Featured on Chic Steals

My Cowboy Bootie Tutorial is featured over at Chic Steals Links of the Week today!

Go check it out.

DIY Inspiration & Mini Tutes – Free People Nouveaux Boho

Flock of Birds Dress

Find a maxi dress in whatever cut/shape you want. Get some fabric paint, paint brushes, a stencil of a bird, or free hand it if your brave enough.

 

Goldie’s Lurex Swit Top

Take a sweater (dolman sleeve or not, cut a panel from the front and sew in lace by hand or machine.

 

Hardware Loafer

Even though these are loafers, you can do this with any type of shoes you please. Just get some studs and pliers and stud away. An awl, knife or razor blade can also be helpful for getting the studs through the leather.

  

Hopefully this will inspire you to make some looks of your own!

DIY Tutorial Link – Neon Edge Pinboard

I love ordinary things with interesting shapes, so this pin board is perfect.

Find out how to make your own over at Fellow Fellow.

Recipe – Dried Beef Cheese Ball

Just in time for your holiday gatherings, here is a cheese ball that you can whip up in no time that everyone is sure to love.

Ingredients:

• 2 small jars of dried beef
• 2 8oz. blocks of cream cheese (softened)
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 2 tbsp grated onion or rehydrated minced onion
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

Finely chop or run the dried beef through the food processor. Grate or rehydrate the onions. Put all ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl together saving about 1/4 of the dried beef for later. Mix it all up with you hands until it is well combined then form it into a ball.

 

Cover the outside of the ball in the left over dried beef.

Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge overnight, or for at least a few hours.

Put it on a plate, serve with crackers and enjoy! Everyone will love it, they’ll think you’re wonderful, but it’s actually ridiculously easy! 

Oh Christmas Tree & a Present

First….never move during Christmas! I have presents packed away in boxes that I have to find. I’ve been squeezing in time here and there to make gifts. I’ve had the intention of coming in from work and sitting down to paint only to realize that I have no clue where my paint brushes are, therefore I had to hold off on getting that present done…not very happy!
So, in the craziness off all of this I managed to get a couple of things accomplished last night after making a trip to the store for more paint brushes. I got the painting done for a present for a family gathering on Saturday. At this particular gathering we draw names, and the person whose name I drew loves wolves…..soooo…

I kept the painting black and white because I didn’t know what type of decor was in the recipients house, so I figured this was bound to match something.  The edges of the canvas are finished so he can hang it as is with no frame, or have it framed.
I was also able to get my Christmas tree up last night. I tried getting some pictures, but pictures of a Christmas tree in a room that is not very well lit kinda suck.

Here is one of it all lit up:

Here are a couple unlit:

I tried snapping one up close so you could really see the fabulous leopard print ribbon! I love it!

DIY Tutorial Link – McQueen Clutch Knock-off

You may have already seen this around the internet, but I just had to share. This is a DIY that I love.

 

Find out how to make your own knock-off with Studs and Pearls on Cut Out & Keep.

Labels: diy, knock off

DIY Tutorial Link – Snow Ball Ornaments

These are so pretty, yet so simple.

Check out the tutorial over at Things that Sparkle.

Labels: diy

DIY Tutorial Link – Coal Candy

This is perfect for that  naughty person on your list.

Learn how to whip some up over at Sprinkle Bakes

Labels: diy

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DIY Tutorial Link – Glittery Christmas Ornaments

Aren’t they pretty?

Head on over to love Maegan and see how thinking outside of the box helped her create these simple yet gorgeous ornaments…there’s a tute too!

Labels: diy

IZZE Holiday Crafting Challenge

Head on over to Craft Gossip and vote for my friend Lex of What the Craft in the IZZE Holiday Crafting Challenge

Glitter Heels Tutorial

Designers like Badgley Mischka, Betsey Johnson, Mui Mui and Jeffery Campbell have all gone glam with glitter on their shoes this year. Of course, you can find knock offs in stores everywhere, but if you’re like me I’m sure you have that old pair of heels laying around that have truly seen their better days. Take those old heels and about $10 worth of supplies and make your very own glitter heels in whatever color you please.

 

Materials:

• Heels or any shoe you want to glitter
• Mod Podge (I used Gloss Lustre) (MP)
• Foam brush
• Glitter in the color of your choosing
• Mixing container
• Paper or something to cover the work surface

Instructions:

1. I didn’t put this in the materials, but make sure your shoes are good and clean. It probably wouldn’t hurt to wipe over them with some rubbing alcohol to make sure there are no oils or anything to keep the MP from adhering.

2. Put some  MP in your mixing container, and the add some glitter. I eyeballed this, but probably about a 1:1 ratio. You don’t want the mixture too thick and goopy, but you also don’t want it too thin or you’ll have to paint a bazillion layers. (For the glitter I used fine glitter, but I have seen them done combining the coarse and fine glitter and it looked cool)\

3. Start paint the MP glitter mixture on with your foam brush. Once you have painted all of both shoes, let them dry completely and then paint 1-2 more coats, or enough coats to cover the shoes to your satisfaction.

4. Let them dry according to the MP directions before wearing…then enjoy!

Tip: Once they dried after 2 coats I realized that the black wasn’t very sparkly, so I added a little gold and silver into the mixture for my final coat to give it some pizzazz. I think an iridescent black glitter would be phenomenal, but they were out when I bought the supplies for this.

 

Labels: diy

DIY Tutorial Link – Chalkboard Serving Tray

Sorry for the absence this weekend. We began our move into our new home. I would show you pictures, but right now it’s a mess of boxes and furniture.

I found this while perusing the web, and just had to share it. It’s perfect for holiday entertaining. No more guessing what you’re about to eat.

You can get instructions for making your very own over at My So Called Green Life.

Labels: diy

DIY Tutorial Link – Ruched Tree Skirt

I typically don’t care for most store bought tree skirts, and the ones that I do like cost an arm and a leg. This however, is an awesome solution.

With a snip, snip and some stitches you can create your very own tree skirt. Hop on over to Teal and Lime to see the full tutorial.

Labels: diy

DIY Inspiration – Western Shorts

I love these shorts. They have a western, yet modern feel to them.

Photos via Pixie Market.

You could DIY these your self pretty easily. Just cut some leather (faux or real), or a contrasting fabric into your desired shape, and then glue or sew it on your shorts.

Labels: diy inspiration

DIY Tutorial Link – Candy Cane Marbled Ornament

I really don’t mean to be overloading you with Christmas crafts, but I keep finding such neat ones to share with you.

These look pretty darn easy, and you wouldn’t have to just use red and white. Check out the tutorial over at The Cheese Thief.

 

Labels: diy

DIY Tutorial Link – Glass Christmas Tree

Here’s another blingy tree to add to your decor this holiday season.

Head on over to Alderberry Hill to see the tutorial (it’s actually quite easy!)

DIY Tutorial Link – Snowstorm

Do you wish it looked a little more like Christmas in your neck of the woods?

Maybe a little snow perhaps?

Over at Craft Stylish you can learn how to make your very own snowstorm! This is a great project for you and the kiddos.

Labels: diy, christmas

DIY Tutorial Link - Geometric Necklace

Love the tribal almost art deco look of this.

 

You can head on over to Liv Lig Online to see how to make one of your own.

DIY Tutorial Link - Aluminum Lanterns

I think these would look great in my new house. Find out how to make your own over at Family Circle.

DIY Tutorial Link - Tree

Love this! Blingy Trees!
Find out how to make your own over at Sweet C Designs.

DIY Tutorial Link - White Feather Tree

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Weekend!
Since most people are probably in holiday decorating I figured I would share this cute and chic white feather tree. It’s done using marabou feather boas, so you wouldn’t have to make it white. How about a hot pink feather tree?

To learn how to make your own head on over to Centsational Girl to read the tutorial.

Labels: DIY

Shop Handmade for the Holidays

On top of my crazy week last week, I spent this past weekend trying get everything I have made listed in my two shops in preparation for my Holiday Sale. From now until December 4th use the code “GIVETHANKS” to receive 40% off your total purchase. You can use this code while buying Jen Ell’s Revenge from two different places. One is Store Envy, which I am using until I can figure out Zen Cart, and the other of course is Etsy. Everything you see above (and more) can be found on Store Envy. Everything below, along with a bunch of necklaces have been added to Etsy.

 

You can also use the code at my kid’s store, Ankle Biter Apparel, and receive 40% off!

Enjoy you’re Thanksgiving weekend, and holiday shopping. I will be spending mine packing since we are moving soon.

Happy Thanksgiving!

DIY Tutorial Link - Glitter Button Down

The Frugalista Diaries created this super cute glitter button down. Love the reworking of a classic.

Find out how to make your own here.

DIY Tutorial Link – Canvas Portrait

Sorry for the break in posting. To say that my past week has been difficult would probably be considered an understatement by some, so let’s just say that I needed I needed a little breather thanks to life. In the midst of all the crazy it has been decided that we are moving, so my newly re-decorated living room was apparently redecorated for no reason at all. The fun part is, I get to decorate all over again, and I may even have more wall space for projects like this:

Today, I found this little gem of a tutorial. Creating your own canvas portrait. I think this would be awesome using some of our wedding pictures and some of the shots I took in Vegas. When I finally get around to doing it I will be sure to show it off. Check it out over at A Beautiful Mess.