Learning to Knit: Peach Fizz Cardigan

Over the past year, I’ve fallen down a knitting rabbit hole! I learned about different kinds of yarn, what "gauge" means, how to decipher a pattern, and much more. After a few months, I was finally able to knit pieces more complicated than a scarf! Tears were shed, a million mistakes were made, but the feeling of accomplishment was astonishing.

I wanted to share my first knitted garment and the process with you guys! And if you knit or crochet, I'd love to hear about your own fiber art journey. 👀

DIY Maison Margiela Inspired Lipstick Kiss Print Blouse

I became captivated by this blouse by Maison Margiela (formerly Maison Martin Margiela) from the moment I first saw it. A cotton shirt marked with genuine lipstick prints, which were kissed onto the garment by in house seamstresses - only 7 were made in total. This piece is a romantic dream come true, reminding me of sad romantic poets.

Determined to make my own, first I had to work out how. With a white blouse, if you washed a genuinely kissed garment the red would bleed and feather - ruining the blouse and the lipstick kiss marks! That's when I had the idea to make a stamp based on my own lipstick kisses. Continue reading for how I did it below! Or, if you are more of a video person, watch the video tutorial on Youtube here. If you make this, please let me know, it would make my week! Far from perfect, it's still one of my favorite pieces in my wardrobe.

DIY Vintage Yves Saint Laurent Inspired Floral Bra

Everybody has those runway moments that feel like fashion royalty, and for me, the "wedding" look from Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Spring 1999 is one of them. Picture this, French model Laetitia Casta preens as she descends down the runway, wearing an all floral ensemble designed for her by Yves Saint Laurent himself. Laetitia Casta later would say of their partnership: "We were like two people in the water that stopped each other from drowning. I miss him very much, because you don't have many people like that in your life. One, if you are lucky."

Yves Saint Laurent would retire only three years later, but the effect of the nymph-like, Persephone touched ensemble continues to ripple in the fashion community. I've been obsessed with the look and wanted to recreate it since I first saw it years ago. I decided to save an old bra from its unused fate for a floral makeover in honor of looking forward to Spring! It’s not an exact recreation, but merely taking inspiration from this iconic look. I shared a preview of this piece on twitter back in December (and hinted I was working on it here heheh) and several people requested a how-to, so let's get started!

Weekend Roundup

Love is in the air... my favorite holiday, Valentine's Day, is only three days away! This year, I will be attending the Promsi event in Portland with OkCupid, and am giving away four tickets to Mermaidens' readers! Enter the giveaway here - I hope to see you there! Do you have anything fun planned?

Lancôme just launched their new spring line filled with pastels, flowers and sweets - all my favorite things! I have serious heart eyes over this macaron shaped blush/blender duo!

One of my all time favorite designers, Hannah Kristina Metz, whose known for her unique motifs (eyes, tears, flowers) and dainty sheer fabrics - is having a sale on her Anne of Green Gables inspired collection!

I am so in love with Keiko Lynn's darling style and this ASOS dress she shared has been at the top of my wishlist since she shared it!

Sretsis has released their Spring/Summer 2018 collection and it has made all my spring dreams come true - floral, gingham and cherry prints in delicate, feminine fabrics and silhouettes. That said, Sretsis, please expand your line to include plus sizes!

Artist and designer extraordinaire Tuesday Bassen, has released a Valentine's Day inspired collection - I love this detachable collar!

This Chocolate Assortment Balloon Backdrop by Oh Happy Day is one of the cutest things I've ever seen...

Hope you are all having a marvelous weekend! ♡

Photo by Jimmy Marble, outtake from a shoot we did in Spring 2015

How To Start Blogging

One of my most frequently asked questions is how to start a blog, or getting asked blogging advice in general! I don't mind getting these questions at all, because it feels like it wasn't that long ago I was feeling lost and not knowing how to start myself. I would ask bigger bloggers for advice and sometimes I still do! I will always recommend starting a blog to others - it can be a lot of work, but it has been the greatest creative outlet and my life has definitely changed for the better for it. It can definitely be intimidating to start, but here are some of my top tips for starting a blog if you are not knowing where to begin:

Try to Post as Frequently as You Can
Updating consistently can work wonders for your blog - not only does new posts keep readers coming back, but it helps get the attention of new people as well! Of course, don't work yourself too hard by trying to conform to a rigid posting schedule, because your content will suffer - but don't leave your blog unattended for months.

Connect With Other Bloggers
Commenting on blog posts and tweeting other bloggers I admire will help get your name out there. If you leave genuine comments, it will stand out to the writer and make them want to return the favor and check out your blog.

Pay Attention to the Aesthetic of Your Blog
While a lot of design elements depend entirely on your own preferences, there are some universal dos and don'ts:

Have a clear, easy to read font - preferably with a light background and black text to make reading your blog as easy and accessible to read as possible.

Resize all your photos to be the same width.

Make the most of whatever camera you have - whether it's a DSLR or an iPhone, read up on your camera so you can provide the best possible quality images with what you have.

Don't Give Up!
In the beginning, I felt like I was just talking to myself - and after spending hours taking photos and writing a post, getting 0 views and 0 comments felt slightly heartbreaking. I even started to feel kind of pathetic for even assuming people would be interested in a blog by me. But it was imperative that I kept going, because slowly, I started getting views and comments and people started sharing their opinions and stories - and that's all I ever wanted, was to connect with like minded individuals and maybe put a smile on their face!

Good luck! ♡ If you have any more questions feel free to ask them below and I might answer them in the blogging Q & A I'm working on!

Floral Tote DIY with method

I LOVE doing DIY projects, but guys... they can get MESSY. I have accidentally dripped fabric paints on my clothing (NOOOO), floor, hands - basically everywhere but what I’m working on! I also have a habit of spreading all the diy materials out on the floor, forming a circle around me and my project (and making it impossible for others to get near me)!

Thankfully, my friends at method challenged me to partake in their "#FearNoMess" campaign, urging creatives to abandon their fear of making a mess because they have got you covered with their range of vegan and non-toxic hand soap, cleaners, and laundry detergent.

Since Spring is in the air, I thought what better way to usher in the season with a handmade floral tote? Here’s what I did!

You Will Need…
- A plain tote bag
- Flower Stencil
- Fabric Paint (I’m using pink, yellow, and purple)
- method Laundry Detergent
- Paintbrushes

Using the stencil, start painting flowers onto the tote. I alternated the colors and flower designs to keep it interesting!

Once you are finished painting, set the fabric paint by washing in cold water with method’s 4x Concentrated Laundry Detergent. It gets out unwanted stains (perfect if like me, you have a penchant for dripping paint on your clothes or *cough* BBQ sauce…) and smells heavenly - not like chemicals! Not to mention, method is made from recycled materials and is 100% recyclable and biodegradable.

This is optional step - but I glued pink pom poms in the center of the flowers!

Et voila! A super cute (if I do say so myself…) tote bag - perfect for Spring! If you feared no mess, what would you create?

This post is sponsored by method. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that makes Mermaidens possible!

DIY Daisy Sunglasses

Recently I had the joy of contributing to MissRobin, a wonderful magazine which aims to "modernize 40’s women fashion magazines"! Created by fashion student Lucas Asin and with contributions from photographer Helena Exquis and blogger Laia Doll, when I saw the first issue I just knew I wanted to be part of the second!

The second issue's theme of 60s, daisies, and youth immediately inspired me to try a DIY idea I have been meaning to figure out for months! Based on these Moschino Cheap & Chic sunglasses that I'm still obsessed with years later, all you need is cheap sunglasses, foam, and glue!

Check out the full DIY in MissRobin's second issue here! And please let me know if you have any questions or make a pair for yourself!

♡,
Kailey

Ice Cream Party Hat DIY

Hello! First things first, my friend Sunny's interviewed me about cartoon characters and Happy Meal toys on her blog Crazy Bat Lady - please take a look!

Meanwhile, I made this ice cream themed party hat for an upcoming outfit post a week or so ago, and thought I might as well share a little DIY post showing how I made it!

You Will Need:
- Ribbon (I got this from Joann Fabrics for a dollar!)
- 12 x 12 Cone-Colored Paper
- Glue
- Scissors
- Needle & Thread
- Pink Crepe Streamers (got two at the dollar store!)

1. Roll your paper into a cone shape and glue to help it keep it's shape. Cut excess paper.

2. I wanted this to be extra cutesy, so I made it so you can tie a bow under the chin to stay on! To do so, cut a small hole near the bottom and tie a string of ribbon. Repeat this step on the other side.

3. Ruffle the crepe streamer using a straight gathering stitch.

4. Glue ruffle onto the bottom of the party hat, covering where we tied the ribbon earlier.

5. Use a marker to draw a diamond pattern onto the cone so it looks like a waffle cone and you're done!

You also add a pom pom to the top to make it look extra cute (if a little bit less ice cream ish)!

Please let me know if you make any, I want to see! And if you have any questions, feel free to leave it in the comments, tweet me, or send an email!

♡,
Kailey

Rainbow Nails

How cute do my nails look right now?! I saw these on Pinterest (thank you Glitter and Nails - you're a genius!) and just had to try to recreate them. I freehanded the stripes, so they are far from perfect - but I still love how they turned out!

NAIL POLISH I USED: Wet n Wild Shine in Tickled Pink (402), N.Y.C. Taxi Yellow Creme 114, Wet n Wild Megalast I Need a Refresh-Mint (218A), Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Lacey Lilac (270), & Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear White On (300)
The links in this post are provided so you can see more clearly which polishes I used - I bought mine at drugstores where they are significantly cheaper!

Lately it has been raining nonstop (or absolutely freezing) so it's nice to glance down and see these bright nails! Before I moved earlier this year, I lived in California, so this weather is going to take some getting used to!

Currently I'm trying to figure out how to dress warmly and still show my aesthetic - can anybody recommend a pretty, candy-colored coat?!

What do your nails look like right now? :3
♡,
Kailey

(p.s. don't forget to enter my giveaway with I Love Crafty!)

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Guest Post | Mermaid Dress DIY from Kate

I asked Kate Gabrielle from Scathingly Brilliant, one of my absolute favorite bloggers, if she could do a DIY post whilst I'm busy moving - and this is what she came up with!

For my DIY post, I was inspired by Kailey's love of mermaids! I decided to create something that mimicked the pretty scaled pattern on a mermaid's fins, and came up with this easy peasy stamped dress project!

You'll need: a white cotton dress (or shirt, or skirt), two bottles of fabric paint (your main color and white), a wooden block (I stole one from my little brother's old block set), scissors, a compass, a piece of craft foam, a paintbrush and some free time.

1. With the compass, draw a half-circle onto your foam. You want it to be about the same width as the wooden block.

2. Using the half-circle as your guide, sketch in the rest of your scallop with pencil, and then cut it out.

3. Glue the piece of foam to the wooden block, making sure that the ends of the scallop are even with the top. (It's okay if the bottom of the scallop doesn't quite reach the bottom of the block :)

4. Make sure you have cardboard or something under your dress so the paint won't seep through to the back side! Then put a thin layer of fabric paint on your stamp using a paintbrush.

5. Starting at the top of the dress, stamp your first scallop. Then repeat the pattern underneath, with the next two scallops meeting in the middle of the one above.

6. For each new row, mix a little bit of white fabric paint with your other color to achieve the gradient look. This was an important part of my project because I knew that I didn't want to stamp the skirt (the gathering at the waist would have just been way too tricky to maneuver!) so I wanted it to fade to white before it hit the skirt.

7. Let your dress dry for a few hours (I let mine dry for 24 hours before I wore it, although it felt dry much sooner) and voila! You now have a brand new dress that would make any mermaid proud! :)

            You can find Kate Gabrielle sharing her love
            of pastels, cats, hayley mills, and DIY
            projects at Scathingly Brilliant, and don't
            forget to check out her etsy shop!
            Thank you again Kate ♡!

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David Lynch Inspired Nails

Last month I finally watched ERASERHEAD for the first time, and was inspired to do my nails based on some of David Lynch's most iconic imagery.

Thinking of David Lynch, immediately red, black, and white come to mind - all of his work has a very distinct aesthetic to it (something I absolutely love), from the rich blues and reds in BLUE VELVET to the stark and crisp black and white Eraserhead was filmed in.

For the TWIN PEAKS inspired design on my index finger, I turned to "The Red Room" for inspiration - I painted the nail white, cut tape into thin strips, arranged them in a zig zag pattern, and painted over the tape with black polish.

On the middle finger, I painted the nail a blue color that resembled sky, cut more thin strips of tape, arranged them like so, and painted white over the nail. After this new coat had dried, I used a toothpick to carefully drop three small dots to suggest roses. My inspiration for this was the infamous opening scene of Blue Velvet.

I painted my ring finger white, cut tape into rectangles, arranged them into a checkerboard pattern, and painted over the nail with black polish to suggest the floor design in the dream(?) sequence in Eraserhead.

And finally, I painted my pinky and thumb nails a simple red to evoke all the blood that is spilt in his work! For a rough example of how I assembled the tape to achieve this design, click here!

If you want to do this yourself and have any questions, feel free to comment, email, or tweet me them to me!

What color are your nails right now?

♥, Kailey
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I'm a Mermaid ^_~

When I was a child, my favorite thing in the world was to visit the Disney Store! Does anybody remember the animatronics that used to decorate the ceiling? I LOVED those! And, of course, I would always gaze wistfully at the merchandise - especially princess dresses.

I had a Cinderella dress when I was about 8 and I was OBSESSED with it, and haven't had the heart to get rid of it. The other day when going through my old clothes, I found it again and while holding it up to myself, I decided to (try) and make a new dress that would fit me again.

That night I cut off the top and skirt puff (I'm unsure of what to call it haha!), and sewed the skirt puffs together to make half of a top. Not having much material to work with, I cut up an old white shirt in half and sewed the two halves together. The next day I glued sea shells on the front and let the glue dry overnight. Finally, I sewed the new top to the skirt and was done!

This was the first time I have ever tried to reconstruct a garment out of an old one (or even really sewed a piece of clothing), so I made just about every single rookie mistake (sewing up the armholes for one X_X) and not perfect, but I am so pleased with how it turned out!

Have you ever done a D.I.Y. project like this before? ^^

♥, Kailey
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How To: Make Your Own Valentines

Personally, I have always LOVED Valentine's Day! I take this holiday as an opportunity to give my loved ones Valentines and show them how much I appreciate them (I firmly believe that this holiday shouldn't be ~exclusive~ for couples!) and eat wayyy too much discount chocolate on the 15th. I thought it might be fun to share with you how I make these valentines, and hopefully inspire a few of you to make some as well!

You Will Need
1. Multicolored cardstock/construction paper (and lots of it! Use any colors you would like, but be sure to have white on hand!)
2. Glue
3. Scissors
4. Fiskars Paper Edgers (optional)
5. Sequins and rhinestones
6. Magazine clippings of your favorite people/things (optional)

Begin by cutting out heart shapes - don't worry about making them perfect!

Glue this heart onto white paper, and using Fiskars Paper Edgers, cut around the heart. This will give the paper a white patterned edge (if you do not have any of these scissors, you can hand cut scallops out, but this will be more time consuming).

Now, line the colored heart with glue, and place sequins around the entire valentine.

(This might take a while)

Once you are finished, we have these beautiful bases! You can decorate these any way you want - I have a few examples of what I did below!

For the valentines on the left and middle, I cut out magazine clippings of Edward Scissorhands and Saved by the Bell and used sequins to add some ~pizazz. For the valentine on the right, I sketched out Siouxsie Sioux and then cut out the shape of her hair, eyebrows, eyes, and the mouth with paper.

For this pink one, I simply glued rhinestones onto the heart. Instant pretty!

And lastly, I made this card by cutting out the shapes and assembling them into the image of Batman and Superman. As a particularly fitting finishing touch, I added this mushy line: "You're My Kryptonite".

And there you have it! Pretty please let me know if you use this tutorial to make your own (I'd absolutely love to see them), and if you have any questions feel free to leave me an email or a comment!

♥, Kailey
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