PRETTY ME UP//DIY BLOTTING TISSUES+BOBBY PIN HOLDER (ALWAYS FLAUNT A FRESH LOOK!)

This was more of a trial and error routine to get the easiest homemade version of...face blotting tissues! Now if you have a slick nose like mine where you may probably have the reflection of the opposite person casting on it, or slick anything really, these are your saviors!

This is a total travel accessory! Holds bobby pins/little baubles.perfume samples etc. in one compartment and heart-shaped blotting tissues in the other and bang, you're ready to head out! I just used my empty powder compact for this but you can use anything (I just wanted to use those old empty compacts piling up). Plus, it has a mirror, since in historical times it was a makeup accessory. That kills three birds in one stone, doesn't it? I adore DIYs like this!

You'll need:

1. A sturdy empty box (consider mint tins, old jewelry boxes, or even anything from the dollar store that is about palm-size)
2. Fabric/paper scraps (I used pretty vintage-style fabric scraps from my pretty DIY storage project!)
3. Scissors, modpodge (any PVA glue) and a marker
4. Filler paper (the ones you find in shoe boxes/or filled in new bags to puff them up and keep shape) or Normal tissue paper thinned down into very flimsy layers or if you're an architecture student like me, low-quality butter paper is gauzy enough for the purpose!
5. Pretty labels (You can use the free label I made for you!)

How-to:

1.Start by cleaning the compartment of your compact (if you're using a compact that is). I cleaned mine and there was still a lot of pigment embedded in (which wouldn't disappear even with cleaning chemicals), so if yours doesn't - don't fret!

2. Roughly cut your fabric scrap to size the compartment.Apply some modpodge onto the wrong side of the fabric and fit it into the compartment. Smooth out any bubbles, wait for a couple of minutes and then apply another layer on top. Let dry for 3-4 hours.

3. Meanwhile, cut a long strip of the tissue/filler/butter paper and fold it until it's the size of a square that will fit your compartment (kinda like accordion style)

4. Fold it in half again and then draw half a heart (don't heart hearts? Leave as is, or do any other shape! I typically favor hearts/flowers for cutouts :) )

5. Cut out and lapse in the glory of lots of small hearts!. Store them in your compartment!

6. If you've downloaded the label I made, cut it to the size of your lid and then glue down. Apply a thin layer of either matte/gloss modpodge on top to seal everything in place.

7. Throw in some baubles in the other compartment and tuck it in your purse!

And now I face the world with a nose that doesn't bifunction as a mirror!

If you don't have a compact like mine, but one of those round ones, you can either use them for these blotting sheets or bobby pins (or make two- one for each!)

I know the part you're waiting for.....the shine test and here it is! Carefully smooth over the sheet onto the shiny areas while pressing. The picture doesn't quite pull in the actual shine here but I think you get the idea :)

If the shine is melting down your makeup, then make sure that the skin has been well exfoliated and is not bumpy. Makeup settles down in little patchy bumps in areas like such and using a blotting sheet to zap the oil will leave you with gaping huge pores exaggerated with the makeup. Big no!

In cases like these, icing the generally oily areas and then applying a primer helps a long way. (Check out my DIY face primer recipe here, it's impressive!).  Ice helps shrink pores and gives a rosy glow and you can immediately tell the difference. Finish off your makeup by some store-bought or homemade setting spray (glycerine + water or rosewater).
And lastly, a little shine is always a plus, it makes you human, and beautiful so don't go overboard!

Excited? Read this magical foundation meltdown trick with a single ingredient! You'll be surprised PLUS it was recommended by a makeup artist!
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For more DIYs, go over my DIY gallery here!

If you liked this DIY, share it with others and pin it! They'll thank you!

XOXO, Nash
(Follow me on Pinterest and Facebook, let's gawk pretty things together! *wink)

Inspiration Nation//Transfer images on fabric!

So I've been on this crazy wild chase to get the newest designs from my collection printed on fabric. All was grand and lush till I realized I've never done fabric printing before (painting, sure but printing? Whoa, hold up right there!). So here's your basic tut for printing out those cutesy images you own or have designed like me onto fabric. All you need is a glob of modpodge, wax paper (optional),foam brushes, your fabric and the printed paper the design of which you want to print on your fabric.

Easy enough? Let's get started!

MATERIALS:

Modpodge (matte and gloss)

Printed image (I used Inkjet)

Fabric (any will do. I used white cotton)

Paintbrushes/foam brushes for the modpodge

Sponge

A bowl of water

Wax Paper, optional

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Begin by laying out the wax paper to protect your work surface from the gooey sticky mess of the modpodge. For the first round, I'm using the matte version of modpodge. Have the image side of the paper facing you and dunk it in a whole lotta modpodge. Do nice, even strokes and you need to put a "thick" layer. When you're done, the colors of the original image should hardly peek through.

2.When you're done, gently lift the paper off the wax paper and put the image side down facing the fabric. The blank side should face you know. Leave this to dry a day.

3. 24 hours later, you should find the whole fabric-image combo stiff because the glue has dried. You'll now wet the sponge with some of the water and gently press down onto the blank side of the image which faces you. Keep dabbing on the water gently until you see the pattern and colors coming through again.

4.Slowly scrub the paper which will come off like shreds and leave a vibrant print behind. Scrape of the entire image (gentle is key, scrape too much and you'll rip off the print from the fabric too!). If you need to, dab the image with water again to make sure it is wet during the whole process.

5.This step is so important and I want you to pay extra effort and attention here. You'll want to make sure that you completely remove off all the tiny bits of paper sticking in there. Rub it all off because if you don't and it dries, it won't be a pretty sight. I overlooked this a bit while printing on mine and I was left with tiny white flecks in some part of my fabric print :(

6.Do a light layer of modpodge (gloss version) to seal it all in, bring out the vibrancy and add a pretty shine. This last step goes that extra length to perk your image up!

And that's it! You can use modpodge meant for fabric and waterproof modpodge if you wish to wash your fabric in the future.

Yes, the color did turn out that vivacious!

(PS: If you can't judge if you removed all the paper, wait until the fabric dries and if it shows off the tiny white specks, wet it again and gently rub them off. Don't apply the modpodge until you do this step because removing them after the modpodge dries clear is pretty much impossible. A lesson learnt!)

This is how it looks from the back. ^

I'll be using this fabric for a very special purpose which I'll share on the blog soon ;) You can check out Craft A Doodle Doo's new hip online shop where you purchase the entire collection of these super chic prints!

Have any queries? Drop a comment below!

In the meantime, share a lil blog love and pin/share if you liked this trick!

You can also subscribe to Craft A Doodle Doo (in the sidebar) for more clever DIYs. You can find me mostly on Pinterest and occasionally on good ol' Facebook!

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I bid you goodbye for now with tons of more inspiration at my DIY gallery.

Love, Nash!

The Decorista Chronicles//DIY Wall Decals!

It's been a while since I did a sassy wall art tut here at Craft A Doodle Doo but this was invented at the request of a very special friend who said she wants some decorspiration for her room. This is so easy, looks as in vogue as they come and is made with one basic material. On top of that, it's removable so you can change 'em up anytime and you see why we are not doing stencils here? I'd love doings stencils on my walls, but then the paranoia drops in that the future me would probably indulge in some other design. This one's a no-mess peel off and that makes it all the more cooler!

This of course doesn't mean you have to make a jewelry niche too, headboard decals are the thing I say but I have a pretty su-weet headboard already. The best bet would be doing this under a shelf (or on the top of it). Also consider hanging a grand oval mirror over your vanity and having the decal as the frame of the mirror. Endless options I tell ya.

Start away already you tell me. buuuuuut I can never start without this brilliant piece of inspiration.

Materials:

1.Adhesve sheet in any color you'd like and in any texture (You know, the peel-off back ones. I'm using my trusty velvet textured adhesive sheet in deep red)

2.Masking/scotch tape,X-acto (craft knife) and a pair of large and small scissors

3.A ruler to level the decal onto the wall.

4.A cutting mat or any surface as such

5. One whoppin' pattern you'd like to decal. Look around for lots of inspiration. My friend loves damask so that is what I chose.

How-to:

1.Start by printing out a template of your design. Make sure you print it out the right size. My damask corner patterns are about half of an A4 sheet (just so that you get the idea). 

Cut out the adhesive sheet to be double the area of your template and slightly larger and fold it in half. 

2.Tape all the edges of your pattern onto the folded adhesive sheet so everything is tightly secure in place and won't more when you're cutting out the pattern.

3.Using a craft knife and the different sized scissors, cut the pattern out. A good tip is to not start out with a too complicated pattern.

Here's the two damask corners for each side of my "shelf" decal.

I then cut out a long strip and two smaller ones (for the damask corners) measuring the width of the wall/space I wanted to put my decal on. This long strip was supposed to go on top of the damask corners.

4.Use a ruler (or probably the leveling app on your Iphone,lol) to make sure you have the alignment right when you place the decal. Peel off and smooth it onto the surface. Since it comes off mess free, even if you have those annoying 'wrinkles' you can peel back off and smooth it over again.

And that's it!

As you see mine is fashioned liked a little jewelry alcove. So I used transparent command hooks to hang in pretty jewelry.

If you're wondering where the jewelry from my faux Vintage China wall display went (I took it out so that it shouldn't compete with the jewelry under the decal in the photographs :D )

This looks so much more stunning in real life than in the pictures (one of those see to believe pretty kinda things!). A showstopping impact ladies!

So are your walls bare? Dying for a classy makeover, maybe lookin' for a pop of elegant color? Or maybe you've just been on the plain and straight quest for the easiest way to do homemade decals.

Now you know ;)

If you liked this nifty idea, pin and share it with other people you know. You can also be pals with me on Pinterest, Facebook and follow for some glamorous new decorhacks!

Meanwhile, if you'd like to lay those pretty eyes on more of my DIYs, you can drop in to tour my DIY gallery here!

Have a great day,

Nash

INSPIRATION COLLAGE PHOTO CREDITS:

http://www.houzz.com/photos/6617422/Chandelier-Wall-Decal-modern-decals-

http://www.houzz.com/photos/6616204/Riviera-Giant-Peel---Stick-Applique-modern-decals-http://www.houzz.com/photos/6617239/Cherry-Blossoms-Wall-Decals-modern-decals-

Pretty Me Up//Valentino Inspired Clutch!

Once in a while, hanging out on Pinterest gets the worst of me and I spiral into a trance of some of my most devilishly alluring pins. This Valentino shoulder bag is a mix of lace n' leather in bright berry, the atrocious part being it's not even in stock. Since I on the other hand am more of a clutch lady, love my healthy doze of glitter and the feminine appeal of sheer lace, a children's stationery box (which I had since I was 7..perhaps) is what got the makeover in my book.
And oh yes, at a much more affordable price for a college-budget student too.

Everything about this beautiful clutch is frugal, except the appearance:It's luxe and it's pretty sure to garner some oohs and aahs out of the other ladies when you tell them you crafted it yourself!

You'll need:

1. Krylon glitter spray in gold (or glitter and modpodge in gloss finish)
2.Adhesive spray (optional but highly recommended)
3.Some sheer lace (I used one of those tiny lace giftbags you get in the gift section at stores)
4.A ribbon in a complementary shade
5.Fabric for the lining (I used a single satin placemat that I purchased as a set earlier)
6.Super glue and scissors
7.Metallic Gold Spray paint (optional)
8.Fake adhesive gems (optional)
9. A plastic box with a lid that snaps shut

Instructions:

1. If you'd like, you can first spray paint the entire clutch with a metallic gold to avoid any ugly undertones of the previous color)
2.Spray paint the the entire exterior with the Krylon Glitter Spray in Gold. (If you're using the modpodge and glitter method, mix the required amount of glitter and glue in a big bowl and dab all over. Let it dry for a couple of hours and then add another coat. Finish with a coat of adhesive spray to seal everything in)
3.When dry, wrap up the exterior with the sheer lace (using super glue and scissors wherever necessary to trim extras and glue down protruding edges)
4.Use the adhesive fake gems as embellishment over the lace (surprsingly, I came across these in the car tools section :O They are supposedly used to jazz up the interior of your car...? :S)
5.Fashion the ribbon into a bow( I went for a Ted Baker style bow because they just look so classy) and glue it onto the top of the clutch's clasp)
      If your box just snaps shut just like that and you don't really have a clasp, you can still add it onto the top from where you'd normally open your clutch.
6.Open the clutch and line the interior edges with super glue.
Cut the fabric a few inches bigger than the size required to fit in the clutch and fold over the extra edges of the fabric onto the glue.
7.Done!

And that's how you possibly steal your children's stationery organizers and redo them into pretty clutches or if you're an outgrown kid like me (that just sounds creepy now), you can just dig one up from the hoarding you did over the years (nope. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who hoards these things)
Maybe you can also buy one. They hardly cost anything.

This is not a sponsored post, but in case you want to look up the glitter spray and metallic spray here are the links.
Krylon Metallic Spray in Gold
Krylon Glitter Spray in Gold

Also, I recommend (if you do a lot of glittery projects)buying a glitter spray as opposed to doing the modpodge routine because that's just mess free. You pet cat is spared millions of flecks of glitter adorning its lush coat.

For those who are plain confused, modpodge is a kind of all-purpose glue/sealer.

If you're not one to attend parties, you can also have this sitting in your boudoir as a jewelry box and heave a sigh of satisfaction everyday when you look at it.

         If you're new here, and I'm pretty sure you must be, you can look up my other epic line up of DIYs in the gallery!

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If you also happened to love this DIY, go ahead and pin it! (Also come back for more glitterati fun!).

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Oh, I just realized I missed the last step, dunk your precious baubles in!

Much love, Nash

Pretty Me Up//Gorgeous DIY Headband!

Today's DIY was straight out inspired by the beautiful headpiece Keira Knightley flaunted here and from the ramps of trendseters like Marc Jacobs and Anna Sui here n' here!

We impart the whole rich look that these designer wishlisters create by using velvet flowers and multifaceted gems gleaming in the middle. You can also use faux pearls bought from any craft store. The price I got mine for was a steal and I'm sure that you'll find some that you'd fancy too!
The only rule of the thumb is to make sure you remember the theme is royal and opulent, so choose your embellishments according to that in any color and make them come together in the look you think would be perfect. :) Good quality but economical is the phrase here baby!

1.Make sure you map out how many flowers you'd like to have on your headband. I used seven: One bang in the center and three each on the right and left.

2.Use a super-strong glue to adhere the flowers onto the headband because you don't want these fraying and falling off with time! I learnt the hard way to not put blobs directing using the glue nozzle even if i's a small one. Use a toothpick to handle the flowers to avoid having any tacky stray glue strings on them later!

3.Using the toothpick, attach the gems onto the center of each flower and...

Try different combinations! You can just do three on one side or use a velvet/satin ribbon instead of the headband.
TIPS, TIPS, TIPS!
If you wanna add more bling in there, on the base of the headband, first add a sparkly sequin trim in the same color as that of the petals and continue the rest of the steps.
If you are having a hard time finding roses, then just go to a decorations/gift store and grab one of those tiny rose bouquets used for decoration or gift toppers, separate them from the stems and use them instead.

If you like this post, please go ahead and share it with all your buds and pin it on!

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You can also subscribe to Craft A Doodle Doo and buddy me on Pinterest & Facebook for so many more glamorous DIYs...because if you're ready to whip up some ah-mazing clutches; the tuts are on soon!

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Additionally you can try making your own flowers(which obviously means you won't have to spend anything on the flowers!) shown in this post. Super easy!

Drop me a comment for any queries or just to speak your heart out and hope you have many marvelous things to look forward to this year :)



























Love, Nash

ps: have a glimpse of my other DIYs here and enjoy! :)