30 June 2011

Blooming Bag


How's it going everyone?
I hope you're having a marvelous week.

Yesterday, I played around with a placemat
and transformed it into an evening bag.
I got a kick out of that, so today I'm making
another one.

blah: a barely used placemat

Orient it vertically towards you.
Fold it in thirds and stitch the two edges
of the bottom fold.

I saw this Valentino clutch in the March 2011 issue
of the Oprah Magazine. Cute right?
I used it as my muse.

To my D-I-Y clutch, I attached some brooches that I
made out of bold-colored felt & covered buttons.

Then I added a felt sash, a plastic buckle & Velcro closure.


TADA! My bag is in full bloom!




29 June 2011

From Dining Room to Dressing Room


As much as I like crafts and fashion, I love things
for the kitchen and dining room too.

Utensils, tumblers, plates, platters, napkins
and placemats always help to achieve a look
for daily meals or for entertaining.

Here's one of many placemats in my arsenal:

Not exactly blah. In fact, I found it so TADA!,
I decided to use it for something else.

I turned it into a clutch!
TADA!

Here's how I did it:

I folded the placemat into thirds.
I sewed the sides of the bottom fold with
sturdy thread or fisherman's twine.

On the top fold, I attached an accent (this is
really a buckle). You can pin on a brooch or sew on
a big button too. A small strip of Velco acts as a
closure mechanism.

I wonder if anyone will guess that this is placemat
when I wear it with my little black dress? *Wink*

28 June 2011

Floral & Stripes


I'm glad you could come by today!
Ready for another recycling project?

blah: remnants from an old shirt, most of which
were used in this shoe bag.

TADA! A flirty necklace that combines
floral accents & stripes.
I fashioned petals and "yarn" out of the T-shirt.

Then I added a chain and gold buttons.

TADA! I'm ready to wear it with
a basic Tee & denim cut-offs.

Enjoy your day!

27 June 2011

Summer Staples


I'm really enjoying the long sunny days,
the endless list of outdoor activities
and the carefree outfits that
only summer can bring.

This week on blah to TADA!, I'm pulling
out some stuff hiding in my closets and then
injecting them with a summer kind of vibe.

Let's start with sandals, shall we?

A pair of silver sandals is cute.
But you know how we can make them cuter?

With a few embellishments made out
of tulle, rhinestones & pearls.
All sewn together.

TADA! Pretty in pink.

A nice way to show off a new pedicure and
just the right companion for a summer dress.

Give an old pair of sandals a lift and do a
little blah to TADA! yourself.

24 June 2011

Summerize!


I'm giving new life to old junk.

Here's a box for a pair of eyeglasses.

It's empty now.

Add a touch of summer with fuchsia felt cut-outs
attached with hot glue.

Now, everyone is ready for summer.
TADA!

Have a delicious weekend!

23 June 2011

A Clear Case


I have this empty eye wear case:

I no longer use it, therefore it's a blah.

Let's give it a clean slate by getting rid of the label.
A cotton ball & nail polish remover
will get the job done.

Clean and clear.

Use it to corral loose items in your handbag
like pens, keys, mints, medicine, hair clips,
hand sanitizer, lipstick or band-aids.

Because it's transparent, you can easily find
what you're looking for even without
opening the case.
TADA!


22 June 2011

Clip it On


It's all about odds and ends this week.

Today, I'm giving these plastic clips a
blah to TADA! make-over.

Originally, these kept a pair of socks together
when you bought them at the store.
I'll let them keep their job description.
But I want them to look more ravishing,
of course.

TADA!
By attaching tiny hearts {made of blah
scraps of felt} with hot glue, these clips
have a whole new look.

Use them to organize receipts.


Or hold business cards together!

21 June 2011

All in the Wrist


Happy Tuesday Lovelies!

Yesterday, we turned this empty watch box
into a cute mini storage solution.

Well, I didn't show you the inside:

This is what held the watch securely inside the box
before I removed it. You didn't think I'd throw that
away, did you?

I saw some potential in this blah "C" made out of metal and
velvet. I like that it's super bendable so I adjusted the shape.

I made it into a beaded cuff! Wanna see?

I attached a string of clear sequins using hot glue.

I love how it complements my J. Crew bracelets!
TADA!


20 June 2011

Odds and Ends


Hey Everyone! So happy you could visit me today.
If you rummage through your house, I bet
you'll find a lot of stuff that you no longer use.

I'll show you some of my "stuff."


No. 1: An empty watch box
No. 2: Eyeglasses case
No. 3: Plastic clips
No. 4: Eye wear container

"Off to the recycling bin" would be your first instinct.
"Blah to TADA! time!" would be mine.

Let's begin with this one:

I've since transferred the leather-strap watch in a special
watch case, leaving me with this empty, blah box.
I think it will make a TADA! container if spruced up.

Digging through my sewing kit, I found these
black buttons. It's a collection of extra buttons
that come with brand new shirts or jackets.
No buttons have come off those shirts so I
think I'm free to use these buttons
however I please.

I used a glue gun to attach the buttons on the box.

TADA! It's a new home for jewelry or office supplies
that I can proudly display on my dresser or desk.

17 June 2011

Balloons!


I've confessed to you my love for greeting cards
and paper goods.

So when I see something cute:

I have the urge to make them cuter!


Armed with a pair of scissors, a glue gun, left-over felt and
a party-spirit, here's what I made:

Two balloons...

And more balloons!

TADA! Who wouldn't love these happy, cheery cards fit
for a birthday, a promotion or any happy occasion.

Have a weekend filled with laughter!


16 June 2011

Positive Storm


I found a bunch of these blank cards:

And they meant it when it said "blank" on the package.
Even the cover had no images or words.

If you're an artist, you can sketch or paint
something pretty. If you take good photos,
a lovely snapshot will do the trick.

I'm a recycler. Call me recy-CLAIRE.
And I've a few pieces of felt:


So blah.

Create magic with scissors & hot glue
and TADA! -- a cute greeting card!

It says, "To a shower of blessings" and
that's what I wish you today, whether it's
rainy or sunny in your neck of the woods.