JUST... DO IT YOURSELF! (IPAD COVER EDITION)

So, what do you do when you see something you like, but don't feel like paying lots and lots of $$$$/€€€€/££££/.... (whatever currency)? Well, easy: you just DIY.

You see, this was my problem. I'd gotten an iPad a few weeks ago, but didn't really know where to put it in for protection. Of course, there are those nifty 'smart covers' but I'd rather have something that protects front AND back. So I went looking for something online. I found a couple of covers that fit the bill but they all had one thing in common: they were rather pricey.

The one I liked the most was this one by Kenton Sorenson on Mjölk. It's not a very tricky design so I thought I'd just try it out (first with a piece of cloth and finally with a piece of suede I found on etsy). And it actually turned out pretty ok. The suede I used is not as thick as the leather on the original so that makes mine really more of a cover than the original portfolio but in the end it's exactly what I was looking for. Hooray!




Now for the interesting part: a little how-to guide. (I promise you it's easy, took me 15 minutes!)
I made a really quick sketch to show you what you'll need to do (but watch out: this is JUST a sketch, not an actual pattern!) black lines is where you'll need to cut, red dotted lines is where you'll need to sew the 2 parts together (I only drew it on 1 side, but obviously you'll need to do both sides).



The tie has a little slit on one side, so what you do is you pull the end with the slit in it through the 2 little slits on the cover and then you pull the other end of the tie through the slit of the tie so you get a little loop that secures the tie to the cover without any actual sewing. If that was too complicated, you can just as well sew the tie straight to the cover too.

IARTIST

(This is a scheduled post, so don't expect too much of it, but I'll be back soon, no worries no worries! For those already enjoying their summer vacation, have fun!)

What to do when you have a lot of time on your hands? Why, DIY art of course! And not just any art, no, masterpieces! iArtist london has made it quite easy: you order the box of the artist of your choice and you'll be able to make your own personalized copy of an original master. Sounds easy, right? You can choose between artists Damien Hirst (For the love of God), Mark Quinn (Self), Tracy Emin (Everyone I have Ever slept with), Rachel Whiteread (Pink Torso) & Banksy graffiti - all are British artists of course.
For example, let's take a look at the Damien Hirst box (the 'iHirst'), containing everything you'll need for his work "For the love of God". I'm sure a lot of you have already seen this before (take a peek below), it's so famous it even has its own Wikipedia page (here).


"For the love of God" by Damien Hirst

Now, this is what's inside the box 'iHirst':




All images from iArtist london

Note how the box says: "Some assembly required", haha. This'll keep you entertained for months! I'm not a fan of 'bedazzling' things at all (gee, the only rhinestone I own is stuck on the button of my favourite pair of jeans, and believe me - I've tried EVERYTHING to get it off), but this looks fun, right?

If you have some time on your hands and need a little project, be sure to check out the rest of the artist boxes and HAVE FUN!

COUNTDOWN

One of my favourite shops is COS (as a matter of fact, I'm wearing a COS dress right now!) and I just realised I haven't made a single post about them on my entire blog! Shame on me...
Anyway, counting down to Christmas, COS asked a few of their friends to create DIY ideas -perfect for giveaways- which they will be sharing on a daily basis until Christmas. Maybe some kind of modern day Advent Calender? I like it.



The countdown started exactly a week ago and so far, this is my favourite:

Ball chain bracelet by Tove Christensen






You need: 18cm ball chain (hardware shop), 125 cm nylon string (haberdashery shop), scissors

1. Knot the string onto the ball chain, leave a piece of string before the first knot.
2. Tie one knot between each ball, make sure you tie the knot the same way every time.
3. Cut the string to approximately 8cm at each end.
4. Voilà - tie on wrist.

Easy stuff, right? I'll be visiting my local hardware store for some ball chain, that's for sure.

Visit the COS website for more ideas!