Vanessa's NDAD Creation

Hey friends! I'm going to be posting a little more sporadically and at some weird times over the next handful of days because I'm heading on a trip to Bali! Trying to have my own little Eat Pray Love adventure, if you will! Not heading to Italy for pasta, but I will be getting my fill of banana pancakes while in Indonesia. Make sure to follow Instagram/Twitter for real-time photos, however all my fun DIYs planned for while I'm away, because you know I'm going to be crafting beachside, will get posted once I'm back. Teaser pics will be on IG! (PS, and anyone with fun recommendations for Bali or Bangkok (because I'm definitely hitting Chatuchak Market while in Asia), keep me posted! I have some fun spots planned, but would love to hear any must sees!)

Today's piece is a super fantastic one, submitted by Vanessa. I need to make this for myself immediately!! Check it out...

The shirt was a hand me down (and 2 sizes too big) and the skirt I picked up at a garage sale because I liked the print. After trying on the skirt I realized it just wouldn't work the way it was. There was too much fabric for my frame (read: it made my butt look big).

I had the blue dress in my closet and I liked the way it fit so...

...I used it as a pattern to make my new dress and 2 became 1. (cue Spice Girls;) lol

PS: I made the necklace from an old belt!

PPS - anyone who uses a Spice Girls reference is a total A+ in my book!! PPSS - you look amazing!!  PPPSS - that floral print is beyond. I need that in my life somewhere :) Can't wait to see what you come up with next!

DIY: Girls' Lizard T-Shirt

I'm a big ole fan of Girls and since the season finale was on HBO last night, I felt inclined to make something to tie into it. For those of you super-Girls fans, head on over  here to HelloGiggles for the entire TV rundown. I kind of freaked out when I saw today’s remake on the fifth episode of this season. Lena Dunham in a crop top covered with little plastic lizards? Sign. Me. Up. Seriously. The original shirt is by Toy Syndrome and I couldn't wait to make my own version!

This is something that can easily be done with a white shirt that’s already in your collection (or your boyfriend or girlfriend or roomie’s) or a basic Hanes tee from Amazon!

Here’s a rundown of the supplies you’ll need:

1. Fabric Dye in tan

2. Plastic lizards (these are from Party City!?! Grab some plates and balloons while snagging a package of these guys!)

3. Lime green thread and a needle

4. White t-shirt (I have a stash of basic Hanes tees that I wear all the time)

I began with my plain white tee and set up a dye bath on the stove. I boiled water, added tan dye to the pot, and turned off the flame. I dipped my already wet tee into the dye bath (wetting it in advance helps evenly distribute the dye), and submerged the tee completely in the pot for about 30 minutes to absorb the color.

Once the tee was dry, it was time to place my reptile friends! I found thread in the same lime green shade of the lizards, made pencil mark placeholders in the areas to match the placement of the lizards on Lena Dunham’s shirt, and began to stitch the lizards to the shirt.

Three rows of five lizards had to be completed to match the original piece.

And after some quick hand stitching, the lizards were all attached.

To match the crop style of the shirt, a quick cut along the bottom of tee was all that was needed to complete the replica.

Straight from the small screen, my new crop top is ready to wear.

I feel just like Lena Dunham.

And it's a piece that is so easy to DIY.

Because of the hand stitching, this is something that would just be heading to my sink for some hand washing. Woolite City, USA!

I feel like I should be in Florida with this shirt on!! (Oh the lizards...)

Remake: Dress Swap with Recycled Fashion

Today's post is a fun one!  I partnered up with my Australian pal Erica at Recycled-Fashion for a little outfit swapping!  We decided to send each other a fabulous thrifted find (hers is below), work our magic on them, and then post the after shots.  We've been working on this for a little bit and it's finally time to reveal what we came up with! This is what Erica sent me...

Check her out modeling the floral, billowy-ness!

I received it in the mail and got working!!  Any thoughts of where I'm going to take it?  I think you're going to like the final product!

First thangs first.  Yep, thangs.  Cut.  Them.  Sleeves.

Look how pretty it's starting to look!

I really wanted to bring notice to the amazing button panel at the center.  The wheels started turning and I began to snip the edge of the fabric right next to the buttoned panel on each side, starting at the neck going down about a third of the way (falling at m'boobs!).

After the center area was trimmed, I started to snip the same fabric right at the neck seam.  I opened up this entire area, cutting from the center seam to the back zipper.

Once everything was trimmed, I made a triangle shape with the fabric (pinning it under) on each side of the buttoned panel.  I repeated this step with the material on the back of the dress, using the top of the zipper as the tip of my triangle.

I ended up having some extra room at the neck after all my tweaking, so I detached the button panel from the neck strip with a seam ripper...

...cut the area that was excess...

...and pinned it back together, to prep for sewing.  This is going to make it more fitted up top.

Next, I sewed the front and back of the dress...

...the neck strip, and then I took the top portion of the dress in on each side to make it as fitted as I could.

After all that work, this is what my dress turned into...

How's that for a remake??

I love that this button panel was what spoke to me :)

I just used that as my jump point and started thinking about the best way to highlight my favorite part!

It's such a light and springy piece - so perfect for the new season ahead!

I'm headed to Bali very soon (!!!) and guess what's coming with me...

...this dress!!

I paired it with my vintage Candies and vintage straw clutch, to help ring in the spring!!

You will see this restyled again when I bring it beachside with me, but until then...

MUAH!!

So that's what I did with Erica's piece.  Now it's onto the piece that I sent her!

Here's what the lovely before shots looked like...

She is getting a WINNER!!!

I know you want to see how she transformed this!  Head on over HERE for the afters!