IGers who Dare to DIY: 27 ideas to have fun

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These Easter days are being so chilly here in Spain. That's why today I came up with a new compilation of instagramic DIY ideas. They're perfect to stay at home and have a lot of fun, I was starting to yearn for my "Igers who Dare to DIY"...

This week's DIY took much longer than I expected, you'll understand it when you see it. I thought it was going to be easy and fast, but it turned out to be one of the most toilsome projects I've ever done. The video and the post will be ready this week, so stay tuned! Meanwhile, here you have 27 ideas to have fun.

Hope you guys enjoy!

Receta de polos de Nutella aquí
Sincerely Kinsey

DIY Tutorial: How to make a tote bag

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Another week, another DIY tutorial. As I told you it's a tote bag! And it's actually a variation of the bag that changes its color. To add a special touch to this tote bag, I put a transparent pocket in the front that lets you put photos, magazines or whatever you want. Just like this transparent clutch bag.

Top from Zara, leather skirt from Asos & DIY shoes

Pictures by Borja Skarsgård

I've always been told that it takes the same effort to make things well, than to make them poorly. I'm not really sure about that, but I know for certain that making things poorly only leads you to waste your time. Because you'll probably have to do the same thing twice. This is why today I'm going to show you guys how to make a real bag, as professional as possible. However, you'll see that it's not so hard to make. This make is made of just two pieces, it has no base or sides. In fact, it's much easier than the envelope clutch I showed you guys last year.

In the beginning I thought of making some sort of window in the front piece, to change the design from the inside. But that would have been too complicated, and it made no sense... In the end I decided to put a clear plastic sheet between the front and the back to create a pocket just with one stitch.

SUPPLIES

_ Leather or fabric for the outside of the bag

_ Fabric for the lining

_ Transparent plastic

_ Thick fusing

_ Pins and double sided tape

_ Cardboard (to make the patterns)

_ Tailor chalk

_ Sewing machine and iron

Optionally you guys can make some seams on the edges, on the sides of the straps and on the two sides of the main seams. I didn't do it because I don't really trust my sewing machine. It's not a professional machine and it sometimes makes awful stitches on thick fabrics. I didn't want to take that risk.

Hope you guys like the video too. It's in spanish again, sorry about that, but 80% of my readers on my main blog (daretodiy.com) are spanish speakers. Anyway, everything is explained on the illustrated tutorial above. Hope you guys enjoy it anyway! 

If you have any question just ask ;)
xxx

Sylvia

Tote bags: from the hipster to the shopper

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Of course tote bags are not the latest fashion, but they've earned some kind of status, the same way t-shirts did decades ago. Despite their plain shape, every well-known designer has made his own interpretation of what a tote bag is. However, tote bags are really close to basic cotton bags, like the ones we use for grocery shopping. In fact, these cotton printed bags (so hipster, aren't they?) are not so far away from designer shopping bags, even if they're made of some sort of  exotic leather. Materials are not the same, but they have the same spirit.

This kind of bags are a perfect sewing exercise for beginners. Probably it would be great as a second sewing project after a basic skirt, like the one I showed you guys here. This week I'm going to show you guys how to make a real tote bag, with facing, lining etc. Something we can be proud of. And it won't be so hard, I promise! It will be much easier than the envelope clutch I showed you last year.

Pick your DIY: the 7 DIYs you chose

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So we're ending this week with a huge DIY binge! These are the 7 DIYs you guys picked on Pinterest for our Pick Your DIY Challenge. Thank you so much to all of you who voted and those who submitted your DIY suggestions. Here are our projects:

Chanel Butterfly bag by Carly from Chic Steals (Portland, EEUU). Don't miss her tutorial. Really awesome!!

Alessia from A Matter Of Style (Italia) made these amazing shoes by L.K. Bennett. Click here to see the tutorial.

By Charley from Chic. Tutorial here.

Cross back shirt by La vie en Rose. Tutorial here

Donatella from Inspiration & Realisation dared to recreate Dolce & Gabbana's Spring collection. And she did a great job, don't you think? Tutorial here.

Cat from Cut Out & Keep (Edimburg UK) made this supercute bow clutch. Tutorial here.

And the last one: my DIY. These ballerinas with dettachable lip brooches. See the tutorial here

Hope you guys liked or projects. Have fun and seize the weekend!

xxx

DIY Project: Ballerinas with detachable lips

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So finally we are starting to see the results of Pick your DIY Challenge in which I was invited to take part, alongside 6 other prestigious DIY bloggers worldwide: Chic Steals (Oregon, US), A Matter of Style (Milán, Italia), Chic Cheat (Inglaterra, UK), Inspiration&Realisation (Massachusetts, US), Cut Out and Keep (Edimburgo, UK) and La Vie en Rose (Michigan, US).

I picked Charlotte Olympia's "Dolores" shoes from the most voted pictures on Pinterest. I really loved her cap toe lips heels. However, I'm not in favor of those kind of DIYs which main purpose is to look exactly like some luxury product (but in a rough way, of course). I think that DIY must be a process to personalize our clothes and to materialize an inspiration. A good DIY should have it's own personality. So I took Olympia's cap toe lip shoes as a reference and created two detachable leather brooches for these pair of silvered ballerinas. 

The technique is so easy. You guys just have to cut and glue, as we all did in school but using leather. On the other hand you can also follow my DIY steps to create an infinite range of designs, or even use this brooches to create accessories such as rings or necklaces. Here's the vídeo:

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I used leather (as I always do), but if for some reason you are unable to find leather near where you live, you can also use felt. 

As I always say, I hope you guys got inspired or, at least, had fun watching.

xxx

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOWAD THE LIP PATTERN

Click here to see another DIY project with ballerina flats (the same ones in pink)

DIY Inspiration: Kiss me baby!

"Dolores" shoes - Charlotte Olympia / Print T-shirt - Markus Lupfer / Jewelry - Marc by Marc Jacobs / Lacquered silver ring - Solange Azagury-Partridge/ Gloves with padded lips - Bimba & Lola/ Lips printed jeggings - Dr. Denim, en Asos / Red leather bag Charlotte Olympia / Lips patent clutch bag ALDO / Turquoise snake and leather clutch - Diane von Furstenberg / Pink sequined jumper - Markus Lupfer / Pink plastic clutch - Lulu Guiness / Shorts with lips badge - River Island

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As a surreal icon, lips are often in fashion. However, sometimes they disappear and they suddenly make a strong come-back from the hand of some great designer. This is when some kind of kissing fever spreads throughout many designers and low cost stores. This week I decided to give in and succumb to the temptation of lips and kisses. Who could resist that? Soon we'll have a DIY version, so stay tunned ;)

Happy Monday!
xx

DIY Project: butterfly clutch bag

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Hi everyone!
I'm doing another DIY with rubber bugs! Sorry about that, but I really love them and they're so inspiring! Anyway, this week's DIY issue is "how to make a clutch bag out of a sunglasses case". It's going to be a super easy and affordable DIY. Hope you guys like it!!

I am using a big sunglasses case because I couldn't find the perfect clutch I wanted for this DIY. However, my sunglasses case is actually bigger than many clutch bags out there in stores. I recommend using synthetic spray paint, rather than acrylic. It works better on plastic surfaces, acrylic paint will probably take much longer to dry. 

At first my intention was to wear it just like a clutch bag, with no shoulder chain. But I changed my mind in the last moment and added two eyebolts. Actually, if you want to add a shoulder bag, you'd better put the eyebolts before glueing the butterflies. 

Have a nice week 

xxx

DIY Project: romantic headband

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I don't give up my personal quest of spreading DIY lifestyle. In order to do so, this week I came up with a very easy project but also very eye-catching. There's nothing more rewarding than being asked about where to buy something you did yourself. This why I'm always encouraging you guys to stop saying things such as "I can't do it" and to start trying.

This week's inspiration is a real luxury. I don't usually do this kind of DIY's (seeing an inspiration and doing it just alike). But I simply fell for this Eugenia Kim headband the moment I saw it. I think it's so pretty for any spring event. When I eventually came across these rubber bugs I couldn't help it! I simply had to do it.

The inspiration

Insects from the Bioexplorer collection from the spanish toy store Imaginarium (1 €/ud)

You'll be able to find the most important supply for this DIY in toy stores. The project itself couldn't be easier: just glue the bugs with a hot glue gun and paint it with spray paint. That's all. Here's the video so you can see how simple it is.

Which kind of spray paint should I use?

I made this DIY a few weeks before the XL necklace from last week, but I had some problems with the paint. This is why I couldn't show it to you guys until now. I used silvered acrylic spray paint and two weeks after it was still wet! I couldn't be more disappointed. In the end I had to clean all the paint up and start over with another kind of paint. The second time I went for a matte synthetic spray paint. Happily, it all turned out well.

Important

1. Don't try to get a full coverage at once. It's better to apply a few thin layers. 

2. Don't use acrylic spray paint on plastic or rubber. Synthetic spray sets better and looks nicer.

Hope you guys liked it!

xxx

DIY Inspiration: Spring's already on my head

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This week's DIY inspiration, as you can see, is about hair accessories. It all comes in a Spring and romantic tone. Despite the freezing weather out there, I'm starting to feel as if it was spring. It's snowing in Barcelona, but I can't wait to wear spring fashion... Yes, I live in my own bubble ;)

Somehow, fashion sometimes goes its own way too, which is usually far away from real life.

Floral headband: Cult Gaia

What about you guys? Are you still in a winter mood?

DIY project: make an XL necklace with a hot glue gun

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Apart from fixing broken porcelain vases, or sealing bathroom tiles, a hot glue gun provides many creative possibilities. Here's just an example of how to make the most of your hot glue gun. The truth is that this project has been very experimental, I didn't know what would come out of this. Fortunately, I loved the result. What we get with this technique is something really flexible and light but, at the same time, very resistant. These features make it perfect to decorate clothes or to make accessories. 

There are colored hot glue tubes, some of them even with glitter. I haven't tried them but I like better the effect of the spray paint on the silicone. This way we can achieve a very intense and shiny color. I'm sure this will be just the beginning of a huge list of hot glue gun DIY's. Here's the videotutorial!

Hope you guys like the result and dare to do it yourselves! Don't forget to subscribe Dare to DIY's Youtube channel here ;)

xxx

You pick the DIY, we'll make it for you

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Do you have any DIY idea? Is there something you love and you would like to learn how to make it?
7 DIY bloggers worldwide are here for you!! Our DIY team is formed by Carly Chic Steals, Sylvia (me, Dare to DIY, Alessia (A Matter of Style), Donatella (Inspiration&Realisation), Charley (Chic Cheat), Cat (Cut Out and Keep).

If you want to join this DIY challenge, simply follow these steps.

1. Follow me on Pinterest

2. Join our group board. We need your e-mail adress to invite you to our group board. Send us an e-mail (info@daretodiy.com) or leave a comment bellow with your adress. If you don't have Pinterest you can just e-mail your picture or leave me a link in a comment and I'll pint it.

3. Vote your favorites: the most liked or repined pictures will be DIYed by us

We love challenges and this could be a great experience, so don't hesitate and send us your fashion favorites!