iLTC Designer Challenge: DIY Shorts

This past month our in-house iLoveToCreate designers participated in a fun DIY shorts challenge. All our designers picked up shorts from Target in the color and style of their choice.  From there, everyone was allowed to use their favorite Aleene's and Tulip products from iLoveToCreate.  Everyone came up with something totally all their own!  Check out the designs and click on the links below each to find the full tutorial for each!

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Grumpy Cat Shorts DIY

Grumpy Cat really cracks me up, so for the iLoveToCreate designer shorts challenge, I took Grumpy Cat to the next level on a pair of shorts.  I've created Grumpy Cat on a shirt and on a ceramic necklace, but I thought it would be really funny to "grumpify" a pair of shorts. Here's what I did...

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DIY Phone Case - Vintage Junk Jewelry

 

Check out the DIY iPhone case I made with vintage junk jewelry.  I'm not usually a girlie girl, but sometimes you just need pearls, rhinestones, charms and buttons, right? 

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Watermelon Tie Dye Shorts DIY

I love experimenting with tie dye.  There's so many looks you can create with it.  I've been looking online a lot and have been seeing some cool fashions with the watermelon motif for a fun summer look.  I knew I had to get out the Tulip One-Step Tie Dyes and try it for myself.  I'm super stoked about the results using the white denim. Here's how you can get the look too...

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How to make a Fabric Flower Leather Cuff

I don't know what makes me happier, real flowers or fabric flowers. Today I will be showing you how I made a leather cuff with dyed fabric flowers on it. Did I mention the fabric flowers were tie-dyed with my favorite shade of pink? I am really enjoying showing everyone the different ways you can bring tie dye into your life aside from the traditional T-Shirt. With today's craft I wanted to combine an edgy style with a little shabby chic. Let's get started!

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DIY Tiki Fabric Lampshade

Turn a tired old lampshade into a mid century modern inspired DIY Tiki Fabric Lampshade with this cheap and easy project!  We bought this lampshade at Ikea years and years ago.  Alas, it got a tear in it on our last move.  No worries, Aleene's Fabric Fusion made quick work of giving this sad old lampshade a much needed makeover.  Avalon is redesigning her room with a beach theme, I had this kitschy pin up boys fabric from a project in one of my books several years ago.  You can easily find Tiki or mid century inspired fabrics on the internet or at craft and fabric shops, bark cloth would be fabulous here!  Avalon and her Dad made this project while I was out of town on business and I have to say, they did a smash up job!  

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52 weeks of Art Plates with Laura Fraedrich: Weeks 23-27

Greetings, iLoveToCreate® blog fans! I am excited to share the next few plates in my Art Plate series with you today!

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How to: Paint a Cityscape with Tape

Though my motivation was nursery decor (inspired particularly by my son's love for taxis and trucks -- hey, we live in Brooklyn!), this technique could easily be applied to any shapes that benefit from a grid-like treatment -- like robots, or alphabet tiles, or basic shapes. I was inspired by the geometry of the landscape where we live, but your cityscape could be urban or rural (or suburban, for that matter!). The tape technique works like any resist--I love the batik-like result, and the effect, as I mentioned, could be applied to any subject matter, to suit any room in the house!

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Leather & Studs Shorts DIY

As a part of our DIY shorts challenge in our design studio, I wanted to use my favorite Aleene's glues to make some shorts that had a little edge to them! I've been addicted to studs and spikes as of late...I did add spikes all over my iPhone after all! When paired with some faux leather, studs immediately give off a rocker vibe that I just love to pieces.  So why not rebel against the plain Jane shorts everyone else is wearing and make your own pair...here's how! 

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Home Goods Fabric Covered Ottoman Hack

I spend way too much time in Home Goods. Like the cashiers know me by name. Recently they have had a lot of fabulous items from India that have been catching my eye. Case in point, this ottoman. Problem was the ottoman is $70. The rugs are $7. I kept thinking their had to be a way to make my own version and I was right.

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DIY Bracelets

A girl can never have too many bracelets! 

Last week I led a bracelet-decorating craft for some kids and the whole time, all I could think about was getting home so I could make my own! Here are three ideas I came up with. I think this is a really fun idea to do with your girlfriends or cousins. Just put out a bunch of bracelets and all kinds of Aleene's glues and lots of beads, ribbons, markers, gems and stuff like that. Have everyone design their own bracelet!

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DIY Jeans with Printed Cuffs

 

Sometimes a simple solution can be the best, I love the subtle color and pattern on these DIY Jeans with Printed Cuffs. For those who don’t want to wear an allover printed pair of jeans this is a perfect solution. A subtle pop of color at the ankles adds an unexpected touch and just the right amount of color. Combine them with this seasons brightly colored jeans, you'll have a fun and on trend pair of DIY Jeans with Printed Cuffs.

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DIY Nautical Sailor Shorts & Belt DIY

We always have something new and exciting going on here at iLoveToCreate and instead of coordinating the craft designer projects and schedules like I normally do, I got to be the designer for a day! The entire design studio was challenged to create a pair of DIY shorts and I got to join in! Since I love all things nautical..anchors, lobsters, ropes, seahorses, etc., I knew I wanted to add that flair to my shorts!  Here's how you can unleash your inner Gilligan and make your own sea-worthy pair along with a super easy-to-make rope & ribbon belt!

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DIY Candy Crush Sandals

 

True Craft Confession: I bought these plastic gems at Michaels a few weeks back with plans to use them for a mosaic inspired fashion DIY.  I've had these espadrilles for a while, but I never wear them because they're kind of boring.  It wasn't until I took the pics of the finished sandals that I realized they look just like Candy Crush Saga!  Too fun!  The colors here are vibrant, not quite neon, but very punched up.  You could use clear foil backed stones for a totally different effect. I tried a variety of adhesives, but the best by far was Aleene's 7800. It sets quickly and it's thick, so the stones don't slip around on the straps while they dry.  Take your time and work methodically.  I tried picking the stones up and dipping them in the glue, but I found that spreading the glue on with a crayon and placing them by hand worked best.  When you finish, just shave off the end and your crayon will be back in business! 

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Typography Denim Shorts DIY Tutorial

Over the next few weeks, we plan on sharing with you some fun DIY shorts designs that our design team and creative folks here at iLoveToCreate came up with on the fly.  Our whole team had so much fun dreaming up ways to create some wildly cool shorts and each of us went for a totally different look.  I was going for a super fun distressed typography look for mine, since I'm part graphic designer in my social media job :)  I'm a super messy designer by nature, so if I can do them, you can too!!

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Tie Dye Your Summer Demonstrations at Hobby Lobby

Have you seen the abundance of tie-dye fashion this summer and wondered how to do it yourself? Or do you think that tie-dye is messy and time-consuming? Squash those fears and learn the basics of tie-dye each Saturday at select Hobby Lobby sores around the country. Beginning tomorrow, designers at select Hobby Lobby Stores will demonstrate the Tulip One-Step Tie-Dye Kit, sharing their tips and techniques to easy summertime tie-dye fun! Tie Dye Your Summer at Hobby Lobby tomorrow!!

Click HERE to see our full schedule of demos and if one is going on in your neighborhood.

Glittered Tie-Dye Totes

Last month I helped run a booth for the Tie-Dye Your summer campaign and we had leftover totes. These weren't normal boring totes, they were really nice ones - fully lined with a big roomy area for decorating. I knew I wanted to dye them, but to give them even more personality, I added some glittered elements! Here is a video I made showing the process! It was really fun!

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Cute Tie-Dyed Undies Tutorial

Woot Woot for Summer Undies! Because I love Tie Dye I figured I would push things a little further by adding some color to my plain undies. I realize I am now a true "tie dye addict" but this was the most fun I had with dye in a long time. Why wear boring undies when you can add some flare to them. Don't get me wrong there are ton's of cute undies out there but being able to transform a boring white pair into a fashionable statement piece is priceless. Plus, did I mention how much fun this is? I wonder if I could wear these as a bathing suit bottom. Let's get started!

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DIY Embellished Retro Sunglasses

We're loving the embellished sunglasses trend from the Spring/Summer runways.  These 3-D glasses give a generous nod to the cat's eye glasses from the 1950s and early 1960s.   They let you step out a little bit into Funky Town without taking up permanent residence.

 and

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DIY Dip Dye Skirt

Create a cute and breezy Dip Dye Skirt for summer with inexpensive fabric and Tulip’s Liquid Dye. I love using unexpected materials for projects (this fabric is actually for home furnishings), but the print was so cute all I could think of was making something to wear out of it. This is the first time I’ve tried Tulip’s Liquid Dye and I think I’m a convert! This stuff is amazing! The best part is how quickly you get a great strong color and there’s very little to rinse out! It’s so easy to use, you’re going to love it too!

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Get fun tie dye techniques and inspiration over at Kollabora today!

 We've partnered up with the cool DIY site Kollabora for an exclusive post all about tie dye inspiration!  See how to get the hottest fashion looks you are seeing online and in department stores, but for much less!

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Logo Bag to Fun Tote

Bags and totes are a lot like shoes; you can never have too many of them.  While I enjoy a free bag, I don't necessarily like bags with big logos or advertising on them.  So, here's a simple solution to make a logo bag into a fun, useable tote.

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Altered Tie-Dye T-Shirt Challenge - The Results

Last week, we featured four amazing projects by our talented group of iLoveToCreate bloggers.  We decided to round up all these awesome projects so you can see how many different looks you can get from the same Tulip One-Step Tie-Dye Kit and plain white Gildan T-shirt.  As you can see, all our bloggers created truly inspired creations, each with their own individual style.

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Striped, Strapless No-Sew T-Shirt, DIY.

I have been trying to come up with new, no sew T- shirts in different styles, and while I was experimenting on a no sew skirt this weekend,  I came up with this cute no sew strapless shirt. 

I used Tulip Neon Fabric Sprays to help me create a beautiful stripped pattern. 

You could wear this with your favorite jeans, shorts or even use it  as a beach cover up. 

The best part is there is no sewing involved.

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Mixed Media - How to Get the Entire Family Involved

I have had this giant canvas living in my garage for quite sometime. I spotted the picture at a Goodwill and thought: "one day I will do something with this". With my impending move it was time to make a life choice. I can't pack and move every "maybe one day" item in my garage. It was too hot to play outside so I decided to play mixed media in the AC with the kids instead.

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Altered Tie-Dye T-shirt Challenge Featuring Megan of Generation T

While most fringe T-shirts have the fringe tailing off the bottom, I went with horizontal fringe on this one. The side fringe gives nice movement and flow to the tee, and it's a great project for making a slightly-too-big T-shirt into a just-right T-shirt. Add a touch of ombre tie-dye, and it's a perfect summertime staple. Throw it over your bathing suit, and head beachward!

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