Crosses are so in

DIY Monogrammed Backpack

 

DIY: 

1. Choose a font in Word that you would like to have for your monogram
2. Choose a size that will look best on your backpack (I made my S slightly larger)
3. print out design and trace onto freezer paper
4. using an exacto knife cut the pattern out of the freezer paper
5. iron the stencil onto the backpack
6.  using a fabric paint, fill in the stencil applying multiple coats
7. let dry 
8. peel off freezer  paper and viola! 

additional note: for an extra cute spin  add some trim above the zipper (I got mine at Joannes) with tacky glue 

Materials:

• blank car shades 
• foam stamp, ( I made mine from a pattern)
• acrylic paint
• matte spray finish

DIY:

1. decide which way your shades fit best in the windows and lay them out
2. using your foam stamp, stamp your pattern across the entire shade
3. touch up using a small paint brush
4. when paint dries, spray shades wit matte finish to help prevent sun damage
5. Viola!

I mustache for some more coffee

Materials: 

• ceramic mug (goodwill or dollar store)
• sharpie 
• dry erase marker 
• oven 

DO IT:

1. clean the mug completely and make sure the surface is dry 
2. pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees
3.  I recommend drawing your design with dry erase marker first to practice, then once you have the hang of it draw it on with sharpie
4. place the mug in the oven for 30 mins
5. careful when removing be sire to use a hot pad. VIOLA!

Faded Kicks

Materials:

• white shoes 
• fabric dye (any color)
• bucket (don't dye your nice pots purple like I did)
• Rags, or if you want to kill the planet, paper towels

DO IT:

1. remove the inserts from the bottom of your shoes and remove the laces
2. Separate the dye into two cups with the majority in one cup and about 1/3 in the other 
3. fill your bucket with 1 gallon of steaming water and 1/4 cup of salt 
4. dump the container with  the least amount of dye into the bucket and stir
5. submerge your shoes completely in this mixture for 15 minuets 
6. rinse out shoes in warm water over a sink 
7. place the rest of the dye in the bucket and stir
8. place the shoes back in the water so that only the part that you want to be darkened is submerged and let sit for 5 mins, This creates the ombre effect which can be done as many times as desired
9. pull the shoes out a little farther and let sit for 15 mins
10. When 15mins is up rinse the entire shoe in warm water and let dry. Viola!

So this isn't so much of tutorial as a suggestion. I had a pair of vans that were looking pretty worn down so I decided to add a little pizazz. This tutorial is pretty self explanatory, in fact there are only 3 steps! ( try to choose a color of glitter that matches the canvas of your shoe to minimize the number of coats needed)

1. Clean the shoes, glitter wont stick to dust!
2.  Paint the areas you want to glitter with modge podge or another adhesive and glitter away! ( Break it down into sections so that you can provide better coverage)
3. Seal the glitter in with a spray enamel (Joannes or Michaels

Zipper Flair

So I know this tutorial has been done other places but this is how I did it!

Materials:

•  6"-7" zipper dependent on your wrist size 
• coordinating lobster clasp 
• candle 
• pliers 
• jump ring 
• scissors

  

 How-to:

1. Trim off all of the excess fabric form the sides of the zipper as close to the metal as possible
2. Holding the ends of the zipper, run the sides over the flame of a candle or a match to prevent fraying 
3. On the end opposite of the zipper, slide the jump ring through the opening ( usually the piece that is clamped over the teeth will have a space to hook the jump ring through, if not, you may have to punch the jump ring through the remaining fabric)
4. Attach a lobster clasp to the jump ring and viola! your done! If you want you can add a charm to the end of the zipper for some extra flair!