Since we’re on the topic of do-it-yourself projects and homemade crafts…have you all heard of Regretsy? It’s Etsy crafts gone bad, and it’s so, so, so good. Someone needs to make a reality TV series out of these people who whole-heartedly believe they’re going to make money by selling crochet fairy wands that look like—er—a certain male body part and macaroni and cheese mosaics in the shape of Jesus’ face.

Anyway, these are the top five DIY projects I posted in 2012. Seeing as Google Analytics deems them the most popular, I’m guessing (hoping) they wouldn’t end up on Regretsy.

ORIGINAL POST

Happy New Year’s Eve, everyone! Be safe tonight and I hope you’re all as excited for 2013 as I am!

On a scale of one to Minkus, how much of a loser am I for making a friendship bracelet for…myself?

Whatever. I think I more than just made up for it by making a Boy Meets World reference.

This DIY jewelry project is an edgier spin to the traditional friendship bracelets many of us made as pre-teens. Don’t recall how to weave these wrist decorations from your younger days? Well that’s why I’m here.

SUPPLIES

• Embroidery floss (colors of your choice; I picked four, but you can use more for a wider bracelet)
• Cone studs (I used small silver English punk cone studs from StudsAndSpikes.com)
• A toggle clasp (or any bracelet fastener you’d like)
• Tape and scissors

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut two strands of each color, roughly 24 inches long. Knot together, leaving a few inches of excess. Tape to a table or your thigh (seriously, I do this when my back starts hurting from leaning over the table). Arrange the colors so that they mirror each other. As an example, mine went black, dark gray, light gray, white, white, light gray, dark gray, black.

2. Start on the outer left side. Make a 4 shape with the outermost thread (black) and the one next to it (dark gray). Loop through in a knot and slide the black thread upwards, pulling the knot taught around the dark gray thread. Repeat, tying the same knot with the black thread around the light gray strand. And again around the white strand. Repeat with the black strand on the right, making a backwards 4 shape and knotting on the strands, one at a time.

3. Both black strands should now be on the inside. Knot them together to secure both sides of the chevron pattern together. The dark gray (or whatever your second most outer color is) will now repeat the pattern. Knot it around each strand, working inwards, and tie together when both are at the center. Repeat with the light gray. Then the white. Then continue to repeat until your eyes start bleeding and you have no sense of what time it is and realize you’ve just watched an entire season of LOST in one pathetic sitting…don’t judge me.

4. When the bracelet is long enough to wrap around your wrist, end it with a knot. Back in the day, I would just tie the ends together and wear the bracelet day and night until it was so ratty and faded that it kind of just fell off. Now, I like to add a clasp so that I can take it off whenever I like. Braid the loose strands through the clasp and secure with a knot.

5. Cut the excess embroidery floss and secure the knot with a dab of hot glue.

6. Now is the fun part. Push studs through the bracelet, leaving a little less than an inch between cones. Fold down the teeth of the studs with pliers until they lay flat.

Studs and spikes are in, you so don’t have to feel like an emo or Harley Davidson diehard to rock your new studded chevron friendship bracelet. Layer it with other bracelets or wear alone.

If you make your own, tweet me a picture of yours or post it to the Pumps & Iron Facebook page. I’d love to see what color combinations you try!

For today’s DIY project, I’m finally putting to use a bag of studs that I bought months ago. Urban Outfitters is having an end-of-season sale (like the rest of the retailing world), and currently has canvas sneakers priced at 2 for $30. I saw that and my inner kindergarten crafter nerd started squealing. Not only do I have something to studify (that’s now a word), but if I mess up—which happens on the reg—I have a backup pair of sneakers! It was a happy day.

All you’ll need for this project is:

• Canvas sneakers: Converse would work, or just visit UO’s sale
• Studs: I purchased mine from Studs and Spikes and got the Medium 3/8” Silver Pyramid Studs (I know, I know, the website is creepy as all hell)
• Pliers

You can really stud any part of the shoe you’d like, but I opted to do the heel and outline the seam separating the laces from the toes.

Push the stud’s teeth through the canvas, and then fold the teeth flat on top of each other using the pliers. Repeat and repeat some more.

If the pliers can’t reach the stud (this happened for me with the studs closest to the shoe’s sole), use the closed nose of the pliers to push the teeth down. It shouldn’t take too much extra exertion.

Make sure all the teeth are folded down flat so that you don’t snag yourself when you go to wear your new badass studded sneakers.

I’ve been arm-partying my brains out on the blog lately with all these bracelet DIYs, and I think this will be the last one for a while as I move on to bedazzling other clothing items.

Because going out with a bang is the only way to go, this braided chain bracelet is probably my favorite DIY I’ve done all year. It’s simple to do and the result is (in my opinion) adorable.

You’ll need:

• Embroidery floss
• A chain (I got mine at A.C. Moore)
• Jewelry clasps
• Masking tape
• Pliers

1. Start by cutting three equal lengths of thread (enough to braid around the chain twice). Get a segment of chain long enough to wrap once around your wrist using pliers to separate the chain links. For the thread, you can use three strands of the same color, or switch it up. I went for a citrus color theme and used orange, off-white and yellow. Tie the end of the thread in a knot around the end of the chain.
2. Secure the ends to a table with masking tape. This makes braiding a lot easier.
3. You’ll then start braiding the thread next to the length of chain, looping each strand through a link in the chain when it is on the side of the braid closest to the chain. Continue this until you reach the end of the chain.
4. Secure with a knot, attach a clasp to the last chain link using pliers, and then tie the thread in another knot on the other side of the clasp.
5. You’ll now repeat the braiding process going down the other side of the chain.

When you reach the end, knot the thread and prevent fraying by dotting with hot glue. Secure a clasp on the end using pliers and you have yourself a fun new bracelet!

I layered mine with two of the braided bead necklaces I posted a few weeks ago (see the tutorial for making them yourself HERE) and this nautical rope bracelet from Sailormade. I thought the dark blue balanced out the orange and yellow nicely.

If you make your own, I’d love to see! Share a picture of your braided chain bracelet with me on Facebook or Twitter!

Sorry I was MIA yesterday—someone had a little too much fun on 4^th of July and needed a whole lot of sleep.

This DIY bracelet is so quick and easy compared to the beaded wrap bracelet I made a couple weeks ago. I originally got the idea from Pinterest months ago, and my roommate had even made me one. Eventually I had to cut it off though, and wanted to make my own with clasps so I could remove them and mix-and-match them at will. Since it’s summer and neon is huge this season, my color choices were a no-brainer.

You’ll need thread (I used embroidery floss), beads, clasps, a piece of tape and a hot glue gun.

• Loop the thread through the clasp and back up. I used about 20” total because I wanted the bracelet to wrap around my wrist twice. Thread the end back through the clasp and secure with a knot. Cut the bottom loop so that you now have three strands of thread attached to the clasp.
• Begin braiding. It’s easiest if you tape down the end to a table.
• When you want to start the beaded section, simply continue the braid, adding one bead to the thread before weaving it over the others. When you’ve added the desired about of beads, carefully push the beads up so that the braid is taught and the beads secured in place. Continue to braid.
• To finish the bracelet, add the other end of the clasp (I braided it right into the end), knot it, cut off the excess thread, and secure with a dab of hot glue to keep the ends from fraying.

Voila! Pretty simple, right?

Happy Friday, everyone! Enjoy the weekend!

Pinterest, tumblr and fashion blogs everywhere are filled to the brim with close-up shots of “arm parties”—wrists stacked with bracelet upon bracelet. I love the look, but have always had an issue when it comes to this piece of jewelry because my wrists are unnaturally small. Every single year I would get a nice bracelet for Christmas. Every single year it would slip off my toddler-sized wrist and be lost forever.

For this reason, I love making my own bracelets, custom-sized to fit me. And after making these tribal beaded earrings, I’ve been on a serious bead kick, so this wrap bracelet was an easy choice.

Before you undertake this project yourself, be warned: it takes HOURS. You’ll make the bracelet using a square stitch, which essentially requires you to individually loop each tiny bead on to its surrounding beads one at a time. I made this bracelet over the course of a few days, doing a little here and a little there.

You’ll Need:

• Beads (colors of your choice)
• Beading wire (I used thread because I was too lazy to drive to A.C. Moore, but I don’t recommend you do the same. The bracelet will be far too delicate and easy to destroy)
• Needle
• A button

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut a long piece of string/wire (as long as you think you can manage without it tangling). Depending on how many times you want the bracelet to wrap around your wrist, this DIY requires a LOT of thread/wire. You’ll need to add segments by tying ends together.
2. Begin your square stitch, leaving at least 8 inches of thread/wire at the end (you’ll need the extra wire to attach the button at the end). I used a row width of 5 beads, but you can vary this depending on how thick you want your bracelet. I’ve drawn out what a square stitch looks like because I felt it was clearer than the photos I took. You’ll use this technique row after row. There’s a great animated tutorial over at Silver Hill Design that I highly recommend if my picture isn’t helping.
   
3. When you get to the end (17 million hours later), secure the last bead by wrapping the thread through it several times. String on enough beads to form a loop big enough for the button to fit through. This will depend on the button you choose; I needed 16 beads to form my loop. Secure by looping the thread through the last row of beads several times, ending with a knot.
   
4. Go back to the starting end of the bracelet and attach the button using the same technique used for the loop clasp: thread the wire through the last row of beads several times and through the button, securing with a knot.
   

For my wrap bracelet, I mixed up the patterns between color-blocked stripes and zigzags because I wanted an eclectic mix of color when it was wound around my wrist.

Hope you all have a great weekend! I’m headed off to NYC tonight and then to the Jersey Shore for the remainder of the weekend (look out, Pauly D!).

First off, I apologize for getting this post up so late in the day. You’ll have to bear with me today and tomorrow as I’ll be on island for Taste of the Vineyard, an annual event I’ll share more about Monday.

I’ve been holding on to these Rock & Republic white jeans for a while, but the bottoms ceased to be “white” long ago. Long inseams are great when you’re A. a giant (like me) and B. wearing heels; but when you throw flats into the equation, the ends are bound to take a beating.

Unwilling to part with these pants because they fit so well, I got the idea to give them an ombre dye job makeover. Technically, they were already ombre, with the bottom hemline being a grunge black, slowly fading into a dirt brown and then a dust tan. But I figured concealing that ombre with a blue ombre fade would be prettier and much more socially acceptable to wear in public.

SUPPLIES

• Rit Dye (I used Denim Blue)
• A bucket
• Rubber gloves
• Measuring cup
• Laundry detergent
• Salt
• Warm-hot water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Fill the bucket with warm-hot water, a tbsp of laundry detergent and a handful of salt. I used my bathtub for an easy fill.
2. Soak the pants completely in the water. Ring out excess water and remove.
   
3. Fill a measuring cup with 2 cups hot water and the whole package of Rit Dye. Stir until completely dissolved.
4. Pour in ¼ cup of the dye mixture into the bucket. Submerge jean legs into the dye bath up to the point where you want the ombre fade to start. Let soak for 10 minutes. Ring out excess liquid and remove. Add another ¼ cup dye to the bath and submerge jean legs again, this time with a few less inches in the bucket. Soak 5 minutes. Ring out excess liquid and remove. Repeat 3 more times, adding ½ cup dye to the bath each time, and soaking for 5 minutes.
   
5. Rinse your newly dyed jeans with cold water until it runs clear (excess dye has been removed). Let air-dry.
   
6. To get the full “fade” effect and blend the visible lines dividing each color shade, I then hand-washed the jeans in cold water, being sure to keep the top, white part out of the sink (to avoid color runs).

This technique can be used on denim of any color to create the ombre look. Bye-bye dirty, stained jeans; hello, trendy ombre pants!

I’m super excited to share this post with you guys! This is because A. it’s definitely one of my favorite handmade pieces of jewelry and B. I miiiight be a little drunk.

And, just to be clear, although this is being posted on a Tuesday at 7AM, I am NOT writing this drunk on a Tuesday at 6:50AM. I mean, jeeze, what kind of sicko do you think I am?? Technology allows for this crazy thing called “scheduling blog posts,” so this is being composed on Sunday at 5:17PM. Totally socially acceptable for me to be a few beers deep.

Well, now that I’ve wasted a couple paragraphs of your time, I guess I should tell you how to make these earrings. But it just seems so unimportant to me right now…

SUPPLIES

• Small beads of whatever colors your little heart desires. I loves me some beachy colors so blues, tan and white caught my attention.
• Earring hooks (you can get them at any crafting or bead store)
• Thread (but you should use thin beading wire; thread was all I had at the time)
• 2 needles

Also, I should have warned you, I went a little camera-happy when making these. Blue is my absolute favorite color…well, it’s tied with white, but I feel like white doesn’t really count as a color…so I took eleventy million pics. I tried to edit them down to a select few, but a “few” ended up being…a lot. Forgive me; I’m inebriated.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. You’ll need about an arm-length’s-and-a-half of thread for each earring. As in, hold the spool of thread in one hand, the end of the thread in the other hand, and stretch out your arms as wide as they can go. That plus ½ of that.
2. Thread a needle onto the last couple inches of each end.
   
3. You’re going to attack each row of beads from both ends. Double team ‘em. One needle will go in left-to-right while the other will go in right-to-left. The first row will have one bead, and then increase each row by one bead up to 11. The body of the earring will have 11 beads in each row.
   
4. When you’ve gotten to the end and tapered your rows back to one bead, tie a couple knots to secure the pattern. Loop the thread through the earring hook’s loop several times to create a sturdy attachment. Knot it a bunch of times and trim the thread ends.
   
5. Repeat the whole process and, voila!, you’ve got a beautiful pair of beaded tribal earrings!

Was this as fun for you as it was for me? That’s it. I’m drinking a few beers before every post I write. It makes this whole blogging thing so much more rewarding for me. 

I saw a chain wrap bracelet with ribbon wound through it in a boutique a few weeks ago and completely fell in love. Then I looked at the price tag and immediately fell out of love. Paying $50 for a bracelet I can DIY in under 30 minutes with $5 worth of supplies from A.C. Moore is just silly.

SUPPLIES

• A chain
• Ribbon (color/s of your choice)
• Toggle clasp
• Hot glue gun
• Tiny pliers

The famous Coco Chanel quote, When accessorizing, always take off the last thing you put on, totally applies to my crafting projects. Once I get going, I just can’t stop. When I first attempted this project, I made some three-foot wrap chain with dangly ribbons and a few random fake pearl beads. Nice try, but no. It’s like giving a beadazzler to one of Bravo’s Real Housewives–you know it’s not going to end well.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Use your pliers to separate chain links, creating four equal strands that fit your wrist. You’ll attach these around the toggle clasp.
2. Weave ribbon of your color choice through the chain strands. For the slow learners out there, that’s under, over, under, over.
   
3. Cut the ends of the ribbon and fold them over, sealing with a small dot of hot glue.
   
4. Attach the “toggle” end of the toggle clasp with a piece of ribbon.
   
5. Make a pretty bow, trim the ends, and secure them with small dabs of hot glue.
   

I chose blue and white because they’re my favorite colors…and the only colors I had. I would have run to A.C. Moore, but I was watching True Blood On Demand and that obviously takes precedent. The next time I make this type of bracelet, I think using four different shades of the same color in an ombre pattern would be pretty. Brown fading into a light tan through a gold chain, perhaps?