DIY recycled gift wrap! (Bow style)

Hi there! Well, today I want to share with you a little DIY I made for a gift I got for my boyfriend. He is starting College this week and will study economics, so I thought a Moleskine was the best thing to get him! 

Well, now to the DIY, I normally make my own gift wrapping paper and sometimes the bows toobecause I think it gives a more personal touch to the gift; like an extra "I got this specially for you". So this is what I made for him, hope you like it!

For this DIY you'll need:

• markers or pens (to decorate your paper)
• recycled paper, such as Old newspaper, magazines, or extra paper (I used the leftovers I cut out whenever I make a drawing/painting!)
• Scissors 
• Making tape 
• And the gift you want to wrap!

For this one, I chose a page of a newspaper I liked, so I tore it and used it to wrap the moleskine notebook.

This is the fun part! I used some leftover paper I had from older paintings and drew vertical stripes with my markers! Any pattern is great, I did mine like that because the notebook has a yellow detail on the cover, and I thought it would be cool for them to match!
1. Start by drawing your pattern on the paper
2. Cut 8 long stripes (long enough to go around your gift) and 2 small ones. (we'll use these later)
3. Turn your strips upside down and join the ends in the center with masking tape or transparent sticky tape.
4. Put each piece over another until you have the shape of a star or an asterisk.
5. Staple them very carefully in the center.

For the center:
1. Take one of the smaller pieces and paste the edges making the shape of drop.
2. With the other piece make a little bow. (like the individual ones of the star)
3. Attach the small bow inside of the drop and then tape it to the top of the bow to cover the staple.

Once you are done is time to cover the rest of the gift to give the apareance of a complete bow:
1. First, take the remaining strips and tape them froming a cross on top of your gift.
2. Place your bow on the center and you are done!

Ta Da! Now you have a cute and recycled wrapping for your gift! I think this is a great way to customize your gifts and also re-use the paper we have! I normally do this, and have different "Styles" for it, so this is just one of a series. I really hope you liked it! (Hopefully my boyfriend does too!)

Lots of love, Monica.

DIY Abstract cases

Hi there! Well, it's been a while since we don't have some DIY time, so I did this little case project for all of you. It is super simple, and looks really pretty. (I also love mixing colors with palette knifes! They look so pretty in the process.)  

Okay, so this is what you'll need: 1. Palette knifes (if you don't have any, you can use a ruler!) 2. Clear cellphone case. 3. Scissors 4. Acrylic paint

1. Copy the shape of your case onto a white piece of paper (it is just a regular piece of paper, you don't need any special art or Fabriano paper :) Then, just make a spotted line about half centimeter inside go the shape you marked previously. (This is to make the drawing fit easier into the clear case.) 

2. Turn your paper upside down (I messed up in mine) and then secure it to your table with some clear tape. This takes us to step three, which is mixing up our colors with the palette knifes. I made a little video for you so that it is easier to see how it is done: 

You can choose the colors you like! and put as many or mix it as you want to. I just love how it looks so pretty and is yet so spontaneous. (You never know how it is going to turn out!)

3. Let them dry for about 3 hours, or until the paper is flat again. 

4. Take the tape off and turn your pieces of paper around. Now you can cut the shape you previously marked and that's it! Place the paper facing the clear case and place your cellphone in. 

And that's it! You can use any color you want and even cut it in different shapes, it could be also a great idea for christmas, maybe mix some green, white, and red!  And the best is that you can change it as many times as you want, and you won't need to buy any new cases. I really hope you liked it! And if you do your own, please share with us on Instagram! 

Oh, and for those who read the post about the little project I had at school, I am really exited to show you the first patches we had made: 

What do you think? I think we'll remake the astronaut because of the letters, but hopefully I will be able to reopen my Etsy shop with some new patches! Thanks so much for reading, lots of love,
Monica.

DIY Upcycled Pet Bed

Hello there! It's DIY time!, (again, finally)

So today, I want to share with you a little idea I had to make little Remi a bed or pillow, so he can feel comfortable all day, and rest. (something that he mostly does all the time, besides playing and yawning) I decided to use some old pants we had, they didn't fit us anymore, and the fabric is just perfect for a small dog bed. So this is how you can do one for your own pet:

What you'll need: 
- Some old pants (you can use more or less pants depending on the size of your dog)
- Stuffing (also depends on the size of the bed)
- Fabric scissors
- Sewing machine, or needle and thread.

Steps: 
1. Extend the legs of the pants and align them.
2.  Cut both legs at the same height, and turn them over.
3. Put together the two ends of the fabric, (making the sizes match if they were bell bottom pants as mine)
4. Sew one of the sides completely.
5. You should get a long piece, like the one in the photo, turn it over again.
6. - 7.  Sew half of the fabric you have in that end, in the way the stitches are correct if you turn it the right side.
8. Sew the other part (here it is impossible to cover the stitches) and leave a space to stuff the pillow.
9.  Stuff your pillow/bed until you are happy with its shape.
10. Finally, use your needle and thread to sew the last part of the bed.

And there you go! You have a great upcycled bed for your little buddy.
I decided to add the name of little Remi to his bed.

My sister wanted it as a pillow, I guess it is another good use for it! If you like it it can also work as some sort of pillow (like those they sell for trips or for the airplanes!) In the end we gave it to Remi, at first he was a bit reluctant to go inside, but then he had a great time playing and getting used to his new bed/pillow!

So that's it, I really hope you like this idea, and do it for your pets!
Have an awesome day, lots of love. Monica

PS. I'm looking for new sponsors! So if you are interested, please check the sponsor page, and email me. I would love to swap adds with all those of you who want to :)

DIY deathly hallows shirt

Hello Hello! Well, today I want to share with you a really simple but cute tutorial. I am a Harry Potter lover, so the deathly hallows are one of the coolest things on earth (for me). I've always wanted a shirt like that, but I didn't find any, so I decided to do one by myself! You just need a white shirt, a fabric marker, a pair of rulers and a CD.

 

1. First start by placing your shirt over a box, so that the marker doesn't bleed to the other side of it. 2. Put the CD in the center. 3. Place the two rulers next to it trying to form a regular rectangle. 4. Mark with a pencil the places were the lines meet, and draw the circle of the CD with the marker. 5. Join the points with the marker, and draw a line on the center to finish it. I really hope you like it (: If you have any questions please let me know. Have a great weekend! xoxo. Monica

psst.. I'll be posting more normally -.- I gotta get myself out and do cute stuff for you :3

Simple braided hairstyle

Hi there!! Today I want to show you a simple and lovely way of styling your hair. You just need a hair clip, a small elastic band, and a pair of pretty braids.

1. Start by braiding one section of your hair, make sure that it covers the back of your head and secure it with the hair clip. 2. Make another braid on the other side and join it with the other one with the elastic band, and you are done! I guess this is a great hairstyle for school, or when you want to go out and there's not a lot of time for getting ready. You can always add a small bow or hair clip to make it look even prettier! Hope you like it (: Have a lovely day! xoxo. Monica