DIY Gift Wrap with Darby Smart

Wow, after months of little-to-no activity, two posts in two days? Christmas break has me on a roll ladies and gentlemen! Today I have a little collaboration between Gap/Darby Smart and it's designers. Darby Smart teamed up with Gap to create this DIY Gift Wrap kit. As a designer I was given one and told to get creative to inspire others. Can do!

Tutorial Tuesday: Christmas-Light Balloon Garland

About 2 months ago I got a job at a party store. Working there has been amazing. Even though I loved working in pizza this has been the most fun  I've had at a job. Blowing up balloons, decorating the store, and getting to dress up everyday we're not really things I ever expected to be paid for. It's given me a whole new appreciation for holidays.

I've been trying to come up with some interesting balloon tutorials since I started there and today's tutorial is the result!

"Chill Out" Wreath @DALB

I've been trying to make this project for 2-3 years. Let me tell you, it has been an endeavor! I finally think I got it right though and it feels fantastic to get it off of my shelf of unfinished projects.

Who doesn't love silver and white during the winter season? You can keep this wreath up past Christmas because it's more seasonal than holiday-based.

Get the full tutorial here!

Til Next Time!

Fairytale Paper Lantern @DALB

Hey guys! This tutorial was so much fun to make. I was inspired by those paper-cut start lanterns your favorite English teacher turned on when it was reading time, or that your local eccentricities shop may carry.

Use whatever color tissue paper you'd like for the effect you want. These colors create a warm, rosy, fairy-tale glow.

Get the full tutorial here!

Til Next Time!

Witch Hat Facinator @DALB

Can you believe it's already Halloween already!? I feel like it has flown by and I completely missed it, but working at a party store during this season will do that to you I suppose. At least I got to dress up at work. Yay!

This hat was inspired by all the various facinators (They're big this year.) that are at my store and our fanciest $20 witch hats.

Get the full tutorial here!

Til Next Time!

Skull Bead Headband @DALB

Hey everyone! I've got another accessory tutorial for you guys this week! I picked up these colorful stone skull beads at Joann's the other day and I knew I wanted to make them into something to wear.

They would perfectly accent any Dia de los muertos costume or is good for year round wear. Plus it only takes about 20 minutes at the most to make!

Get the full tutorial here!

Til Next Time!

Neo-Geometric Beaded Bracelet @DALB

Want to try your hand at beading but feel intimidated? You can't possibly mess up as much as I did (I picked beads that we're incompatible, to start off) because I'm warning you. Other than that this project is almost too easy to mess up! AND it's super cute!

Also, due to me not considering the logistics of photographing clear string I had to make due in photoshop.

Get the full tutorial here!

Til Next Time!

Starry Night Birthday Card @DALB

Tomorrow is my Dad's birthday so I whipped him up this card! He and my mother have both been graced with my handmade birthday/ fathers/mothersday cards as far back as I can remember and that's not likely to change anytime soon. I think this is the first year I've actually stepped my game up and made it look more like a professionally made, almost store bought card though.

This card can easily be customized for whatever occasion you need it to be!

Get the full tutorial here!

Til Next Time!

I need YOUR help! Public Opinion Survey

Hey everyone!

Long time, no talk! I have missed you all incredibly over the break and I literally have had one of the worst summers of my life. My work horror stories would make you pee yourself laughing, scratch your head at the stupidity of people, and keep you up at night. We are moving past that though, maybe I'll write about it in the future but for now it suffices to say things have been on the upswing for at least a month now.

I started college a few weeks ago and my class line up is great! Creative Writing, Printmaking 1, Drawing 1, and Small Business Management. I'm enjoying all of my classes thoroughly and feel like I'm benefiting from being in them already, which brings me to the point of this post; I'm having a business midlife crisis! I've been working on this thing for 5-6 years now and looking back...I'd like to change somethings...maybe, I'm not sure. How do you feel?

Please let me know by answering this survey! You will have my undying love and gratitude.

Til Next Time!

Purple Rock-Star Pants @DALB

I love me some purple skinny jeans. I've probably gone through 5-6 pairs since my freshman year of high school. Ah, good times.

Inspired by my printmaking class I decided to dye my own pair of purple pants and give them a handmade printing!

Check out the full tutorial at Dream A Little Bigger!

Til  Next Time!

Composition Book Makeover @DALB

Hey guys! It's that time of the year again, I'm heading off to college again and once more I'm super excited about the classes I'm in. I've got creative writing, printmaking 1, drawing 1, and a small business management class. All of those have real life applications, or at least to my life. Ah, being a blogger is great!

Every thing I do for my creative writing class is going to be contained within this composition book so I thought I'd make it a little more cute. I tried to retain the key features of a comp. book's design; patterned cover, nameplate, tape binding.

Check out the full tutorial here!

Til Next Time!

Colorful Spool Mobile @DALB

This week in RaChil news: I've got a summer head cold guys. I feel like poo but I persevered and whipped this project up that's been bouncing around in my head for a while. Originally it was going to be a set of windchimes but I couldn't ever get my hands on any chime pieces.

 I think I prefer it silent though, or with just a gentle wood sound if the spools do happen to bounce together.

Get the full tutorial here!

Til Next Time!

Rainbow Scallop Slip-Ons @DALB

I found this cute fabric at Joann's and had no ideas about how to make it into a garment, so I used it to jazz up a pair of Coverse slip-ons that I bought exclusively for DIYing purposes. I think the result was great!

I can't wait to wear my awesome new handmade kicks to school!

Get the full tutorial here!

Til Next Time!

Easy Bandana Headband @DALB

I got a haircut the other day guys! I'm back to a crazily choppy chin-length bob and like every time I do something new to my hair, I have to discover all the ...limits of said haircut. My hair is currently way to short to put up/back in anyway so I decided to make a bandana without all the fuss of folding and tying

The bandana slides easily onto a headband and keeps all your hair nicely in place, or hides it if you're having an unruly hair day!

Get the full tutorial here!

Til Next Time!

Inverted Rainbow Necklace @DALB

This is a part celebratory, part I-just-really-liked-this-idea kind of project. I've been on another jewelry making kick so I promise to try to get a little more diversity in my projects soon.

This is a good way to use up some leftover clay if you are like me and have a large collection of colors.

Get the full tutorial here!

Til Next Time!

Star-Spangled Bangle

Happy Fourth of July! I don't normally do holiday-themed crafts for today but this one can almost fit into the mold. Spangle a bangle with some stars and glitter! (Try saying that five times fast!)

Come experiment with me and some glittery, star-dazzled resin in this stylish DIY.

Get the full tutorial here!

Til Next Time!

Embossed Metal Buttons @DALB

I'm getting experimentally crafty this week and trying some new techniques. Of course I'm sharing the results with you guys! I wouldn't be a very good friend if I didn't, would I?

My only regret with this experiment was that I only had two buttons to work with! I need to get my hands on more, or at least more metal.

Find the full results over at Dream A Little Bigger!


Here's one of the buttons on a pair of my new shorts!

Til Next Time!

I Heart Photography Tank Top @DALB

Hows your summer going guys? It's sweltering here and work is doubly bad working next to a hot oven all day. If you can bring yourself to get up and make something despite the temperatures I've got the perfect project for you!

Using one of the coolest new craft products in a while: Inkodye, a dye that reacts to UV light from the sun to "develop" its color, I spruced up a plain white tank top to make it into a summer staple in my closet!

Get the full tutorial over at Dream A Little Bigger!

Til Next Time!