DIY Reversible Arrow Necklace

I often get asked "how do I paint suede?" While trying to write a halfway acceptable post on how to paint suede, I somehow came up with this tutorial. A reversible painted suede necklace. Oh and the answer is YES, you can paint suede, this tutorial will show you how...kinda and soon I will come up with a better tutorial on painting suede.

DIY arrow necklace 

 I love all the arrow and leather jewelry that is in style right now. I combined those two ideas in creating this this easy DIY necklace tutorial. 

DIY arrow Necklace

When I made this project painted suede bracelet I had a lot of leather left over.  So I want to make some projects using the smaller scraps. I hope this will inspire you to upcycle any leather you might have laying around. 

Reversible Arrow Necklace

OK, gather your materials 

Pictures of what I used to make my painted suede necklace

I was going to use the chain photographed but I switched to a sterling silver chain and jump rings

                                                                Step 1 

Make a Stencil
I just drew an arrow free hand on a thick piece of paper(thats why its all ghetto looking). Then I carefully cut it out with scissors. If you are not comfortable drawing an arrow then you can also use a normal stencil or print one out for free from the internet.



Step 2
Trace Your Stencil
Trace the arrow on the leather. Try and do this on the edge so you save as much leather as you can for another project.


Step 3
Cut Out Your Arrow
Cut the arrow out of the leather  I just used sewing scissors for the arrow. Then I used an X-Acto knife to cut out the thin details in the back.

Step 4 

Prime the leather
You don't have to prime the leather.Suede leather sucks up paint. If you prime it before you put your color on less of it will be sucked up and it will glide on better. I primed mine with plain white acrylic paint. 

*Tip Leather has 2 sides, one will is more smooth and one is more textured. The more you prime the less the texture will show.

Step 5 Paint One Side

Paint one side how ever you want With acrylic paint. I used a brush that left thick brush marks on the arrow. You could use a sponge brush for smooth look. Like the way I painted these suede shoes 

Step 6 Nail Polish Time

When the acrylic paint drys. Flip the arrow over and paint the second side with silver nail polish. Paint the more textured side of the leather so the leather will look more like metal. (the silver and texture together create this look)

Step 7 Silver Trim(optional)

After the silver nail polish side dries. Flip the arrow back over (purple side up) Then paint a silver trim all the way around. This adds dimension. *tip You could also add stripes or dots

 Step 8 

Poke holes for jump rings.

LAST
Attach your jump rings and chain. Then you are all done with this cute double sided necklace.

Tattler Thursday Blog Hop #13

Hiya Snappers! Welcome back to the 13th week of the Tattler Thursday Blog and Social Network Hop!

It's time to tattle and hop!

It's a share your crazy, gross, hilarious, in-the-trenches parenthood stories, kind of blog hop! We love funny kid stories and we want to hear yours!

Just leave a comment with your story, post not required! So think of your funniest, wackiest or favorite kid stories, leave a comment  with your story/tattle, follow your Hostesses and Co-Hostesses, visit and discover other blogs, and have fun!

Remember the easiest way to get a follow back is to like/follow other pages and leave a comment! So hop around, tell your friends and share, share, share! This is a hop designed for you to have fun and share! Happy Tattling!

Tweet about the Blog Hop HERE!

	The Rules are:
	1- Follow Your Host and Co-Hostesses
	2- Grab the button and display it on your blog or hop page/section
	3- Leave a comment with a funny, wacky, or gross kid story/tattle

*Be Sure to Hop over to other blogs and visit/network and share the Hop

*Have fun Hopping! (and come back next week!)

---

  Your Hostesses

The Co-Hostesses

 

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***If you are interested in co-hosting the blog hop or would like more information, you can reach us at tattlerthursday@gmail.com***

August Inspiration

I am so happy that it is August! I have a lot of tutorials planned for this month. This is a quick look at the type of jewelry that is inspiring me right now. I am in love with the modern friendship  bracelet, bright colors and tube beads.

Click on the links below to go to the original page

1 Neon Statement Necklace, Pitter & Glink.

2 amano-studio, NOODLE BEAD NECKLACE

3 DIY Tube Wrap Bracelet, sometimes-homemade

4 Free People Heart/Moon Chain Ring

5 amano-studio, Summer Crescent Necklace

6 Free People, Statement Spiral cuff

7 DIY Tutorial: Leather Bangle Bracelets, transient expression

8 Fringed Quills Necklace, Anthropologie

9 Diy Gold Tube Bracelets, honestlywtf.com

10http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/jewelry-bracelets/28460939.jsp

The tutorials that I am going to be publishing this month will reflect this inspiration board. I will show you how to make some items that look very close to the original inspiration. Some items will just have a hint of the inspiration piece.

I am also very inspired by some of the fashion trends like cut out tops and tie dyed. I will have a few DIY refashion tutorials coming up in August as well. 

Easy Earring Tutorial, Learning the Wrapped Loop

This is an easy step by step tutorial that will teach you how to make this very easy pair of earrings. I just love this pair of earrings, I have made them in about 4 colors. In this tutorial you will learn how to make the wrapped loop. If you want to learn how to make wire wrapped jewelry then the wrapped loop is one of the first wire wrapping techniques you need to learn. 

Ok so we are starting with a very simple pair of earrings with a wrapped loop tutorial.

For this tutorial I used natural shell beads but a lot of other beads will work

The most important thing you will learn in this tutorial is how to make the wrapped loop. It is an important foundation in wire wrapping. In the future I will be teaching you other, more complicated techniques so you can build on what you learn. Then you will be able to make more complicated items. But for today we are starting very simple. 

how to make a simple pair of earrings with natural shell beads

What I used:
2 Beads
2 Sterling Silver Earring  hooks
2 Sterling Silver Headpins
Set of Basic Jewelry Pliers
then string String your bead onto a 

                                                                                   Step one: Place your bead on the headpin, simply slide it on.

Step Two:Create the wrapped loop. It was hard for me to get good photos of how to do this so I am sharing this link art beads( they have some very good tutorials.)

Step three Attach the Ear wire. Gently twist the  ear wire open and slip the wrapped  loop on.(I opened the ear wire more  than you should for photo purposes)  The less you open the ear wire the  stronger it will remaine. That is it! when you are done you should have these amazing  summer earrings. I just love them. Thanks for looking! Let me know what you think this quick and easy earring tutorial. Linked up at some of these link parties Monday Time to Sparkle Link Party @ love grows wild  Craftastic Monday Link Party @ http://www.sewcando.com/  craft-o-maniac Monday rain on a tin roof -Give Me The Goods Link Party  Mop it up Monday  Tuesdayjaqs studio -Made By ME  Wednesday Sew Much crafting- Pinterest Power Party the diy dreamer- From Dream To Reality family home and life- Wow Us Wednesday the life of jennifer dawn-A Little Bird Told Me Link Party White lights on Wednesday- Wednesday-whatsits southern lovely-Show &Share clean and scentsible-The Creative Spark Mommy Club Wednesday – Link Up What I Learned Wednesday- We Like to Learn as We Go Thursday crafty scrappy happy (thursday Nights 5ish) Just us Four- Let’s Connect Thursday (5ish) Blog Stalking Thursday Pin It Thursday live laugh rowe Thursday moms crafty space wait til your father gets home- {The Creative Connection(5pm) Pinterest Power Party- The Happy House Friday The pin junkie- Friday link party(thurs night) Happy Hour Friday craftionary what have you Redouxs a peek into my paradise T.G.I.F. Link Party what-about.-Show Off Friday Saturday Get Schooled Saturday Sunday DIY Show Off weekly recap(sunday 9:00 a.m.) diy show off think pink sunday nifty thrifty sunday Silver Pennies Sundays Link Party

Best of Splatter Painted DIY's

DIY Splatter Painted TUTORIALS ROUNDUP

I am in love with the splatter painted trend. Well I think it is a trend. I mean if you look at the J. Mendel Pre-Fall 2013 fashion show, you will see a lot of amazing splatter painted pieces. Well J. Mendel calls it exploded Floral but it sure looks like splatter paint to me. I really loved the two below, what do you think, splatter paint or exploded floral? Anyone who splatter paints an evening gown is a genius in my book

2 garments from the j. mendel Exploded-floral-print collection

. I tell you my head is filling up with refashion plans for all my old bridesmaid dresses.(Always a bridesmaid never a bride,but that is a story for another time.)

I still don't know splatter paint is a trend that will really take off. Just because somthing is on the runway does not always mean it will be a huge trend. Just look at this Astrid Anderson Spring 2014 look. Hummmm 

Regardless if splatter painting is going to make a huge comeback or not. The refashion I did published a few days ago was inspired by it.  

So I rounded up 8 other wonderful tutorials here for you to enjoy. They use different painting techniques that I know you are going to love. One of the tutorials shows how to splatter paint by blowing paint through a straw,while another teaches you how to  paint by filling balloons with paint then throwing darts at them.... I can't think of a more exciting paint technique. I will be trying that one for sure

8 plus 1 splatter paint tutorials

* tutorials from amazing blogs and 1 form mine. You can get the full tutorial by clicking on the links below

1 DIY: Anthropologie Style Part 2

2 DIY EVENT | Ombre & Splatter Paint Shorts with GAP

3 DIY Splatter Paint Popsicle Stick Runner

4 SKETCH42 SPLATTER PAINT SUPERGAS

5 The one with Splattered paint

6 How to Get Big Paint Splatters by Missy Whidden

7 DIY Splatter Paint Pearl Necklace

8 DIY Splatter Painted Denim Shorts for Big Girls or Little Girls

9 Painting with Balloons

DIY Splatter Painted Denim Shorts for Big Girls or Little Girls

I fell in love with a pair of white and hot pink dip dyed shorts a few days ago. The dip dyed  hem looked more like 80 style splatter paint, then fabric dye. I knew that I could DIY a pair of  cute splatter painted hem shorts in no time. I hope you enjoy my tutorial for a pair of white denim shorts with neon splatter paint hem. 

DIY girls splatter painted shorts

This is a step by step tutorial that will teach you how to refashion jean shorts into white and pink splatter painted shorts. I used girls size shorts but this tutorial will work for any size shorts. I used pink for my splatter painted hem but I think any color will look perfect. 

Before and After

 I think you could get away with out using the textile medium, but I love it. It is very affordable on Amazon.com. It makes your acrylic paint into fabric paint.(so that one purchase makes your whole paint stash turns into fabric paint!) All you have to do is mix some of the textile medium into your paint and your good to go. Using the textile medium will make the paint softer and more durable when you wash it. 

When you are finished your shorts should look somthing like this! If you do make a pair please let me  show them off! Send me a picture I will publish it for you. 

A while back someone donated a big bag of very used girls clothes to me. I always love a donation! For this project I pulled some jean shorts from that bag. They had good fabric and bad stains. I knew they would be the perfect pair to fix up and donate to someone's little girl.

(Please email me if you need a project donated to your little one)

Lets get started with this tutorial!

Steps 1-4(above)

1. Get Denim shorts

2. Add bleach and water to a sink 

3. Soak and watch until they reach the color you want

4. Wash and Dry 

 *Tip After you remove your shorts out of the bleach and water mix they will continue to become lighter and lighter until they are rinsed clean of all the bleach. Just like cupcakes keep on cooking until cool
Step 5
After your shorts are dry put cardboard between the legs, This will prevent any paint from seeping through. Also use tape and plastic to protect any part of the shorts that you do not want getting splatter painted.

Step 6

Mix your paint. 

• Jar 1, mix the textile medium with the pink. (fallow the directions on the bottle)
• Jar 2, mix the textile medium with the White
• Jar 3, mix some of the pink and white(after the medium is added) together to make a lighter pink color.

*Tip I made a little diagram about mixing the paint for those of you who are more visual learners.

Step 7
Paint your shorts

• 1st paint the dark pink along the hem on the front and back of the shorts. Leave it imperfect.
• 2nd Splatter paint with the light pink over the first(dark) layer of paint.
• 3ed Splatter with the white paint over the first 2 layers of paint. 

*Tip To get the splatter look use your paint brush to flick and drizzle paint.

After the splatters dry you remove the plastic. You can then add some other details if you want. I painted the coin pocket and the button detail in solid pink. Let it dry according to the textile medium directions. Then wash and dry.

Add some paint details

I love how this refashion worked out!  I hope you got some inspiration out of this post. If you did head over to https://www.facebook.com/LifeontheDivide and let me know what youthink

Thank you 

-

How to refashion a Baby Gown into Toddler Pants

   This is a fast and easy tutorial on how to make these cute baby pants. 

When my baby was a new born I loved the baby gowns because they are so easy for changing the baby.

Now my baby is 19 months old and has long out grown the baby gowns. 
So I have come up with this ver easy step by step tutorial on how to Refashion a baby gown into a a pair of baby pants. 
This is a VERY easy sewing project and I think an excellent tutorial for those of you who are just starting to sew, or if this is your first refashion.
If you like this baby gown refashion you might enjoy this one as well Make new baby PJ's out of old ones

This is a tutorial on how to make easy baby pants by refashioning a baby gown. This is how they will look when you are finished.

I used a size 0-3 month baby gown and ended with pants that were about 18-24 month.

This is a very fast project it should only take you 10-30 minutes. OK enough talk lets get to the baby pants refashion project! 

               What I used for this project

For this project you need 

1) A baby gown with elastic around the bottom.

2) Pants that fit

3) Sewing supplies. I did this by hand(faster than threading the bobbin) With a machine this will only take about 60 seconds!

Step 1

Cut a straight line across the bottom of the arms(we will not be using the arms for this project).Then remove the arms and save them for another project. *Tip Cut as close to the arms as you can saving the most fabric for your new baby pants.

Chop,Chop,Chop

Step 2

Place the pants on top of the fabric, matching the waistband of the pants with the elastic from the gown. This elastic will be the new waist band. Then Make a mark with your chalk at the crotch of the pants. I used pants that had a low crotch so my pants would come out very loose and good for around the house. 

Easy as can be!

Step 3

Cut up to the chalk mark in the fabric with your sewing scissors. 

Cut,up till you get to your chalk mark

Step 4

Turn inside out so the right sides are facing in. Then stitch up the leg, with your machine or use a good old thread and needle. Turn back right side out and press with your iron on low. *Tip try them on you baby to get the correct length. If you want you can then cuff the legs up and put in some small stitches to hold up the cuffs. You will be able to undo the stitches as your baby grows you these pants should last a long time.

In my rush to take photos before it was too dark I did not stitch my cuffs. You will she this in the photos.

And I have to tell you these Pants look so freaking cute on, I way over did it with the pictures of my little man in them.

Look at my little man! He Loves his new pants! He got mad when I kept trying to fold them hem for the photos, so I guess you need to sew them up if you prefer a little cuff.