Chain Necklace Revamp

I have this beautiful gold (not real gold) modern chain necklace. Jamie, one of my best friends, gave it to me when I was a bridesmaid in her wedding.

I love the necklace, but I don't wear it that often because it is a little too dressy for me. I wear jeans pretty much seven days a week, so I decided to make my beautiful bridesmade necklace into a casual accessorie.

Here is the necklace before I added anything to it.

Next, I cut out one strip of a white faux fur fabric and intertwined it through the hoops/chains. I hot glued both ends of the fabric to itself on the backside.









The result:

Large Jeweled Plaque Necklace

This necklace is my favorite piece of jewelry I have made so far. My best friend Lauren's unique jewelry collection and my husband's nature photography inspired this necklace.











First I took a piece of paper towel to make a pattern. I drew the neckline I wanted by tracing a butter bowel.
Then I used a baby food jar to create the scalloped look.

I then cut out the paper towel pattern and pinned it to a piece of felt folded in two. I cut out the felt pattern, which left me with the a front and back.

Next, spray paint the front felt with your choice of shimmer color. I used Krylon Glitter Spray. While the felt is drying, figure out how you want to arrange your jewels on the paper towel pattern.

When you are ready to sew, start with your center stone and hand sew it on to the front piece of the felt. Then sew your smaller beads around your stone. Due this with each stone, working your way to the outer-edges.

When your done it will look like this. Don't worry about it being perfect. It is the imperfections that make it unique and beautiful.










Next, take the back piece of felt and hot glue two pieces of ribbon.

I messed up on this part. I would recommend gluing the ribbons straight up and down - not at an angle. I also recommend gluing the ribbon just a little closer to the center. *I am going to fix mine, and I will add a picture on Saturday.










After you attach the ribbon hot glue the back piece of felt to the front piece of felt. The ribbon should be sandwiched in between.

This is a picture with the flash. In real life, it is not that shiny!

My Inspiration

I was going to make a necklace for today's post, but mommy duty called instead.

Rily, my 9-month-old, was glued to my hip the second I arrived home for work, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
















Since I talk so much about inspiration, I thought I would show you my inspiration for the necklace I am making. Check back Friday for the necklace and its tutorial.

One of my inspirations is my best friend Lauren, known as Aunt Sassy to my girls. Lauren is always put together, even when she is working out. She also has the best collection of beautiful, unique jewelry.















My second and most powerful inspiration is my husband's nature photography. Here are my favorite photos:
(Leave a comment and let him know what you think. He would appreciate it!)

Button Scarflet

Everybody at work was talking about scarves today, which made me think about the scarf I made my mother for Christmas.

This is my mom!
















The button scarf is great way to put a new twist on an old scarf. All you have to do is learn how to sew on a button. For those of you who don't know how, here is a video that shows you how to sew on a button.



Once you sew on your buttons, you just use the fringe of the scarf to hook on to the buttons. I got the idea from http://www.dollarstorecrafts.com/.

CLICK HERE for the tutorial.

The finished product is great and easy!

Recycled Watch Band Bracelet - Inspired from Ruffles and Stuff

Today's post was suppose to be baby clothes that I am making for 9-month-old Rily, but in the process of sewing I broke my sewing machine needle.

So, taking the broken needle as a sign that I needed to get started on house cleaning, I began to tidy up my mantle. On my mantle I found a watch that Rick's grandmother, Carol, gave me. The watch does not work anymore, but it is a beautiful watch. It is also a reminder of great woman who accepted me as family from the moment she met me. I would never get rid of the watch, and as I was thinking of way to make it wearable again, I remembered a recent post from Disney at Ruffles and Stuff - Recycled Watch Band Bracelets.

Tada!!!!! My version of the recycled watch band bracelet.

Here is the tutorial on how to make this awesome bracelet turned watch!

Jersey Flower Headbands

My oldest daughter Kaylee has long, fine hair. It won't even stay up in a ponytail, and it constantly falls in her face. So, I decided to make a headband out of some of my leftover jersey fabric.

I measured the circumference of Kaylee's head - 19 inches. I then cut a piece of jersey that was 17 inches long and 2.5 inches wide. I put the raw edges together, and using my sewing machine I sewed a stretch stitch down the side. I then turned the fabric inside out, so the seam would be inside. Next, I folded the fabric in-half with the non-seam-side touching, and then I sewed the two open bottom pieces together. Now this way of sewing the fabric into a circle works, but it isn't the cleanest looking. I still have to make Aricka's, so I am going to try something different.

I then used three pieces of a fake flower I had left over from a previous project and sewed them onto the headband - I only went through the top layer of material. I wanted to put a big pink button in the center of the flower, but Miss Kaylee insisted on a bow. She was right; the end product is adorable!

The Oatmeal, Blueberry, Honey McFacial Mask

My husband read my Salmon Potato Cake entry and he said, "Style, how is that style? You didn't even make it look pretty on the plate."

Now some of you might be thinking to yourself, "I can't believe he said that to her." If I was her, I wouldn't put up with that."

First, let me say that my husband didn't mean it the way it sounded. He just doesn't understand. He thinks STYLE means being a 10. * I must also tell you that my husband is a great man who stays at home with our daughters, does the laundry, cleans the house and even watches the kids while I take time to work on this blog. *

Like I said before STYLE isn't predetermined. STYLE is understanding your inner-self and expressing it on the outside. STYLE is being true to yourself, while trying to be the best you.

Just in case anyone else had the same question about my Salmon Potato Cake post, I thought I would show you how that entry had STYLE.

Last work week my co-worker caught the flu, and bad winter weather was also predicted for Middle Tennessee. Those two situations put together meant long work days for me, so after working two 10.5+ hour days (and only sleeping four hours each night) I came home used leftovers in my refrigerator to make a good homemade meal for family. I could have gone to McDonalds for an unhealthy, fast dinner. I could have also came home, put up my feet and expected dinner from my husband, who has also had long days, but I didn't - and that is STYLE!

In saying that - my long work, little sleep week continued the same, and today is Friday. On my way home I stopped at Kroger to do the grocery shopping. While at Kroger, I noticed blueberries were on sale. I thought to myself - I need to treat my poor, dried out, tired skin. So, I bought the blueberries and made a homemade cleanser, toning facial mask

The Rejuvenating McFacial Mask

• 2 tablespoons of oatmeal
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 cup sour cream (or plain yogurt)
• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon grapeseed oil

1. Let blueberries soak in salt water then rinse.
2. Blend blueberries in a blender. If you don't have a blender you can use a mixer, just make sure to mash up the blueberries by hand first.
3. Add honey and sour cream (or yogurt) and mix or blend until smooth.
4. Add oatmeal and mix our blend. Mixture will be lumpy.
5. Add vinegar and oil and mix or blend.
   
6. If you want the mask cool then put on your face right away. Use your fingertips and massage lightly onto your skin. If you want the mixture to be warmer - warm it slightly before application.
7. Leave mask on for 10 to 15 minutes. I leave it on for 15 minutes. Your face might start itching, which means it is working because it is tightening your skin.
8. Wash off with warm water and blot your skin dry. 

This mask always makes me feel rejuvenated, and it makes my face smooth like a baby's butt - I should know I have plenty of them running around. Try it and let me know what you think!

If you need any more confirmation on how great this mask is, my daughters called me a monster when I had it on, but when I took the mask off Aricka said, "Mommy you are glowing. You're not a monster anymore."

What Do I Do With Leftover Mashed Potatoes? A: Salmon Potato Cakes

Next to turkey, mashed potatoes seem to be in abundance after the holidays. Except if you live in the South, and then there are always leftover mashed potatoes around. We all know at least three different recipes for leftover turkey, but what do you do with leftover mashed potatoes? The answer is salmon potato cakes.

Salmon Potato Cakes - makes 12 patties

• 1 (14 3/4 oz.) can salmon
• 2 c. prepared mashed potatoes
• 2 eggs whites
• 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• ½ bag of saltine crackers
• Oil for frying

1. Debone salmon and add to bowl.
2. Add mashed potatoes
3. Add egg whites
4. Add Italian seasoning
5. Smash saltine crackers into fine crumbs, add to all other ingredients and mix all together.
6. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
7. Form mixture into 1/4 cup patties and fry 2-3 minutes on each side - or until golden brown.

I add ketchup as a dipping sauce for my girls. Enjoy!

Anthropolgie Inspired Frayed Beaded Ribbon Necklace

Anthropologie is one of my favorite stores for inspiration. Everything they have to offier is a great base for my own designs. I like to edge up the romantic, vintage feel of Anthropologie.

My good friend Danielle and I both have a fondness for one Anthropologie piece - the frayed diamonds necklace.

(left Anthropologie necklace)
The only problem is this necklace retails for $168, and that doesn't even come in 1,000 miles of my budget. So below is my version.

















I don't exactly know how I created the necklace, because it was a learn as you go process. I have enough material that I will make it again, and document it the second time around.

I gave this necklace to Danielle for a very late Christmas gift. I made the necklace choker length, with the thought it would look great with a black crew neck or turtle neck.

Here are some pictures of Danielle modeling her gift.

By the way I made this necklace for around $5.

Also, check out Disney at Ruffles and Stuff for other amazing Anthropologie inspired jewelry.

Fabric Embellished T-Shirt

Everywhere you look in fashion today there are embellished t-shirts, sweaters and cardigans. Almost all of those embellishments are done in the same color of the t-shirt, sweater or cardigan.

The embellished garments are beautiful - but not my style. I am young, adventurous, independent and strong. I want my colors the same way, so I decided to try my hand at creating my own embellished garment.

Since it was around Christmas, I decided to create a t-shirt as a gift for my 16-year-old sister Katlynne. Katlynne loves color just as much as I do - you should see her room.

I bought a long purple t-shirt on sale for $3 at Belk. I then found an old pair of grey jersey pants and an old yellow jersey shirt I didn’t wear anymore. I tried cutting out lots of different shapes, but the shape that worked best for me was a heart.

I didn’t use a pattern. I just cut out different heart shapes depending on the look I wanted, and I hand sewed them on.

I did the main embellishment in grey, and added spots of yellow for excitement. I was very proud of the end product, and my sister loved it.

Happy Birthday Blue!

As you can read on my profile, I am the adopted mother of a pit bull. My big, gentle baby boy - Blue - turned 2-years-old on Jan. 1, 2010.

Style just isn’t what you wear or how you decorate; it is also about how you live.

So, my daughters and I decided to celebrate Blue’s birthday with style. We made him his very own doggie birthday cake.

I searched online for a doggie treat recipe that consisted of the ingredients I already had in my cabinets.

I found a recipe for Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits, and I changed a few ingredients to make it a doggie birthday cake.

Blue’s Peanut Butter Doggie Birthday Cake

• 1 ½ cups water
• ½ cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups all purpose baking mix
• ½ cup of Jiffy corn muffin mix
• ½ cup oats

1. First blend water, oil, eggs and vanilla with mixer for 30 seconds.
2. Whisk peanut butter, baking mix, corn muffin mix and oats together. Will be lumpy from peanut butter.
3. Mix wet and dry ingredients together and blend with mixer.
4. Pour mixture into cake pan and bake for 20 min. at 400 degrees. (I actually had to bake my five minutes longer.)
5. Let cool and then frost with peanut butter.

Blue loved it! He even licked up all the crumbs off the floor. Just make sure to give your dog a big bowl of water to go with his cake - the peanut butter sticks to the roof of their mouth.

A perfect, fast and easy treat for your favorite four-legged pooch!