DIY sequin sun Hat

Ever since I went to the Kentucky Derby a few years ago, I've been lusting over a Eugenia Kim sun hat. The oversized hats with cheeky sayings embroidered in sequins are a Derby staple but the $400+ tag is not my kind of deal. I've lusted from afar until I saw this DIY tutorial on the Glitter Guide a few weeks back.

I tried out the tutorial this past weekend, and it is a total cinch!

I used this hat because I already had it in my closet but it is on mega sale right now! I also don't live near a craft store so I bought this roll of sequins and this glue gun from Amazon and both were Prime eligible. Don't you just love Amazon Prime?

This is a super easy DIY even for those of us who don't fancy themselves as a crafter.

Some tips for you....

• Don't bother tracing your phrase with a pencil. I found it easier to lay out the sequins by word and then go back in with the glue gun.
• Lowercase a's, or any other letter where you retrace a part of the line, are hard! If I did it again, I would choose a phrase with an a.
• Before settling on "pass the rose", I thought about "rose all day", "champagne campaign", "not available" and "champagne only, please"

Let me know if you end up trying it for yourself! 

DIY envelope liners

Hi friends! I hope you had a good weekend!

I think most of us had a three day weekend, and boy, did I need it. I know you're probably rolling your eyes considering I just came back from holiday break two weeks ago but does anyone need an excuse for needing a three day weekend? I don't think so.

I spent Saturday morning with two friends at a DIY invitation making workshop at our local Paper Source. We have been talking about attending one of their workshops for quite some time but  had trouble finding a class/time that worked for our schedules. The stars aligned and we could all make their DIY invitation workshop which was especially convenient for me since I plan to make our own wedding stationery. If you haven't taken one of their classes before, I highly recommend checking out their workshop and events page. The class was a blast, only $20, and was a great way to start the weekend. We all learned so much and I couldn't wait to start playing when I got home.

One of the things we learned how to make were envelope liners. Envelope liners are a super easy way to add a little pop to the inside of an envelope and make for a nice personal touch. We used plastic templates Paper Source sells though I knew I could make my own stencils at home.

And so I did! You're probably going to lolz when you see how easy this tutorial is. 

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• Envelopes
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Double-sided tape
• Paper for the liners  -- I used old wrapping paper but you can use almost anything. Maps, magazines, calendars, scrapbook paper all make good options!
• Cardstock ( I used an old Lara bar box)
• Ruler (maybe)

STEP ONE

Trace the front of the envelope with the flap open on the cardboard to make a stencil. I used the flat edge of the box to make it easier to cut. 

STEP TWO (AND A HALF)

Cut out the tracing to make a stencil.  After you've cut out the stencil, use your ruler or eyeball it (which is what I did) to cut 1/4 of an inch all the around the stencil so that the envelope liner fits inside the envelope without being too snug.

STEP THREE

Use the stencil to cut out your liner. Again, I used the flat edge of the paper to make it easier to cut.

STEP FOUR

Place double stick tape directly underneath the envelope glue on the flap. Slide the envelope liner into the envelope with the print facing up. Line the edge of the envelope liner to the tape and press firmly. Fold the envelope at the crease to crease the liner. 

STEP FOUR

Send to your BFF.

DIY distressed denim

I’ve become pretty obsessed with distressed denim and almost exclusively wear jeans that are distressed in some way. I had a non-distressed pair that has been sitting in the back of my closet for months without wear and decided to DIY them so that I would want to wear the more often.

YOU WILL NEED

-One pair of pants (obvi)

-Scissors

-Exacto Knife

-Pumice Stone or Sandpaper

STEP ONE

With the pants on, use a pen or a piece of chalk (if you happen to have that laying around) to mark where your knees hit. If you also want to raise the hemline, mark where you should cut the legs. I like the bottom to hit right at my ankle bone.

STEP TWO

With the pants off, use an exacto knife or sharp scissors to make slits in the knees. Be sure to put a magazine or a piece of cardboard inside the pant leg so you don’t cut through both side of the jeans. I’ve in advertently had to make a few pairs of cutoffs this way. Make the longest cut the width of the middle of the knee. Above and below that point, alternate long and short cuts. Repeat this on both legs (obviously). Don’t pull any of the fibers.

STEP THREE

Don’t forget about distressing other parts of the pant. Using the exacto knife and pumice stone to distress the pocket line, the upper thigh, and back pocket. The pumice stone will thin the denim whereas the knife will actually cut through. Use the pumice stone in small circles to distress the pockets. Use the exacto knife to make small nicks in the thigh and on the back pockets. 

STEP FOUR (OPTIONAL)

Trim the bottom of your pants right below the link  you marked near your ankles. It’s crucial to cut below the line so that if they shrink in the wash they don’t become shorter than you anticipated. This also acts a safety net in case you cut unevenly and need to trim one leg to match the other.

STEP 5
Wash and dry your jeans. Trim the extra fibers. In the picture above, I’ve only trimmed the fibers on the left pant leg so you can see on the right leg how they will come out of the dryer.

Repeat the process if you want more distressing.

four halloween costumes already in your closet

Holly Golightly | black dress, pearls, tiara, oversized sunnies

Mickey Mouse | red skirt, black top, yellow pumps

Mime | black leggings, black and white striped shirt, black beret, mime makeup

Rosie the Rivitier | chambray red bandana

I'm just not a Halloween person and it feels good to say that out loud. I had my fair share of costume parties in college (thanks to a weekly mixers with my sorority) and I hate feeling scared so scary movies or haunted houses are not my idea of fun. I promise I'm not as much of a drag as those last two sentences made me sound like. 

If you're somewhat like me and Halloween isn't your jam, the last thing you want to spend your money on is a costume. Check out your closet! I'm sure you can pull together one of the costumes above or take $20 down to Forever21 and call it a day.

For more in-your-closet Halloween inspiration, check out my post from last year.