Pick a DIY idea, We'll make it!

in the pic from left: Chic Steals - Dare to DIY - Matter Of Style - Inspiration&Realisation - La vie en rose - Chic Cheat - Cut out+keep

What do you want to see diy-ed?  It's time to be loud about it!
7 DIY bloggers are here to work for you!
Is there a fashion must have you're dying to have? Pin it on the "Pick your DIY" pinterest board, the most voted will become a DIY tutorial.
Voting will be open for two weeks.
Pin the must haves you would like to see diy-ed
Vote the images on the board with a like or re-pin.
Most voted ones will become a DIY tutorial.


Here's how to enter:

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Why do you have to follow me first? It's just how public pinterest boards work, If you don't follow me I just can't invite you. :(

Join the fun, let's get inspired by each other! :D


C'è un capo o un accessorio di moda che assolutamente deve essere vostro e di cui vorreste che esistesse un tutorial?
Sette DIY bloggers sono qui per lavorare per voi.
Accedete alla bacheca di Pinterest "Pick your DIY" e inserite i vostri must haves nella lista, i più votati diventeranno un tutorial fai da te.
Per partecipare 

1. seguitemi su Pinterest
2. mandatemi un'email così potrò invitarvi a inserire contributi in bacheca
3. Divertitivi a caricare contributi e a votate quelli già caricati di cui vorreste vedere un tutorial 

Perchè dovete seguirmi su Pinterest? Purtroppo se non mi seguite non posso invitarvi ad editare la bacheca (ma potete comunque votare), la richiesta è legata al funzionamento delle bacheche pubbliche di Pinterest.

16 Valentine's day budget friendly crafty ideas

post it heart wall decoration via Maurice &King

Here's some creative and nice ideas to make Valentine's day special on a budget. Most of these come with a tutorial, click on the link under the images to find the instructions.

More Valentine's day diy ideas here.

paper heart chain via Make Craft

heart nails via Weheart it

Knitted heart via Outsapop

String Love wall art by Que Linda

Yarn love letters via Apartament therapy

easy Heart origami by Sausage jar

Hanging heart decoration by Sausage Jar

 This frame is a hot pad taken from the kitchen, I think it's brilliant!

Foxy favor fox via P.S. blog

How cute is this box? Adorable!

Heart patches jumper via One Sheepish girl

Love elbow patches are still cute, these are embroidered.

clever Valentine's day card via Interesting - Innovative things

chalkboard paint over match box via Keeping notes

Heart paper clips by How About Orange

so easy and cute!

Danish heart basket  by Rad Megan

Sequin love Pillow via Dressing Ken

A beauty idea coming for Valentine's day straight from the runway; these crystal lips are from Dior Couture spring 2013 show and are made with cristals, the homemade version with glitters applied over lipgloss or lipstick can be nice too.

TRUST THE VOICES

by Davyne DeSye

My family thinks I’m nuts – the benign, harmless kind of nuts – because I hear voices in my head. It came to the fore one time when I was writing, madly banging away at the keyboard, when one of them interrupted me with mundane household question. I don’t recall the question. My response was, “Hush, hush, give me a minute. They’re talking and if I don’t get it all down, I’ll miss it. They won’t just come back later and say it all again for me.”

And then I was back to it, and it wasn’t long before I had managed to “transcribe” the conversation.

Yes, if you have developed a character well enough in your head, if you know what motivates them, they’ll do all the work for you.

This is true whether you are the kind of writer who starts writing a story with nothing more than an intriguing first line or idea, or whether you are of the plot/outlining ilk. If you have developed a character that will truly stand out from the page, he or she will do all the work. You won’t have to wonder what they will say, or how they will react under certain stimuli, or why they seem to misunderstand a situation. They tell you. They do it. You just have to get it down.

Thomas Harris described much the same process in his “Forward to a Fatal Interview” which appeared in a reprinting of his novel, Red Dragon. In that forward he explains how he first “met” his character, Hannibal Lecter.

The question then becomes how best or how most easily to develop your character to the point where they are bearing the load. One of my favorite tools for this is to “interview” the character – to ask questions about the character that will help you to understand who they are. Most of the information you garner will not make it into the story, but will help you transfer the workload from your shoulders to theirs. Of course, you have to ask questions like: What is your name? Age? Sex? Are you tall or short, brunette or bald, thin or fat? Do you walk with a limp? (Why?) But you can also ask more interesting questions, like: What was the happiest moment in your life? The worst? What fears wake you up at night (or do you always sleep peacefully)? What do you keep in your refrigerator? What do you use for transportation? What do you do with your hands when you are thinking/nervous/happy? What trinket (or piece of furniture, or tool) do you keep because it means something to you? What are your hobbies or phobias? What good or bad habits do you have?

When you interview your characters, be an investigative reporter – follow the leads your character gives you. You wouldn’t ask the same questions of a Hollywood star that you’d ask of an old woman living on scraps in an abandoned building. The character (and the story) will dictate some of the questions, or even the number of questions.

Once you’ve finished your interview, you’ll find that you are more interested in your character, that your character is richer than you initially imagined. You’ll find you can hear their voice in your head. When you set them loose, even within the framework you’ve constructed for them, you’ll notice that they do all the walking, thinking, jumping… and talking for you.

Trust the voices.

Davyne (pronounced "DAH-vee-ANN") DeSye was born to foreign royalty and spent her youth traveling among various countries assisting in her parents' efforts to acquire and refurbish old world castles. Davyne left her parents and their lives forever upon learning that she was born an orphan and was merely the subject of a nurture vs. nature experiment. She still loves to travel, although she tends to avoid visiting castles.

She now lives in Colorado with her husband and five children.

(Or at least that's the story this month...)

Davyne's stories have been published in, or will soon be appearing in Tomorrow, Daily Science Fiction, Penumbra eMag, MindFlights, Tales of the Talisman, Foliate Oak, and Nth Degree.

To learn more about Davyne, please visit her website.

The dream of Couture, is it over?

Dior 2011 Couture fall 2010/2011 designed by John Galliano - Dior spring 2013 Couture designed by Raf Simons

The fashion month is about to start. In a few days we'll learn everything about future trends.

But before ready to wear walks the runway fashion stopped over Paris for Couture shows. A disconnected calendar marks the difference between the two worlds: high fashion on one side, ready to wear on another. Or maybe not. We can guess that wind is changing watching Dior couture show in which the theatrical and spectacular design by John Galliano has been replaced by a more wearable Couture signed by Raf Simons. 

Simons spoken about bringing more reality to couture (source of information style.com), like saying that couture is dated and needs to be reinvented.

Dior is not the only one who chose simplicity on the runway; maybe this new mood wants to make couture more understandable and justifiable to the eyes of clients.

Is there still a place for exaggerated dresses or wealthy women prefer precious, but pratical clothes?

Dior announced that sales of its couture collections went up by 24% in 2012 (source of information fashionologie) proof that Simons design is a winning one.

Moreover what kind of fashion can couture be if nobody wears it, is that something wrong if it tries to please its growing base of clients?

Couture is freedom of creativity, says Franca Sozzani Director of Vogue Italia in her blog. There is no industry asking for the figures. It’s sheer experimentation. This is why when I see too many compromises I feel disappointed.
It’s like having a dream knowing you have limitations. What kind of dream can that be?

Is the dream of Couture over?

The age of pure experimentation and free creativity might be arrived to an end.

For years fashion houses invested money to deliver the dream of couture.

Even with record sales we don't make any money out of it, said once Jean Paul Gaultier.

Even with high price tags Couture dresses are sold below cost prices (source Fashion Telegraph). So why is still going on?

Haute couture is what gives our business its essential essence of luxury, says Bernard Arnault in 2010, the head of LVMH. The cash it soaks up is largely irrelevant. Set against the money we lose has to be the value of the image couture gives us (source Fashion Telegraph).

Couture can't be a surrogate of ready to wear, says Giorgio Armani in an interview to m.o.d.a. If it has to be high fashion you have to take the risks of making a special fashion. Couture is for the woman that wants to stand out among other women, it's not democratic.

Do you love the new simplicity?

Is this couture modern and fresh or looks too similar to ready to wear collections?

Is there still a place for the dream of elegance or it's time to move on now that brands like J.Crew and H&M decided to show their collections during fashion weeks? (source fashionologie)

What do you think?

Il mese delle fashion week è ai nastri di partenza e in pochi giorni scopriremo tutto sulle tendenze di domani. Prima ancora che il pret a porter scenda in passerella la moda ha già fatto tappa a Parigi per le sfilate di Haute Couture. Il calendario, distante dalle altre sfilate sottolinea la distanza dei due mondi: da un lato c'è l'alta moda, elitaria e sofisticata, dall'altro il pret a porter. O forse no. Che ci sia aria di cambiamento si capisce guardando la sfilata di Dior dove il design spettacolare di John Galliano lascia il passo alla couture firmata Raf Simons, più indossabile e più vicina al pret a porter di quanto non sia mai stata.

L'obiettivo di Raf Rimonsè quello di riportare la couture alla realtà (fonte dell'informazione style.com) come dire che il linguaggio della couture è datato e va reinventato e  Dior non è l'unico ad aver portato in passerella una nuova semplicità, un tentativo forse di rendere la Couture più comprensibile ed appetibile agli occhi dei compratori.

C'è ancora spazio per vestiti esagerati e spettacolari o le donne che comprano alta moda preferiscono abiti preziosi ma più pratici? Il design di Raf Simons sembra essere quello vincente visto che Dior  ha registrato un aumento del 24% delle vendite di capi di alta moda nell'ultimo anno(fonte fashionologie).

D'altra parte la moda è tale solo se viene indossata, che male c'è ad andare incontro ai gusti dei clienti?

L'alta moda è sperimentazione pura, scrive nel suo blog il Direttore di Vogue Italia Franca Sozzani, creatività in libertà e nessuna industria che reclami i numeri. Per questo quando vedo troppi compromessi sono delusa. È come sognare pensando che esistono dei limiti. Che sogno è?

E' finito il sogno della Couture?

Il tempo della sperimentazione pura, di Couture come esercizio creativo slegato dalle imposizioni di mercato potrebbe essere finito. Per anni le case di moda hanno investito denaro per nutrire quell'immaginario di lusso ed esclusività irraggiungibile che l'alta moda rappresenta.

Non si guadagna con la Couture, spiegava Jean Paul Gaultier, i costi di produzione dell'alta moda spesso superano i ricavi ma l'Haute Couture è quello che dà alla moda l'essenza del lusso, affemava nel 2010 Bernard Arnault a capo di LVMH, i soldi che spendiamo sono irrilevanti confrontati con il valore d'immagine che la couture ci restituisce.  (fonte Fashion Telegraph).

Non si deve considerare la Couture un surrogato del pret a porter, spiega Giorgio Armani nell'intervista rilasciata am.o.d.a. di La7. L'alta moda deve essere tale con tutti i rischi che comporta fare un'alta moda speciale. L'alta moda  è per quella donna che vuole azzerare le altre, non è democratica evidentemente. 

Quella che avanza è una nuova alta moda,  più essenziale ed aggiornata o rischia di diventare un doppione del pret a porter?

C'è ancora spazio per il sogno dell'eleganza o bisogna guardare avanti ora che brand come H&M e J. Crew decidono di presentare le loro collezioni in passerella durante le fashion week di pret a porter?

Confidence as a Work in Progress

by Christopher Cornell

Ask most writers about self-confidence and be prepared for heavy sighs. The industry is set up to accommodate failure more often than not, and even the most confident artist or wordsmith must deal with disappointment on a regular basis. The road to every acceptance is paved with rejection slips. Judging by several conversations with well-established professionals, the struggle does not end with a bestseller or glowing reviews. And, in this most solitary of pursuits, the need for positive reinforcement is readily apparent.

This problem is near and dear to me as I make strides toward becoming a professional writer. Maintaining enthusiasm is often harder than turning out a good read. Here are a few things I’ve learned from thoughtful others (or am attempting to learn, in spite of myself):

Write, write, write. Submit, submit, submit. The more you write, the less attached you become to each individual word. The more material you submit to markets, the less those individual “no thank you” letters matter. (Also, the more chances you have for an acceptance. Sounds logical, but I have to remind myself every so often.)

Remember the good. Keep good feedback on hand to pull out when the sea of rejections and bad notices reaches a high tide.

Have confidence in the reader. When you’re creating an entire world on the page, it’s easy to get caught up in wanting to convey every detail. Readers appreciate bring allowed to figure things out for themselves. And it’s okay for the story to hold different meaning for someone else. Of course, too much/not enough is a delicate balance. But once achieved, they’ll respect you.

Constructive criticism for the win. When someone tells you what doesn’t work for them as a reader, they are helping you strengthen your work. As long as noted problems are specific and fixable, everyone wins. “It sucks” doesn’t help, but “I lost interest at this point” certainly does.

People will hate your work. This can’t be helped. As a colleague recently impressed upon me, wanting to be liked by everyone is the mark of an amateur. Do what you do, and find your audience. Everyone else can read something else, and it’s just fine.

The interwebs are best served with a grain of salt. It’s a fact that people who are dissatisfied with something are far more likely to express their feelings. And sometimes it gets ugly. The perceived anonymity of the internet encourages some to indulge in behavior they wouldn’t dream of in person. (As an artist friend noted, “Whenever I start feeling too good about myself, I read reviews online.”) You know the drill: don’t feed the trolls. And don’t stoop to that level in return.

Write what you enjoy. If you love your work, others will, too. Then the trick becomes finding those others.

Failing that, Scotch works well. In moderation.

Christopher Cornell is a writer, musician, interface developer and somnambulist in California's East Bay. He has also studied film and television, and is a graduate of the Viable Paradise writers' workshop.

More information and inane anecdotes can be found on his website and on Twitter.

Heart and arrow love ring DIY

Valentine's day love ring diy

Valentine's day is approaching, do you feel romance in the air? Not yet? Get in the mood crafting this little wire love ring for yourself or as a gift for your girlfriend.

More Valentine's day diy ideas here.

Make Baroque jeans and speed up your DIY with a simple trick

Balmain inspired baroque jeans DIY + free pattern

Balmain inspired baroque jeans DIY

Excess, luxe, in a word baroque. We all liked Balmain collection heavily covered with pearls. Luxurious, but also contemporary thanks to a western vibe. Those magnificent dresses required hundreds of hours to be made, each pearl has been sewed by expert hands. Don't worry there is a way to do it at home cutting down the time needed to embellish a cloth baroque style thanks to a simple trick, one of the diyers best friend: the ball chain. No bead stringing is needed and neither sewing pearls one by one. Ball chain can be cut anywhere just put it down your cloth and fasten it with a stitch every couple of beads or so and the result is a resistant decoration. If you have the beading foot for the sewing machine you can also sew the ball chain directly on the cloth with zig zag stich.

 Like the decoration on my jeans? Get my free pattern and  

follow the step by step tutorial on style.it

Had fun with ball chain? See more DIY project with ball chain here.