Life is Beautiful

Motherhood, Sewing, Family

Anthropologie DIY Minas Tank

~ SEWING


I bought this blouse dress from Target for $3.49. Right when I saw it I knew I could make it into something much cuter. And a dress for $3? Either way, you can’t lose right?

Then I thought of what I could make it into. So I was browsing through my “Inspiration DIY” file(saved pictures of things I want to make), I came across this Minas Tank from Anthropologie and knew this would be perfect! And this is my outcome!


I cut the sides to make it smaller and cut the sleeves and used the extra fabric from the sides and the sleeves to make the ruffles and the waist-tie.


The only “twist” I added was I used two layers of ruffles instead of just one like in Anthropologie. I think it adds more personality. 😉


 I just saved over $85.00!

I was featured on these great blogs for this dress:

Finding Fabulous
Making the World Cuter
Blue Cricket Design
Sew Dang Cute
My Backyard Eden
Hope Studios
Fireflies and Jellybeans
Sugar Bee
Two Peas in a Pod
10 Marifet
Hendersonville
Sew Much Ado
Sugar & Spice
Waterstone Jewelry
The Train to Crazy
A Vision to Remember
I Heart Nap Time

Anthropologie DIY Rare Bloom Tee

~ DIY DREAM HOUSE

I’ve been on a Anthropologie kick lately and I have a lot more I’m planning on working on, so stay tuned! Many of you asked for tips or a tutorial and after I post the ones I’ve finished already(there’s just one more), I will do my best to take pictures along the way and do a tutorial. Sound good? I bought these earrings for $4 at Charlotte Russe. It’s kind of tacky but I knew it had potential.

I just removed all the middle beads/jewels and after. Simple and beautiful. It literally took me about 20 secs. to transform!
Now on to the Anthropologie shirt. I made a more simplified version of this Rare Bloom Tee. The neckline of this was too low for me personally and I wanted something that could be worn casual or dressy. I bought two plain white t-shirts at Forever 21 for $3.50 each (at Gen X, it’s $4) and used the fabric of one shirt to make the flowers. You can make up to 3 of these flowers using one shirt. Wear it with jeans for a casual look

or tuck it under a skirt for a more dressy look. Just saved over $80. 😉

Anthropologie Inspiration DIY

~ DIY DREAM HOUSE

I gave this shirt a “makeover” and found the inspiration from a cardigan I saw at Anthropologie.


Before. Got it from Korea for $10.

Then I cut up a turtleneck sweater I had for more than 10+ yrs. for the ruffles.

After.

I just saved $120+ dollars! 🙂

My new haircut & more sewing

~ SEWING

I’m happy because:

1. We’re leaving the snowy, bone-chillin’ UT to go to Hawai’i for Christmas.

2. Ariana woke up every 1 1/2-2 1/2 hrs. ever since she’s been born UNTIL about a week ago. She now wakes up just once or twice. It’s about time, HALLELUJAH!!! (*knock on wood*)

3. I haven’t felt the “mommy burn-out” for a long time and I recently realized why! I’ve been sewing every night when the kids are asleep and alter or make clothes just for me. It is the first time in 2+yrs. that I’m doing something that’s just for me on a regular basis. I now know how important it is to not let go of your individuality and to set aside a time to do a hobby that is just for you. Now my 2 advice to mothers are: 1)don’t have kids a year apart. 2)do something that is just for YOU everyday.

4. Jay is the sweetest husband ever. Me and my girlfriends had our annual Christmas party at our house last week and while I was curling my hair & getting ready, Jay got off work early to come help. By the time I came downstairs, he had cleaned n wiped the table and the chairs from the shed, set the table, cleaned the whole house, Christmas music was playing, and he bought me and my girlfriends a big thing of cheesecake and cream puffs. I cried when I came down and saw it.

5. I have the sweetest girls ever. I fall in love with them more and more each day by a substantial amount. It’s amazing the love a human heart’s capable of holding.

6. Watched Precious last night and I’m so grateful for my parents who never treated me harshly, never abused me but always loved me immensely and supported my decisions and dreams. I’m also grateful they didn’t spoil me with materialistic things but taught me to work for what I want.

7. We have lots of ice-cream in the freezer.


I chopped off my hair one random night cuz I was sick of my same long hair I’ve had since I was 14. I even cut it myself but that’s not because I’m brave it’s because I’m cheap and it’s such a hassle to find a babysitter to go somewhere. I also had promised myself I wouldn’t chop my hair short like every single mother in this world right when they have a baby so I waited 2 years. 😉

This is a XL cardigan I bought and made it smaller and added the ruffles. It was harder than if I had bought the fabric and made it from scratch. It’s hard to alter the sleeves and the shoulders! note to self: buy the right size from the beginning or just buy a fabric from the fabric store and make it.

I added the ruffles. I saw this from Anthro so I made my own version. 🙂


I made this for a friend. I sewed on the flower and gathered the sides of the shirt.

This is kind of an old DIY, but I never posted about it, I made this top from a lining of a skirt I no longer wear. I saw this design at J.Crew and fell in love with it. (I always feel like if I copied someone else’s design, I gotta credit them or else I’m not being honest. Such a nerd huh?)