The Felted Fox

PINK ABSTRACT PAINTING

2015-02-13T00:36:00.000-08:00

Over the past few years I’ve noticed the increasing popularity of pink in Scandinavian interior design. Now, almost everything comes in pink, from couches and cushions to coat hooks and teacups. Although I’m not a big fan of pink, the pastels of contemporary Scandinavian design work well with the copper and grey tones that I do love. Investing a large sum of money in a pink couch, which might look dated in a few years, was not the way I wanted to go. Instead, I opted to add a pink accent to my office with a simple abstract painting. It’s easy to paint: all you need is a can of spray paint, some pretty acrylic colors, and a few extras you probably have lying around your house. Below are a few inspirational images pulled from the web.

Clockwise from top: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

Materials:

Canvas (I used a scrap piece of plywood and drilled a hole in the back to hang)

White acrylic paint

Grey acrylic paint

Pink acrylic paint

Copper spray paint

Ruler

Pencil

Painter’s tape

Paint brushes/rollers

Scrap paper

Method:

1] Cover your work surface with paper.

2] Paint a base coat of white onto the canvas/wood (optional).

3] Draw a few straight lines across the canvas in any pattern you like.

4] Tape the edge of the area you wish to paint.

5] Paint area and remove tape once paint has dried.

* When using spray paint, make sure only the area you want painted is exposed. Cover everything else with scrap paper.

6] Repeat last two steps until you are happy with the results.

7] Hang (and admire) your work!

Please feel free to leave any questions/comments below. If you enjoyed this tutorial please share the love by liking The Felted Fox on Facebook or follow The Felted Fox on Bloglovin to receive free tutorials and patterns to your inbox.

Have a great weekend! Nicole.

AFRICAN PRINT SWEATSHIRT DIY

2015-01-06T01:13:00.000-08:00

Happy 2015 everyone! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. The hubster and I spent Christmas hiking in Joshua Tree, then headed to an Indian restaurant for dinner. Extremely untraditional, but we had so much fun. In keeping with that playful spirit, I wanted to add something bright and cheerful to my winter wardrobe. Browsing through Pinterest, the photo below caught my eye. I loved how colorful these African print sweatshirts were and simply had to have one. I already owned a plain grey sweatshirt and still had a stash of African print fabrics I collected in South Africa. Making it was a cinch!

Supplies:

Sweatshirt

African wax print fabric

Matching thread

Tissue /tracing paper

Tailors chalk

Scissors

Pins

Sewing machine

Method:

1] Lay your sweatshirt on a flat surface and trace the seam line of the front panel. Make sure to stretch the waistband, until the fabric lays flat, when tracing the sides and bottom.

2] Add ½” seam allowance to the template and cut.

3] Cut the print fabric according to the template.

4] Fold the raw edge of the African print ½” towards the wrong side of the fabric and iron flat. It helps to notch the neckline in a few places when molding the curve.

5] Pin the African print fabric along the seam line of the sweatshirt and sew.

And that’s it! A super easy sweatshirt DIY to kick-off the New Year.

Looking to do some more sewing? Stay tuned. I will release my doll sewing patterns soon. The first one I’ve been working on is the “Queen of Pop” herself, Madonna. With her big hair bow, large cross necklace and tulle skirt she’s rocking that 80’s “Like a virgin” look. You can find more images over at my Etsy store. My patterns will have to be tested before going online, so if there are any fellow bloggers who would like to be involved, please send me an email. I’d love to hear from you.

Happy sewing, Nicole.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

2014-12-25T00:29:00.000-08:00

BLACK FAUX LEATHER CLUTCH DIY

2014-12-13T16:35:00.000-08:00

Are you still looking for that perfect handmade gift? With Christmas right around the corner, you need a DIY that’s fast and easy but still looks fabulous. This black faux leather clutch fits the bill. It costs less than $5 to make and can be sewn in under an hour – the perfect afternoon sewing project! I’ve even added a cutout to the clutch to display your favorite fabric. I used some fabric left over from my up-cycled backpack project to make my clutch a one of a kind gift.

Materials:

12 1/4" x 24 1/4" Black costume pleather

12 1/4" x 24 1/4" Black felt

Contrasting fabric for cutout

Velcro

Fusible webbing

Cardboard / thin plastic folder

Black thread

Scissors

Sewing machine

Method:

1] Cut 1 piece of costume pleather and 1 piece of black felt according to the measurements below.

2] Lay the felt on top of the pleather (wrong sides together), and fold it to form the clutch. Use chalk to mark points where Velcro will be attached.

3] Separate felt and faux leather and sew Velcro to these points.

4] Cut a triangular opening in the faux leather flap of the clutch, leaving a ½” edge on all sides.

5] Cut a piece of contrasting fabric and fusible webbing to the size of the flap of the clutch.

6] Sandwich the fusible webbing between the wrong side of the contrasting fabric and the wrong side of the felt. Fuse fabrics according to manufacturer’s instructions.

7] Line up the faux leather and felt and sew around the cutout.

8] Cut a piece of cardboard/plastic 11” x 8”.

9] Insert the cardboard/plastic between the faux leather and felt, positioning it in the front of the clutch.

10] Sew the front top edge of the clutch.

11] Fold fabric to form the clutch.

12] Sew side seams and you’re done!

Take it out for a spin at your next Holiday party or gift it to someone special. Please feel free to leave any questions/comments below. If you enjoyed this tutorial please share the love by liking The Felted Fox on Facebook. Also, don’t forget to follow The Felted Fox on Bloglovin to receive free tutorials and patterns to your inbox.

Happy sewing! Nicole.

FREE PRINTABLE CHRISTMAS CARDS

2014-12-01T01:18:00.000-08:00

With Christmas just over three weeks away, it’s time to get the Christmas cards ready for posting. Normally, we buy whatever we can grab at the nearest store and send them off at the last minute in hopes that they will arrive in time. My parents in South Africa probably get theirs sometime in January (but they are too sweet to complain). This year, however, I’m better prepared. I’ve designed my very own printable Christmas cards, which I’d like to share with you. There are three variations of the cards, peach, pink and teal. Personally I like the teal, while my husband prefers the pink. Which one do you like?

P.S.: My nursery décor and toy sale ends tonight. Use the code “FESTIVE15” to receive 15% off all store merchandise. Feel free to browse my store here. Have a great week! Nicole

Please note: These cards were designed by me and should not be altered in any way without my consent. They are for domestic use only and cannot be used for commercial purposes. Thank you.

INTRODUCING THE FELTED FOX SHOP

2014-11-27T23:47:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I opened my Etsy store, the Felted Fox shop, which features items handmade by me using upcycled and recycled materials. As I love crafting for kids, I decided that my store would focus primarily on handmade toys and nursery accessories.

So what’s in the shop? First up, a series of totally retro dolls, including ones of such iconic figures as the Lionel Richie and David Bowie. I also have pillows featuring some of my favorite animals: lions, tigers and bears. Finally, I have teepee pillows and wooden nursery accessories, including a “3 blind mice” coat rack.

All of these products are handmade by me, specifically designed to make you and your little one smile. With so much waste in our world, I wanted to ensure that my products are ecologically sound. I’ve therefore opted to use felt made from recycled materials and cast off wood from my community woodshop. Although the Felted Fox shop is still very small, I have endless ideas for new things I’d love to make. I can’t wait to show you more, and I hope you will join me on this adventure.

To celebrate the launch of the store and the beginning of the festive season, I am offering 15% off all store merchandise. Simply add the code “FESTIVE15” at check out to receive your discount. This offer ends on Dec. 1 so hurry! You may just find something you can’t resist.

TULIP DRESS DIY

2014-11-05T01:14:00.000-08:00

While visiting Denmark last spring I noticed this knit tulip dress at the boutique store, Moxy-Copenhagen. It had everything I searched for in clothing but usually can’t find: something that looks amazing, is super comfy, and doesn’t need to be ironed. On closer inspection the price tag read DKK 799.99 (that’s nearly $140!), a little out of my price range. A little disheartened, I quickly snapped a photograph thinking I would DIY this dress someday. Well, that someday has arrived!

I was able to make this tulip dress for around $15 and invested about 2 hours in measuring, cutting and sewing time. Because it’s made of knit fabric, I left the edges unfinished. My version of the dress has less draping around the waist area and hugs my hips a little tighter. If you prefer a looser fit, you could easily add a few extra inches of fabric to the skirt or have less of an overlap in the front.

Supplies:

At least 2 yards of knit fabric (depending on your measurements)

Matching thread

1” Elastic (enough to wrap around your waist)

Tailor’s chalk

Fabric scissors

Sewing machine

Method:

1] For the tulip shaped skirt, cut a rectangular piece of fabric measuring 36” by (the width of your waist x 2).

2] Fold your fabric in half widthwise.

3] Mark the selvedge edge of the fabric 15” from the top of the skirt.

4] Draw a curve from the top of the fold point to the 15” mark.

5] Draw another curve from the bottom of the fold point to the mark (See diagram)

6] While still folded, cut fabric along these curves.

7] Baste stitch two rows at the top of the skirt.

8] Gather fabric evenly, until the skirt measures 1.5 times your waist.

9] Cut elastic 1” shorter than your waist measurement.

10] Overlap the raw edges of the elastic and sew together.

11] Pin the gathered skirt to the elastic. Make sure that the front gathered panels overlap evenly in the front, and end on either side of your waist (where you would usually have a side seam).

12] Sew the elastic in place using a zigzag stitch.

13] For the top, cut another rectangular piece of fabric 42” x (waist measurement + 8”).

14] Fold the fabric in half lengthwise so work measures 21” x (waist +8”).

15] Draw an 8” line across the fold, centering the line.

16] Draw a 1” line from the center of the fold down the front of the top.

17] Draw a curve from one end of the 8” line to the other that is at least 1” wide at the center point.

18] Cut along the 8” line and the curve to form your neckline. 19] Only cut the front of the top, NOT the back.

20] Mark a point on either side of the top 1” below your bust point.

21] With right sides facing, sew a ½” seam along the sides, ending at the marked point. Try on the top to see if it fits correctly or if it needs to be shortened.

22] Baste stitch two rows at the base of the top and evenly gather the fabric until it is the width of your waist.

23] With right sides together pin the top to the skirt. Make sure that the front center of the top aligns with the front center of the skirt.

24] Sew top to waistband using a zigzag stitch.

I am really happy with my new tulip dress and intend to make a few more in fall appropriate colours.

Before I leave you, I’d like to share some more exciting news--well exciting for me anyway. J I’ve just launched my own Etsy store!! The Felted Fox Shop sells handmade children’s felt dolls and nursery accessories. It’s still in its infancy, but will grow with time to include more of my designs and pdf patterns in the future. Here is a sneak peak. If you’d like to see more hop on over to my store.

Please feel free to leave any questions/comments below. I do so love hearing from you. If you enjoyed this tutorial, please share the love by liking The Felted Fox on Facebook. Also, don’t forget to follow The Felted Fox on Bloglovin to receive free tutorials and patterns to your inbox.

Happy sewing! Till next time, Nicole.

PLATFORM BED DIY

2014-10-01T17:29:00.000-07:00

Today I want to share an easy way to DIY a platform bed. If you’ve ever used a drill and screwdriver, you could make this bed! It’s really that simple.

Jeremy built our platform bed when we first moved into our home. At the time, we had searched everywhere for the perfect bed but just couldn’t find one we loved. He opted to build a wood platform and attach Ikea legs to the base. It served its purpose for 7 years, but recently he decided the bed needed a serious makeover. As we both love the muted tones and raw wood found in Scandinavian design, we covered the platform in grey felt and replaced the legs with poplar dowels. Here’s the full how-to:

Materials:

1” thick wood – enough to create a platform to fit your mattress.

2 1”x 9”x 66” hardwood beams

4 to 6 Ikea Capita legs (the number of legs will depend on the size of the bed you are creating)

28 1¼”wood screws

28 washers

Drill

2” drill bit

Sander

Medium and fine grit sandpaper

Wood glue

Linseed oil/ Polyurethane

Sponge brush

Screwdriver

Grey felt – enough yardage to cover the platform

Staple gun

5/16” Staples

Tape Measure

NOTE: You could use the Ikea legs as is, but if you prefer the look of the wood dowels include this in your list of materials:

4 2”x 9” poplar dowel legs

1 or 2 2”x 9 ¾ “ poplar dowel supports (optional)

Method:

1] Measure the mattress to figure out how many pieces of wood you will need. If you need any pieces cut, a local lumberyard will do it for around 50c/cut.

2] Using the 2” drill bit, drill 4 to 6 holes in each piece of wood. This allows heat to escape and preventing condensation from forming on the underside of the mattress.

3] Sand the wood to remove any splinters.

4] Seal the wood with polyurethane or linseed oil.

5] Lay the wood pieces side by side forming the platform.

6] Glue the supporting pieces 7” from the top, bottom and side edge of the platform. Evenly screw wood screws along the length of the supports.

7] Attach the Ikea leg brackets approx. 14” from the bottom and top edge of the platform centering them on the supporting beams.

If you prefer dowel legs, drill a hole slightly smaller than the bolt on the Ikea leg bracket.

8] Screw legs into the leg brackets.

Note: Depending on how large your bed is and how many pieces of wood you’ve used to create the platform, you may want to add another leg or 2 to stabilize it. We added an extra leg to the very center of our queen sized bed.

9] Flip the platform over. Your bed should now look like this. Just ignore the fact that our bed has one side table.

10] Drape the felt over the platform and staple it to the underside. I needed two pieces to cover the width of our bed, so sewed these together before stapling. You could also just staple the two pieces in place.

Done!

Get Happy :)

Please feel free to leave any questions/comments below. I do so love hearing from you. ☺ If you enjoyed this tutorial please share the love by liking The Felted Fox on Facebook. Also, don’t forget to subscribe or follow The Felted Fox on Bloglovin to receive free tutorials and patterns to your inbox. Nicole

AFRICAN PLEATED SKIRT DIY

2014-09-03T21:18:00.000-07:00

It’s funny how words can transport one back in time. The words “Out of Africa” remind me of a day in the mid-80s when, as a child in Cape Town, I was dragged to a store by the same name to buy my first African printed skirts and dresses. Even in racially charged apartheid South Africa, the film “Out of Africa” (which starred Robert Redford and Meryl Streep) encouraged a romanticization of all things African. While the film is deeply problematic in its portrayal of African people, the store “Out of Africa” introduced me to the beautiful designs of my continent.

It would take nearly thirty years before I would fully appreciate African fabrics again in all their colourful, sometimes psychedelic glory. On my last trip to Cape Town I decided to stock up on a few West African wax prints and South African shweshwe. At $2 - 5 a yard, I am still kicking myself for not filling a suitcase with fantastic fabric!

Of course, a short pleated skirt may not be Fall-appropriate everywhere, but here in San Diego we have been experiencing near 100F weather. This, coupled with the fact that our home has no air conditioner, encouraged me to make use of some of my African print fabric. The top was made using my wrap crop top pattern.

Materials:

1.5 – 2 yards of fabric (here’s a link to sellers of African fabric on Etsy)

Matching thread

9” invisible zipper

Interfacing (optional)

Sewing machine

Pins

Ruler

Chalk

Scissors

Method:

1] Decide how long you would like your skirt and add 1.5” for seam allowance. Cut fabric to desired length. I wanted my skirt to end mid-thigh, so cut my fabric at 17.5”.

2] For the waistband, cut a 4” strip of fabric to fit your waist + 2” seam allowance.

3] Mark and pin the pleats. Baste the pleats into place along the waistline.

4] Fold the waistband in half and iron.

5] Fold all raw edges of the waistband ½” towards the center of fabric and iron in place. If you're using a soft fabric, I suggest using some interfacing to prevent the waistband from collapsing.

6] Sandwich the top of the skirt between the waistband. Pin and sew in place.

7] Insert the invisible zipper. I found this Youtube video on how to insert an invisible zipper pretty handy.
8] Finish sewing the side seam, making sure to secure the base of the zipper.

9] Hem your skirt.

Please feel free to leave any questions/comments below. I do so love hearing from you. J If you enjoyed this tutorial please share the love by liking The Felted Fox on Facebook. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to or follow The Felted Fox on Bloglovin to receive free tutorials and patterns to your inbox.

Happy sewing! Till next time. Nicole.

STONE AND WOOD PENDANTS DIY + GIVEAWAY

2014-08-08T13:18:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday everyone! Today I thought I’d share a really simple DIY and show you how to make these faux stone and wood pendants. Having made simple oven bake clay pendants before, I found the medium really easy to work with and the possibilities endless. If you have a spare hour this weekend, why not give these pretties a go?

As a bonus this week, I decided to host my first giveaway. Up for grabs are the two necklaces featured in the final images below. Just follow the entry instructions and leave a comment as to which one you would prefer.

Materials:

Oven bake clay – in white and granite

Faux wood drawer liner

Acrylic rolling pin

Round cookie cutter/shot glass

Scissors

Pin/barbeque stick

Gold O-ring

Gold chain with clasp

Modge Podge

Paintbrush

Flat-nose pliers

Method:

1] Condition and roll clay to approximately ¼".

Feel free to mix in a little granite into the white clay to give it a more marbled effect.

2] Cut clay into circles using your cookie cutter/shot glass.

3] Poke a hole at the top of the pendant.

4] Bake clay following the package instructions.

5] Cut a circle out of the drawer liner to fit the pendant. Half it.

6] Once clay has cooled, stick the paper to the pendant.

7] Seal with a layer of Modge Podge.

8] Attach your chain.

Hope you all have a good weekend and don’t forget to enter the giveaway. Entry is open to U.S. residents until Friday, 22 August. Good luck! Nicole.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

WRAP CROP TOP DIY

2014-07-24T01:31:00.000-07:00

Jeremy and I have finally returned from our four-month stint in Europe. While I’ll miss the travelling, excellent food and magical sunsets, it’s always good to come home to San Diego—and all my crafting supplies. Contrary to most peoples’ European adventures, I usually return with an empty suitcase. I get so tired of lugging a heavy suitcase around that I donate most of my clothes to charity along the way. So, left with only a few items of summer clothing, I decided to start sewing my own clothes.

This wrap crop top is perfect for summer. The crop top can be worn 3 different ways: knotted in front; tied in a front bow; (or my personal favorite) wrapped around the body and tied at the back. It’s the first garment I’ve ever made from scratch and without a pattern. I harvested fabric from a second-hand men’s shirt, sized large (I love a good recycle project!). This wrap crop top pattern will fit a U.S. size 2-4.

Materials:

My free wrap crop top pattern (includes sewing allowance, print at 100%)

Men’s large shirt / 1 yard of fabric

Matching thread

Pins

Scissors

Sewing machine

Method:

1] Print and cut out templates.

2] Cut out your fabric pieces, as well as 3 long bias strips.

3] With right sides facing sew the shoulder seams at ½ “

4] Fold the front bottom edge ¼ “ and iron flat. Repeat and sew edge. Sew the back bottom edge the same way.

5] Fold the front angled edge ½“ and iron flat.

6] With right sides together, sew the side panels at ½“. Leave the side seam open.

7] Turn the side panels right side out. Fold the top seam of your side panel about an inch towards the center, creating 2 ridges. Do this for approximately 9”, tapering the fold as you go. Iron flat.

8] Fold one ridge of the side panel down and iron. Do this on opposing sides to create the left and right panel. The flap that is ironed down will be sewn on the inside of the top. I hope my images help to explain this step.

9] Pin the side seams of the side panel and the back of top together. Sew.

10] Pin the turned down edge of the side panel to the front of the top. Sew to ½” from bottom edge. Make sure not to sew through the front of the side panel.

11] Finish the neckline and armholes with bias tape and any raw edges with a zigzag stitch.

This is a really fun little crop top, which I definitely be wearing all summer long. I’ll be making a few more garments for summer and fall, so stay tuned.

Also, don’t forget to subscribe or follow on Bloglovin to get free patterns and tutorials in your inbox. You can also share the love by liking The Felted Fox on Facebook.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by, Nicole.

FATHER’S DAY DIY GIFT ROUNDUP

2014-06-08T15:52:00.001-07:00

With Father’s Day just a week away, I put together a list of my favorite DIY gifts for dads from around the web. I hope you find some DIY inspiration here. Gifts are always so much better when handmade... don't you agree?

1) Faceted concrete hooks

2) Concrete lamp

3) Concrete letter bookends

4) Concrete fire pit

5) Concrete iPad stand

6) Concrete drinks cooler

1) Screwdriver coat rack

2) Wooden bottle opener

3) Wooden rings

4) Leather handle wood box

5) Wood veneer gift box

6) Wooden gift tags

7) Faux bois gift bows

1) Leather lunch tote

2) Leather iPad sleeve

3) Leather journal

4) Tripod camping stool

1) Breaking Bad T-shirt

2) Dip-dyed shirt

3) Felt laptop cover

4) Tweed wallets

5) Travel power cord roll up

1) Chocolate-dipped beer marshmallows

2) Homemade S’mores kit

3) White tiger bark with dark chocolate and mint swirl

4) Kahlua and Baileys spiked donut holes

5) Super dad pop box set

6) Chocolate almond toffee

7) DIY coffee liqueur

1) Dad rocks DIY Father’s Day gift

2) Father’s Day card by Kristy Neale

3) Photo book project

4) Map iPhone covers

5) Printable Father’s Day gift-wrap

6) Printable Father’s Day card

WEEKEND OF DESIGN: Blickfang Basel and Vitra Design Campus

2014-05-31T16:31:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago my husband and I were fortunate enough to visit both Blickfang Basel and the Vitra Design Campus. Blickfang is a traveling European design exhibition featuring the work of talented, small-scale designers. Not only do you get to peruse (and purchase) the wares, but you also get face time with the designers themselves.

Jeremy and I foolishly considered dragging one of these enormous geometric pods back home.

Some of my favorite designs at the exhibit included these origami inspired chairs by Matthias Scherzinger of Freudwerk and the triangular poufs designed by Antoinette Bader — I’m a sucker for hard edges and geometric shapes.

These two were just adorable.

The following day we hopped on a bus to the Vitra Design Campus in Weil am Rhein, Germany, to join in their 25th anniversary celebration. We were treated to tours of the Frank Gehry buildings, the Vitra Haus as well as free crafting workshops.

Copper lampshades, concrete stoves, Eames elephants, Verner Panton lounge chairs ...had I died and gone to design heaven? Jeremy eventually snapped me out of my design coma with the promise of real Black Forest cake. Mmmm...yum.

The installations at Vitra Haus change pretty frequently, so I will definitely be back soon. If you’re looking for design inspiration, it’s hard to beat the Vitra campus!

TRIBAL PRINT BACKPACK DIY

2014-05-23T16:55:00.000-07:00

This tribal print backpack began as a pillow from India. I loved the fabric, but I didn’t like the shape or size of the pillow. It went into storage for a few years until I unearthed it while preparing for a garage sale. It seemed like such a shame to leave this beautiful print hidden from the world, so I decided to create a backpack for our trip to Switzerland.

Materials:

My free template
30” x 20” Heavyweight fabric

12” x 15” Costume pleather

12” x 15” Felt

2.5 yard 1” Nylon webbing

1 yard Drawstring

2 Plastic adjusters

1 Buckle

Black thread

Pins

Chalk

Scissors

Iron

Sewing machine

Method:

1) With the wrong side facing, measure 2 ½'' from the top of the fabric and mark with a pen.

2) Fold fabric ½“ from top and iron.

3) Fold fabric another 2'' to meet the pen mark you made. Iron flat and sew edge.

4) Insert the drawstring.

5) Fold fabric in half width wise. With right sides facing, sew the edge together. Use a zigzag stitch to finish edges and prevent the fabric from fraying. The fabric should now form a cylinder with the drawstring at the top.

6) Cut two pieces of nylon webbing 6.5” long. Thread plastic adjusters onto the webbing. Fold webbing in half and sew adjusters as shown in image below.

7) Cut base pieces from template. With wrong sides facing, sew edges together.

8) Pin base and adjusters in place. The adjusters were set 8” apart. In the photograph you can see that I’ve placed the fabric seam down the center back.

9) With right sides facing, sew base to backpack. Turn backpack right side out.

10) Cut two 28” pieces of nylon webbing for straps. Pin straps at an angle to top of bag, approximately an inch from the back center. Sew in place. Thread the straps through adjusters.

11) Cut one piece of nylon webbing 3” long. Thread buckle onto webbing. Fold webbing in half and sew as shown in image below.

12) Cut one piece of pleather and one piece of felt according to flap template. With wrong sides facing, sew together.

12) Cut one piece of nylon webbing 8” long. Pin webbing to the felt in the center of flap. Sew webbing in place.

13) Pin and sew the flap to the backpack right above straps.

14) Pin buckle to the front of backpack and sew in place.

Note: If you plan on carrying heavy items, reinforce the straps by sewing extra nylon webbing perpendicularly across strap ends.

Any questions or comments are always welcome and appreciated. Hope you have a good weekend, Nicole.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

2014-05-11T11:57:00.002-07:00

To all the mothers in my life, thank you for your unending love, support and encouragement.

BRING BACK OUR GIRLS

2014-05-07T15:03:00.000-07:00

By now you would all have heard of the horrific abduction of 234 girls in northern Nigeria on April 14 (new estimates place the number of kidnapped girls at 276). Boko Haram kidnapped these girls for exercising their right to an education. It is believed that the girls, between the ages of 12 and 17, were taken across the borders into Chad and Cameroon and sold as brides to Islamist militants. Thus far the Nigerian government has done very little to find the abducted girls.

If you would like to help #BringBackOurGirls, you could:

1: Sign the Change.org petition here.

2: Join a rally. My sister-in-law, Jennifer Prestholdt, will be speaking at the Twin Cities rally on Sunday. Get more information on rallies in your area here.

3: Use social media to spread awareness. Use the hashag #BRINGBACKOURGIRLS, or use one of the “Bring Back Our Girls” images as your profile picture.

4: Get more information and updates at:

http://theadvocatespost.org/ or http://humanrightswarrior.com/

MOTHER'S DAY DIY ROUNDUP

2014-05-02T05:27:00.000-07:00

Want to give your mom something handmade for Mother’s Day? I’ve put together this Mother’s Day DIY roundup, which features projects by many amazingly creative people. I’ve included projects for making jewelry, bags, stationery, spa goodies, as well as plant and gift wrap ideas. Hope you find some inspiration here. Have a happy weekend filled with crafts! Nicole.

JEWELRY

1) Wrapped hoops – Flax and Twine

2) Beaded tassel necklace – Chic Steals

3) Ring dish – Doe A Deery

4) Polymer clay necklace – Design Sponge

5) Wrapped tassel necklace – Tuts+

6) Scalloped necklace – Minted Strawberry

BAGS

1) Crochet leather flap clutch – Delia Creates

2) Laptop sleeves – The Felted Fox

3) Fold over clutch – Say Yes

4) Leather clutch – Design Love Fest

5) Scallop purse – Monster Circus

6) Triangle clutch – Desmitten

7) Lunch Bag – Syl And Sam

CANDLEHOLDERS

1) Copper and wood candleholder – Mormors Glamour

2) Faceted clay votive – Gathering Beauty

3) Multiple taper candleholder – Inspired By Charm

4) Handpainted votives – Funnel Cloud

5) Marble and copper candleholder – The Felted Fox

STATIONERY

1) Free printable card – Studio DIY

2) Ombre journals – Damask Love

3) Dip-dyed stationery – The Merry Thought

4) Metallic feather pens – Monster Circus

5) Envelopes – A Fabulous Fete

SPA

1) All natural foundation – Free People

2) Dry skin scrub – Fuss Free Cooking

3) Cranberry lip gloss – Organic Authority

4) Foaming cleanser – Blah Blah Magazine

5) Clay mask – Soap Deli News

6) Chamomile body cream – Fresh Picked Beauty

PLANT IDEAS

1) Airplant hanger – I Don’t Know How She Does It

2) Bud vase – The Merry Thought

3) Terrarium – Wit and Whistle

4) Seed packets – Satori for living

5) Succulent kissing ball – Joy Us Garden

6) Rose bowl – Mormors Glamour

7) Herb labels – Chris loves Julia

WRAP IT UP!

1) Pie chart gift tags – Eat Drink Chic

2) Gift wrap ideas – The House that Lars Built

3) Wood veneer gift tags – Sugar and Cloth

4) Chalk board boxes – Heather Bullard

5) Paper anemones – Lia Griffith

CAGE DRESS DIY

2014-04-23T15:03:00.000-07:00

Spring has reached Switzerland. The trees are bearing leaves once again, the birds are nesting and there are tulips everywhere. It really is a beautiful time to be in Basel and I’m savoring every moment. It’s finally time to unpack my summer clothes.

I brought along a little black dress that had been hanging in my closet for many years. It’s one of those handy dresses that you can cram into the smallest corner of your suitcase and doesn’t require ironing (I love those!). After unpacking the dress, I decided that it could use some spicing up. A little DIY was in order. With just a bit of ribbon and thread I converted it to a “cage dress”. Now it’s ready for a night out.

Clockwise from top left: Boutique Seven, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Rebecca Taylor, Nasty Gal.

Supplies

Little black dress

Black ribbon (width matching the straps of dress)

Scissors

Safety pins

Needle

Black thread

Matches

Dress form (optional)

Method

1) The first step in converting your little black dress into a cage dress is to cut a piece of ribbon large enough to wrap around your head.

2) Burn the ends of the ribbon (to prevent it from fraying) and sew together.

3) Pin the neckpiece in place. Here it would help to have a dress form. Unfortunately, I had to try the dress on and pin the ribbon in place.

4) Add a few cross pieces of ribbon, pinning and burning the ends as you go along.

5) Try the dress on to make sure the ribbons are correctly positioned.

6) Once you are happy, sew ribbons in place and remove safety pins.

Voila! Your cage dress is done.

Well the back of the dress could use some tweaking, but it will do for now.

Do you have a little black dress in your closet that you’re bored of? Why not try and convert it into a cage dress? If you do, send me some photos of your finished work. I’d love to see the result. Till next time… Nicole.

FAUX LEATHER SWEATER DIY

2014-03-24T15:05:00.001-07:00

Grüetzi! I’m excited to be blogging from Switzerland. The husband and I will be based here for the next three months while he is a visiting fellow at the University of Basel. I finally have a chance to practice my non-existent German on the unsuspecting masses.

Before I left home I reinvented a few items of clothing and some decorative pieces, which I’ll share in the coming months. I’ll also post a few travel photos and tips, so check back often for some European inspiration.

First up, I converted my husband’s old sweater into a fitted faux leather top. I loved wearing his oversized sweater on wintery days at home. But it turns out that the moths in my closet loved it too. When the sweater became too embarrassing to wear, I decided to reinvent it by keeping the wool sleeves and adding a faux leather body. Now I have a new piece to wear around Europe, which, judging by all the faux leather jackets in Switzerland, is bang on trend.

Supplies:

Old wool sweater

1 yard of costume pleather (should have some stretch if you want a more fitted top)

Black thread

Scissors

Chalk

Method:

1) Carefully remove sleeves from body.

2) Use the old sweater bodice as a template to cut a faux leather back and front. If you prefer a more fitted top, cut faux leather to preferred size, using the armholes of the original sweater as a template. Just remember to add a ½ inch seam allowance.

3) With right sides facing, sew front and back of bodice together.

4) Insert the sleeves and attach to bodice.

Why not reimagine an old piece of clothing from your closet? If you’re stuck, send me a photo and I’ll try my best to help. Nicole

SQUIRREL PINS SEWING TUTORIAL

2014-02-06T14:07:00.000-08:00

When I first started to sew, every piece of fabric seemed important. After each project I would end up with a pile of scrap fabric that I just couldn’t bring myself to throw out. I knew that I could use the fabric for something, but I just didn’t know what! I eventually created these squirrel pins from my leftover felt to give to the little people in my life. Each pin uses about a 3” x 6” piece of felt. If you have larger pieces of felt, you could easily enlarge the pattern to create adorable squirrel pillows for your child’s bed.

Supplies:

My free pattern

Grey felt

White felt

Grey, white and red thread

Polyester fiberfill

Safety pin

Super glue or a glue gun

NOTE: this pattern is for domestic use only and cannot be used commercially or sold.

Method:

1) Print pattern and cut out templates.

2) Cut felt according to template.

3) Sew white cheek piece onto face.

4) With right sides facing, sew top of head and sides of head – do not sew ears and bottom of head yet.

5) Turn felt right side out and sew eyes, nose, mouth, a few running stiches across forehead and little hearts on ears.

6) Sew ears together and trim any excess.

7) Stuff head with fiberfill and sew the bottom closed.

8) Use super glue to adhere pin and pin cover to the back of the squirrel’s head.

And you’re done! Give these to your little ones on Valentines Day, and, if you have the time, make extras for them to share with their BFF’s.

COPPER AND MARBLE CANDLEHOLDER DIY

2014-01-19T17:44:00.000-08:00

Happy 2014! Having just returned from my beautiful hometown of Cape Town, South Africa, I am inspired and excited to begin planning my new ventures and adventures for this year. To kick it all off, I want to share a project that will help ward off the winter blues. I have been in love with copper and marble elements for a while now and decided to combine the two to create a few accessories for my home. Below are some images that have inspired me.

Clockwise: 1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5

These marble and copper candleholders were created using simple oven-bake clay and leftover copper piping we had lying about.

Supplies:

2 oz. white oven bake clay

2 oz. grey/granite oven bake clay

1” copper pipe

Method:

1: Cut and condition the clay. I used about 1 part grey/granite to 4 parts white clay.

2: Roll the clay into long snake-like shapes.

3: Press granite clay into white and fold clay in half. Fold in half again.

Repeat steps (2) and (3) two more times.

4: Once clay is sufficiently mixed, roll into a ball.

5: Shape clay into a square by flattening the sides, top and base.

6: Insert copper pipe into the center of the clay.

7: Bake following packaging instructions.

I hope these candleholders bring a little light and warmth to your home this winter. Nicole

MARBLED NECKLACE DIY

2013-12-14T14:31:00.001-08:00

With Christmas around the corner, why not forgo the mad shopping dash by making family and friends personalized homemade gifts? One of the presents I’ve decided to make this year is this pretty faux marbled necklace. These necklaces require only a few supplies and you can make several simultaneously. For the full tutorial (in English and Spanish) hop on over to Marta’s blog, 2ndfunniestthing.

HIS AND HERS LAPTOP SLEEVES

2013-12-04T12:02:00.001-08:00

These laptop sleeves would make the perfect gift for your techie friend or family member this Christmas. These sleeves can be sewn in under an hour and are easy enough for the beginner sewer.

PLEASE NOTE: these designs are solely for domestic use and cannot be used commercially or sold.

WOMEN'S LAPTOP SLEEVE

Supplies:

2 pieces of felt in contrasting colours – 18” x 26”

1 piece of white felt 3” x 14”

18” x 26” fusible webbing

¾” x 6” Velcro

White and grey thread

Method:

1) Measure the width of the laptop. Cut 2 pieces of felt approximately 2 inches wider than the laptop and 26” long.

2) Cut 1 piece of fusible webbing to the same size.

3) Cut 3 strips of white felt 1” wide at varying lengths.

4) Cut each strip in half at an angle.

5) Pin white strips to the front of the sleeve and sew in place.

6) Pin Velcro 4” from opposite edge and sew in place.

7) Pin and sew second strip of Velcro approximately 1” from edge of lining felt. (Note: distance will vary depending on laptop. Fold felt over laptop to mark placement of second strip correctly.)

8) Sandwich the fusible webbing between the 2 layers of felt and fuse according to packaging instructions. The two strips of Velcro should be at opposite ends of rectangle.

9) Sew edges of felt.

10) With wrong sides together, fold felt approximately 1” shorter than the height of laptop.

11) Sew a 3/8” seam along folded edges.

MEN'S LAPTOP SLEEVE

Supplies:

2 pieces of felt - 18” x 26”

1 piece fusible webbing - 18” x 26”

¾” x 18” elastic

Grey thread

Method:

1) Measure the width of the laptop. Cut 2 pieces of felt approximately 2 inches wider than the laptop and 26” long.

2) Cut 1 piece of fusible webbing to the same size.

3) Sandwich the fusible webbing between the 2 layers of felt and fuse according to package instructions.

4) Sew edges of felt.

5) Cut a piece of elastic to the same length as the width of the sleeve + 1” for seam allowance.

6) With wrong sides together, fold felt approximately 1” shorter than the height of laptop.

7) Sandwich edges of elastic between felt.

8) Sew 3/8” seam along folded edges.

Have fun creating your own Christmas gifts this season. Nicole

FALL FASHION REPURPOSED: Crop top and high-waisted skirt DIY

2013-11-13T17:05:00.000-08:00

With temperatures dropping in San Diego, I started riffling through my closet for some autumn-appropriate clothing. Finding very little that excited me, and even less that still fit, I was feeling defeated. I was resigned to the fact that I’d be raiding my husband’s side of the closet for the next few months. That was until I stumbled upon a dress I picked up in a thrift store a few years ago: a double-breasted knit dress. I no longer wore it, and I had long contemplated getting rid of it, but the dress still had potential. I love to reimagine or reinvent something that I already own, giving it a new life and saving it from the landfill. This dress seemed the perfect candidate. I decided to make it into a little cropped top and high-waist skirt, similar to one I saw Solange Knowles wearing. (Yes, the girl who wears khakis and hiking boots for a living occasionally reads fashion blogs!)

There was only one problem: I had never sewn anything more than a hem, so this was going to be a steep learning curve. It turned out it wasn’t so hard after all and I’m thrilled with the end result. My new (old) outfit is perfect for San Diego’s mild autumn.

Supplies:

Knit dress

8” wide coordinating knit fabric (length approx. = waist measurement + 1” seam allowance)

Thread

Chalk

Scissors

Step 1:

Try the dress on and use chalk to mark your real waist.

Step 2:

Cut the dress in two at real waist marking.

Step 3:

To make the top more fitted I added 2 darts to the front and 2 to the back.

I used a pattern block to mark the location of my darts. If you don’t have one available, this handy youtube demonstration will show you how to mark and sew them in the right place.

Step 4:

Mark and sew two pleats in the front of skirt and two darts in the back.

Step 5:

Cut two strips of the black knit fabric, one 2” wide (edging for top) and the other 6” wide (waistband). Calculate the length of strips required by measuring the total length of cut edge of top or skirt and adding 1” for seam allowance.

Step 6:

Fold strips in half and iron flat. Fold raw edges in towards center and iron.

Step 7:

Sandwich the raw edge of your top within the edging. Pin and sew.

Step 8:

Sandwich the raw edge of the skirt within the waistband. Pin, sew and you’re done!

I love my new crop top and skirt. They are so much cuter than my husband’s over-sized sweaters.

DOT WALL HOOKS DIY

2013-10-30T23:12:00.001-07:00

My husband, Jeremy, was obsessed with Muuto Dots coat hooks but just couldn’t bring himself to part with the dollars necessary to purchase them. So, when he decided we needed coat hooks in preparation for the one day it might rain in San Diego, he quickly disappeared. He came back an hour later with a big smile on his face and a pocket full of drawer pulls. He was ready to DIY his own wall hooks.

Supplies:

Oak drawer pulls in various sizes (screws included)

Screwdriver

Wire cutter/ hacksaw

Drill

1] Screw wood screws into drawer pulls.

2] Cut the heads off screws. You can skip this part by using double-sided screws.

3] Drill pilot holes in wall.

4] Screw cut end into wall and you're done!

These wall hooks are not as large as Muuto’s, but are perfect for a small space. They would also look great painted in fun colours. Now I just need him to make a few more for my office.