Make It: Leather Cuff

Know what’s fun? When someone compliments you on something you’re wearing and you blurt out, “I made it!!”. Making your own pretty little leather cuff arm candy is a breeze and only takes a few supplies. Are you ready to be complimented?

DIY Leather Cuff Tutorial

1) You’ll need: Leather or vinyl, sew in snaps with thread and needle (or a snap kit if your leather is thick), strong glue (tacky glue, super glue, hot glue, or fabric glue), and a pattern piece. 2) Make a pattern from paper by measuring the length around your wrist, and approximately 2-inches wide (or wider if you like). Cut the leather from this pattern. 3) Pattern pieces: One wrist cuff and one 2inx1/3in piece. 4) Find the middle of the wrist strap and pinch it into a fold. You may add a couple small dots of glue between the folds on the underside. 5) Wrap your small piece tightly around the folds. 6) Glue the small piece tightly on the underside.  Snip off any excess. 7) Add your snaps. My leather was soft and thin, so I could easily use sew in snaps. 8) Finish both sides of your snaps.  9)  Wear it out and brag on your awesomeness.



Tips:  You can purchase leather and vinyl at fabric stores, but you may have an old leather item laying around that can be repurposed for this project.  My leather came from a torn leather skirt found at the thrift store.

Do you enjoy making your own accessories?  If you’ve made any lately, share a link to your blog in the comments – I’d love to come check it out!

Happy making, DIY’ers!

~julee~

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Wear It: Miss Happy Pink

 

Tshirt: Miss Happy Pink; Sweater:  Target; Boots: Rocket Dog, thrifted; Jeans: Jcrew, thrifted; Silver Ring: Old

 

A certain somebody has been battling a certain cold, so when the temps reached a crazy unexpected 70-degrees today, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to dress casual and comfy in my new Miss Happy Pink shirt.  I love all of her screenprints, but I especially love this bicycle built for two.  Doesn’t it just make you want to go somewhere? 

 

~julee~

 

I post my outfits here to show off my thrifty and handmade wears. Plus, I like cute clothes. I link up each week with What I Wore Wednesday at The Pleated Poppy, Whatever Whenever Wednesday, Not Dead Yet Style, Real Girl Style and Casual Friday. If you're dropping in today, please say HI! in the comments – I would love to come check out your blog!

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Wear It: Orange Freeze

This is my I’m Freeeeeezing! look, and I’ve been wearing it a lot this week.  I wanted winter weather, and I got it.  Thank goodness for big scarves to bundle up behind.  I’m actually a great big wimp in the cold, which would explain why I’m wearing a painful expression in every single one of my photos from today.



The handmade items in my outfit today are:  Coffee bean bracelet:  Almost Africa; Silver ring:  Robin Chard, A Sterling Reputation; Earrings:  Handmade by Kim.

Orange Sweater:  Target

Skirt:  Thrifted

Tights:  Kmart

Boots:  Old Navy, thrifted

Scarf:  Kohl’s

Purse:  80’s vintage, thrifted

 

I hope you guys are bundled up and keeping warm!  

~julee~  

 

I post my outfits here to show off my thrifty and handmade wears. Plus, I like cute clothes. I link up each week with What I Wore Wednesday at The Pleated Poppy, Whatever Whenever Wednesday, Not Dead Yet Style, Real Girl Style and Casual Friday. If you're dropping in today, please say HI! in the comments – I would love to come check out your blog!

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Thrift It: Bean Boots

First snow day of the year seemed the perfect time to break out the $3 thrifted L.L. Bean duck boots and gigantic slouchy socks.

How has your weekend been?  Gearing up for any special New Years Eve plans?

Happy thrifting, DIY’ers!

~julee~

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Wear It: On Television

Outfit:  Target; Boots:  Thrifted; Necklace: LindsayLou Jewelry; Earrings:  Made by Me

I was shown on TV from the waist up for all of seven minutes last week, and yet I fretted over this outfit for…a longer time than I should probably admit.  I am so loving orange/pumpkin/rust right now and this wool skirt from Target might be my favorite purchase all season.  I’d wear this style of skirt every single day if I could find more that fit just like it.

The handmade portion of my outfit today comes from Louisville jewelry maker LindsayLou Jewelry.  I don’t have very many gold necklaces, so I seem to pull this one out each time I’m not wearing silver.  It’s such a sweet little piece and I love its pop of color.

I’m always looking to add more handmade accessories to my outfits.  Any suggestions for online, etsy, or Louisville jewelry makers to check out?

~julee~

 

I post my outfits here to show off my thrifty and handmade wears. Plus, I like cute clothes. I link up each week with What I Wore Wednesday at The Pleated Poppy, Whatever Whenever Wednesday, Not Dead Yet Style, Real Girl Style and Casual Friday. If you're dropping in today, please say HI! in the comments – I would love to come check out your blog!

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Wear It: Aubergine

Know what’s fun?  An awesome mother-in-law that takes you shopping for early Christmas presents and lets you pick out a new scarf and a new sweater.  Know what else is fun?  Saying the word aubergine.  Know what’s not fun?  One week left of finals.  And also?  The blue bit on my scarf is the tag my husband failed to mention was sticking out.  Why do guys never notice things like that?

 

Aubergine sweater, scarf, booties (way old):  Kohls

Tank:  Target

Jeans:  JCrew, thrifted

Specs:  c/o GlassesUSA

Earrings:  Kiki(verde) Handmade

 

I have always loved this aubergine deep purple color, so I’m glad to see it’s everywhere this season.  What color are you loving lately?

 

~julee~

 

 

I post my outfits here to show off my thrifty and handmade wears. Plus, I like cute clothes. I link up each week with What I Wore Wednesday at The Pleated Poppy, Whatever Whenever Wednesday, Not Dead Yet Style, Real Girl Style and Casual Friday. If you're dropping in today, please say HI! in the comments – I would love to come check out your blog!

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Wearing Vintage with Mia Bella Photography

 

This is the third outfit in our series with Mia Bella Photography.  For my first outfit, I chose an everyday true-to-me style.  For my second outfit, I picked out a classy look without an expensive price tag.  For my third outfit, I chose a classic vintage look.

 

I love vintage pieces, but wearing many of the vintage styles isn’t very practical for my lifestyle.  So, when I come across vintage clothing on my treasure hunts, I feel it’s good karma to leave those pieces on the rack for the next vintage lover to come along and sell on etsy claim.

 

However, this 1950’s style vintage dress that fit me like a glove for $5 could not be put back on the rack.  Nope, no way.  I’m thinking I scored the deal of the century.

 

 

Dress:  Vintage, thrifted

Belt:  Thrifted

Purse:  Vintage, thrifted

Shoes:  Target

Necklace:  Vintage, gift from my mom

Earrings:  Handmade by Kim

 

I highly encourage you to take a peek at Mia Bella Photography and the Mia Bella Facebook page, and hit the LIKE button while you’re there.  She updates her page daily with amazing photos from her photoshoots, and if you’re a Louisville local, she also updates session openings and special pricing opportunities.  For a limited time, she is giving a free 10x13 image when you book a session and mention DIY.  Mia Bella specializes in senior, family, and newborn portraits.  I’m thinking she should also go into the fashion blogger market.

How do you feel about wearing vintage clothes?  Do you ever find any amazing vintage buys?

~julee~

 

Kim and I post our outfits here to show off our thrifty and handmade wears. Plus, we like cute clothes. We link up each week with The Pleated Poppy, Whatever Whenever Wednesday, Not Dead Yet Style, Real Girl Style and Casual Friday with a bunch of other bloggers in blogland doing the same crazy stuff we are. If you're dropping in today, please say HI! in the comments - we'd love to come check out your blog!

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What We Wore with Mia Bella Photography

We are so excited to be partnering with Mia Bella Photography to bring our What We Wore outfit photos for the next few weeks.  Mia Bella Photography has long been a sponsor of D.I.Y. Louisville, creating our amazing blog banner and promotional photographs.  Kim and I are big fans of the beautiful images captured by Jilli Worth and we have cheered along throughout this year as her dream job and photography business have taken flight.  I highly encourage you to check out more beautiful images on Mia Bella Photography’s website and Facebook page.

 

Sweaters worn over my summer dresses are my favorite way extend their wear into fall.  We all know I love a good cardigan, but lately I’m loving the look of a chunkier sweater over dresses.  I’m also loving that the yummy selection of colored tights are plentiful this year.

 

 

Dress:  Target Brand, thrifted

Sweater:  Target

Tights:  Target

Belt: Thrifted

Boots:  Old Navy, thrifted

Vintage Locket:  My Grandmother’s

Bracelets:  Claires

Handmade Wooden Ring:  Uncommon Handmade

 

Kim and I post our outfits here to show off our thrifty and handmade wears. Plus, we like cute clothes. We link up each week with The Pleated Poppy and Whatever Whenever Wednesday and Not Dead Yet Style with a bunch of other bloggers in blogland doing the same crazy stuff we are. If you're dropping in today, please say HI! in the comments - we'd love to come check out your blog!

Do you try to extend the wear of your summer dresses into fall?  Are you loving the colored tights/leggings trend this fall?

~julee~

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What We Wore

This week I had the pleasure of assisting my very talented friend Robin Chard at an art show.  It’s always fun to get out and support our D.I.Y. Louisville members, plus working with Robin means I get to spend the day playing dress-up with her amazing handmade jewelry.

We didn’t have time to snap better close-ups of the jewelry, but trust me when I say that this handmade link necklace is amazing.  Robin makes all of her chain links herself.  She says that’s because she’s crazy; I say that’s because she’s an artist.

Dress:  Target, Thrifted

Cardi & Leggings:  Target

Boots:  Thrifted

Necklace, Bracelet, Ring:  Robin Chard, A Sterling Reputation

Earrings:  Handmade by Kim
 

Kim and I post our outfits here to show off our thrifty and handmade wears. Plus, we like cute clothes. We link up each week with The Pleated Poppy and Whatever Whenever Wednesday and Not Dead Yet Style with a bunch of other bloggers in blogland doing the same crazy stuff we are. If you're dropping in today, please say HI! in the comments - we'd love to come check out your blog!
~julee~

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Easy Halloween Photo Booth

I love photo booth photos.  Creating your won pseudo-photo booth for a party is really easy and adds a huge element of fun, especially for Halloween parties when guests are already dressed up in costumes. 

To create this Halloween photo booth, we hung a (wrinkled?) backdrop, and I made a spooky spider frame for the prop.  To create the Halloween frame, I used bright orange spray paint on a thrifted picture frame, created a simple BOO pennant, and strung cobwebs with a plastic spider in the corners.  So easy, and so much fun for our party guests!

Ok, so maybe I had more fun than the kids, but I love the sweet photos of these girls “framed” in their costumes.  Adorable.

Happy Halloween photo fun, DIY’ers!

~julee~

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What We Wore

I love these boots, even though they make my foot look gigantic in this photo.  I found them at the thrift for $3 last winter.  I have crazy luck at finding good shoes.  My husband kindly suggested that maybe it would be good Karma for me to leave some of these awesome boot deals for other people.  To which I looked at him like he was crazy and replied in my best did-we-just-meet-yesterday? voice, “I do leave the ones that don’t fit, silly boy.”

(And maybe I should be doing less shoe shopping and more power washing?  Because why is my house so mossy?)

Dress & Belt:  Forever 21

Jeans:  Target

Boots:  Thrifted

Necklace:  Love Squirrels

Kim and I post our outfits here to show off our thrifty and handmade wears. Plus, we like cute clothes. We link up each week with The Pleated Poppy and Whatever Whenever Wednesday and Not Dead Yet Style with a bunch of other bloggers in blogland doing the same crazy stuff we are. If you're dropping in today, please say HI! in the comments - we'd love to come check out your blog!

~julee~

 

p.s. – For Lauren & Lauren is hosting a group giveaway full of lots of amazing prizes including the chance to win a sponsor spot on D.I.Y. Louisville for October.  Go HERE to enter.  Yay!

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What We Wore: Puddle Jumping

We’ve had lots of rain and I’ve pulled out my beloved rain boots a couple of times this weekend.  Rain boots must be the most childlike and fun foot accessory ever.  The boots weren’t worn all day, I slipped into sandals when I thought the wet-feet coast was clear.  I pretty much think having wet feet is the yuckiest feeling ever.  Also, I totally pictured this outfit with my tall brown boots, but it’s still hot and muggy around here.  Patience young grasshopper.

My husband’s critique of this outfit:  I don’t know, the boots look weird, like a cowgirl that’s doing it wrong.  Ah well, I can’t win ‘em all.

 

Tank:  Target (Similar)

Belt: Thrifted

Skirt:  Old Navy (Similar)

Boots: Nomad

Necklace:  Love Squirrels

Bracelet: Almost Africa

 

Kim and I post our outfits here to help inspire each other to get out of the yoga pants rut.  Plus, we like cute clothes.  We link up each week with The Pleated Poppy and and Whatever Whenever Wednesday with a bunch of other bloggers in blog land doing the same crazy stuff we are.  If you're dropping in today, please say HI! in the comments - we'd love to come check out your blog!

~julee~

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What We Wore

I found this Susana Monaco skirt at the thrift this summer  for $3, and it still had its $60-something dollar price tags attached.  Wha?  I snatched it up as quick as I could and sent a little thank you out into the universe to all the people that donate awesome clothing to thrift stores everywhere.

The downside of this skirt is that it is UPS-brown, and finding tops to wear with it other than white t-shirts has been a challenge.  Since I’m still not spending any money on new clothes, I’m trying to rotate through some items in my closet.  I felt ok with this outfit until my husband questioned why I had my shirt knotted like that.

Top, Sandals, Bracelets: Target

(Kim has this same top, worn HERE.)

Skirt: Susana Monaco, thrifted (Similar)

Earrings:  Made by Me

My new favorite color nail polish: Maybelline Green with Envy

 

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy and and Whatever Whenever Wednesday. If you're dropping in today, please say HI! in the comments - we'd love to come check out your blog!

 

~julee~

 

 

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What We Wore

This is what I wore hiking this weekend. 

Who the heck wears this on a hike, you ask?

Well, a girl who thinks she’s meeting up for a simple picnic and catch-up time with dear friends instead of the 2-hour rigorous jaunt through the wilderness she’s tricked into, that’s who.

My original outfit had sandals.  Lucky for me, I tossed my Toms in the trunk at the last minute.

Not that Toms are made for hiking steep terrain, mind you, but at least they kept the rocks out of my toes.

Kim told me to quit whining and reminded me that if Toms were good enough for the kids in Africa to wear on safari, then they were good enough for me to trek in the woods.

Fair enough.

Shirt:  Limited, thrifted

Shorts:  Limited, thrifted

Shoes:  Toms

Earrings:  Made by Me

Nail Polish:  Julep

I’m linking up with some amazing bloggers over at The Pleated Poppy and Whatever Whenever Wednesday.  If you’re stopping in from there (or anywhere!), please say HI! in the comments.  I would love to check out your blog!

~julee~

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What We Wore

I wore this dress to our Ross blogger event, and I am 100% absolutely in love with the color.  I picked it up on the clearance rack at Macy’s for maybe a little more than I would normally spend, but it came with the (bonus!)  little silver belt which made it feel like a two-for-one.   At the end of our shopping day, I returned to work and added the shrug to make the dress more office appropriate.  I wasn’t intentionally trying to be matchy-matchy with my nail color; I was just too lazy to repaint.

Dress/Belt:  Macy’s

Shrug:  Macy’s

Shoes:  The Limited, thrifted

Earrings:  Dillards

Silver Ring:  Robin Chard

Clutch:  Vintage (Thanks, Mom!)

I’m linking up with The Pleated Poppy and many, many other bloggers who are sharing their weekly outfits.  If you’re stopping in from there (or anywhere!), please leave a comment saying HI!  I would love to check out your blog!

~julee~

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D.I.Y. Headboard

I’m going to tell you something kind of embarrassing.  My husband and I will be married for 10 years next month and in these last 10 years we have never had a headboard.  Yep, we’ve been living like poor college students, at least as far as bedroom furniture goes.  Well, recently opportunity came a knocking in the form of a giant, old shipping crate set out for trash day.  We grabbed it up (I’m not embarrassed for my neighbors to see my digging through their trash) and repurposed it.  The crate part became a new side table in our living room (more on that later) and the lid to the crate became our new perfect headboard.  All we did was attach the lid to the wall above our bed using screws and making sure to drill into the studs.  After it was attached we screwed some bull nose clips, added our favorite pictures and called it a day!  Check out the pictures.  I’m in love with the way our new headboard looks and am glad it took us 10 years if this was the final product.





* A little tip for the bullnose clips is if you can only find the magnetic kind, get them anyways.  the magnets pop out very easily with a blunt knife.

-Kim


Linking up with The Shabby Creek Cottage.

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What We Wore

Oh chambray, how I love thee.

My summer job is in a casual office, and it’s been fun to toss on my favorite fuss-free dresses  most days.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get one single picture of one single cute dress this week.  The only day I thought to recruit my begrudging kid to snap a photo was on the day I wore my faithful old black jeans.  Ah, well.

Chambray top:  Anne Taylor, thrifted

Black Jeans: Target

Wedges: Target (old)

Earrings: Kiki(verde)

Kiki is one of my most darling friends in all the world.  When she recently opened up Kiki(verde) Handmade, an etsy shop full of her beautiful handmade jewelry, I cheered fervently.  When I set out to find a pair of earrings for myself, I must admit, I got downright giddy, as there were so many unique sets to choose from.  I ultimately chose these Imperial Jasper Earrings because they reminded me of little beaded globes.  So lovely, and so easy to pair with so many outfits.

I am linking up with many other bloggers over at The Pleated Poppy this week.  If you are stopping in from there, please say HI! in the comments – I would love to check out your blog!

~julee~

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What We Wore

After months and months of wearing skinny jeans, it feels weird to be wearing something, well, not skinny. Nevermind the little peek-a-boo action – nice to know my hubby snapped 40 pictures and never once mentioned that the camera wasn’t the only thing flashing.   I recently purchased this top, and I love it, but I didn't realize that it gaped open at the buttons like that.  Oops.  I hope the staff and patrons at Jason’s Deli didn’t mind.

Not only that, but my hubby also asked if I purchased this outfit in a Florida retirement community, and what time I was expected to be at the hoedown, and when was I then I told him to zip it.  I'm not 100% certain that I love the outfit myself, but it did feel nice to hang up my skinny jeans and wear something different.

 

Top: Old Navy

Jeans: Gap, thrifted, old

Belt: Thrifted

Shoes: Target, old

Necklace: My daughter’s jewelry box. 

(Seriously, this kid has the cutest jewelry.)

 

 

We’re linking up with What I Wore frenzy over at The Pleated Poppy.  If you’re stopping in from there, don’t be shy and drop us a comment!

~julee~

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