Month: June 2017

June 15, 2017 SanaSakinah 2 comments

Hey you guys!! *Waves* So I’m back with another awesome refashioning /upcycle DIY from another thrifted handbag. If you read and loved my first blog about the loads of jewelry I made out of a few of my old and thrifted handbags then I have another goodie in store for you!! I’m telling you I will never look at handbags the same way again lol. For this project I used only one handbag. It totally caught my eye while out thrifting recently due to all the beautiful embellishment and at a whopping 50 cents I Could Not pass up on this amazing little find. I knew I could put it to great use and that’s exactly what I did!!

 

So I loved the idea of using this gorgeous material from the handbag and putting it to use in some home decor. So I thought, “Why not make some decorative vases using glass bottles and the fabric?”.  For this project I used two different glass bottles and three old seltzer water bottles in all. The first bottle I used was a tall slender one. I first cut pieces of fabric for each of the bottles. I then simply used some E-6000 (industrial adhesive) and applied that directly to the glass and wrapped the material around the bottom of it. Pretty simple enough…Right?

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For the second type of bottle I used two altogether. These were shorter and more shapely so I didn’t use the same simple technique as the first bottle. For this particular one I once again applied the adhesive to the glass and then wrapped at a slight angle starting from the top. This one was definitely a little tricky because I could not simply wrap it down smoothly and evenly onto the actual form of the shapelier bottle. Therefore I did a little overlapping, draping and molding. As you can see I molded the bottom by pinching it into a  particular seashell-like shape and design.

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And there you have it…Voila!! A brand new  set of vases to decorate as you wish!! I chose to put flowers in the tall long slender one and keep the other two as complementary accompanying pieces. Check out the video below for an even closer look!!

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And of course I could not use this handbag for home decor alone when it just screams “Bling Bling”!! lol So it was only right to make a few jewelry pieces as well. The first thing I noticed on the bag was the side panels. The side panels had this Perfect soft V-shape and I immediately thought, “Statement Necklace Bib!!” So I simply cut out the shape from the bag and glued down all of the edges with fabric glue. After that I simply made holes on each side where I would connect the chain with the o-rings and clasp. And again…Voila!!

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Lastly I made a pair of earrings. Again very simple. I just cut out long pieces of the material and I begin to cut the ends into step-like blocks just to give them more of a design. After that I simply made my holes where I would connect my o-rings and fish hooks. And again…Easy Peasy!! I loved how these turned out looking like skyscrapers in the night. I call them my “upside down skyscrapers” earrings lol.

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Overall I really loved creating these pieces!!! They are so gorgeous and the material from the handbag did exactly what I thought it would do. Now I probably wouldn’t  normally wear both of the jewelry pieces together but for demonstration purposes I couldn’t resist being extra lol.

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I have one more piece of jewelry I may create with this last piece of material and I will probably post that one on my Instagram. What do you think it will be or what would you make…Hmmmm??

 

And to think I did all of this with a 50 cents bag?!? *Gasp* Never underestimate the value in something!! Welp…until next time folks!!! *Waves*

 

What I Used

Thrifted Handbag

Glass bottles

Fabric Glue

Industrial Strength Adhesive

Fish hooks

O-rings

Chain & Clasp

 

June 1, 2017 SanaSakinah 2 comments

So it’s sundress season, you love the look and feel of these lovely revealing dresses but you don’t want to necessarily show skin. So what’s a girl to do…Hmmmm??? Whether it’s because you want to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays, prevent the heat from beaming directly onto your skin or you just don’t want to uncover those portions of your body there’s a quick and easy fix for that. I love maxi sundresses but as a muslimah and hijabi covering takes precedence so stylish and cute coverups are always a must for me in these warmer months. 

For this look I decided to go with this blue spaghetti strapped maxi dress by Spense made out of a soft viscose fabric. I love the airiness and organic flow of this particular fabric. The A-line shape gives it that beautiful and subtle flare that works great with everyone’s shape and moves so elegantly. I adored the large paneled ruffle at the hem adding just an extra touch of femininity and movement in the overall dress. Sometimes the simple details in a dress is what actually makes it eye catching. The shape, fabric and minor details in the hem are what especially grabbed my attention to this dress. Furthermore, I love simple pieces in solid colors because they are the easiest to mix and match in various outfits. This dress is definitely one of those pieces.

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I went with this cropped khaki jacket as a coverup. It was suited towards the casual look I was aiming towards. The neutral shade of tan in the jacket worked really well playing the background while ensuring the colors in my dress and hijab would truly stand out and pop. If you wear a jacket in the warmer months it’s important that it’s breathable, lightweight and unlined. Also the pieces you wear it over being armless or backless don’t hurt either…makes for great air ventilation lol!!

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My hijab was an essential ingredient to this entire outfit…the color is everything!!! I’m loving everything about this emerald green this season. This is by far the best fabric in my honest opinion for a hijab. It’s made out of a stretchy non cotton jersey fabric and the drape of it is outstanding. You really can’t go wrong with this fabric because it’s really gorgeous and feels absolutely luxurious. Can’t you just tell this is my favorite hijab right now!? lol Anyways, I wanted another standout and stand alone color in my outfit and I thought this color alongside my royal blue dress worked just perfectly!!.

I tied my bag, shoes and earrings altogether with the same cognac color scheme. I love this color as a more dramatic yet still neutral accent because it has those rich and earthy hints/ mixtures of browns, reds and oranges which can complement almost anything beautifully. This vintage leather handbag I recently purchased with the one strap briefcase-like handle is one of my favorite style of handbags and will definitely be a staple piece in my wardrobe for many moons to come. I love the simplicity and old school charm in this bag.

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I also paired the outfit with a pair of cork platform strapped heels by Gomax. I love the look of these heels but I found that the heel and back of my foot being enclosed along with the front strap being wide caused my toes to constantly slide forward. Cute shoes overall just a little annoying at times lol.

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And of course I can’t forget my new refashioned earrings…yet again lol. These are probably my favorite pair of earrings right now. I love the drama and lightness of them without the weight of wearing a substantially larger pair of earrings. You barely even notice they are on and were the perfect complement to my simple easy breezy look.

 

What I Wore:

$3 Royal Blue Maxi Dress @Park Avenue Thrift

$3 Khaki cropped jacket @Goodwill

$6 Platform sandals @Goodwill

50 cent Vintage leather handbag @Park Avenue Thrift!!! (sorry I had bag turned to back the whole entire time :-/ ) 

Fringe Earrings Refashioned by Muah!!

Total Outfit Thrifted For Less Than 13 Bucks!!