Earth Month: Nena & Co.

When I first saw a Nena & Co. bag, I nearly passed out.  The colors and patterns were spectacular and it made me feel like I was on vacation.  Anything that makes me feel like I'm on vacation without having to actually go to the airport and try to make my way through security without TSA patting down my sock bun to make sure I'm not smuggling anything inside it (yep, happens all the time) is quite the golden ticket. If that wasn't enough, the story behind the bags made me like them even more.  The fabrics (made from raw cotton that are then dyed and spun into thread) are all recycled coming from Guatamalan huipils (the traditional tops of Maya women) and portions of each sale go to providing filtered water, jobs, or an education to impoverished Maya families.  What an awesome way to give back.

The collection is a mix of gorgeous beach bags, weekenders, and these adorable mini Huipil clutches made with the fabric and leather by local artisans.

I love the size of these little guys - perfect for a phone, keys, some cash and a gloss for a night out.

This is such a great "get and give back" piece.  Nothing like a little bit of upcycling to turn a garment that is no longer being used into something so outstanding and chic.  Kudos to Nena & Co - I totally heart you!  

Nena & Co. www.nenaandco.com Price – $24+ Styles – weekenders, tote bags, clutches, tunics, camera straps, shoes, turbans.

Remake: Mr. Rogers Cardigan

You saw the teaser shot of this lovely vintage cardi...

...that totally reminds me of something that Mr. Rogers would have worn in his sweet little neighborhood. I mean, check it out...

I was super inspired by this amazing Free People sweater...

...but at $248, it was a bit out of my price range.  So, I decided to use another old sweater that was ready for retirement...

...and work it into the cardigan!

I started cutting out the tiger from the old one shoulder piece that has been around for quite a bit.  I'm not doing the tight, asymmetrical, knit anymore so I thought it would be a rad addition to the cardigan.

With the tiger cut and let out of its cage...

...I went to my stash of Heat n' Bond iron-on adhesive and trimmed out a piece using the tiger as the template.  I ironed the paper right side up to the wrong side (back) of the tiger.

Once the adhesive backing was affixed, I trimmed around the patch so the lines would be clean against the tiger and pulled off the paper layer before ironing it directly to the top left of the sweater.

It's like the tiger is my mascot!

Turned out pretty well!!  You can always hand stitch or machine sew around the edges to keep it super secure, however I didn't have time for that before I left for Bali.

When I get home, I'll make the final touches.  I've got the eye of the tiger!!

It's just a bit of cool to give some edge to a basic tee and jeans combo.

I was quite thrilled with my new sweater that was just a few bucks and just love that hint of inspiration from Free People!

Remake: Mr. Rogers Cardigan Teaser

I had a fun craft day with the always inspiring creative gal, Sonya Nimri, and we played a bit with this sweater. Just your basic, vintage, run-of-the-mill, Mr. Rogers-esque cardigan. There was some fun potential waiting to happen with this number and I think we got it to a place that even Katy Perry would be proud of. (That's a hint, ps)

Stay tuned for the after look...coming shortly!!