Caps & Covers

It's a brand new week and even if our lives are busy, busy, busy, I hope that recycling has become part of the daily routine. This week we'll see the transformation of bottle caps and covers from blah to Tada!

Today, instead of the doing the crafting myself, I'll take you on a little journey to show you how other people recycle. Our trip begins in Amsterdam...

...where a bottle cap was left stranded on a sidewalk.
I decided to rescue it as a free souvenir.

"It might be useful one day," I said to myself.

The journey continues in the city of Durban in South Africa where I stumbled upon this store bursting with personality. It's called ART AFRICA selling local crafts, many of them made with recycled objects. Another special thing about the crafts is that the people who made them suffer from poverty or are afflicted with AIDS. For them it's a way to earn some income and provides them with pride and purpose. Look how they've transformed humble bottle caps into refrigerator magnets! I love how they captured unique and colorful scenes from African life.

These small suitcases made from bottle caps (and another from shoe polish tins) are also sold at ART AFRICA. Use it as a purse, a lunch box or for storage.

These are some inspiring ideas I can use for my growing collection of bottle caps that started in Amsterdam! See you all tomorrow!

Sash with Panache

A black cardigan is a basic piece found in the wardrobe of many women. It's an accessory worn to match any outfit and a practical one at that -- keeping one warm in air-conditioned room or on a chilly day. It's also easy to dress up by adding a chunky necklace or colorful brooch.

Another alternative is to use a silk sash, transforming a black blah into a terrific Tada!.

Go ahead and use a sash in your favorite color or print and don't be surprised if colleagues ask, "Is that a new sweater?" or "Where did you get it?". Then you can tell them your tale of achieving "The Look" for less!

Have a happy Tada! weekend!

Ball and Chain

We're gearing up for the fabulous weather that springtime brings and moved the cardigans from the back of the closet to front and center. But admittedly, some cardigans need a little updating like this blah beige number.

I removed the buttons and replaced them with silver chains & beads. I also took the liberty of folding the sleeves, resulting in an edgier and younger look.

You can do the same by re-using an old necklace (cut in two-inch lengths) and beads of your choice (just make sure they are small enough to fit through the buttonholes). Otherwise, a visit to a craft store's jewelry-making section or a specialty bead shop can help you find all the materials you need -- chains, beads, findings, a wire cutter and pliers. Add needle and thread to the list if you don't have any.

With chains on your cardigan, who needs accessories?!
Now that's a what I call a Tada!.

A Girl with Some Pearls

It's the third day of our "spruce-up-your-cardigan" week!

Today we'll do a subtle change by replacing the current clear & plain buttons...

...And swap them out for these pearl-like buttons with gold edging!
(I got them at a fabric store that was closing down...a palm-full of buttons for just $1!)

It's a small change that adds a little sparkle.
Can you hear the cardigan say, "I feel brand new!"?

Cute as a Button

We're playing re-fashionista this week by updating old cardigans.

Buttons are an easy way to change the look of an old garment. It's a good excuse to visit a button shop (I found some in New York City's Fashion District or you can go on-line). A better idea, however, is to dip your hand into your button stash. Yes, you have one! You didn't know? Let me refresh your memory: when you buy a shirt or trousers, they come with extra buttons attached to them in a little bag or sewn on the shirt label. When you gather them together, Tada!: button stash! And so what if they're mismatched:

Sew them on using thread in a contrasting color...

...And a little switcheroo turns a blah into a Tada!

Spring Sweaters

It's officially spring and while the weather outside is still in denial, I've invited my favorite light sweaters to come out of hiding. I find them oh-so reliable when I'm wearing my spring outfits. I'm proud to say I've had them for many years...I'm all for classic dressing!

I wanted to dress up this plain, white cardigan.

I got some inspiration from the colors (pinks & lilacs) of the new season and turned a blah into a Tada!. I simply added a fabric rosette that can easily be made with cloth scraps or ribbon, a needle, some thread and a safety pin.

Stop by tomorrow for another sweet-sweater idea! Happy Monday!

Cooking Class

Mis-en-place (meez ahn plahs) is a French culinary term that means "everything in its place" or preparing tools & pre-measuring ingredients before actual cooking begins. It's a smart way of doing things...what a bummer it would be if half-way through cooking I find out that I only have 1/2 cup of milk when I need 1 cup or if the minced garlic is already browning in the pan but the other ingredients haven't been sliced yet! I can taste the bitterness of the burnt garlic already.

While I'm far from being a French chef, I like to use their kitchen tricks & techniques like the mis-en-place. I use small plastic bowls for both liquid & dry ingredients but I realized that I can use this plastic Bento Box (Japanese lunch box), too!

Once a blah, now a Tada!:

Whether for a soup or stir-fry, these veggies are ready (washed and chopped in uniform sizes) to dive into the pot.

Even if cooking won't take place until evening or later in the week, some ingredients can already be prepared beforehand, stored in the Bento Box, covered with the lid and stored in the fridge until ready to use!

May you have an exciting weekend ahead!