Let's Wear America

It's been ages but it's finally time to reward my hard reading followers with a much deserved DIY/ MIB though it's a little after the national holiday....oh well, it can be a reflection of this festive occasion.  And what better way to celebrate than to wear the American national colors with pride all over the front and back of the lower torso?  I've noticed a trend in distressed and trash denim and decided it was time to follow the crowd.  

Supplies:

• Old shorts (Levi's, etc)
• American Flag bandana
• Sewing Supplies
• Studs/ Spikes if desired

Step 1: Outline and cut out a pattern for the front panels of your shorts.  Cut out one from the stars and one from the stripes.

Step 2: Sew on the front panels you cut out, check out my sloppy hand stitching...don't let it represent what I do in design school!

Step 3: Cut and sew on the back panel, I thought I would be creative and sew it on AROUND the pocket, what a stellar choice I must say.  On the right pocket I covered it with the star fabric for a little extra pizzaz :) I had also bought some studs to badass it up until I realized I didn't have any pliers to put them in with, the one problem I'm having without being at home...

And that should complete your fourth of July outfit! Looking pretty fine I must say...don't let the holiday be the only day to show off these babies!

My fireworks from an apartment rooftop!

Fringe Binge

Tassels have a variety of uses, like decorating the ends of your grandmother's throw pillows, graduating kindergarten (I hope you made it that far), warrior tassels (definitely see the picture below for that one), and gluing them in suggestive places for no real reason.  I wasn't planning on DIY'ing that last option, you can visit Brazil for that one.  

Congrats, you completed one year of school, only twenty more to go!

This is what graduation must be like in the south...or it's what he wore when he went to marry his cousin.

Don't mess with someone wearing pink tassels, you could get hurt.

Errr...this was the suggestive part I was talking about...

Well, I found a much more practical way to use those tassels.  Here is your weekly MIB for ya, in only a couple minutes you will have some awesome tassel earrings!

Here is what you'll need:

• Earring backings (you can use the fish hook style or stud backings)
• Two buttons, beads, or anything necessary to bling that shit up
• Two tassels
• Wire
• Pliers
• Hot glue gun & glue 
• Paint if so desired

Step 1) Begin by bending the wire into a ring, looping it around the backing and through the tassel string.  You can also just bend a jump ring if you want life to be a tad easier.

Step 2) Bend and close around the backing and tassel to attach the two together.  Wow, you're already almost there!  Told you it was easy.

Step 3) Then hot glue the button or bead to the top of the tassel, a button is nice to use because of the flat backing and the protruding hole provides something for the glue to hold on to.  If you use a bead, I recommend that is has a flat back or to use wire in case glue isn't enough to keep it in place.

Step 4)  Remove the plastic cover from the tassel.

And there are your stylish earrings! Feel free to elaborate with cooler colors, mine are pretty lame.  At least they'll match everything, right?

It's modeling time.

Step 5) Mess up the earrings.  So, the plain color just wasn't cuttin' it for me, so I went a little overboard with the paint.  And since I'm currently obsessed with neon, lets paint it.  In two colors. Well, you can decide which you like better....

BEFORE:

AFTER:

And more news, I might have gone a little too far with online shopping.  I mean, how can you not?  You pick something out online that looks perfect, enter your credit card number and it feels like your using magic money that doesn't really exist (until the next time you check your bank account balance).  Anyways, I unfortunately let myself buy another nail ring, but it was only a dollar!  This one reminds me of a cat or tiger, probably 'cause I'm so fierce. MEOW.