PRETTY ME UP | DIY MACARON KEYCHAINS!

I won't account for my reader's choices but I think this is probably the most adorable craft I've ever done in my creating den here! Sure, macarons are one thing. They're gorgeous. They're the symbol of charm+cute everywhere on instagram and they look just about everything look prettier.

But when macarons go sneaky and house a lip balm on a keychain dangling on your favorite tote?

Adorable. That's the only word which comes to mind. 

These DIY macarons? They'll be your girliest DIYest keychain yet. With function added, see? Go swoon!

(Not someone girly? :okay: *looks down heartbroken*)

DIY Macron Keychains

You'll need:

-Lipbalm pot(s)
-Air dry clay. I recommend white
-Acrylic paints and paintbrushes to go along, preferably in Pastel shades
-Glossy/Matte finish modpodge
-E6000 or any other heavy duty adhesive
-A keychain attachment

PRETTY ME UP// DIY BEJEWELED HEADBAND!

This is the first rich crafty goodness I churned out for Cut Out+Keep on their Crafty Superstar feature! It's a uber-luxe bejeweled headband and looks so sophisticated at the same time. ( because we know that not everyone fancies OTT things). Looking to perk up a plain outfit?
I bet  this'll do the job!

Just corral your broken jewelry and random beads. (or maybe have some old dresses that you never wore because they were too sparkly for your taste? Switch the sparkle to your hair instead!) Your locks deserve that extra pampering,don't they?

If you already have a crazy assortment of beads and gems on hand, you're good to go!

See the full tutorial I made for them here! or

You can check out all 7 DIYs I made for the feature here!

And if you're gifting it to a friend (like me!) then add it in a small pretty sachet for her to keep in! ( I just made mine out of some satin scraps and a fabric tape gift tag!)

You can check out another super-pretty headband tut here or more accessories to pump up your wardrobe in my DIY Gallery!

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Meanwhile, hop over to my Pinterest and Facebook to follow for hot new DIYs + become a subscriber! (I know we all wanna look gorgeous for frugal!)

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Take care, (Don't forget to pin and share with your friends!)

Nash

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)

Pretty Me up//DIY Notepads (For Stylish Doodlers!)

When I tailored my newest paper & digital crafting collection, I knew exactly what project I'd design with it: My own notepads! I can never get enough of notepaper, being both a blogger and and architecture student, my mind tends to over produce random chunks of crappy, lopsided ideas that need to be polished (preferably in journals) to make some sense and land over here on the blog. So notepads (and the cutest ones too) were such a welcome addiction addition. Besides, these make just the prettiest desk accessories I can vouch for and even prettier gifts for friends!

Here's a tiny secret I'll share today: whenever I get an idea, I make sure it's not already out there and raved about on the blogosphere. Even if it's original in my head, someone may think I ripped it off. (Has this happened to you too? :| ) When I do recraft someone else's ideas it's either because I wanted to test it out or because I loved it to the moon. (design-function wise, in which case, I provide credit). That's how this DIY really got to here, I found that most other notebook tuts were actually about customizing them rather than making them-from scratch. (which is as easy as customizing them!)

The collection is now available at my store for two bucks (really!). I used three sheets from the collection for this project.

Materials:
-A4 sized paper (18-20) sheets.
-White/cream colored cardstock
-Scissors, a ruler and a pencil
-Modpodge (matter)PVA glue
-Washi Tape (optional)
-Pretty scrapbooking paper (I printed out mine from my Candid Springs collection)

Instructions:

1. Align all the A4 sized sheets in a stack. Decide the size you want your printed decorative paper to be. I printed out mine to be 4 inches by 5.5 inches (for reference) and place one atop the stack of A4 papers.

2. Using a pencil and a ruler, mark out the boundary of the decorative paper onto the A4 stack. Since my decorative paper came to be roughly 1/4th of the A4 sheet. I divided the A4 sheet into 4 sections.

3. Use a scissors and something (like binder clips or clothespins) to temporarily keep the papers from going haywire while you cut through. Cut along the four divisions you made with the pencil so that you get four individual smaller stacks of paper each the size of your decorative paper.

4.Cut cardstock the same size as the decorative paper to act as the backing for the notepad.

(Since I used three sheets of decorative paper, I made one notepad thicker than the rest by using two of the four papers stacks combined for my thicker notepad.)

5.Align the paper stacks, the decorative paper and the cardstock (so that the paper stack is sandwiched between the deco paper and the cardstock) and along one of the shorter sides, apply a generous amount of modpodge. This is like the spine of your notepad.

6. Allow to dry. When dry, reapply a thin layer, cut washi tape to the size of the spine and apply over. Let dry again.

Finished! Now you can hopelessly romance with these pretty gifts.

If the process sounds complicated, it's actually not. I daresay it'll be done in 10-15 minutes (yes, all three of them including the drying time!). Three-gorgeous- notepads to let your creativity let lose in a jiffy! ;)

A closer look. ^ :) Here's a preview of the collection you can download the papers from at my online store.

Like it? Pin it! You can also find tons more stylish DIYs in my DIY gallery here!
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Are you new here? I would love for you to subscribe and follow me on Pinterest and Facebook!
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Till then, have a great weekend, hugs and ciao!
Nash

The Decorista Chronicles//DIY Ring Box!

You know those gorgeous ring boxes you see in stores? Maybe you won't be seeing them just in stores anymore....just maybe...if you're a jewelry junkie, you probably need a quick, glitzy way to organize those pretty jewels a-a-a-and.... here's the ultimate solution (and you wouldn't believe what it is) that I came up with!It fits in quite an array of rings and eartops and looks the cutest ever atop your vanity. Also a fabulous way to gift it to someone. For the full instructions, drop over at Laurel's cute craftspirational blog: A Bubbly Life to see my guest post!

Hungry for more DIY?

You can also check out my DIY Gallery here!

Take care,
XOXO, Nash

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//DIY Chunky Braided Bracelet!

I  know I told you guys in the last post I'll show you all the brilliant ways you can use your very own customized ribbons..right, about that, I have no idea how this DIY just creepily snaked it's way into my afternoon! Anyway, so for today's easy-to-do DIY , we have chunky braided bracelets, out of socks! *Hawwww, yeah, I know, check it out*

First things first, 
My recommendations:
-Choose a dark colored ol' sock you've never worn
-or a sock that had suchaaaa crazy pattern that you never wore it n' it somehow found it's way in your home (yeah, those funky patterned socks will do fine as bracelets!)
-or if has to be light colored make sure it's fresh
-Finally, don't use a fuzzy fabric kinda sock (I learnt my lesson)

Like I said, this somehow wormed it's way in this afternoon,so I don't have any pictures of the steps, but here's what you do in layman's terms:
(Oh please, please, pkease don't step away from making this cuz' I didn't take pictures, because I'm sure this project is so easy, you'll get it right from the steps!)

1.Place the sock on a planar surface, along the vertical end of the sock, section it into three parts diagonally,and then cut through, BUT NOT ALL THE WAY THROUGH, good.

2.The rim of the sock where it goes around the ankles, you wanna keep that portion safe n' sound (so from the top of the sock keep up about two cm uncut.)

3.Braid the three sections you cut.

4.After braiding all the way to the end, gather all the three strips and use scotch tape to cluster them together.

5.Take the start (uncut portion of the sock and loop it over the clustered (taped) end.Use scotch tape again to fix the start n' end together)

6.Use a ribbon, in a bright color (or actually one that co-ordinates with the sock's color) and wind it over the taped part.

7.Finish off by tying the end of the ribbon in a mini bow.

Becuz' you guys know I'm sorta bananas for florals, I used some sharpies again to deck up the plain white thing,the thinner the fabric of your sock and the brighter and cuter the color, the prettier the bracelet according to me :)

^the finished product :)

^The side :) :)

^the back :) :) :)

So there you have it cupcakes, upcycling socks, maybe not the most terrific thing to do, but crazy anyway ;)

Do you like making weird transformations like me?

Check ou this DIY Envelope Clutch made right out of a cushion cover!

 Loved these? Don't forget to pin, tweet and stumble! 

Million jabillion hugs,

Nash

Pretty Me Up // DIY Pastel Hoop Earrings For Dummies!

 Hola! 

I've got a quick one for all of you today...

I've tried my hand first time at making jewelry and here's the result!

So you get what a less-than-amateur like me would start with, simple hoops and beads! Since I'm not a jewelry makin' maniac, I took the simplest route and if you have never tried makin' jewelry (like dumb ol' me), this may just get you started!