Recycled T-Shirt DIY

So, my mom sent me this cool Johnny Cash t-shirt, and I knew I had to do something with it. I was kind of afraid to cut into it. I mean, it's a cool shirt, but it also stands for the fact that my mom just gets me. You know? I'm almost 24 years old, I've been living away from home for 6 years, and I still get care packages. Only, MY MOM'S care packages include a $20 bill and a bitching t-shirt. Yes.

So, I was afraid to cut it up... but I knew that if I didn't, it would end up on the floor of my closet or in the trunk of my car, and I'd only really wear it to bed or the gym. So I took a deep breath and decided to try upcycling it into a cute blouse.

I think I nailed it. I have a few finishing touches and resizing things to do, but luckily I am visiting my parents on the weekend and can use my mom's sewing machine. But for now, I think, yeah, nailed it. Step by step instructions and pictures below.

This is the shirt, before I started. 

Step 1: Cut off sleeves.

Step 2: I made two cuts, about 2 inches from the edge of the sleeve, to make straps.

Step 3: I tried to be as accurate as possible, without using a ruler (oops). I made a 

mark right in the center of the chest, where I wanted my new neckline to be.

Step 4: I opted for a sweetheart neckline. I cut out the whole neck area, to make a 

lower, sweetheart neckline. 

Step 5: Flip the shirt over, and cut out the back. Here's where you can get really creative. 

I stuck with a plane, square back. 

Step 6: I decided to add a little bit of ruching on the bust. Right where the sweetheart points, 

I took a little thread and stitched about an inch and a half of basic ruching. I might add more later. 

Finished!

Here's my finished product. I love it! I have to finish the edges of the neckline, so it doesn't roll up like that. I also want to take it in under the armpits, so I don't feel like I have to wear a cami underneath. Overall, I'm proud of my work!

OOTD: Hippie Dippie

I'll make this short and sweet, but I reeeeally wanted to share the outfit I wore the other night. It's a far cry from the usual look I end up with, but I LOVE the thrifted elements, the wedges, and that my t-shirt was a bit sheer. I don't know what it is, but I'm obsessed with tops that are just a bit see-thru. I also love the sort of '70s vibe... I felt it, I think it's the shoes. I always loved all the outfits the girls in That 70s Show wore. So cute and girly, yet totally effortless and wearable. This outfit gives off that vibe, I just wish I had a pair of wide leg, high-waisted jeans!

Yet again, sorry for the really crappy quality of the photos. I got a tripod for Christmas, so pretty soon I promise I will actually use it to take decent pictures with my good camera.

Enjoy!

Whole outfit.

A close up of these TO DIE FOR shoes. Love them.

Leggings: Torrid, T-Shirt: Forever 21+, Cardigan: Savers, Shoes: Salvation Army, Earrings: Old Navy.

OOTD: Adventure Time

I woke up this morning craving adventure. I needed to drive to Ontario to pick up some stuff for work, so I had every intention of driving up to the mountains after my errands were finished. I got dressed and packed up my camera and notebook and headed off. I got a little held up, though, and my big adventure turned into Thai food for lunch, and a fruitless trip to Sally Beauty.

Even still, I'm digging the outfit I chose for today. It's comfy and cozy, but I feel so cute. I chose basic leggings and a long, tunic tee. I paired that with a thrifted, burnt orange cardigan and a necklace my mom's friend made for me. And I pulled out my boots, because, well, what adventurer DOESN'T wear a pair of kickass boots? ;)

I'm ALWAYS up for an adventure!

Cardigan: thrifted, Tee: F21+, Leggings: Torrid, Boots: Torrid, Necklace: handmade gift.

Black Lips and Kale Chips

Just a random little post about some things I'm digging now.

I'm really feeling this makeup look... I don't know how practical black lips are (by the way, the Black Lips, a great band!) but I'm really digging them. Here's a little step by step of how I got the look:

1. I started by blotting out my lips with foundation. This is pretty much how I do pale lips. I then dusted some powder on top of the foundation.

2. Next, I lined my lips with a black eyeliner pencil. I filled it in with some black cream shadow.

3. I went over this with the really dark Wet n Wild shade, I can't remember what it's called  but it's like a really dark purple color (really pretty on its own). 

4. I topped this with a layer of Urban Decay's lipstick in oil slick.

5. Topped the look off with black lipgloss from Rimmel I got at Ulta.

Products I used.

Et voila!

Another current obsession are kale chips. I made some earlier and I have to say, they totally surpassed any expectation I had. They surprised in a good way, crispy and salty. They satisfy like a potato chip, for real, only I may actually like the flavor better! The way the kale tastes with the olive oil is just so yummy.

I got my recipe from allrecipes.com, but it's pretty easy:

Tear up the leaves of one bunch of kale and rinse and dry. Layer on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Sprinkle with some salt. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Bam. 

New favorite snack, and new favorite crazy night out look.

Enjoy!

xx

Teriyaki Turkey Burgers

I've been eating less and less red meat, mainly because it's just not as versatile and easy to use, in my opinion, as chicken. It doesn't taste as good to me, either. I'm such a chicken-eater.

I have a big pack of turkey burgers in my freezer. The way they are wrapped and packaged makes them super easy to freeze and stock up on. I have them, but I rarely eat them. It's hard to imagine using a turkey burger interchangeably with a hamburger. For some reason. I mean, I know they are exactly the same: ground up meat shaped into patties. They really are exactly the same thing.

But when I eat a hamburger, or, who are we kidding, a CHEESEburger, it is almost always dripping with mayo and ketchup and covered in multiple slices of cheese. Sometimes bacon. Sometimes onions.

I just can't imagine doing that to a turkey burger.

So I came up with this.

Now, it's by no means healthy. In fact, I felt silly making it with a turkey patty (98% lean!) instead of a regular hamburger patty. I really need to get over my weird meat-patty hangups, don't I? But it delivers a yummy combination of tastes in a very satisfying burger form.



I give you my teriyaki turkey burgers with grilled onions and bacon.

Holy cow, right?!

They really are quite simple to make, and there really isn't any "recipe" to it, although next time I will experiment with using ground turkey and make my own patties. I want to add teriyaki, garlic, and other good things directly to the meat, yum. I might also leave out the bacon. You can easily take this from a HOLY COW once in a while meal to an easy weeknight dinner by leaving off the bacon, adding some toppings that are a bit healthier, a whole-wheat bun, and a salad on the side. 

Teriyaki Turkey Burgers

Serves 4

four quarter pound turkey burgers (or Boca, ground beef, bison, chicken, etc.)

four hamburger buns

four tablespoons mayo

four tablespoons teriyaki sauce

one half of a sweet onion

one tablespoon EVOO

four strips of bacon (more or less- I used soft-cooked thick cut strips, so I only put one on each burger)

garlic powder, pepper, and other seasonings of choice for the patties

lettuce, tomato, pickles, and other toppings for burgers

Cook the seasoned turkey patties until desired doneness. Cook the bacon, and break into burger-sized pieces. Cook the onion in one tablespoon of olive oil. Warm buns by placing split side down in the onion skillet, once they are done cooking. Spread one side of bun with mayo, and the other with teriyaki sauce. Layer patties, onions, and bacon, along with any other toppings. 

Enjoy!

It's Been Awhile...

Second year of my Masters program is proving to be just as time consuming and difficult as the first! (Although, I totally knew that would happen....)

I haven't been able to keep this blog up like I'd like, but I kind of expected that as well. Here's some cool stuff that has been holding my attention lately:

Lana for H&M. And, well, just Lana. Her album "Born to Die" speaks to me more than any other has lately (with the exception of Mumford & Sons' "Babel"... I'm actually seeing them in a couple weeks at the Hollywood Bowl, beyond stoked!) But the clothing and accessories she models (designed? chose? I don't know how else she influenced the range, but it is significantly better than the usual H&M offerings) are TO DIE FOR. I want to buy up everything, although I'm broke, and most of it doesn't come in anything bigger than a size large... so, I guess, oversized sweaters and jewelry FTW!

I made my own version of pork Milanese, and it was deeeeelicious. It was based off of a recipe I got out of the All You magazine, which you can find here, but mine was better (lol). And I promise to do a proper recipe post for it soon.

My kitties, Tarantino (big, fat, fluffy, grey) and Stella Luna (tiny, wiry, black)... usually they can be seen wrestling and just all around bullying each other, but I've been catching them cuddling a lot lately. As you can see, they are clearly new best friends. 

Aaaaaaand here they are again. 

I saw these earbuds, and decided I have to have them. I dropped several not-so-subtle "I want these for Christmas" hints to the boyfriend... let's see if he follows through. 

The Los Angeles skyline, from the Griffith Observatory

I've been making jewelry to kind of de-stress and on weekend when I have free time. I have a little Etsy shop, you should all go check it out! I plan on making/listing a lot of cool things within the next couple months, so be on the look out!

So there you have it! I will hopefully be updating more often, but I can't promise anything. I like to blog, but blogging and being a student at the same time is a little difficult. 

Bear with me. :)

xx

DIY Sea Salt Facial Scrub

One of my all-time favorite facial cleansers is this one from Lush. I like Lush products, they are fresh, handmade, and made out of real ingredients. However, they are still packed full of preservatives and chemicals. Plus, Lush isn't exactly wallet friendly. I've really been on a DIY binge lately, and so it hit me... DUH! I should make my own.

All of the ingredients (well, the ones I didn't already have, anyway) are from Walmart and ring it at $3. Yep! $2 for a bottle of pure sea salt, and under a buck for a couple limes.... amazing! I whipped up a batch large enough to fill my old Ocean Salt container- the large one- which cost me (well, my mom, it was a birthday gift!) $34.95, according to the website, with quite a bit left over. Seriously, I can make my own product sans  the chemicals for a third of the cost? No brainer.

Here's my recipe. I plan on trying this out a few times a week for the next couple weeks, and then I may make a new batch. Lush's version includes vodka, which is apparently an amazing facial toner and astringent, so I'll probably add some. I'll also use half olive oil and half coconut oil, which I may or may not dilute with some water (I have oily skin- so I'm not too sure how much I'll like all the oil, but who knows, it's supposed to soften skin, so maybe I will!) and I plan on adding grapefruit. This stuff smells good, but imagine adding vodka, coconut, and grapefruit to the mix... like a tropical cocktail for your face! Yum.



Sea Salt Facial Scrub

5 tablespoons + pure sea salt
1/8 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon tea tree water*
juice from two limes

Combine all liquid and then add salt, stirring to incorporate. The consistency should be wet, with liquid pooling around the edges (liquid will separate). I haven't quite perfected the texture and consistency, but you could definitely adjust the measurements until you get a texture you like.

*Tea tree water is basically just diluted tea tree oil. For help with determining how much you should dilute, see this site. I usually stick with 10%, as my skin is oily and acne-prone.

And, as always, be careful with the ingredients. Never use something you are or may be allergic to, and don't use anything that may irritate your skin. Be especially careful if you have sensitive skin, as sea salt and citrus juice can be irritating. If any irritation occurs, stop using the product! Also, don't use this more than a few times a week, as it can be abrasive. This is an exfoliator, after all!

Enjoy!

If you have any questions, suggestions, tips, or would like to suggest another DIY product for me to explore, let me know in the comments!

xx