DIY: Waitress Apron

DIY: Waitress Apron

Supplies:

• Fabric (I chose two contrasting fabrics)
• Scissors 
• Sewing machine or strong glue 
• Ribbon
• Iron

I like many other teenagers work to put gas into our vehicles and because we have no experience in anything big and important we are forced to work minimum wage jobs.  I am one of those teenagers... 

Personally I love waitressing but if you do not feel the same way an easy way to make going to work a little less terrible is to make your wardrobe more fun :) At my work we wear ALL black. Black top pants and shoes, our aprons are even black...

I am sorry but that's a crime!  So I asked my manager (which I strongly suggest you do before you make this) if it was okay if I made a fun and cute waitress apron.  She said yes! :) I was honestly kind of surprised but I wasn't going to question it :) 

This project can be altered to fit your style and you can do as much or as little to it as you want.  I kept mine pretty simple because I know my boss wouldn't be to happy if I went any crazier. This project can also be a no sew.  I recommend finding a strong fabric glue that is a quick dry but you can try hot glue.  I chose to sew because it will be stronger.  

Step one: cut two pieces of fabric 

Piece one: 22" long and 13" tall 

Piece two: 22" long and 7" tall 

I chose two contrasting fabrics but you can use the same if you would like. 

Step Two: Fold over raw edges

Use a one inch seam allowance and mark it on the two short sides and one long side.  

The top will be folded over and the two sides will if that explains it easier. 

Take notice!

For the small rectangle you only need to pick 1 long side to hem the rest can be left alone. 

I just wanted to show you guys how I did it. 

 So fold the side over to the 1" line you marked out 

 Then just fold that in half and iron down. 

Step Three: Sew the folds down

(or glue)

Step Four: Pin right and wrong side together

Usually when you sew you put right sides together but in this case you need to but the RIGHT side of the little rectangle facing down on the WRONG side of the big rectangle 

If you are just gluing yours go ahead and just glue down the three sides of the little rectangle LEAVING THE TOP OPEN!

Step Five: Sew

Just like the gluers did sew the bottom and the two sides and make sure you keep the top open

Step Six: Turn inside out

If you did it right you should have both your right side of your big fabric and ur little fabric facing you. 

(before turing inside out you may have to trim off some access fabric) 

Final step(S): Sew pockets and sides and add ties

See were I marked the lines? sew 2 lines down the little rectangle to make pockets. Your measurements may be different then mine but try to make them even.  

You will also have to go down the edges of the apron because your big rectangle will have fabric that still needs to be folded over.  (you will understand what I mean when you make it) 

Now add a way to tie it! 

You could make your own ties from fabric or just buy some ribbon (that's what I did) Just sew to the edges of your apron and you are officially done!

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Well there you have it! I really really really hope that wasn't to confusing.  I was trying to simplify it as best as I could.  If you have any questions just comment and I will try my best to answer them! 

If you attempt to make this or your own version I would LOVE to see it.  Tag me in a picture of it on instagram @DIYNATION7797

DIY: Fabric covered trash can

Fabric Covered trash Can

This is a great DIY if you are looking to add some updates to your room without breaking the bank. I just used a trashcan we had on hand as an easy way to change our surroundings :) Sometimes you need a little change in scenery and the easiest way to do that is REDUCE REUSE AND RECYCLE! :D

Supplies:

• Trash can 
• Fabric of choice
• Other decorators like ribbons bows flowers jewels ect Get Creative with it!
• hot glue gun 
• Felt
• Scissors 
• Measuring tape

Look how ugly this thing is^ 

I think my mom has had it since she got married it was in desperate need for an update 

You need to get the correct amount of fabric so measure the height of the trashcan and the distance all the way around.  Add 2" to the measurements so that way you have room to tuck in raw edges.  

Mine got smaller at the bottom so I took three all the way around measurements so that way it would conform to the can better.  This is optional it wont be a big deal if you do not do this. 

1. Fold down the raw edges and glue it down the trash can

2. Fold the fabric over the top of the can 

You do not have to hide these frayed edges because we are just going to line it with ribbon later

3. Glue all the way around the can until you meat your original side of fabric.  Again tuck in the raw edges and glue down overlapping the first side.  

Now for the bottom.. 

4. Pucker the excess fabric and glue down to the bottom making sure you pull tight and fold over 

If you are new to DIY this might take a little practicing but you just have to remember you can manipulate the fabric however you want just keep pulling tugging folding and gluing 

5. Finally trace the bottom of the can on the felt cut out and glue over all the nasty raw edges 

6. Remember in the begging how we folded the edges over the top? Now all you need to do is take quarter inch ribbon or whatever size will cover your edges and glue it down over the frayed edges.  

Simple enough? ... I hope? 

If you enjoyed this project enough to make one f your own or a verson like it I would love to see it.  Tag me in a picture of it on instagram @DIYNATION7797

Easter Egg ground flowers DIY

Easter Egg DIY

Ground flowers/bouquet flowers

Easter is sneaking up on us and I am actually getting further on DIY'S for it than I did for saint Patricks day that is for sure because lets be real that was sad.. 

But on the bright side I am actually kind of in love with these eggs on the stick things? Ways to use these could go on and on. This is a great way to get rid of some of those plastic eggs that keep cluttering up in your attic year after year.  I will have a few ideas at the end of this post to give you a little inspiration. 

I am going to use mine as yard ornaments on Easter all over my yard and I am going to put them in a planter with some flowers to represent spring and to celebrate Easter :) 

Supplies:

• Wooden dowels/skewers 
• Plastic eggs
• nail or screw
• lighter 
• candle 

Step one- Heat your screw or nail

I suggest using a nail but all I had on hand was a screw it all works the same I promise.  Heat your screw over the flame right in it for about 30 seconds.  It may take some time to figure out how long you need to keep it in the flame but you will quickly become an expert.



Step two- press the heated nail into the egg

This is how you should be able to tell weather or not you heated your screw long enough.  It should just melt right threw and cause a hole.  Careful in case it heated up near your hand but press it into the egg firmly.



Depending on the size of your nail and the size of your dowel will depend on how big your hole needs to be.  I ended up having to make mine slightly bigger to fit my dowel. Just play around with it but make sure to be careful.



Step three- insert dowel 

Simple enough?



Done! :)  how cute!?!? am I right?




Here are a few ideas on how to use these cute little eggs on sticks?

Instead of suckers try eggs :)

Why not give egg Popsicles a try?

http://kailochic.blogspot.com/2012/03/easter-egg-popsicles.html

Plant a jelly bean garden the night before Easter and when the kids wake up lollipops and your eggs can grow! 

http://decorating-by-day.com/2013/01/17/easter-tradition-your-kids-plant-jelly-beans-and-when-they-wake-up-in-the-morning-lollipops-have-grown-where-the-jelly-beans-were-planted-such-a-cute-idea-love-this-idea/

Thanks for reading guys! 

If you try any of these ideas I would love to see them.  Tag me in a picture of them on instagram @DIYNATION7797

DIY: Tutu Pony Tails

DIY: Tutu Pony Tails 

I am going to show you how to make these adorable tulle tutu looking hair bands.  I got the idea when I found some of those old ponytails that we all used to wear in grade school when we were in like kindergarten. 

The looked like this... some ugly memories coming back? 

Yeah.. same so what I have done was a revamp of these classic ponytails. 

This is a great scrap buster for your left over tulle.  A variation if this could be a great scrap buster for some old ribbon ends you were going to throw away.  

Supplies:

• tulle (any color desired)
• Scissors 
• Pinking Sheers (optional but recommended for best results)
• ruler/tape measure 
• ponytail holders 

Step one

Cut your tulle into strips.  

There is no set lenght or width but what I did was cut them about 4" long and 2" wide.  The wider they are the harder they are to tie but to thin and they would get very "fluffy".  To short and they are also hard to tie. 

Step two

Take your strips and wrap them around the pony tail. 

To tie it correctly make a slip knot around the pony.  Go to this link to learn how to wrap them correctly:http://asmallsnippet.com/2010/10/quick-and-simple-tutu.html (go strait to the tying the tulle to the elastic part of the tutorial)  If you have ever made a no sew tutu tie them the same way just in smaller form. 

Step three 
Trim 

Once your entire elastic is covered trim the tulle to the desired length and even all the loose pieces.

All finished! 

My lovely sister helped model some of them :) 

If you make this DIY or your own variation I would love to see it.  Tag me in pictures of it on instagram @DIYNATION7797

Quickie DIY: T-shirt Scrap no slip hangers

Quickie DIY: No slip hangers
A few days ago I did a DIY with an old t-shirts and the never ending struggle with t-shirt projects is what in the world do you do with all the awkward scraps?! Like the sleeves or the sides and extras that you kind of just hack off the t-shirt.

Well here is a simple solution... cut them into strips and wrap them around your hangers!  In my opinion these work so much better than the actual no slip hangers and there a super easy DIY.

I am sad to say this isn't my own origonal idea but one I stumbled over while surfing youtube for inspiration on t-shirt DIY'S of my own.  If you would like to watch Andriaschoice, the youtube channel were I got this idea go to this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Qf_tqGHoy0

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Here is the DIY I made that has now supplied me with my t-shirt strips to make this project.  If you would like to do this DIY as well (no sew t-shirt pillow) go to this link: http://letmebemeinsperation.blogspot.com/2014/03/quickie-diy-t-shirt-pillow-no-sew.html

In a way this DIY reminds me of the old thing our grandmas used to do were they crochet the hangers to make them pretty and fully functional as no slip hangers.  

Maybe this is a DIY I should have in the future? ... I am completely in capable of crochet no matter how hard I try but maybe it is something I will force myself to learn the art of because I really do want to learn but for the life of me I just am not capable! grrrr! If you can crochet I am surely jealous.  

Supplies: 

• plain hanger 
• t-shirt scraps 
• scissors/rotary cutter 
• hot glue gun

First step is to cut all of your strips

You are going to have all types of sizes and thicknesses but ANY scrap can be used.  

Next all you simply do is wrap the strips around the hanger.  

You don't have to glue these down with a hot glue gun you can just simply tie them but I feel a more effective way is to add a dab of hot glue for security. 

 

All done! 

You can choose to wrap the hook half of the hanger I personally did not because I did not believe it was necessary but its your hanger so go crazy! 

Different colored strips can also make these even more fun... even more fun? Not sure if that is proper grammar but you guys probably get what I mean. 

The t-shirt scraps I had left over from just that one project made me this many hangers! 

Tanks for reading guys :) 

Some things to look forward to coming soon... 

In a few days I am going prom dress shopping so I will be sure to document that.  I am thrifting it so it will be quite interesting.  

Also at the end of the week on Sunday I will show you a post of my outfits I wore this week.  I am going to wear a sweater every day so it will be like a super mega ootd but in this case an ootw (outfit of the week) 

I am hoping to maybe have another DIY or posibly two more DIY's by next week. But if I don't please do not hate me forever! They will get up eventually.  I am now officially on spring break so I have a few days to do some DIY's :)  

Quickie DIY: T-shirt pillow (no sew)

Quickie DIY:

T-shirt Pillows 

There are tons of t-shirt DIY'S out there it is almost impossible to come up with your own idea anymore but I do have a DIY for you guys today. 

 I actually made my first version of this back in like the 7th grade so I like to think this is an original idea because I did it before pinterest and such.

The skill level of this DIY is basically none.  It would be great to do with the kids or team bonding or something because it is so easy. These pillows are great for t-shirts that are just two small anymore but you don't want to throw them away.  I think t-shirts are connected to some nerve in our hearts that wont allow us to part with our old warn tee's 

-Also keep in touch with me for a DIY on what to do with the extra t-shirt scraps from this project will be up soon :)

Its basically one of those oh so popular tie blankets but instead it is a pillow out of t-shirt... and its spherical... SPHERICAL!

My generation would understand that line^

I am going to show you a DIY that allows you to never have to get rid of those priceless gems of a t-shirt.  

Supplies: 

• t-shirt of choice 
• stuffing 
• ruler/tape measure
• scissors/rotary cutter
• large circle 

First step- Take your round object and trace it around the part of the t-shirt you would like to keep like the logo

I used an old vinyl record I had some other things that you could use are maybe big bowls from your kitchen.  You can also free hand this if you wanted to.  I just used chalk to trace my circle.  

The bigger the circle you use the bigger your pillow will be. 

Step two- make another circle on the outside of your first circle about two inches away

Just go the distance all the way around the circle and make dots and lines, than later you can go through and connect them all to make the outside circle 

This is what will show you how long your strips need to be.

This is what it should look like when you are completely done 

If you look my circle is big and it goes up into the neckline. Do not worry about it if you do this just make sure there is at least an inch of fabric you will be able to tie instead of 2 inches.  You can simply just stretch the strings out when you get ready to tie them and they will work just fine.  

Step three- cut out your circle 

Make sure you are cutting out your outside circle and not your inside. 

This is what it should look like once you have cut it.  If the edges don't perfectly match up don't worry about it as long as they are close you will be fine.

Make sure you do not try to pull apart your circles if you do you will never get them aligned properly and the cutting and tying part will be a disaster.  

Step four- Cut your strips 

(yes I know the dog hair is everywhere)

Cut your strips about a half inch to an inch apart from the outside circle to the inside circle. It is not a big deal if they are not exactly the same size but do not make them to big or they will be very hard to tie and do not make them to thin because they will break as you are trying to tie them.  

This is what it should look like when it is all done. 

Step Five- Begin tying the two sides together 

Make sure the pieces you are tying together are across from each other.  Do not criss-cross or skip because than you will have a mess.  If you by accident do skip or something happens its not a big deal as long as the other strings around it match up correctly.  

Make sure you Double Knot  the strings 

This is what it should look like when you have tied all the way around but it is important you leave an opening that you haven't tied so you can add the stuffing.  

Step six- Time to stuff! 

Stuff your pillow to the desired hardness 

Step seven- Tie it off 

All you have left is to tie it closed and you are all done! 

The pillow on the right is the one I did back in the day.  It was the t-shirt from the first concert I ever went two.  (The Jonas Brothers) Who is still an amazing band by the way... 

I kind of wish I kept that t-shirt but I got older and thought I was to cool for that .I was even to cool to save Nick Jonas's face? Well its still a cute pillow so I will live :) 

If you do this DIY I would love to see it on instagram @DIYNATION7797