I love my sleeping masks. They are my secret to successful daytime naps, as rare as they are, and also do a marvellous job at securely holding those much needed eye cooling gels.  I always love the way the romantic heroine awakes in bed and peers from beneath those satin hoods. Most memorable to me is the divine Auntie Mame who sits bolt upright, awoken by her nephew, to exclaim, “Not now darling, Mamie’s hung.”

My lovely friend Violet Le Beaux has been making some DIY sleep masks of late including this one you can customise with your own message; and so I was inspired to finally make the perfect one for me and share it with you too.  This is an easy to make, perfect gift for your Valentine, and of course yourself. Get creative and think of different colours and trim you can use to make this your own.  I’d love to see the results of your imagination and if you email me pics of your finished mask, I’ll create a gallery of your handiwork in a follow up post! Enjoy…

This tutorial from Cute Nails may or may not be your thing, but it is certain to make you smile.

Check out her channel for some of the most fantastic DIY nail art.

It must be the start of Spring time, the change of weather and the gorgeous sunshine; but all I want to do at the moment is skive off and go shopping.  I get this insatiable urge to hit the streets and just wander on days like this, but it always seems to happen just after I’ve paid off all the bills and don’t have much in the way of ‘walking around money’.

Picking up a new magazine is an exercise in anxiety more than inspiration these days, as they spend so much time telling you whether you’re ‘In’ or “Out’, what new jeans you need, or even if your eyeshadow is too last season. It’s enough to make you want to live in a cave. While I was out today, wandering aimlessly in a large shoe store, I saw two ladies (in their mid 50′s) wandering around with little black dresses in hand, picking up every pair of silver glitter platform shoes they could find.  One says, “Why don’t you just get those pretty black one?” to which the other replied, “They are so beautiful, but black is out so I have to get these glitter ones.” Oh man…. really?!

One of the greatest things about being a vintage style aficionado, is that whatever I love is already so far dated, that its ‘classic’. But that doesn’t stop me falling prey to that feeling of intense shopping lust that can take over when the sun is shining. But instead of just being a consumer today, I decided to channel that energy into something more creative and start planning out some DIY rescue and Make It Yourself projects.

I have a cupboard full of clothes that I can pull apart and put back together, boxes of fabric, flowers and hot glue gun. All I need now is an evening on Polyvore, a list of my favourite craft and DIY blogs like Violet Le Beaux and about two weeks to produce something really amazing. So given that today is the beginning of school holidays, I’ve decided to enlist the assistance of Miss 7 in my office here and turn our shopping bug into a great school holidays project – Be Your Own Fashion House – and let Miss 7 work with me on creating our very own, one off fashion collection to kick off spring!

So with the collage above that I’ve put together, I’m getting started on making my own version of this outfit with some taffeta plaid I have on hand, a pair of wedges dying to a DIY and some old handbags that have been relegated to the back of the wardrobe. Stay tuned to see if we can breathe new life into these outfits and find some new tutorials along the way!

Okay, maybe spark plugs are not what I can help you with, but the question remains; are you ready for Winter?  At the beginning of each new season, the magazines are full of tips of which boot / glove/ dress you need to survive the season. But one of the things I almost never read about is how to make the most of the wardrobe you have from last year!  So instead of giving you a bunch of advice on how to spend your money, today I’m looking at some of the key ways to ready your wardrobe for winter without spending a cent.

Autumn is the perfect time to start preparing and planning for the cold rainy days ahead. We get the odd cold day, but there is still enough sun to fool us into thinking that winter is still far away – until we’re caught out.

1. Boots & Shoes

If you’ve bought well in previous seasons you should already have at least one decent pair of winter shoes. Now is the time to make sure that they are up to another round of keeping you dry warm and stylish.

Check each pair for strained seams, check the soles for wear and check the join where the upper meets the lower.  If any of these areas is looking worse for wear make sure to take them to your nearest cobbler and have the small inexpensive repairs done. A little bit of sealant may mean the difference between wet or dry.

If the soles are worn or just looking a bit slick, have them replaced with a textured rubber to stop the potential for bruised butts and egos!

The upper should always be polished or nourished, depending on the finish.  Rather than carrying loads of different coloured polishes, I rely on “Zanolin”. It is a clear leather moisturizer that you can use on shoes, bags, seats etc.. It is one of my secret weapons in bringing vintage pieces back to life and will give your shoes a new suppleness and glow.

2. Woolens

At the end of last summer you should have washed and packed away your woolens, giving yourself more wardrobe space and protecting them from moths.  Now is the time, while we still have a few warm days, to get them out and get them freshly washed.  Use an eco friendly, eucalyptus bashed wool wash  or alternatively if you don’t have that on hand, a gentle shampoo with a few drops of eucalyptus oil will do the trick.  Make sure that you always hand wash woolens (even if they are acrylic I still recommend it), squeezing as much water you can from them, then drying flat on white towels to help them keep their shape.

Once they are washed and ready, check each one over for any repairs by holding them up in the sun and looking for holes that aren’t a part of the knit.  If you don’t know how to darn, now is the time to learn.  It may look or sound complicated, but it is quick, easy and can save you a small fortune.

Image by Yecatsml via Flickr

3. Gloves.

These guys take a beating each season, yet are so often forgotten when it comes to maintenance. Just like your sweaters, knitted gloves should be hand washed and repaired where needed.  But knitted gloves are also a quick and easy piece to fancy up with whatever your current obsession is.  All you need is a wool needle, things like beads, coloured wool or felt to sew on your own embellishments that are easily changed and removed with each year.

Leather gloves shouldn’t be washed but conditioned with “Zanolin”. Because these gloves are often lined, humidity can be a problem in keeping them fresh and clean.  I save those little packets of Silica that come in lots of products and keep them in the fingers when I store them.  If they get wet, dry the outsides then turn them inside out to air dry, but NEVER put them in front of a heat source or they’ll dry out and crack up.

4. Bags.

You don’t need the latest IT bag each winter,all you really need is a little care, attention and creativity. As far as care goes, the same advice applies here to leather bags as it does to shoes. Check seams, linings, hardware and leather condition.  Cobblers can also fix seams, hardware and split zippers on these.  When it comes to looks you can quickly change the look of your bag depending out your outfit. One of the things I like to do is to use big square head scarves looped and tied around the handle, choosing the scarf to match the outfit.  Then you’ll also have it on hand for rain, wind or any other of winter’s natural hair enemies.

The other one is using key chain clips. There are loads of commerically available charms, but I like to make my own; cannibalising old jewelery, kids toys or even bits of fabric to make over sized bows.

5. Create a uniform.

Now that you’ve made sure that all the critical winter pieces are in good working order, the other thing you’ll need to get you through the season is a uniform. A go to outfit that you can pull on in the dark, in a hurry or when getting dressed is an Everest of a task.  What your uniform is will depend entirely on your own style, but whatever it is make it easy.

The trick is to pull together pieces that are basic, simple, comfortable but in luxe fabrics that can be dressed up quickly with good accessories.  For me, my go to outfit is a long black cashmere dress. It wasn’t cheap, but it was a great investment. I’ve been wearing it each winter for the last six years and it never fails to impress. It feels like wearing pajamas, but throw on some sparkly earrings and you can head out to dinner.  A long, soft scarf and some boots, and it becomes perfect for the school run.

Your uniform should consist of as few actual clothing pieces as possible, relying on accessories to change it up. Choosing neutral colours is the obvious way to go, but you could always go with something like a dark plum in place of black, even chocolate or navy.

Think differently this Winter and rediscover the hidden potential in your wardrobe.

Remember, style isn’t about what you spend but how you wear it!

I haven’t bought a new purse in the longest time. Notice I use the term new, as buying vintage bags and purses is almost an addiction. My current set up is a full silver glo-mesh set, complete with change purse and key wallet. And while these are beautiful and going very well with every vintage outfit in my wardrobe, I do, (like every girl) want to keep my options open.

While I was shopping in Singapore I found so many cute purse sets, but I just couldn’t bring myself to buy one knowing that I had at least two at home that had been relegated to the back of the draw; shabby with over use. So when I came home and my girls wanted to have a crafting day with mama, I knew it was the perfect chance to break out the glue gun and get deco’ing!

Here is my okay, but somewhat tired purse before the deco madness.

Several years old, this Olga Burg purse is nice but just didn’t really have enough personality. So I set to work pulling out my “Great Big Box of Crafty Stuff”, and waited to see where the inspiration took me.

Always make sure you position your bits and pieces until you get the layout and balance just right. That way you know what needs to be added or taken away before you go crazy with the glue gun.

After a surprisingly short time and not one burt finger ( that had to be avoided at least once!), I’d managed to put together something quite cute and a totally re-invisaged version of my purse.

I thought about making this into a tutorial, but it is so painfully simple that it just seemed redundant.  But in case you want one, here it is:

* Take one purse
* Glue cool stuff that you like on it
* Fill with money
* Shop

* Take compliments on your seriously awesome, fully customised new accessory.

It may not be to everyone’s taste, but I hope it inspires you to make something special just for yourself. You may have already been hotly crafting up cool new things for this season. If you have make sure to leave me a comment with a link to where we can all see them too! If you haven’t been indulging your creative self lately, what would you like to make?

I didn’t go out for dinner on Valentines Day. Instead I decided to share the holiday’s theme with one of my furry best friends.  Little Lola was due for a bit of a wash and a set so we decided to give her a Valentine’s hair do courtesy of a little food dye!  Rest assured, she was completely complient in the act (as much as a dog can be at bath time) as we took all measure of appropriate safety precautions.  Using a little Queens Rose Pink food colouring mixed with dog conditioner, I was able to apply it strategically without too much mess.  I left it on to soak in for about 8 minutes, then rinsed well and dried off.

A few dog treats and a bow later it was all cuddles from my Pink Doggy Valentine!

Love!

Insert Self Here for Blissful Time.

Last Saturday in honor of the delightful Violet Le Beaux being in town, a group of like minded bloggers (and a pair of well trained partners) got together to enjoy and afternoon tea in true girly style. In a little known corner of Collingwood, Melbourne, is a lovely store that is bringing girly back. Christina Re is well known for her stunning DIY stationery collection that let’s you create customised pieces of correspondence magic on paper, vellum and quilted card to name but a few.  To make the experience of selection and creation much more enjoyable, they have recently launched a small in store cafe to supply tea and cakes to weary crafters.  After popping in for a much needed lemonade the other week, I was overwhelmed by the serenity and light of it all, promptly making a note to bring back a bunch of appreciative friends.  And so we did.

left to right: Aurora Hime, Violet Le Beaux, Jimmy America

left to right: Esme and the Laneway, Fables in Fashion, Petite Valse

Super Kawaii Mama and Esme and the Laneway, doing what bloggers do best. Photo by Jimmy America.

Also in attendence were Kitty’s Drawings and Circa Vintage to help us improve the vintage lover versus princess contingent.  I met the two styles in the middle by wearing a 1960′s pink square dancing dress and vintage blue petticoat!

It was as fun and fancy as it looked, there is no doubt we’ll be doing it again. In fact, I think I shall declare this weekend;

DIY Tea Party Weekend

So have a little tea and a cake or two with me.

This week’s nails.

Yes, my nail art has been getting progressively more intense of late which surprises me as I’ve never been a fan of traditional nail art. You know the kind, airbrushed palm trees applied by a suburban nail salon – it just isn’t my thing.  But my trip to Japan in late ’08 opened my eyes to the wonders of full deco style, Japanese nail art and a whole new level of craziness ensued.

At first I thought I’d be destined to forever look and not touch, or perhaps only get the chance to wear them on a special occasion.  Lately, though, all my experimenting has paid off and I can now wear something this OTT without any dramas and they last up to three weeks!  Of course, all this be-dazzled fun has lead to numerous stares, smiles and of course questions.

Who does your nails?

I do.  I have had some great support and advice though from friends like Violet Le Beaux and her nail adventures ( she makes awesome sets of these for Etsy if you don’t feel up to it yourself), as well as brilliant inspiration from forums like this.

I can’t afford the time or the cost to have them done in a salon every week, so this is the best solution for my lifestyle.

Are they real?

No, they are stick on acrylics.  This means that I can make several sets of different styles all at once, like a craft project to wear later.

How long do they stay on?

Generally, with a bit of care, they will last 2-3 weeks.  Occasionally one will pop off but I carry glue in my makeup bag for emergency touch ups. The glue I use is “Fingrs” with the red top, they say it is professional strength.

Do they damage your natural nails?

To a degree. Just like applied acrylics or gels, they leave the natural nail softer underneath.  It pays to remove them and give them time to breathe between sets to ensure that the nail beds stay healthy.

How do you get them off?

I don’t use any chemicals like acetone to remove them, simply warm water.  I soak my hands in a bowl for 10-15 minutes and the water gets in and separates the glue, then I can just peel them straight off!  This also means that washing dishes and activities like that should always be done with gloves to extend their life.

How do you do anything with nails like that? I couldn’t possibly do anything!

You’d be surprised just how much I can do.  Washing, cleaning, washing dogs, typing, playing with kids, crafting, cooking, threading needles…. just about everything! The only tricky thing is stuff like trying to peel stickers and do up fiddly little buttons.  The trick is all in the length you choose which is why for me, I generally choose the short sqaure length and only have long ovals for particular occasions.  I do get a few more typos wearing these nails, but nothing too serious.

But what about all the bling, does it stay on?

Pretty much. I may loose a diamante or two in three weeks, but overall they are great.  It is all in how well they are applied and how long you let them dry.  I apply the decorations with superglue, give everything a finishing lacquer coat and let them dry for at least 24 hours.

Where do you get your ideas?

From that dangerous place called my brain! Seriously, sometimes I know exactly the result I want, other times I start with a colour or mood in mind and spend a few hours in front of the T.V painting one by one as ideas strike.

Are they expensive?

Not at all. A box of 200 nails is available at Priceline for $14.95.  I tend to buy $3 polishes with the odd fancy $20 bottle thrown in. Diamantes, pearls etc I get from various craft supply stores, eBay, even the Reject shop.  So each set comes out at only a few dollars if that.  Pretty great for a three week manicure!

So, that should just about cover it, but if you have any more questions please feel free to ask away in the comments.

If this has inspired you to give it a go, check out these blogs for loads more information, polish reviews and great colour ideas.

Nixxy’s Nails

You’ve Got Nail

Sterling Nails

Never Too Much Glitter

You’ll remember me slaving away over a new creation here right? Well, here is the final product!

It was the perfect outfit for a summer’s evening dinner with friends.

As I was making the dress I was imagining all the combinations and different ways of wearing it, but one of the problems that always happens here in Melbourne with our unpredictable weather is deciding on short or long sleeves.  Thank goodness for Friends of Couture ;and their brilliant range of cardigans that came to my rescue.  This little darling is called “Daughters of Pleasure” and has the most delightful cotton lace detailing as well as cut amber coloured buttons. They come in a few different colours including greens and pinks, and if you’re quick you can still get your hands on them while they are on sale – reduced to $39.99!

Outfit Details

Dress: Made by me to a vintage pattern in a cotton sateen fabric

Cardigan: “Daughters of Pleasure” by Friends of Couture

Shoes: Grey patent leather bow shoes from Shoo Biz

Earrings: Vintage 1960′s clips on beaded earrings in  sea green shades. (Divine!)

I love this dress pattern so much, and I’m feeling so inspired at the moment that I’ve bought a whole new selection of fabrics to make some different varieties!

Let’s see how it translates into a whole range of looks!

]]> http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/2010/01/25/daily-outfit-purple-rose-pleasures/feed/ 37 http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/2010/01/20/i-really-make-stuff/ http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/2010/01/20/i-really-make-stuff/#comments Tue, 19 Jan 2010 21:30:39 +0000 Super Kawaii Mama http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/?p=3456 Yes, it isn’t an elaborate creation behind the scenes to rival Project Runway, but it is my suburban sweatshop. Lots of you have asked me to post more about all my projects and design endeavours.  Most of what I create I create only for myself and my family.  But don’t be fooled into thinking that this was just some natural talent I was born with, oh no. It has taken many years of trial, effort, failure, study and stabbed fingers to get where I am now.  It is infinatley reqarding though, as it seems that more often than not I don’t really want what I find in the stores and must resort to my own skills if I want the pictures in my head to come to life.

Sometimes I work from patterns, some times I just make it up as I go along, and then occassionaly I combine the two and alter basic patterns to make them do what I want.

I do have a cutting table, but more often than not is just isn’t big enough for the scale of the projects.  I tend to spread right out on the lounge room floor, shoo the puppy away and try not to cut the tassles off the rug!

I am very lucky to have a dedicated studio space that serves both for blogging as well as all my other creations.  It isn’t the tidiest but then, I can always find what I need and I fit an astonishing amount of stuff in there!

But just what am I making….?

Stay tuned to see this week’s creation in the next Daily Outfit!