156 Days to Go: Wednesday Giveaway!

I’ve been home working like a busy bee with book edits but took a quick jaunt to downtown LA to pick up a few supplies…there are some fun projects on the horizon and I was missing a few key ingredients!  I parked on one of those rooftop structures and made my way to the elevator.  This is what I saw when it opened.

Hi sketchy elevator!

I did a double take and questioned getting on it because I thought it was going to kidnap me, but then a mother and daughter got on too.  I figured if the elevator kidnaps me, it’ll kidnap all of us.  We luckily survived the one story ride.  And stairs…nowhere to be found.

I was in bead, bauble, and button heaven!!

Whole lotta buttons going on!

I grabbed some thread (colors I had run out of and needed), replacement zippers, elastic, and fabric!

Garment District!

I needed to grab more fabric for curtains (I’m finally curtain-ing my apartment!!) and totally scored at Michael Levine.  (I went to their pay-by-the-pound area as well and found a few keepers!)

My fabric stash!

A quick and successful trip was had before it was back to the books…literally.

I bought some of those buttons above as well as fun floral stud earrings and a sewing kit to give away today.

Goodies!

Because there were so many fun earring colors, I just couldn’t go with that gold pair alone.  I snagged a few more summery options as well to make this a goodie day where eight people will win (1 earring/button/kit winner, 7 stud winners).  I’m a sucker for stud earrings and couldn’t resist.  My green tomato pin cushion made the perfect grassy looking display!

An earring garden!

To win, leave a comment below of your #1 & #2 fave summery color options – magenta, mauve, gold, copper, turquoise, and mint are what you’ve got!  I want you to hopefully get your choice if you end up one of the multiple, random, lucky winners!  Winners will be chosen on Monday, 5/21!

157 Days to Go: Copycat – Gryphon

I saw this piece about a year ago and it always stuck with me.  Maybe it was how it looked so comfortable, or how the price tag was $400?  I had an insta-DIY moment where I knew right away I was going to make one of these.  Just like it and WAY cheaper.

Gryphon Copycat

So, I finally found a hoodie with a color that looked super close to the Gryphon one!  Guess how much this one was?  $1.

Day 157 - Before

If their baja hoodie was weaved of cashmere, then $400 makes sense, but for a piece you can literally get on the Venice Beach boardwalk, in Mexico, or at a garage sale, this was a no-brainer.  Sidenote – the materials (thread/embroidery floss/yarn) might even be in your craft stash already, making this project cost whatever you snag the hoodie for.

Continue reading…

158 Days to Go: $1 Remake

Today’s dress was a total winner!!  I mean metallic silver with glued on glitter?!

Day 158 - Before

Here’s the close up of that glitter…

Glued glitter directly onto the fabric

Let’s just say that it wasn’t the most comfortable garment to try on, but it was a dollar and it had a whole lot of potential.  Where are those jazz hands?!

Continue reading…

161 Days to Go: Thursday Giveaway!!

If I could title today, it would be Marisa and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

INT: DENTIST’S OFFICE — DAY

Marisa is laying down on the dentist’s chair for her basic cleaning.  There is a dental hygienist looking through Marisa’s file.

HYGIENIST: (stretching)

I’m sore from starting up kickboxing again.  Oh, and the basic clean you scheduled is now going be a deep clean because you waited a year in-between visits.  Have you heard of ‘The Cavinator?” Get ready because you’re going to get a facial from all the splattering water!

Marisa trembles with fear and you can tell her mind is racing.

MARISA:

Gulp.  I hate facials.

This photo I’m sharing is one of the most unattractive shots I’ve ever seen of myself (sneaky iPhone photo in-between quadrant scaling, laying down on the dentist’s chair, while the really nice, in post-workout mode, hygienist was refilling “the cavinator”.  Yes, “the cavinator” exists – it wasn’t just for my faux movie scene.  I had to share because A, we’re close pals and B, I hope none of you have to experience the toothal pain I felt today.

Not a fun chair to be sitting in.

I tend to floss less regularly than I should.  I tend to fall asleep on my couch blogging and then drag myself to my bed at 3am and skip flossing for a brushing when that happens.  After today, that will never be an excuse.  I’m ordering a Waterpik and am going to be on a flossing rampage.  Queen of floss?  That has a ring to it!

Because today hurt my face and I’ve only had liquids and the toppings from a frozen pizza, I’m going to do a giveaway!!  I figured this would make others happier than I am at this moment – and for the next 24 hours per my hygienist – offering up a final batch of fabric samples, some Velcro, and a little travel-friendly sewing kit!!

Day 161 Giveaway!!

Let’s just say that today’s events have given me a new lease on being appointment diligent.  Planning future visits – already in the books because I’m not allowing my teeth to play another mean joke on me.  Do you guys have one of these?  Share with me a mean joke/frustrating moment/your Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day in the comments below to win the goodies. A random winner will be chosen next week.  (Congrats to Blair Burnette for winning last week’s goodies!)

Back on the saddle sewing machine tomorrow and lesson of the day…

“FLOSS YO GUMS”.