Category Archives: DIY Tutorials

Jan3

P.S. — I Made This …

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Okay, what do you guys know about this? If you’re like me about a week ago, NOTHING! But now, I’m preparing to reel in a new, time-consuming obsession! About a week ago, a work friend tells me about this blog and book, P.S. — I made this …. The concept for the site was to serve as a compilation of tutorials for all these pretty simple and clever fashion/accessory DIY projects. My first question? “Is there sewing involved? I don’t do sewing.” She quickly responds, “No, a lot of it doesn’t require any sewing!” No sewing involved?! I’m all on this!

So, I check out the site for a hot sec that evening and am intrigued. But I gotta write posts. So, off I go. The following day, the same friend brings in the book version of the blog. I flip through the first several pages, return the book to her and, by the end of the day, the order on Amazon had been placed ($12.76 on Amazon vs. the $18.95 list price).

So yeah, if you love fun, seemingly easy DIY projects and are looking for frugal ways to spice up your wardrobe, you may want to check this out!

First on my “to do” list? One of these ADORABLE headbands (the pink one is in the book and looks even cuter there … ok, a little sewing is required for this one)!!

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Are you a DIY Dynamo? Wanna be? What DIY projects have you tried and loved? Where do you get your ideas?

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Jul27

DIY Length Check Tee

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3/27/12: I did this post at the beginning of our first GOC. Given that we are about to begin GOC: The Sequel, figured it would be a good time to feature it again for those who would like to buy or make a length check shirt of their own!! Enjoy!

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A couple of months ago, I saw the above length check tee for sale at Mane and Chic for about $19 and I thought, “Yo!  I can make my own length check tee for half the price!” … I never got around to it. *lol*

However, now that the Hairscapades Grow Out Challenge is beginning and most seem to have length goals, I thought a DIY project would be a great way to set it off!! So, last week, I picked up an $8 fitted tee (similar to this one, but without the print) and a fabric marker from TarJay for this purpose. However, I don’t have a camera man, so I couldn’t make a video. Plan B was to make a picture tutorial, but my fabric marker sucks, my other marker was bleeding, it’s 10 pm, I’m not done and I need to finish this post for Wednesday morning!. Time for Plan C.

YOUTUBE!!!!

So, here is someone else’s video on how to make your very own length check tee!!!

(Her tee is a little different from mine, which I made similar to the one from Mane and Chic, but it’ll work!)

And here are photos of my somewhat sad length check tee DIY project. *lol*

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I established arm pit length (APL) using the sleeves on the tee and then just measured inch wide segments above and below it to create the additional length lines. I’m pretty sure that I’ll have to add a few more lines below APL. But, I’m going to wait for my SO so that I can put on the tee shirt and he can help me identify waist length (WL). Then I’ll finish it.

So, hope you all like this idea!! If you make a tee or think you might, let us know in the comments below! If enough people do it, maybe we’ll have a show and tell of our handiwork=). I know there are a few creative souls out there who might put an artistic spin on the design! If you do decide to make one, I’d suggest a fitted tee so that your lines and length checks are more accurate (a larger tee may not fall consistently on your torso, especially when some of you lose pounds to achieve your weight goals too.;).

(Of course, you could always just buy a length check tee instead of being a cheapie like me.;))

Jul18

One Bun, Nine Looks

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As many of you know, I am a fan of flower hair clips and I provided a tutorial for making your own a few weeks ago. So, I just had to share this pic that demonstrates how you can use flowers to jazz up and change the look of a single protective style.  It’s a great accessory for the style challenged=)!!  So, if you can’t find the flowers you want, hit your local craft store (Michael’s, JoAnn Fabrics, etc.) and search the “gardens” for your perfect accessory.  Enjoy!!

Flowers pictured:

  1. Peonie
  2. Roses
  3. Rose
  4. Gardenia
  5. Phalaenopsis orchids
  6. Gerber daisy
  7. Dogwood
  8. Peonie
  9. Roses
Jul13

DIY Headband Tutorial by Faith, Favor and Curls

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Headbands are another fab way to dress up and change the look of a bun. My fellow blogger and hair friend, T-Kia of Faith, Favor and Curls, graciously gave me permission to share a link to her tutorial for this GORGEOUS headband!! T-Kia is a DIY hair accessories phenom=)!! So, hopefully she’ll be sharing more of her crafty and clever creations on her blog very soon!!! Check out her picture tutorial to learn how to make your own amazing headband and visit Faith, Favor and Curls for more about T-Kia.

Jun22

DIY Flower – 6 Ways to Wear It!

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Last week, I posted a DIY Tutorial for making your own flower hair clips. Yesterday, I wore a yellow flower clip that I made a while back. I started the morning with it attached to a headband worn around my loose TnC. But, when I got to work, I wasn’t feeling like having my hair down (I’m so addicted to updos and protective styles now! I only like my hair down, like, one day a week and usually on the weekend!). So, I put my hair up into a bun, took the flower off of the headband and clipped it near the bun. I’m all about multi-purposing and re-purposing. So, I immediately thought, “I need to do a post on Hairscapades with styling options for the DIY flower hair clip!”  Seriously, the only limit is your imagination.

I made the flower clip pictured above with a hair clip and pin attachments. You could also attach a hair band like the Goody Ouchless/No Metal elastics (in the color of your choice) under the felt to make this into a tri-purpose flower (pin, clip, ponytail holder)!

STYLING OPTIONS:

Wear it clipped next to your bun
Wear it pinned to a headband (thin, thick, one or two)
Wear it on your belt
Wear it on your lapel
Wear it on your wrist
Wear it as a ponytail holder

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(Sadly, this braided white belt bit the dust yesterday=(. All of the leather ripped at the point where I would belt it. I have to find a replacement.)

How many ways can/do you wear your flowers?

Jun15

DIY Flower Hair Clip Tutorial

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Summer is upon us and what better time to start unearthing your bright flower hair accessories and picking up new ones to adorn those lovely kinks, coils and curls? But, what to do when you are searching for a specific type, color or size of flower and it’s nowhere to be found? Or, you find it, but someone wants an arm, leg and kidney for the one you desire? Why, make your own of course!!

So, this is my DIY Tutorial for making your own flower hair clips in slide show and gallery format again=).

First, hit Michaels or anywhere else where you can find faux flowers and select all of the species, colors and sizes you want (go hog wild if there’s a sale;). I  used white orchids here. (The whole reason I decided to do this is because I was in search of orchid hair clips for months and the only place I found ones I liked was on Etsy and they were too expensive … and I’d have to pay shipping too?!?!  No thank you!).

SUPPLIES:

  • Felt (I bought white for the orchids and green for the other flowers)
  • Hair clips (I got these from Sally’s and prefer the pointed tip clips to the 2 prong)
  • Scissors
  • Pen
  • Small circular object to use as a stencil
  • Glue Gun
  • Glue Sticks
  1. Use your circular object to trace a circle on the felt. This was a little bottle of gold leaf that I used because the quarter was too small.  I would suggest using a black pen or pencil to trace your circle. I grabbed the red because it was the first thing I saw and I just wanted to get these pics taken last night=).
  2. Cut your circle out of the felt and fold it into quarters as shown below.
  3. Cut a very small slit in the middle of side with two folds (cut through both folds). This is the opening through which you will thread the clip.
  4. Weave the clip through the slits in the felt circle. I leave the flat side of the clip free and the insert the angled side (where you squeeze the clip to open it) through the felt. This is the side that will be glued flush with the back of the flower.
  5. Pluck a flower from a stem of the stalk. You don’t need to cut. I made that mistake first and it was a lot of effort for nothing as the stalks tend to have metal running through them and I didn’t have metal clippers, so I was cutting and bending and got a hack saw.  It was ridiculous!  LOL!!  The flowers tend to pop off the stems. You can see the part that inserts into the stem here.  Just grasp the flower close to it and pull (you might have to wiggle it a little).
  6. Cut the protruding portion of the “stalk” from the flower so that it will lay flat against the felt/clip combo. However, don’t cut it too close or you may damage the flower or cause it to fall apart.
  7. Place your flower and felt/clip combo close to each other. Plug your glue gun into an outlet, let it warms enough to squeeze the glue out and apply a circle of glue a little smaller than the felt circle around the base of the flower. Quickly move to the next step.
  8. Apply a circle of glue slightly in from the edges of the felt circle and down the back of the exposed clip. Don’t place the glue too close to the edge of the circle as it will squish over and look sloppy. Also, don’t do what I did here! Either cut inside of your line when you cut your felt circle or place the pen side down so that it will not be seen through pale flowers! I’d suggest the former so you don’t have to worry about seeing any pen at all=). Again, move quickly to the next step! Glue from glue guns dries very quickly!
  9. Place the felt/clip combo in the middle of the flower and hold with medium pressure until the glue dries (it’ll cool to the touch).  This shouldn’t take more than 10 seconds.

And that’s it!  You have a flower hair clip!

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Okay, I kind of cheated because I didn’t glue the white orchid clip together=).  This final pic is of a pink orchid that I had previously made.  What is really cool is that you can make these dual purpose by creating two slits, one for a hair clip and one for a pin. Then, you can use these in your hair or pin to clothing!  I bought some pins for that purpose from Jo-Ann Fabrics (jewelry section). The pins have a flat back so that you can glue them against a flat surface.  If you have flowers with large leaves, you can use a leave for the back of the clip instead of the felt or you can attach leaves behind the felt.  Use your imagination=)!

Thanks for visiting!  Come again=)!