BEST ARTICLES FOR ALL: 12/09/14

Selasa, 09 Desember 2014

Get Holiday-Party Pretty With Gold Eye Makeup by Anna Liesemeyer

With upcoming festivities on the calendar and lots of merry making to be had, it’s good to have a few holiday eye makeup ideas up your sleeve. Gold eye makeup can be either subtle or dramatic, depending on how you apply it. Here are two ways to wear gold eye makeup for any occasion.

To add a subtle glitz and shimmer to your eye makeup, you need the following:

-Black liquid eyeliner
-Mascara of choice
-Gold liquid crystal liner

1. Apply black liquid liner along the top lash line, and wing it outwards for a little eye-widening effect.

2. Using the gold sparkle liquid liner, line above the black liner and fill the lid with back and forth brush strokes.

3. Coat your lashes with mascara.

This is a super simple way to add a little glam to your holiday look!

To create a more dramatic gold-foil eye makeup look, you need:

-Black liquid eyeliner
-Gold foil-finish eye shadow
-Gold glide-on eye pencil
-Mascara of choice

1. Mix the foil-finish eye shadow with the liquid primer (comes as a set) using your finger. It doesn’t blend quite as well with a brush. Apply the foil shadow by dabbing around your eyelid. You can apply a few layers to create more dimension.

2. Apply the liquid black eyeliner on your top lash line and wing it outwards.

3. Line the bottom of your eyes with the gold soft-gel liner for a little added color and shimmer.

4. Apply mascara to top and bottom lashes.

These are just two ways to play around with gold eye makeup for the holidays! Let us know if you have any questions or ideas for wearing gold makeup for the holidays.

Photo credits: Gabe Liesemeyer

Upcycled Infinity Scarf by Beth Huntington

Get wrapped up in the infinity scarf craze this spring with an easy to make scarf made from an outdated knit dress.

Choose an old knit dress or skirt that has seen better days, but has a fun pattern or color. Start by cutting off the hem.

Then cut off 15″ from the bottom of the dress.

Cut one of the side seams open to create a long rectangle. Fold it in half lengthwise with right sides together and pin along the long side.

Sew a 1/2″ seam along the long edge with a zig zag stitch forming a long tube.

Turn the tube right side out.

Fold the tube in half so the ends are together. Open up the ends, put right sides together, pin and sew around as far as you can.

When you can’t sew any farther, pin the rest of the seam together and hand stitch closed.

Your style will look effortless with this cute, colorful accessory that you can wear all year round.

Photo credit: Beth Huntington

Rep Your Home State With a Homemade Stick Puzzle

There are so many fun ways to showcase state love, from coffee mugs to wall hangings to cellphone cases. Maps and state outlines can be used to show home state pride, moves from state-to-state and favorite vacation spots. A state love gift could be given to newlyweds just starting their lives together, college students away from home or friends and family who live out of state. To show my state love, I decided to make a simple puzzle using craft sticks and a map of my home state: Minnesota!

Start by searching online for a printable state reference map. Find the state you want, download the file and print out the map of your state. Cut out the state and line up enough craft sticks so that the state can be centered on them.

Draw a heart where your favorite city is on the map using a permanent marker. Coat the back of the state with craft glue and place it in the center of the craft sticks.

Allow the glue to dry completely. Brush another layer of craft glue over the top of the state to seal it in place.

Allow the glue to dry completely and then use a craft knife to carefully cut between the craft sticks.

Gather some supplies to make a small bag to hold the puzzle: brightly colored burlap, twine, a hot glue gun and canvas tags.

Cut two rectangles from the burlap about as long as the craft sticks and a couple of inches wide. Hot glue the two long sides and one of the short sides together to form a sleeve.

Use permanent markers to write something about your state love on the canvas tags. I wrote “State of Love” and “Love This Place.”

Use a piece of twine to attach the canvas tag to the burlap sleeve and insert the craft stick puzzle. Now the puzzle is ready to be played with or given as a gift.

Twinkle Star Tooth Fairy Pillow for Kids by Amy Sinibaldi

When I was a kid the tooth fairy left a quarter in exchange for each tooth I lost, and my parents said I was lucky because they only got a nickel. Well my kids are making out like bandits, and I suspect yours are, too! But still, I just had to design this little tooth fairy pillow with a nod to my childhood and that precious 25 cent piece. Besides, quarters are still awesome in my opinion. (Gumball machines, parking meters at the beach, arcade games–only a quarter!)

To make this Twinkle Star Tooth Fairy Pillow, print the templates and instructions here. (You can also find the instructions below.) Then embellish it and add more sparkle if you like. This star was meant for a boy or girl, so imagine the possibilities!

My favorite detail, hands down, is the happy tooth’s gold crown that I embroidered on with metallic gold thread. It sparkles just perfectly–metallic floss is definitely my new fave. The small crochet trim “crown” at the top of the star was an afterthought. I’m not sure if it works, but I’m keeping it. How will you embellish yours?

Twinkle Star Tooth Fairy Pillow Instructions

Step 1: Cut out the star pattern top and bottom. Align directly along the dotted lines and tape together. Trace onto wrong side of star fabric. Cut two pieces, 1/4″ from traced line.

Step 2: To make the “Happy Tooth” stamp, trace the embroidered details onto a rectangle of linen. Cut linen to template size and back with fusible web. Trace the tooth template onto a piece of tissue paper. Lay the tissue paper on top of white felt and cut out tooth. Glue the tooth onto linen. Add embroidered details using one strand of floss, but two strands of floss for the crown.

Step 3: To make the pocket, trace the pattern onto wrong side of fabric. Cut two pieces 1/4″ from traced line. With right sides facing, sew along the U-shape. Turn right side out, fold straight edges inside, press, and top stitch. Now press the “Happy Tooth” stamp onto the pocket and stitch to secure.

Step 4: Sew the pocket to the front and center of one star piece. Sew along the U-shape only and backstitch at each end. Stitch on sequins if desired. Stitch hanging loop to top of star.

Step 5: Place star back on top of star front, right sides facing. Pin together. Sew the star according to template, leaving a 2″ opening for turning right side out. Turn right side out. Stuff with polyfil and stitch the turning hole closed by hand. All done!

Bonus: Sew a crown for your little star by stitching a 3 1/2″ piece of crochet trim together. Slide onto the top of your star ~ it’s royal!

DIY: Two Upcycled Belt Bracelets by Beth Huntington

Belts seem to be a dime a dozen at most thrift shops. Of course, you can pick up a few to spruce up an outfit and wear as it was intended or, you can easily change that belt into some fun jewelry. For this project, all you need is a thrifted braided belt with a good buckle, a pair of sharp scissors and a sewing machine.

First, wrap the belt around your wrist to get a measurement. I wrapped my around three times and left some room to buckle. Mark the cut line with chalk or a washable marker. Then, sew back and forth across this line a few times to hold the braid in place.