DIY Neon shoes

DIY NEON SHOES

All I see online is neon, neon, neon, but it is almost impossible to find a cute pair of neon yellow shoes at an affordable price.  I took a pair of shoes that I have never worn but have kept for over a year and painted them neon yellow. It was relatively easy, I used regular spray paint and after wearing them they cracked a little, but it is not very noticeable. Leather paint would be best, but I can't find that anywhere.


You need:
a pair of shoes that you don't mind ruining
tape
white spray primer or paint ( it makes the neon look brighter)
neon spray paint of your choice
rubbing alcohol
clear paint to seal the color.


First, use alcohol to rub off the shinny finish on your shoes.

Use tape to mask everything you don't want painted.

 Prepare a well ventilated area, outdoors is better.
I use a cardboard box sideways and newspaper, so the paint doesn't fly everywhere.
Spray the shoes with thin coats, so the paint doesn't drip. I used about 4 coats of primer, very light.
Let it dry and when dry , spray thin light coats of the neon color until evenly coated. Remove the tape before the paint is dry, to avoid peeling of the paint.  Finish with a clear coat and let dry for 24 hours

Let dry for 24 hours,

Wear proudly!!!!!!!!!!!!

DIY NEON SHOES

Spring Rolls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

with peanut dipping sauce.......

It's already getting hot in Arizona, and I wanted to treat my hubby to something fresh and flavorful.   He loves spring rolls. This is my version, with a spicy peanut sauce.  Be patient rolling this, once you get the hang of it it is really easy. Enjoy!!!!!!!

Ingredients:

Spring roll papers

rice noodles

veggies, I use carrots, bell peppers, basil, and green onion

crushed peanuts

shrimp

imitation crab meat sticks, if you want variety, it looks pretty too!

For the sauce:

peanut butter about 2 tablespoons

hot sauce to taste

hoisin sauce about 4 tablespoons

garlic, 1 clove crushed

ginger about 1 teaspoon, fresh is best

water about 4 tablespoons,

Mix everything well until blended. 

Cook the rice noodles as per package  directions. Save the hot water to soak the rice papers.

Soak the rice papers one by one, you will soak the paper, make the roll, soak the next one, etc. Do not let go of the paper or you will loose it!

Place the soaked paper on a plate, arrange the ingredients and roll as in the pictures. I show shrimp , but also you can use imitation or real crab.  Do not overstuff, serve with the dipping sauce. Make many, they keep in the fridge well. 

MAKE MATERNITY PANTS BASED ON  YOUR FAVORITE PANTS

Maternity clothes are not great. there are thousands of regular clothe styles out there, but just a few of maternity clothes, they don't fit well, at least not me. I decided to male a pair of pants for work from one of my favorite pair of pants, they have a slim leg, and are close fitting in the rear without being like a legging. It was super easy. I didn't add pockets, since tops are usually long. 

All you need is tracing paper, i use kitchen wax paper, pins, fabric of choice, your favorite pants, lycra fabric for tummy band. 

Take your favorite pants and spread one leg out on a flat surface. Pin your tracing paper on the front of the lag, close to the seam. Make sure to include the crotch area. You don't need to include the whole length up to the waist, since this will not be needed, only trace from where the elastic band will start down. This is shorter on the front that the back.

Trace with a marker around the seams. 

 Do the same for the back of the leg. The crotch on the back is wider, or deeper, so you may need to add paper here to have an accurate pattern. Mark on both paper parts a common area, the hip, or inner leg, so when you are constructing, you can match this.

 

Since the back of the leg is wider than the front,, it will not lay flat, so you have to wrap the paper around the leg.

 Trace and cut your pieces,

 Cut your pants from the fashion fabric. The front top is shorter than the back, for the belly.

Measure around your tummy to determine the width of the panel. This is lycra, or swimwear fabric.  The front center part is deeper than the back.

Sew the center back seam.

Put one leg inside the other with right sides together and sew the center seam.

                                                                Almost done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                               Sew the band to the top of the pants. Turn the top raw edge under and hem with a zig zag stitch, hem your pants, and they are done!!! Easy!!!!!!!!!!

PINK ELEPHANTS

I was certain that my baby was a girl, looked like a girl in every ultrasound up to two weeks ago, when he finally decided to show us good!!! I wanted a pink jungle nursery, so I made this elephants for the wall, I guess now I have to make them again in blue!!!!!

I hope you like this easy project. 

You need fabric and a wood stretcher. I used an old picture and ripped the canvas out. 

The setting on the sewing machine is for a satin stitch. it is a zig zag that is very close together.  For the elephant silhouettes, I searched google images and drew inspiration from some pictures, and then created my own by tracing into white paper. 

This is more or less what I wanted to make, so I traced the elephants on the paper. Each on a different sheath of paper.   I changed it afterwards to make a curved trunk for the big elephant, so it looks like mammy elephant is hugging her baby.

 I cut each silhouette and then I cut them out of the fabric I selected.

I used a satin stitch to make the ear shape and the little eyes.  Afterwards, I positioned them until I was satisfied. i ended up cutting mommy's trunk shorter. 

I sewed all around the borders with the satin stitch, using contrasting thread for each. 

When the sewing was done, I stretched over the wood frame and stapled it. 

             

                                                                                 

Pink elephants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DIY Maternity Jeans (from regular jeans)

 13 weeks, and my clothes don't fit at all. I took my scissors to an old pair of jeans to fashion a quick pair of maternity jeans to wear now, and probably for another few months. It was really easy, and it beats the  hefty price tag of maternity stores. Here it goes.

What you need:
pair of jeans
 T shirt
Wide elastic. I used 3 inch wide elastic. This will keep your pants up in place.

First, put the pants on, and check where you want the elastic panel to start. This is as far as it will zip for me, so that is where I will cut them.  You will need 0.5 inch for seam allowance.

Mark a line, curving down, where you want them cut. 

 

Pin the pockets in place, cut the band on the back and cut along the mark on the front.  Remove the belt tabs.  Remove the zipper as well, since you don't need it, and it adds bulk.

 

                       Sew the fly closed, and the top of the pockets, where they were pinned.

Now for the knit band. Cut the bottom front of the t shirt in a curve, just like the front of the jeans.

Cut below the sleeves. You need this long, because it will be folded over.

Measure the elastic. I needed 35 inches, to fit where you cut the jeans. Measure around the upper part of your hips.  Sew the ends together to form a loop. 

Now make a sandwich. Jeans right side out, Tshirt right side facing the right side of the jeans, elastic outside Tshirt. Pin in place, making sure that the elastic is even throughout.  You can pin in the center front and back first, then both sides.

                                       Sew with a 0.5 inch seam allowance, catching all layers.

                                              This is how it looks from the right side.

 Fold the band over to the inside and pin in place.  From the right side, sew close to the ditch. And That's all it takes!!!!!!!






                                          You can wear it all the way up, or folded down.

                               Happy Holidays!!!!!!!!!!!!!