DIYable - but probably shouldn't be

Petticoat Hanging Shade by Shabby Chic Couture, $350

Tutus - yes. Petticoats - not so much.

My DIY: Make a pleated collar from a boring fleece scarf

I was home with a sniffle this weekend so finally got a chance to do some DIYing to the effect of turning everything I hadn't been wearing into a scarf.

A white pleated scarf has been on my To Do list ever since seeing this Chanel ad featuring Lily Allen and some unattractive luggage. But look at the collar. Cutifuls, right?

Disney at Ruffles and Stuff did a great version of this collar awhile ago but I wanted one more wintery and scarf-like. Meagan Tintari also did a summery version of this type of scarf at Love Maegan. I kind of ripped off her tutorial.

The brilliant part of this (if there is one) is that I made it from two cheap boring fleece scarves I thrifted at different times.

I cut about two inches off the width to make them about 10 inches wide.

I hacked off the fringe and sewed the two short ends of the scarves to make one long one. (You'll need three scarves to make it long enough to be more of a scarf and less of a collar.)

I folded pleats about an inch or an inch and a half wide.

I ironed the pleats as I went.

This is what the two scarves look like at this point.

Feed the pleats through your sewing machine and sew a straight stitch down the middle.

Fold the scarf in half and neated up the pleats. Sew a second seam about an inch from the first, sewing the two layers together.

Your scarf is done. Wrap it and hold with a pin, ribbon or your own special je ne sai quoi.

If the scarf feels like it's a little too much (e.g. Bozo-the-Clown-like) trim a half inch or so off the ruffle.

Do you have any inspirations or projects to share? Link up at the November Inspired blog party before it's too late.

One view of Rue

The second issue of Rue is out, and while the rest of America is shaking off their tryptophan haze or cage fighting with other shoppers at Walmart, let me be the first to weigh in on it.

I could simply share my favorite rooms, like the one above followed closely by the one below, which is a close tie with the third one.

But what really caught my eye where the eyes, specifically four eyes.

What is with all the cute bright young women wearing these awful glasses?

I am aware that nerd glasses are in right now. But, you're young. You can see pretty well. If not, you have Bausch and Lomb.

Times are better now then when I was your age. I was born into a severely myopic family (and I don't mean metaphorically.) The only glasses were ugly ones. I can tell you that girls who wear glasses seldom catch passes. They also run into door frames and tumble down hills.

This is me in the sixth grade.

I plead with you ladies of Rue. Lose the ugly specs. While you still can.

Modern macrame pendant

More knot inspiration for the month.

The Knotted Egg light is the work of Melbourne artist Sarah Parkes. Who knew macrame could be so cool?

Day off

Taking the day off and staying home tomorrow.

I've been extra peppy all week just knowing that.

Image: Deko magazine.

Arty smarty

Dollar Store Crafts recently featured my Dollar Store Abstract Expressionism project.

Heather, the queen of Dollar Store Crafts, earlier made this Mark Rothko look alike pictured above, which is a great project for adding a little color to your interior. Get the full how-to at DSC.

Momma of Two at My Search Within did her own black and white abstract expressionist work inspired by mine. There's a lot of energy in that painting, don't you think?

Have you ever DIY'd your art?

Gray on the outside

Donna at A Perfect Gray just posted a series of outdoor gray photos, which reminded me of this one I took months ago on Middagh Street and forgot about.

Grey is good. So is green.

From the stash: Tom Scheerer

Tom Scheerer's 'relaxed modernism' in the city, in the country, at the beach.

My DIY: Faux crochet necklaces

A few months back, some of you admired my "crochet" necklace, as seen below.

The necklace started from a few yards of bullion fringe I picked up at a thrift shop.

I don't really like fringy pillows or curtains. But the fringe eventually inspired some jewelry.

To make a collar necklace, cut a length of fringe about 24 inches long (or about two inches longer than you want the final necklace to be).

Double fold each cut edge and hand stitch a hem to prevent fraying.

To make a V-shaped necklace, stitch a fold halfway down the length of fringe.

Fasten the necklace together at the top by putting a few stitches where the two hemmed edges meet. Or, if you want to be fancy, sew a hook and eye.

To make a more ruffled and curved version, fold the length of fringe in half and pin a pleat about every two inches, making sure that your pleats line up on each side of the necklace. Put a few hand stitches into each pinned pleat.

The "ruffled" version will lay flatter and looks like this.

Remember those Chris Benz macrame necklaces? You can sort of get the long, low pendant look with a smaller piece of fringe.

I found a length of cord with a damaged tassel. Any decorative cord or rope will work.

Cut a length of fringe about eight inches long. Double fold each edge and hem to prevent fraying (a step I regrettably neglected.)

With a needle and thread, ruffle the inside edge of the fringe.

Stitch the fringe to your cord. Tie the cord around your neck at the length you like. Or, if you want to be fancy, attach jewelry caps with a hook and clasp set.

Got any projects going on?

Share them at the November Inspired blog party.