DIY dyed studded shorts

In the next few days (if I still to a regular blogging schedule) you'll get to see just how much of the 80's I haven't actually been been able to truly let go.

I've been seeing cut off shorts with studs on them all over fashion blogs right now and since I can't afford the designer brands I decided to make my own which is the main reason why I make my own shit in the first place. But my love for cut offs is clear. I've been cutting off pants since I can remember. I was really glad when cut offs stuck around in the 90's as well.

before:

Materials:

FABRIC DYE

SALT

BLEACH

STUDS

OLD JEANS

This started off as an easy DIY until I totally effed up the first pair of shorts I did which are the Levis pictured below.

After you cut them off go straight for the bleach and do not leave the bleach on over night like I did because they will disintegrate in your hands after you try dying them. I'm telling you they will just start falling apart this is what happened to the first pair I did. I was pissed

1. cut off a pair of jeans (girls don't cut them off too short no one wants to see your gina or ass cheeks handing out.)

2. bleach - I dumped bleach on them in the bathroom sink which helped make my bathroom smell like I actually cleaned it so it's a win-win.

3. dye - I used this dye for the first time and I like the way the color turned out. Follow the instructions on the dye package. Mine said to stir it for 45 min. I didn't do this I just left it in the bucket for 45 min after I made sure all of the fabric was soaked in the dye. I was not about to stand there and stir for that long. When it tells you to wear a glove DO IT or you'll look like a smurf after and when it tells you to rinse them in cold water really well before washing them DO IT. 

4. add the studs - I bought mine at Hobby Lobby for about $1.75 a pack. I used one full pack on that pocket. The jeans weren't too thick that I couldn't just push the studs through the fabric. I pushed the studs through and used needle nose pliers to tighten them.

 after:

click each pic below to check out more DIY's 

DIY Phone Stand

OK so I watch a lot of Netlfix on my phone usually right before bed and I keep my phone propped up on my arm until it falls asleep and then I try to move it to the night stand and prop it up against my alarm clock. I've thought about buying one but what fun would that be? This will also come in handy for the numerous times I spend on YouTube and taking self portraits of myself. I feel like I can admit to that guilt free during this day in age of bloggers and self-made video stars.

Supplies:

You'll also need a phone, obviously.

add a half inch to one end for the lip

 

 

 Now I can watch Buffy & Angel & Spike all cool like.

DIY Phone case if interested.

DIY Velvet Peter Pan Collar

I had to make another collar after I finished with my gold glitter one. I used fabric from an old velvet skirt and polka dot ribbon. It wasn't as easy the the gold peter pan collar but I like the way it turned out.

 

Weekly Confessional

Why I refuse to wear floral. I did my time as you can see.

circa 1989 - 1990
(picture of a picture & the start of series of confessions like this)

Easter Fun Day

Easter was a good day. It started off at church, then we took a cheesy family portrait, we invited Tyrone's mom to hang with my family for the day; eat BBQ and go for a bike/blade ride. And that pretty much sums up the day.

Goodbye.

Except I can't forget to tell you about what my parents did for us. They had the front tire on my bike replaced. It's been missing for two years since some crack head neighbor of mine stole it. I said previously they must have been really hard-up to only take the front tire. It was so awesome to finally ride it again. It felt like the first Easter I spent with my dad. My dad and mom married when I was seven and the easter before they married my dad bought me a Strawberry Shortcake play stand and a banana seat bike with clouds on the seat. Being a child who grew up on welfare, receiving two very large gifts like that for one holiday pretty much made my entire life. (I'm getting teary eyed just typing this which was completely unexpected. I must be hormonal - oh wait I'm ALWAYS HORMONAL!!) We have a picture of that day of when I first saw the lavish gifts after walking up that Sunday and seeing them displayed in the kitchen. You can imagine that any Easter after that didn't quite live up to that very special day. That was the beginning of the thousands of amazing things that my dad would do for me for the rest of my life (mom included).

I couldn't find the actually pic I was speaking of but I thought a picture of the very first ride my dad ever took me on would work. (a picture of a picture) I was cool in my cowgirl boots. I'm sure those were the first boots I ever had too; probably some of the last as well.

The even cooler thing about this Easter was that they bought Tyrone a bike too (we all got bikes that day) and now our whole family can go on rides together. It's one of those rare activities that we all like doing. 

I mentioned previously in my DIY Rollerblade Makeover post that I literally crashed and burned. I let my MIL ride my bike and decided I was tough enough to rollerblade about 3 miles on the back roads to the boat harbor and back only having done it once before this season so far. I was fine until the last half mile. Before that it was a total blast. It's mostly downhill on the way to the boat harbor and the roads are fairly well paved. Fred and I were in heaven. He ran next to me on a leash. The wind blowing in our hair/fur and the sun beating down on our bodies. It was the perfect weather. I knew that going back up the other way on the road that isn't well paved was going to be a killer. I had acccomplished this before a few different times back in the day when I was 50 pounds thinner and much more active than I am now. It wasn't too bad until I got to the ward house and my body suddenly got really tired. I pushed through and told myself that I could do this and other things like "keep going you lazy whore" "you don't ever do anything anymore you better finish this even if it takes you five hours" "don't give up you fat cow" You know, encouraging bits of motivation. About two and a half blocks before we finally end at my parents house we have to go under the overpass which is under construction and probably hasn't been paved in a super long time. I'm seriously experiencing some major self loathing, to the point that I am audibly yelling curse words because I can barely stay up on my blades from all of the pot holes and rocks and gravel everywhere. Tyrone is up ahead who had just taken Fred from me because he was looking tired himself and he probably feared we both would end up under a truck at some point. I was being proud and told him I didn't need help and to just take Fred. My mom and MIL were close by. I'm sure my MIL didn't appreciate the language that was coming out of my mouth at that point but it was seriously unstoppable. I knew I was two seconds away from doing a facial right there on the gravel and asphalt. I thought to myself if I could just get through this damn overpass that I would be home free and would only have to endure this for about one more block. I finally exited from the overpass but just as I was crossing the street to reach a normal sidewalk my wheels hit a rock and my feet came right out from under me. My left leg just gave out on me and I landed right on top of it and nearly face first right in the middle of the street. I literally laid there for what felt like an eternity comtemplating what I was going to do next. It was definitely one of those times where time stood still. I confess that all I wanted to do was lay there and start crying. I did not want to pick my head up and move my ass out of the middle of the road, I wanted to bawl my eyes out and have someone come pick me up. I almost reverted back to my grade school years but a voice in my head was SCREAMING at me, "Get your 33 year old ass up out of the middle of the road before a truck really does run over you!!" I finally sat up and started scooting myself out of the road still not completely getting all of the way up. My mom had ran over to me to help me just like she would have as if I were still seven years old and began helping me up. I took my blades off and began walking back to their house. It was a decision I should have made blocks ago but instead I was doing it now bloody leg and all. What hurt the most was my pride I won't lie about that. Falling almost face first in the middle of the road from rollerblading wasn't something to brag about. Falling when you're 33 is a totally different experience than falling when you're 13. Your body recuperates much slower and experiences pain in different areas of your body. Like your entire fucking body. 

I refuse to give it up though. As goes life, right? The metaphors are screaming at me right now but I don't think I need to make any life comparisons for us do I? I don't think so. 

Gotta get back up on that damn horse. 

*note: these pics aren't actually from Easter day, they're from the day before