FRAMED INSPIRATION WALL

Hi,

So lately I have been feeling uninspired.  The weather sucks in Winnipeg (as I am writing this blog post it is snowing out, yes I ask myself this all the time... WHY DO I LIVE HERE and YES IT'S MAY!) and since my bedroom is situated in the basement there is hardly any natural light that comes in.  For the longest time my desk was facing a blank wall.  Very uninspiring.

*Cue - Unintentional shopping spree to IKEA*

I have always wanted a framed walled similar to this picture below

PHOTO: http://nijihomedesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Ideas-Wall-Decor-Design-with-Art-Picture-Framed.jpg

Believe it or not IKEA has a very small "AS-IS" section with many items blown out for ridiculous prices.  I saw several 5 X 7 black frames on sale for $1 and knew I could use them to make an inspiration wall. 

SUPPLIES:

• 2 pkgs - 3M Frame Picture Tape (Here is a coupon)
• 9 - 5 X 7 Frames of your choice I used these by IKEA 
• Level App
• 9 of your favourite photos 5 X 7 
• Laser Jet printer

INSTRUCTIONS:

I highly suggest planning the frame configuration before you start sticking things onto the wall.  You can stagger your picture frames to your liking but I kept mine very simple and did a 3 X 3 square.  I also wanted to create drama by printing 7/9 photos in black and white (using Photoshop) and 2/9 of the photos in colour.  Using a laser jet printer is an inexpensive way to print high quality images. Below is the configuration I came up with.

1. Place photos into picture frames
2. Place 3M tape on the back of the photo (preferably on the top, centered.  Follow the instructions on the packaging)
3. Using the mobile level app make sure the image is level to the wall
4. Repeat until the desired configuration is achieved)

This is such a quick and inexpensive way to turn a wall into a personalized art installation.  I am so happy with how it turned out!  I would love to hear your thoughts on this little project in the comment section below.

-M

WATER SNOB

Confession, I am a huge water snob. I don't like drinking tap water because I think it taste funny, but I don't have a water filtering system in my apartment and I think buying bottled is a waste of money because the plastic bottles are wasteful and water should be a free commodity, right? I usually boil my water and drink it with slices of lemon but lately I've noticed the water started to taste funny and I could see white specs floating around in my cup. When I looked at the bottom of my kettle it was covered with limescale (limescale is a white deposit commonly found on the inside of pipes, pots and kettles, caused by the leeching of minerals from water) and you won't believe how easy it is to clean!

Supplies

• 1/4c white vinegar

Method

• Pour vinegar into the kettle and fill it with water to the "max" line on the kettle and boil it
• After boiling is complete, empty the contents and fill the kettle with water and boil once more to get rid of an excess vinegar residue

Try this trick, it's quick and easy and your water will taste much better afterwards. You might have to repeat this every 3-4 months depending on how hard your water is. To avoid limescale from building up don't leave water sitting in your kettle. You can pour any excess water you didn't use into a glass jug or mason jar to drink later or water your plants with.

-A

DIY: APC X KANYE HOODIE

HI,

All week I have been hearing about Kanye West and Kim Kardashian and their spread on American VOGUE.  It got me thinking; Why are so fascinated with their relationship? Who knows.


PHOTO CREDIT: UPSCALE HYPE

I have always been a fan of Kanye West (especially his fashion sensibility).  It was not too long ago that he did a collaboration with french design house APC, known for their cutting edge street style designs they definitely caught the attention of many including myself.  One piece that caught my eye and what this DIY is inspired by is the "APC X Kanye West Hoodie" it features a slouchy fit hoodie with side zippers (pictured above).  The only thing is this sweaters retails for $280 USD! Being a student you guys can imagine that budgeting is a reality and I could not see myself breaking the bank on such a simple hoodie.  So I decided to make one instead.  All-in-all this hoodie only costed me less than $20 and did not take me very long to do!  The great thing is that you can customize it to your liking, ie. the colour of the side zipper, hoodie, draw string color.  I learned how to create this DIY (with some minor tweaks of my own) from GearedTowardGear Youtube video.

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED

• Pullover Hoodie
• 2 X 7 inch zipper (denim)
• Chalk
• Tape Measure
• Scissors
• Sewing Machine
• OPTIONAL: Parachute Cord (60 inches)
• Lighter

INSTRUCTIONS

Sleeves

1. Lay hoodie flat onto working surface.  Making sure all side seams and sleeves are flat
2. Measure 11 inches from the left shoulder seam and mark using chalk
3. Using your scissors cut a straight line from marked area.  
4. Preform this step to the right shoulder seam. 
5. Roll the newly cut sleeves and roll approximately 1-1.5 inches, three times
6. Try on the sweater to see if the length of the sleeves are even and the look is to your liking
7. Optional: I had access to a sewing machine and was able to hem the cut ends of the sweater, giving a tailored look.

Side Zippers

1. Once you are content with the sleeves, move onto attaches the side zippers
2. Lay hoodie flat onto work surface.  Making sure all side seams are flat.
3. Working from the bottom left side of your sweater measure out 6 inches and mark with chalk
4. Cut along the seam vertically making sure it cut is very straight
5. Attach zippers using a sewing machine. NOTE: Fabric glue will work just as well!
6. Do steps 1-4 for the bottom right side of the sweater

Optional Draw String

1. Using a safety pin, attach one end of the parachute cord to the existing draw string on the hoodie
2. Pull on the non-attached end, feeding the parachute cord until it completely around the hoodied slot.
3. Using a pair of scissors cut the parachute cord ~60inches
4. Burn the ends using a lighter, this reduces any potential fraying of the cord
5. Tie a simple not around both ends of the cord

OOTD: Beanie - F21, Sweater - DIY, Tank - Fruit of the Loom, Jeans - Cheap Monday, Boots - ALDO

I really hope you guys enjoyed this DIY, comment in the comment section below if you have any questions about where I got all the materials!  We would love to know how your sweaters turned out!

-M

HOW TO DE-LINT YOUR CLOTHES

A big difference between Mark and I are our styles. I am way more carefree and could careless what outfit I wear, whereas Mark is your typical GQ kind of guy. I drive Mark CRAZY when I wear old bally sweaters or jackets and one day he finally snapped. He made me take off my bally sweater, grabbed a razor and started shaving off the little balls. I couldn't believe what a difference it made, my sweater looked brand new. I tried this myself and it took me no longer than a few minutes so give it a try!

 WHAT YOU WILL NEED

1. A bally clothing item
2. Razor
3. Lint roller

STEPS

1. Take the razor and shave downward. Start at the top of a sleeve or top area of a corner and continue downwards (DO NOT STROKE FROM BOTTOM TO TOP). Keep doing this in small areas at at time
2. Take a lint roller and remove any fluff
3. Continue steps 1 and 2 on the back and front of your item

-A