Last week, TODAY.com kicked off its first TODAY DIY Style Week and I’m happy to report that the response was overwhelming. I was able to share one of my favorite “fashion foiling” projects and four of our favorite all-star bloggers, including Erica Domesk of PS I Made This; Kristen Turner of Glitter and Glue; Jenni Radosevich of I Spy DIY; and Geneva Vanderzeil of A Pair & A Spare, shared their easy and inexpensive ideas as well.
In addition, we challenged you, the viewers, to submit your clever, crafty ideas and we received over 500 responses. I was given the difficult task of choosing a winner, but first I wanted to highlight a few of my favorite runner-ups:
UpCycling
Aside from being good for your wallet, DIY can also be great for the environment and there are countless ways to rethink, reuse, and reinvent items you already own. I was particularly impressed with what Anna Brones was able to create out of an old bike tube. Using a clean tube, a scissors, an X-acto knife, jewelry pliers and earring wires, she created a one-of-a kind pair of chic “bike tube” earrings.
Honorable mention also goes to Rio Lopez’s Stone Polished Ring, Yuka Yoneda’s Credit Card Nameplate Necklace and Elyse Hutchinson’s Gift Card Necklace
Forward-thinking fashion
Everyone has a hand-me-down skirt laying around or an old pair of shoes that they no longer wear but can’t bear to part with. These items may seem ready for the trash, but with a little ingenuity, you can give your old favorites a facelift. Veronika Placek turned an old suede skirt into an on-trend envelope bag using a gold chain from the hardware store, high strength glue, a plastic place mat, some lining fabric and a few stitches.
Honorable mention also goes to Yuka Yoneda’s Glow in the Dark Shoes, and Hrisoula Gatzogiannis' Bejeweled Shoes.
Home decor
Some of the most inventive ideas submitted were for the home. A smart and easy way to spruce up your wine glasses, Cara Mundy suggested applying chalkboard paint to the bases, adding another element to otherwise clear, boring flutes. The final result will also give your guests a way to identify which drink belongs to them.
Honorable mention also goes to Alexcia Patterson's FireFly Pouch and Jessica Hill's Thumback Nightstand.
And the winner is... Christina Child and her clay fringe necklace! Congrats to Christina and check out the step-by-step instructions on how to make your own version of her unique design.
Winner: Colorblock fringe bib necklace, by Christina Child of Make It Make It
Materials:
- Polymer clay
- Jump rings
- Clasp and chain
- Pliers
- Dremel tool or needle
- Clay cutter blade
- Rolling pin
- Baking sheet
- Wood block
1. Use pasta roller or rolling pin to roll out a length of clay – not too thin, several millimeters is best. (Ultimately you'll want this piece to be as long as you want the bib to be.)
2. Using a clay blade, trim clay into a large rectangle, then smaller rectangles. I find it best to do this step on the sheet you'll be baking on to prevent the clay from becoming misshapen. If you don't own a dremel, now is the time to pierce holes in the clay which will be used to secure the fringes to the chain.
3. Bake. (Note: often, clay color will change a bit after baking so be prepared for that. And mine tends to bubble a tiny bit sometimes.)
4. After cooling, use a dremel tool to drill holes in each piece of baked clay. Make sure you drill on a piece of wood or scrap piece of something (I use the back of a wooden cutting board). Also, you may want to wear glasses and a mask as this step creates a fair amount of dust.
5. Lay out your design and figure out your spacing. Begin attaching pieces of clay to the length of chain, making sure to keep the chain from twisting as you go.
6. Attach clasp and finish! The possibilities are endless!
Love this necklace but too lazy to DIY? You can also order it at Etsy.
More: See more from TODAY DIY Style Week