DIY Up Cycled Gift Bows

If you feel guilty like me about recycling calendars and magazines when they're out of date, there's a cure - convert them into dramatic bows to use for years to come! 

I'm sure there are multiple ways to make them, but this is what I know, so get some scissors, a stapler, a cereal box and a hot glue gun and let's go...

1.  Cut a small circle out of a cereal box about 2-3" diameter - no need for perfection, just a rough one will do.  CAVEAT: I am all about quick & dirty, but if you thrive on precision, knock yourself out with the compass and ruler:-)

2.  Choose a magazine or calendar page and cut strips about 1/2" wide the shortest length of your page.  Again, just free hand, no need for super straight cutting and measuring.  If a magazine, the finished strips will measure about 1/2" x 8".  Cut these in half so they are about 4" long.  If a calendar your strips might be longer and will make larger bows.

1/2" x 4" strips with photobomb deer - mountain living at it's best!

 3.  Take one short strip and curve the ends so one overlaps the other one, making a pointy piece.  If you paper isn't too thick (calendars are usually thicker than mags) you can hot glue the ends together, otherwise you may have to staple.  Try glue first, but if they pop open, staple them.  Make about 18 of these before you assemble the bow.  If your pointy piece is too long and the ends overlap too much, trim them down.

4. Here's where the artistic part kicks in.  Plan your layers out so you have a pleasing arrangement of colors/patterns.  Or wing it and revel in serendipity. 

Next, begin assembly:  Hot glue or staple the pointy pieces, one at a time, close together, around the edges of your circle like so:

Finished first layer

5.  Once you have the first layer attached, start placing the second layer, making these pointy pieces fit between the others.  In the example above you will have 7 pointy pieces on the second layer. I show a stapler here because the glue wouldn't hold this stiff, shiny calendar paper very well. If you have larger gaps between some of them, it won't make much difference once you fill in the other layers; trust me;-)

6.  Once you have all of the open spaces on the 2nd layer done, continue with layer three.  If your circle is pretty full, skip layer 3 and decide how you're going to finish the center*.  Or, if you have room for layer three, continue as before.  

*To finish the center you can make a single loop or try to fit 2-3 pieces in.  It's difficult to glue them in at this point, so you may only get 2 pieces to fit.  If using a loop and it looks too scrawny try cutting a wider strip and using that. Or, get crazy and make curls or shredded pieces that burst out like a firecracker!

finished 2nd layer

starting layer 3

Finished bow with a looped center. 

This is a large Vogue magazine bow with both a third row and a center loop.  Make some! Have fun!

Save That Baby! A Woolens Salvation DIY Story.

As you know, I'm a rabid Up Cycler, Recycler, DIY person, so this project will not surprise you.  I've had a gorgeous, stretch wool Ralph Lauren blazer for probably 20 years and all of the sudden it sprang a few holes.  It's such a classic and fits so well I couldn't bear to pitch it.  
The venerable Dame Vivienne Westwood wrote somewhere that she notice mending spots on the Prince of Wales wool jackets, so I thought - YES!  If it's good 'nuff for Charles, grandpa to those beautiful Wills+Kate babies, it's good enough for me.  Here it is:

The beloved Ralph.  Just curvy enough.

One of the nasty buggers.

What to do?  I chose my favorite Mod 1960s/70s bathtub no-slip sticker shapes to applique out of scraps from a brighter blue cashmere sweater.

Reducing/enlarging stencils on the printer gives you several sizes to chose from.

After I had the templates (stencils) cut out I practiced placing them on the jacket like so.  This is a very important step in making the decisions on what sizes look best and how to achieve overall visual balance.  In order to make an exciting design I added more than was required to cover the holes.

                                                                 

Next I ironed the cashmere onto my favorite fusible, Heat n' Bond Lightweight.  (Their heavy weight ones are too stiff and gum up sewing machine needles - don't buy them!)  Whole bolts from fabric stores or online if you appliqué a lot, as I do.   After I cut out the "posies" I began pinning them over the holes and wherever it made visual sense.  Once I was happy with the "layout" I ironed them on using a thin cotton pressing cloth so as not to burn the cashmere appliqués or the jacket fabric.  Where the seams and curves around the shoulders are I used a tailors egg-shaped pressing form to make the iron-ons conform to the shape.

The next step was to start hand sewing them on with a simple embroidery edge stitch.  A  fairly thick needle was necessary to go through the layers of fabric.

I chose heavy black embroidery floss because I thought it framed the shape well and stood out just enough from the navy jacket.

Now, a commitment caveat - this is not a 10-minute project!  I reckon it took about 5 hours to finish all of the appliquéing.  If it were possible to do them on the machine I would have, but that also wouldn't have produced the same textural, shiny effect achieved with embroidery thread.  If you want to take on an act of salvation get into your best zen mode and relax, just do it:-)

 

The finished blazer elicits all kinds of compliments and "Wow! You did it yourself?!" comments.  You can do it too!

The Most Chic Shopping Cart You Never Did See (Until Now)

One day designer Xavier Degueldre was asked by his young son where Les Chariots de Supermarche (French for Shopping Cart:) go when they die.  After learning they have a meager lifespan of 10 to 15 years he decided to do something about it.   After much prototype development and testing he came up with several clever chairs crafted from retired carts. And in honor of the original question, there are child size options.
This perfect blend of post-consumer waste upcycling and uber chic design is a perfect ambassador for the eco design world, no?

All are numbered and can be custom ordered in colors of your choosing.  They run between $750 - $1400Euros.

Etoile - child sized roller chairs

Cowhide! 

The Haussmann & Versailles I 

The perfect dining al fresco set up for your chateau lawn:-)
CRAZY about this green! 

"Trash" Art cum Fashion

Thanks to Pinterest, I just found the amazing artist and designer, Luis Valenzuela whom has invented a stunning collection of gowns constructed from a vast array of discards which he calls EcoArtFashion®.   

An excerpt from his bio outlines why he's now one of my heroes:

"...It was his love for all natural creations that inspired his“green art philosophy” and led him to found the first “green art community” in Florida, where his primary objective has been to actively engage the community in environmental issues. He is the founder of GreenArt USA©, EarthDayMiami™, EcoArtFashion© and created the first EcoArtFashion Week™** in the world, which has become a platform to express the present state of the ethical and new sustainable fashion world."

plastic bags

discarded soccer balls and flags from around the globe

Luis can be reached at shop@luisvalenzuelausa.com   and on Twitter  @valenzuelausa and http://artsyproductionsusa.com

**EcoArt Fashion Week is now called The Art of Fashion.  The 2014 schedule is not posted but you can see snaps from 2013 here.   'Looks like a smashing time by me!  

NEW Mini-Collection: Ode to a (punk?) Lilly Pullitzer

As posted before, when Lilly Pulitzer died this year we were so sad.  Her elegant, cheerful summer dresses have always been exactly the thing to perk up a miserably hot day.  It doesn't hurt that the likes of Jacki O adored them too!

Jackie + LillyP courtesy of lovely blog Elements of Style, thx!

Just for kicks, in homage to her fabulous legacy we created a small collection of One-of-a-Kind -but you knew that- upcycled wool skirts imagining Lilly as a city girl 2013; a Preppy Punk if you will:-) 
We've included a few for the youngster mini skirt crowd and a few you could wear to the office.   A cashmere sweater, boots or tall Mary Janes and voila! a dashing, unique look.  As Lilly P herself said:
 

“I didn't set out to be unusual or different. I just wanted to do things my way.”

Available until they're gone! 

There's no doubt wearing one of these will establish "your way"!  Cheers to being original.

What do Punk Rock, Anatomy & Hawaii have in Common?

What do Punk Rock, Anatomy & Hawaii have in Common?  Probably not much more than the fact that they're represented by 3 new capes up on Etsy today.  Click on captions to see more.

Rock Star

Hawaii, among other fab far flung locales

Science never looked so good

Upcyling a Jet - Malibu Style and Earth911

It's time to break the silence on the Southern Front.  It's been a busy, kid monopolized summer, but here's something amazing for your enlightenment nevertheless - - -

Have you seen the Wing House in Malibu?  Designed by David Hertz of the Studio of Environmental Architecture in Venice Beach,  it is largely constructed from a dismantled Boeing 747. 

Many of the large pieces had to be flown in by helicopter.  Hertz was devoted to upcycling as much of the jet as possible, even making a fire pit on the patio out of parts.  You can read a shortie about the house on my new favorite eco blog -  Earth911 - More Ideas, Less Waste. 

Click to watch a video tour of this magnificent house

I wonder how many centuries it will take to save up enough pennies to hire SEA to make a beautiful house & studio for me - - -

Tire Chic

In celebration of all things le Tour de France (love those biking madmen) - I want to share the very special upcycled inner tube bags of Dante Robles Design with you.

But first - boys!

Mark Cavendish won his first, and hopefully one of many, stage today.  LOVE to watch Cav!

 As always we are rooting for Andy Schleck for over all win.  Go ANDY!

Apologies for the detour (a ha ha ha. not-so-punny),  back to fashion, where we should be.  
Dante Robles Design just won the “Timberland Best Green Handbag” at the Seventh Annual Independent Handbag Design Awards.  Well deserved.  I've been looking around at inner tube creations for some time and these are by far the most refined.  Beautiful!

 

Woven Bucket w/ Removable Fringe

 There's a cool bracelet that converts into a necklace too.

Summer SALE! Flap Happy Skirts Reduced!

It's time for some sale business.  We've reduced the price on the Flap Happy Skirts, don't you want one?

Flap Happy are carefully designed to be very flattering over the hip - the angled panels & asymmetrical hem boast an amazing sleight of hand making you look narrow.  Who couldn't use more of THAT?  The Flap Happys look great year around - with sandals in summer and boots in winter.
Layers, and layers of t-shirt glory.  Available in all black or black/grey combo.

Flap Happy Mini

Flap Happy Midi