She did it without me knowing:)

And now I have a beautiful dress for $12!!!:)

Another beachy touch:)

Yesterday I went into Lara's room, and discovered this adorable little treasure.  Another little addition to her beach bedroom:)  As far as I can tell, it's just a little white cardboard lid, and the rest is obvious;)

A random piece of broken and smoothed pottery.

Lots of sea glass and shells:)

Hope you're having a wonderful Tuesday!:)

Washi tape:)

The other day on a super fast run-in to Joanns, I found some adorable washi tape.  Although I didn't find what I wanted { :'( }, I did end up with this awesome treasure!:)

Any ideas what I should do with it?  I found some fun projects on this site: 

http://bridalmusings.com/2011/11/top-10-diy-washi-tape-wedding-ideas-favour-boxes-by-anna-lee-company/
What would you fancy?

Link Parties: Weekends!:)

Here are the parties that I link to on the weekends:)  If you host a party and would like me to add it to one of these lists, please just leave a comment:)

Link Parties: Friday

Here are the parties I link to on Fridays.  So go pick a few posts and link up!:)