Layer Cake Shop = HEAVEN ON THE WEB

As I mentioned before, I’ve dipped my fingers in the land of baking and oh my, am I having a BLAST or what! Because I’m such a newbie, I have ZERO clue where to find specialty & novelty goodies in town. My mother says there are tons of stores, but I think she’s wrong. We don’t have a Michaels (or even a Williams-Sonoma).

I get Daily Candy newsletters daily, and I usually scan over them briefly and delete, partly because I’m not so into them, and partly because they’re US based - which is of limited help to Canadian me. Today, though, they had a little ad for Layer Cake Shop. Instant love. Their website is full of amazing novelty treats - from printed baking cups to over a dozen food colorings - if I’d known of them 2 months ago, my birthday cake probably would’ve been a teensy bit more eclectic!!

Truthfully though, their website isn’t so clear when it comes to shipping costs, so I’m more hesitant than not to order stuff. I probably WILL search Montreal a little more thoroughly before I finalize my shopping cart. Until I decide, I made myself a little Layer Cake Shop inspiration board!!

(All images pulled directly from http://www.layercakeshop.com )

Yummy!!!!

Tags: baking, fun stuff, inspirations, kitsch

A Little DIY… Printed!

Hello Precious readers!

I wanted to share a little piece I wrote for one of my university’s student newspapers. I wrote on some current trends to DIY, taking inspiration from my top 3 DIY reads - http://lovemaegan.com , http://psimadethis.com and of course, http://carboncouture.blogspot.com .

I won’t bore you with double reading, so here’s the link! http://www.theconcordian.com/diy-fashion-update-your-closet-and-save-money-1.1110338 (you can leave comments, too!!!)

It was actually great fun writing my first article for The Concordian - especially since it was on DIY. I’m hoping it’ll be well received, and that I can eventually make a series out of some DIY fashion posts. I will say that it was a completely different experience writing for a newspaper rather than a blog. A challenge, even. I learned that APPARENTLY exclamation marks aren’t so accepted in journalism. Something about how it seems like you’re laughing at your own joke? Who knew! (I almost ALWAYS laugh at my own jokes. Especially the ones that are just untimely and horrible and not funny.) Naturally, of course, full capital lettered words don’t fly. That I already knew.

I brought home for myself approximately 8 copies. I’m a little girl when it comes to things like that, I want EVERYONE to have a copy! I had to sneak copies into the crook of my arm when nobody was looking. I didn’t want other students to think I’m a LOONY TOON. I am pretty sure some of my classmates saw me trying to shove my stack of papers into my bag. Whatever. I am one proud peacock!

And since I know the text won’t stay online forever (or does it? I don’t know how those archive things work), I’ll eventually repost it as its own post!

XOXO

Tags: "press", diy, fun stuff, glue gun, inspirations, my writing, The Concordian

Sparkly Belt Buckle

My Inspiration

I recently took my 13 year old sister on an ill-fated shopping trip, that included my finding of multiple cute $15 dresses and her needing to go into every store to counter my “success”. On our trip, I was unwillingly conned into visiting Joshua Perets - formerly known as PINK to all you Montrealers - a store that deals in sizes that are approximately 5 notches too small for petite me, with clothing casually knocking off Victoria’s Secret’s UBER successful PINK line. The store has, ironically, ONE thing that I crave - a rhinestone covered Scottie-dog belt buckle (it has a belt attached too, naturally). Their logo happens to be a teensy pink Scottie dog (are they cheaply copying Agatha Paris? Likely). Their price tag wasn’t what completely scared me off - it was the fact that my boyfriend had given me an old Scottie dog belt buckle of his (non-fancy) months ago, and I couldn’t rationalize for a split second why I needed to buy a fancier dog buckle WHEN I HAVE ONE SITTING IN MY ROOM ALREADY.

See? I don’t forget everything that comes into my craft vortex of doom.

For the first time - and likely not the last - I’m attaching a craft disclaimer to this one:
You don’t HAVE to use fancy Swarovski crystals like I did. I found them on clearance for less than half price. It’s okay - AND WELCOMED - to use ANY type of “jewel” or “gem” for this. If you don’t happen to have a kitschy old plain belt buckle like I do, you can cover any regular belt buckle, or glue jewels to a piece of stiff fabric in a pattern and glue that to your belt.

There was a time a few years ago when it was SUPER COOL to crystallize your cell phone. I never hopped on that bandwagon, because I had a sneaking suspicion that it was a painstalkingly slow process. I was right. So, here goes, the usual…

Things You Need:

• 1 old belt buckle/belt with buckle
• Jewels or crystals of some sort - bigger = easier, smaller = slower process, but cuter!
• Tweezers, and not a pair you regularly use (they’re going to get covered in glue)
• Heavy duty specialty glue - a hot glue gun will NOT suffice, I used Aleene’s Jewelry & Metal Glue (available in the craft section in Wal-Mart)
• Protective gloves (latex), if you’re messy [highly suggested unless you're in the mood to scrub hardcore glue off your fingertips]

How To:

1. Do a “dry run” of jewels on the buckle. This way, you know exactly how many jewels you need, and in what sort of pattern you plan to work with.
2. Test glueing 1 jewel to make sure your glue is strong enough: my trial run included hot glue (does not adhere), an all-purpose glue from my father’s tool drawer (also does not adhere), until my mother suggested a specialty metal glue.
3. Once you’re sure your glue sticks, place glue on a section and then using your tweezers, set one jewel at a time on the glue.
4. It’s 100% best to work from one corner to the other - or generally in some organized fashion.
5. You can make designs, you can outline the shape, put your initials on it, whatever you like!
6. Once you’ve covered your buckle, leave it to dry in a safe place overnight. Just to be safe!
7. Attach your buckle to an old belt, a piece of ribbon or a scarf and sparkle your way to the cutest waistline ever!

Craft Level: Easy, but for jewel application, you’ll need the patience of JOB.
Estimated Time: 30 - 45 minutes. You’ll need a jewel-setting break.

Tags: belt, embellishment, glue gun, inspirations, jewels

No-Sew Knock-Off Face Tank Top

As usual, my #1 inspiration is designer clothing that I can’t bring myself to spend money on/can’t afford. When I first saw this Lanvin tank top, I knew I HAD to have it. It was only once I’d seen that it was knocked off at tons of low-end chains, that I found it craft-interesting. And it was being worn by fashionistas. Every single chain that’s notorious for knock-offs (Forever XXI? Can you hear me?), has done some form of face top for their spring lines. Even regular designers are on this! Rather than buy a carbon-copy, why not make your own design? I will admit to this though: the INSTANT I saw it, I knew it was an easy-shmeasy craft to make. That, and the authentic top is sold out nearly everywhere, so you and I have NO CHOICE but to make it!

That, and it’s no-sew and you can make it using ONLY things you probably have at home - whether you have access to a craft closet or not!

Things You Need:

• A plain white regular boring cotton tank top or t-shirt - hint: don’t use a ribbed one, it’s a PAIN to work with
• Sharpies [permanent markers] in black, red, whatever colors you like
• Scissors
• Ribbon of your choice
• 1 old cardboard box or piece of cardboard (the ones you get from the dry cleaner inside your shirts works!)

How To:

1. Make a blueprint drawing of whatever face you want on your top on the cardboard - this’ll serve double duty as both a stencil for your design AND a barrier between the front and back of your tank top. Permanent marker ink seeps through and is, believe it or not, PERMANENT. It’s also MUCH easier to trace an image than draw freehand.
2. Working on a flat surface, shove the cardboard template inside your top.
3. Using a Sharpie, trace your face! Be sure to hold the top taut so you can doodle with ease - it’s easier said than done to draw on a t-shirt!
4. Use different colors for accents, like red lips, pink hearts.
5. Once you’re satisfied with the face you’ve drawn, cut a piece of ribbon, long enough to make a bow.
6. Tie the ribbon in a bow onto one of the top’s straps.
7. Sign your name on the back, because this isn’t a Lanvin top - it’s YOUR original design!

Note: only because I KNOW you’re going to ask - this is a similar tank top to the one I used (mine is racerback and I can’t find it on the website, obviously) and this is the one I used for my sister’s top. Mine was MUCH easier to work with than hers. Also, because it’s more trendy now to have a bigger, looser tank top, my tank top is about 3 sizes bigger than I’d normally wear. This design totally looks better on a looser top. Because I didn’t sew the bow on [you absolutely can if you want to], it’s totally exchangeable for other bows! Change your mood, change your bow! (If you don’t sew on your bow, remove it before washing it!)

Estimated Time: 15 minutes - MAX
Craft Level: So easy it HURTS!

Tags: designer knockoff, easy, inspirations, Lanvin, no-sew, tank top

Fancy Headbands a la Blair Waldorf

Behind every craft, there’s a story. While I was brainstorming craft ideas to feature on my blog, I knew this would be the first one for a few reasons:

1. Gossip Girl and Blair Waldorf are HUGE these days
2. Headbands are super trendy right now
3. Every single store is selling fancy headbands
4. This is a REALLY easy craft
5. I selfishly wanted some new headbands and wasn’t interested in spending $30+ on a headband

Because this is a real TRENDY item and I know most girls have at least one headband with a bow on it, I wanted to show everyone just HOW easy and quick this is to make. Why spend a fortune on a headband when you can just as easily make it yourself for under $20?

Things You Need:

• Plain plastic headbands - no more than one inch thick (it’s harder to work with bigger ones)
• Hot glue gun & glue shots
• Wide ribbon (can be satin, velvet, whatever you like or have hanging around)
• Scissors

Things You Don’t NEED But Are More Than Welcome To Use Too:

• Buttons (I keep all those extra buttons from clothes and have a random leftover button bag)
• Jewels
• Feathers
• Fake flowers
• Scrapbook-type 3-D decorations

How To:

1. Wrap ribbon tightly around the headband from one end to the other, winding it super tight to approximate how much ribbon you’ll need. Plug in your glue gun too, nobody likes cold glue.
2. Cut ribbon, and give yourself a little bit of extra at the end. It’s easier when the ribbon is too long rather than too short!
3. Put a small bead of glue on the end of one side of the ribbon, on the wrong side (the side you DON’T want showing) and press it to the inside of the headband.
4. Now that your ribbon is stuck to the headband, it’s time to wind it up! Wrap the ribbon TIGHTLY around the headband, moving from one end to the other. Note: you’ll notice that I didn’t officially go from the real ends of the headband. This is because it’s a heck of a lot more comfortable if you leave a bit of plastic at the ends for behind your ears. You don’t want a mound of glue and ribbon poking you every time you wear your fancy headband!
5. Once you’ve reached the other end, secure the ribbon down with a bit of hot glue on the inside. You don’t want glue showing on the outside!
6. Now it’s time for fun. Using extra bits of ribbon, make loops gluing the ends together. I made two loops, one slightly bigger than the other, and wrapped a third shorter piece of ribbon to secure my “bow”. You can make as many or as few loops as you like - depending on how BIG you want your bow to be! Tip: while you’re securing your bow with extra ribbon, pinch it slightly while you’re gluing so it looks snazzier!
7. Once your bow is ready, decide where you want it on your headband. I actually snuck into my sister’s room and borrowed her ready-made bow headbands to see their location. Oddly enough, mass-made bow headbands put their bows really close to the ear. It really depends what sort of look you’re going for. A bow on top of the headband has a bit of Alice in Wonderland appeal, while a side bow is more Blair Waldorf. Once you’ve decided, glue that bow to the headband! You’ll want to hold it down for a few seconds to make sure it doesn’t move.
8. Wear it, and be the ENVY of your friends!

Estimated Time: 20-35 minutes
Crafty Level: EASY, with glue gun use

Alternate options:

• Make smaller bows and decorate them with fancy buttons or jewels
• Skip the bows entirely and just decorate with fun flowers
• Use different colored ribbons for the headband and bows

Wear it and enjoy!

Tags: easy, headbands, inspirations