L is for Lace

Hello, Lovelies! I hope you can all forgive me for my lack of posting over the last few days… I’ve had tons of babysitting jobs and my best friend was home from college last week, so there was tons of hanging out & catching up going on, but unfortunately not a lot of blogging!

I digress… L is for Lace! Lace is one of my absolute favorite things. Spring or not. However, I think there is  something so light and soft about lace that makes it perfect for spring. It is supremely girly.

Since I’ve been pretty lacking on posting lately, this will be a SUPER JAM PACKED POST today. Soooo, get excited!

Before we get to crafting, I’m going to do a little something I’ll call Splurge or Save. I know,  a pretty common segment on morning talk shows. But, it’s always been one of my favorites. When it comes to lace, you decide. If you’re willing to splurge for a fantastic lace piece, it’s likely that there will be more attention detail and it will last you longer. However, if you just want something to wear just for the season, then don’t dip into your crafting budget to buy it!

{Lace Bandeau from Free People, $28}

{Lace Bandeau from GoJane, $12.70}

For me, the save would be the option. Bandeaus were on-trend last summer as well, but I don’t see much staying power in them. However, they’re a great alternative to a bulky cami for under your low-cut tops. A bandeau is also so cute under a shirt or tank top that has large armholes. But I implore you not to wear this item solo.

{Lace Skirt from ModCloth, $59.99}

{Lace Skirt from Forever21, $13.50}

An item as basic as a cream lace skirt is something I’d be willing to spend a bit more on. The ModCloth skirt has a great, full shape. The Forever21 skirt is fantastic as well, though. I adore the little pocket detail! But something as versatile as a simple skirt is an item I would be willing to splurge on.

{Lace Dress from Modcloth, $64.99}

{Lace Dress from Forever21, $24.80}

Both of these dresses are beautiful. Honestly, I don’t think you could go wrong one way or the other!

{Lace Tank Top from Nordstrom, $36.00}

{Lace Tank Top from Forever21, $19.80}

I’m a strong proponent of not buying shirts that are sheer lace. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous to buy a top that you have to buy another top just to wear! Both of these tanks feature the lace as an overlay, so there’s no additional purchases required. Both shirts are equally beautiful. The Nordstrom one is perfect if you’re looking for the crop-top look and the F21 one is great for a longer look.

{Lace Cardigan from Nordstrom, $36.00}

{Lace Cardigan from Forever21, $15.80}

This comparison is the perfect example of how spending more will  get you a more detailed item. The Nordstrom cardigan features a ruffle along the bottom whereas the F21 does not. A piece as basic as this cardigan is something I would totally be willing to spend a bit more on. The ruffle detail completely makes the first one for me.

Okay, now back to crafting! I found some fantastic crafts using lace that I’m super excited to share with you guys. I know, my crafting has been lacking recently. However, the next few letters in my A to Z involve lots of crafting. So I can’t wait to share that with you guys.

{Lace Bow tutorial from P.S. I Made This}

{Lace & Pearl Bracelet tutorial from Flamingo Toes}

{Modcloth Inspired Cardi tutorial from iCandy Handmade}

By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.

Isaiah 53:8-11

H is for Hairstyles

With spring rapidly approaching, I’m getting eager for changes: warmer weather, cherry blossom trees bursting with flowers, and sandals instead of Ugg boots. One thing though that hasn’t changed in many seasons is my hair. I’ve been letting it grow out since summer 2009 and this is the longest that I have ever gone without a drastic change. This is odd for me because for years I went through a cycle of growing out my hair, and cutting it, growing it out, and cutting it. However, after the second time of cutting it super-short and immediately being envious of my long-locked friends I committed to myself that no matter how much I wanted to cut it, I wouldn’t. I’ve kept this promise to myself… so far. I’m thinking sometime in the fall I may cut it and donate it.
But I digress, season after season of long hair has left me in a style rut. I’m sick of alternating between hair down, hair half up, and ponytail. I have recently come up with a few styles for spring that I am excited to share with you…

{Side-Swept Braid}

For years I had bangs that swept from the left side of my face to the right, during the summer I let them grow up, and spare one time my frustration got the best of me, I have kept them long. However, when I’m not wearing a headband, they get sort of awkward and just… hang there. So I came up with this super easy hairstyle (I can do it sitting in class… well not the hairspray part).

1) Grab a few bobby pins (I used three – it all depends on your hair type), hairspray, and a hair tie. Start with straight hair, down

2) Start with three strands at your part. Begin braiding down the edge of your scalp, braiding in pieces of hair from that side (I only French braided hair in from that side, not the other)

3) Continue this pattern of braiding until you reach behind your ear

4) Secure with bobby pins at the end of the braid behind your ear, and bring the rest of your hair around to make a low, side ponytail. Then add bobby pins along your braid anywhere it seems loose or you have flyaway hairs

5) Lightly hairspray all over… or a lot if you have hair like mine that refuses to hold any style you attempt

5) Ta-da!

There’s tons of variations on this style… you can make the low ponytail into a low bun, you can braid the hair towards the back of your head & then secure a high ponytail or bun, or you could do a similar braid going off of the other side of your part to have a lovely crown of braids!

{Not-So-Granny Bun}

I sort of love all of the granny florals and lace that’s in style for spring. This hairstyle is the perfect way to top off your floral dress and sandals look.

1) Start with a high ponytail. You’ll need some bobby pins for this one also

2) Split it in two, you’re going to braid each individually

3) Choose one of the halves of your ponytail to start with. Braid from hair tie to end, making sure its very tight!

4) Then take the braid and wrap around the base of the ponytail. Secure by tucking the end under the hair tie (you can add bobby pins for extra hold, if you’d like). It will look something like this…

 

5) Braid other side, making sure to start as close to the base of the ponytail as possible.

6) After you wrap the braid second braid around the first one, secure with your bobby pins & hairspray. Then you have your final product!

My camera’s battery ran out before I could get one with a headband on, so I had to do one with my crappy webcam…

{Not-So-Granny Bun with lace headband}

So… get styling! :)

Valentine Round Up

So last week was CRAZY. I had tons of homework, and when I wasn’t working on that I was making a scrapbook for my best friend who turned eighteen this past Friday. So, here is a  bunch of Valentine’s I’m going to throw at you at once. Even though the holiday is past, you can use these ideas to show your love to your special someone year round :) Because really, grand gestures of love really shouldn’t be confined to just one day a year.

“Love Me” flower petals are cut in the shape of a heart, and then secured in the center with a brad.

{ Inspired by Martha’s Valentine Flowers }

Heart Fish & Butterfly. For the fish, I cut out two hearts from 4″ x 4″ squares of paper for the body, two hearts from 3″ x 3″ squares of paper for the fin and tail, and a heart from a 1″ x 1″ square of paper for the lips. Then, I put the hearts together, connecting them at the top and gluing them in place. I glued the fin strategically over the top so you couldn’t see where the large hearts met. I glued the tail on the back, and the lips on the front. Might I suggest writing a sweet message on the back such as: You’re the only fish in the sea for me. He he he. So cute, right?! Then, the butterfly. I, again, cut two hearts from 4″ x 4″ squares of paper and one of the 1″ x 1″ hearts.  I also cut out an oval for the body and two skinny rectangles and two punched circles for the antennas. I glued the two hearts bottoms together. Next, I glued the oval their meeting point, glued on the heart head, and then (after gluing the little circles on the top of the skinny rectangles) attached the antennas. And ta-da! You have two, simple, adorable animal Valentine’s cards.

{ Cobweb Valentine from Martha }

Sick of Martha yet?! I hope not!

Bookmark to keep your place in Martha’s Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts!

{ Inspired by Martha’s Ribbon-Punched Valentine }

Last, but not least, the Valentine I made for my mommy :) I used the same back stitching technique from the Ribbon Punched Valentine. I cut a heart, using scalloped scissors, and a slightly smaller heart from the red. My silver stamp pad died (RIP), and so I just wrote Happy Valentine’s Day on in silver Sharpie!

I hope you all had a marvelous Valentine’s Day and tell those you appreciate how much they mean to you not just February 14th, but every single day!

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

Five, Six, Seven

Today was such a Monday. Here in Seattle, the weather was positively dreary, and that was very clear in the mood at school. Even my teachers seemed to be absolutely lazy, as we watched movies in half of my classes (not exaggerating). Needless to say, I was very much looking forward to coming home, grabbing one of the homemade chocolate chip cookies my mother made yesterday, a glass of milk, and sit down to the paper craft explosion that is currently engulfing half of the floor in my living room. Of course the mess is well worth it, and I had LOTS of cards (well, three) to make since I slacked over the weekend!

But I digress, how about I show you the cards!

{ Click for larger image }

2/5 – Purple Ribbon Heart. I was thinking earlier today, why do all my cards have to be pink and red?! They don’t! So, this was me thinking outside of the box. Of course, you could do it in any color. I made a  Heart Template for you that is a replica of the one I use for all my heart-shaped crafts as of late.

What I did was cut out the heart (using the outer heart on the template), and then hole punched around the outside, doing an extra hole on one side. I did this so that when I wove the ribbon through, they came out of the same hole so I could tie the lovely bow! Then I stamped the “XO” in silver.

2/6 – Aren’t Shoe Lovely? Card. I had lots of fun shoe stamps, and stamped them on the white paper in red and pink ink. I glued on the pink piece of paper, then cut out my shoes and arranged them around the “Sole Mates!” stamp that I mounted onto red paper.

2/7 – Heart Garland. Another idea borrowed from Martha :) This one is found here. I love the way they link together, it reminds me of those rings that magicians use and they “magically” connect and disconnect. I hope you know what I’m talking about, otherwise I sound crazy… Anyways, I only did three, just so you got an idea. You could use any color combination you want, this one just felt so classically Valentine’s Day to me. The garland isn’t a card in the traditional sense, however, you could write sweet little sayings or a little note along the edges and give it to your special someone!

Vintage Valentine

Today’s Valentine is my first non-original one! I took the inspiration for this one from Martha’s Antique-Style Valentine. Mine isn’t quite as pretty. However, I do like the dark red paper I used. It’s a little more romantic and sophisticated than your basic bubble gum pink and fire engine red.

{ Click for larger image }

The way it folds up all lovely looks so intricate, but guess what? It’s not :) It only took me one try to master this card (thanks in large part to Martha’s awesome how-to).