DIY Laundry Detergent! Save BIG &Have Fresh, Clean Laundry! Well, I did it! I have pinned various recipes for homemade laundry detergent for months, now, thinking that soon I would gather the exotic ingredients and muster the courage to make some. I should have paid a lot more attention to those recipes I was pinning. 7 Green-ish Ways to Lower Household Costs. Thank you for visiting Little House in the Suburbs.
Please subscribe and you'll get great simple living tips and how-to articles delivered to your inbox, for free! We’ve already covered the grocery store, but what about the rest of the household expenses? Yes, being weird suburban homesteaders reduces those costs too. 1. DIY Ombré Denim. Dip dyed ombré denim has been popping up here and there and not only do we love the look, it’s super easy to do yourself! We’ve combined Tory Burch‘s dip dyed jeans and Miss Unkon‘s ombré 501s as inspiration for a pink infused DIY that could be done in a jiffy. Start by rinsing your shorts with water. A bottle of RIT liquid dye amounts to 1 cup; you’ll dye your shorts with the lightest shade first and darkest shade last. Pour 1/3 of the cup of dye into 2 gallons of hot water and mix.
When dyeing dark denim, you will want to use less water for a darker dye. DIY Box Braid Necklace. The moment we saw Phillip Lim‘s Box Braid Collar Necklace, we were immediately overcome with a wave of nostalgia. Our memories of a neon, plastic box braid lanyard was suddenly transformed into a sophisticated leather jewelry component.
Honestly, brilliant! DIY Collar Tips. You probably have guessed by now that we have a major soft spot for almost all things western . . . bolos, cowboy boots and the like.
So when Balenciaga incorporated a modern take on western collar tips into their Spring 2011 Collection, we were beyond thrilled. Who knew these little metal tips are capable of brightening up any button up shirt?! With a pair of inexpensive decorative brass corners from the hardware store, we made our own Balenciaga-inspired collar tips that are to DIY for.
DIY Rope Bracelet. Climbing rope?
Bracelets? Count us in. Inspired by Miansai‘s colorful, stackable and adjustable rope bracelets, we were determined to add another do-it-yourself bracelet to our growing collection. With some colorful rope and an S hook from the hardware store, making this bracelet is as simple as mastering the versatile sliding knot. We must warn you though, this project is extremely easy and addicting! Before you begin, seal the tips of the cord by burning them with a lighter. Coil the cord twice around towards the left loop. Repeat the same steps on the other side. Trim and re-burn the tips if necessary. Try making the bracelets with leather cord too. (top image from here; rest of images from Honestly…WTF) DIY Embellished Friendship Bracelets.
The weather is warming up and my wrists are feeling rather lonely and bare after hiding under long sleeves all season long.
But after digging up last year’s DIY friendship bracelets, I realized they desperately needed sparkly and shiny upgrades. Today we’re showing you three easy ways to embellish your friendship bracelets, making them all grown up . . . To add rhinestones, you’ll need:a chevron friendship bracelet (tutorial found here)5-6” crystal rhinestone chain (last used here)1 yard of embroidery flossan embroidery needlea pair of scissors Thread the needle with embroidery floss and tie the end into a double knot.
Push the needle through the back of bracelet. Stitch the floss between the first two rhinestone links, pushing needle out the middle of the bracelet. Continue stitching between the rhinestone links. Your friendship bracelet is sparkling and finished! DIY Gold Tube Bracelets. I have very vivid memories of walking into a bead store for the first time, almost 15 years ago, and being overwhelmed by the million and ten ideas that filled my mind.
I was immediately hooked on the concept of transforming simple and unexpected elements into something beautiful and wearable. DIY Floral Sunglasses. We always claim to see the world through rose colored glasses . . . but how about rose trimmed glasses?
In honor of the widespread floral trend and our love of Dolce & Gabbana‘s Baroque-inspired fall collection, we’re DIYing a pair of outrageously fabulous sunglasses using the same charming little ceramic roses from a recent tutorial. These will surely be a pair of shades you won’t go unnoticed in this summer! You’ll need:a pair of sunglassesa variety of ceramic roses and flowersdisposable container or popsicle sticka handful of toothpicksE6000 Start by squeezing a small amount of E6000 into a disposable container or onto a wooden popsicle stick.
I like to use a small amount at a time, as the glue tends to dry quickly. Press the flower firmly onto the outer corner of the sunglasses. Add a few small flowers down the right side of the glasses. Repeat on the other side and allow to dry for a couple of hours. Your floral shades are ready to wear! DIY Woven Chain Collar Necklace. Earlier this month Lauren and I escaped city life with our dear friend Grace, of Stripes & Sequins, for a weekend chock-full of sun and DIY.
With an abundant supply of rhinestone and brass curb chain, we decided to try weaving the components together to make our own collar necklaces. It was fun to see how wonderfully different the pieces turned out - each so fabulous in their own unique way! Honestly, isn’t that the best part about DIYing with friends? You’ll need: Start by laying two pieces of curb chain side by side. Thread the floss under the first link on the left side and through the top of the 2nd link on the right side. DIY Crystal Pendant Necklace. There’s nothing quite as marvelous and essential as costume jewelry – especially when it borders on ‘over the top’ with exorbitant amounts of sparkle and shine.
As I always like to say: more is more is more. So how can one possibly turn down the opportunity to customize their very own show-stopping, Verdura-inspired crystal pendant necklace!? Not I. Bling it on. You’ll need:22″ – 28″ of thick gold chain (also available here)assorted sew on rhinestones in settings (also available here and here)1 rhinestone or crystal brooch (with backs clipped off)stiff felt sheet2 jump ringsE6000pliersscissorshole punch or rotary punchwooden spoon & toothpickwire clippers (optional)tweezer (optional) Start by squeezing a dollop of glue onto a wooden spoon. Glue the larger rhinestones onto the felt, working from the center out. Continue adding smaller crystals and rhinestones to the pattern.
DIY Sugar Lip Scrub. This week we’re turning to our friend and beauty expert Sarah Howard, of Beauty Banter, who is indulging us with her delectable brown sugar lip scrub tutorial.
Inspired by one of her favorite lip polishes, Sarah recently discovered how simple it was to make her own organic version at home. The timing couldn’t be more ideal as winter’s typically unforgiving weather has us yearning for soft and smooth lips! (PS Be sure to head over to Beauty Banter for our favorite beauty products & tips!) You’ll need:pure coconut oilhoneybrown sugara teaspoona tablespoona mixing bowlan empty jar or 2.5 oz baby food jarlabels (optional) How to add elbow patches to a sweater! Elbow patches are one of my favorite trends this season!
Last month, I shared how to hand print hearts on your jeans and we recieved many requests for a patch tutorial! I asked Amanda to show you how she would do it in this next feature.... DIY Elbow Patch. While perusing Pinterest one evening, I came across an intriguing tutorial on the wonderful art of needle felting. I had to learn more – especially after realizing it entailed repeatedly stabbing a needle up and down into a piece of fabric or sweater. A satisfying stress reliever that results in something wearable?
Sign me up. And now that I can officially call myself a needle felting maven (and nerd), trust me when I say that you’re going to have a blast with this technique. How-To: Make (Cute) High-Waisted Shorts from Goodwill. High-waisted shorts are everywhere this spring. Save your wallet from despair and make your own!
Find a pair of shorts at Goodwill or any thrift store. Don't let the dorkiness fool you, the best ones are super goofy looking on the rack! Make sure you try them on at Goodwill before you buy them. You can fix the length, but you can't fix any poofiness near the hips or belly! - StumbleUpon.