FEATURE: Guest of a Guest

One of my favorite DIYs was featured on Guest of a Guest 

Enjoy! 

xx

DIY: 2-tier Birthday Cake

This past weekend was one of my best friend's birthdays and I decided as part of her gift I would attempt my first 2-tier cake. When it comes to DIY projects I'm pretty fearless, but I also know my limits. After deciding that making a cake from scratch would take more time then I had, I substituted it for the most amazing pre-made batter, Funfetti. 

Following the simple directions on the back, I set the oven to 450 degrees to pre-heat and began to mix in the ingredients. 

> 1 cup water

> 1/3 cup Oil

>and 3 whole eggs (4 if using only the egg whites) 

Ideally you would use a electric whisk, but being a college student with little cabinet space in my kitchen, a wooden spoon was used instead. With a little effort I mixed it until it was smooth,

I evenly distributed the batter into 2 different sized pans and baked it for 27 minutes. When the first batch was done I repeated the above directions until I had 4 layers (2 small and 2 large).

Let them cool while you mix the food coloring into the frosting and DIY some cute toppers.

One of the toppers I chose was a Absolut Pear Shooter. By taking some inexpensive rhinestones and metal glue I attached them to the bottle and left it to dry. I also picked up a monogrammed cake topper from Michael's Crafts and a "Cheers to 21 Years" shot glass from Spencer's.

For the frosting I used 3 cans, 2 cream cheese and 1 classic white. After dumping them into a large bowl, I added a little green food coloring gel and thoroughly mixed it in ending up with a pretty pistachio green color. 

After the cake has cooled, generously add frosting in between each layer. Then start frosting around the entire surface until fully covered and smooth. I used Betty Crocker Icing in white and black which can be found at your local grocery store with 4 different shape tips. I also chose to use green and white sugar pearls.

With the black icing i outlined each layer and added a quilted effect. With the white I iced a design around the bottom layer and dotted it with green sugar pearls and finished it off with the cake toppers. 

ENJOY! 

xx 

DIY: Studded Jean Jacket

After buying 1000 studs from Studsandspikes over 2 months ago, I decided this past Tuesday to put them to good use. I've had a men's Jean shirt that has never seen the light of day taking up real estate in my closet for awhile now and thought "this is the perfect time to give it a makeover!"

The jean shirt is a heavier material perfect for a "jacket-like" piece. Once i decided where to put the studs I started the 3 hour long process of applying them. Unlike a leather material, jean is easier to poke through allowing the studs to fasten to it with the help of jewelry pliers. By bending the prongs outward and flattening them, they become secure and ready to wear.

After placing the first row along the seam of the shoulders, continue to add more rows until satisfied.

The final result was definitely worth the tedious time.

\

ENJOY!

xx

GUEST BLOGGER: (DIY) Wake Up to Make Up

Emily Trodson of Cigars + Stilettos shares a simple way to store your makeup brushes and get that extra morning boost to start your day.

I’ve always been someone who fancies the little things. As cliché as it may be, they have always been the most important. Whether it is a perfect cup of tea or a note you receive in the mail, those little moments in time are what keep us sane- for the most of the time anyway. Wherever I go, I try to make things a little homier, something to do to leave my essence. Not in a oh-my-god-she-needs-to-stop-tampering kind of way, but more so a she-has-a-different-way-of-looking-at-it kind of way. 

Throughout the past six or so months, I’ve been a prisoner to Pinterest. How could someone come up with something as great and perfectly girly as this website? It has possibly anything a girl could ever want or need regarding her future home she wants to furnish or that fantasy wedding right down to the way the bow is tied on the back of the reception chairs. Ever since I shamelessly put on my mother’s glittery eyeshadow in seventh grade, I’ve been looking for a way to organize my growing collection of makeup and constantly buy new boxes or containers to help with the disgusting amount of clutter. I came across a simple way to display your makeup brushes, something that for me has always been somewhat of a downfall. The right brush could never be found because it was stubbornly stuck under copious amounts of eyeshadow resulting in unhelpful bent bristles. 

This tiny Do It Yourself project was probably the easiest and most satisfying thing I’ve ever done with my makeup.

All you need is a canister (I found mine at Home Goods for under $4)... 

and some coffee beans. 

Pour the coffee beans in the canister (top off, of course) and stand up your brushes. 

Not only are your brushes readily available, but the smell of coffee seeps into the the handle of the brush making it that much easier to wake up in the morning, something we all need.

If you know me you know that I'm SO not a morning person and I'm super excited to try this. For more posts from my wonderful guest blogger Emily Trodson , Check out her blog Cigars + Stilettos .

Check back next Tuesday and Wednesday to meet my next guest and TOMORROW for my DIY post.

xx

GUEST BLOGGER: Emily Trodson

Inked and Sewn has a second guest writer! Meet Emily Trodson from Cigars + Stilettos

My name is Emily Elizabeth Trodson ( yes, just like the girl from Clifford) and I am so beyond excited to start this year with Inked and Sewn! I am a senior at the University of Connecticut majoring in Agricultural and Resource Economics with a minor in Marketing.

In high school I was one of those girls who would decide between a drawer full of mundane T-shirts and a seemingly endless supply of deteriorating sweatshirts to wear to school. Putting on my makeup meant smearing my mother's shimmery eyeshadow onto my eyelid with my finger. Since high school, my love for fashion has grown immensely. Nothing about my major pertains to fashion but I do plan to have a career focused around it. Whether I am working for Anthropologie, being a personal shopper for men or even getting coffee for Alexa Chung, I plan to follow my dreams regardless of how hard it is or how long it takes.

2012 is going to be a big year. I've become obsessed with some things, both fashion and non-fashion related like sequins, Instagram, zippers, mint tea, my tomato soup-colored pants and my leopard loafers. Luckily my blog Cigars + Stilettos has become an outlet for all of my obsessions that keep me sane.

Look for my DIY and I can't wait to bring my own interests to Inked and Sewn.

Be sure to check back tomorrow to see Emily's DIY post! 

xx

DIY: Braided Bead Bracelet

After visiting one of my favorite DIY websites HonestlyWTF , I ran across on of their more recent posts. 

A quick run down to Joann's Fabrics for some beads and thread and I was ready to go. 

A copper and black one with my best friend Becca...

and matching blue and black ones with my boyfriend, and I was hooked.

I cant wait to make more with different beads and closures.

To make some of your own check out the tutorial at 

HERE


Enjoy!

xx

Inspiration: Eddie Borgo

From sharp edges to perfect pave crystals Eddie Borgo does it all. His website is lined with pieces that most girls could only dream about. While the items are a splurge for many, not much can top the feeling of owning one. 

My top 3 favorite pieces:

The Pave Small Triangle Necklace ($740) could dress up the plainest of outfits. A simple LBD with one of these numbers around your neck and you're ready to mingle with the best in Fashion. 

The second piece that left a puddle of drool on my keyboard is the Cone Ring ($300). Thrown on with your favorite Michael Kors watch, it is surely to be an every day staple.

My third must-have piece from E.B. is the yellow turquoise Cone Bracelet ($375.00). It's perfect to add a pop of color to any outfit day or night. 

Check out more of Eddie Borgo's Jewelry at EddieBorgo.com

xx

Inspiration: Toms Takes it Up a Notch

I was pleasantly surprised while scrolling through the pages of Neiman Marcus online to run across these bad ass slip-ons. It still has the same classic shape of the canvas style toms we all have come to love but with a little twist. Nothing sounds better then slipping on those comfy flats, especially on those days where fashion comes first but you're too exhausted from the night before to even think about putting your feet into those sky high Jeffrey Campbell's. 

If you're like me and no outfit is complete without a little danger, opt for the Beaumont Skull Slip-ons for $100.

The crushed velvet in navy/ burgundy are sure to break the necks of every Fashionista.

The Touch-Toe Butterfly Slip on for $95.00 would make any girl happy and the embroidery is to die for. 

Dressed up or down, these toms are the perfect excuse to wear slip-ons no matter what occasion. 

[True.Fashion.Love]

xx

GUEST BLOGGER: (Style Advice) Winter Florals

Michele Drago of DownTown Elite gives us her two cents on feminine florals and helpful tips how to rock them this Spring. 

 When Fashionistas think of winter, I’m sure the last thing on their mind is the feminine floral prints worn in warmer seasons. Winter weather is so bittersweet because while you get to finally pull out the furs and jackets that have been hiding in the back of your closet since summer, it’s much harder to show off your true style hidden by bulky outerwear and chunky knit accessories. While I know I can’t even wait to pull out my spring must haves, I never thought of possibly pairing them with an early spring style.

Just when I imagined outwear was here to stay, I spotted this Fashionista. The cool colors in her ensemble reminded me of the warm weather yet still stayed within its season by adding in the fur coat. My favorite part of this style is how she equally balanced winter and spring. The bright orange bag and the sunshine yellow jeans say spring while the fur and deep blue sheer top say winter. Her look is eye catching while still season appropriate. Any Fashionista that can pull off the combination of two opposite seasons knows their stuff.

When your winter wardrobe is getting old and you’re looking for a revamp, try finding ways to add in your favorite bright pieces and prints. Urban Outfitters has the most amazing selection of colored denim that can be added for a dramatic effect to this specific style.  This Fashionista specifically chose yellow, but various pinks or light blues can work perfectly as well. Printed tunics and camis can also recreate her sunny weather style.

I'm so proud of my first guest blogger and love her style advice on florals. For more amazing posts by Michele Drago check out her website, Downtown Elite.

Also, check back next week Tuesday to meet our second Guest Blogger and on Wednesday to see what they share. 

xx

GUEST BLOGGER: Michele Drago

I'm so excited to introduce you to Inked and Sewn's first guest blogger Michele Drago of Downtown Elite.

Hi Fashionistas/os! I’m Michele, a Communications senior at Misericordia University, specializing in Public Relations and Advertising and I’m thrilled to be a part of the Inked and Sewn team. When I’m not writing weekly Style Advice posts for CollegeFashionista, I’m usually contributing to Sadee Says, an e-commerce accessories boutique featuring emerging designers with unique lines. I also intern for College Lifestyles, BeachMint and a local designer boutique called Buka. Basically, I’m an over achiever waiting to hit the streets of NYC with a Fashion PR career after graduation.

While New York City style is remarkable, I’ve always had a passion for the small town street style atmosphere, so I’ve decided to create Downtown Elite, a fashion publication that explores small town style with city taste. My style is quite simple: I’m a total ballet flat enthusiast, I’ve got an unbelievably large collection of structured blazers and I can’t go a day without adding pearls to everything I wear. Everything I tend to buy is very feminine, but I’m not afraid to pull out my favorite pair of grungy biker boots.

When I’m not trying to break into the fashion industry, I’m usually sampling local sushi spots, obsessing over how gorgeous Shia LaBeouf is, finding bargains at thrift shops, or catching up on re-runs of Pretty Little Liars.

I’m so excited to share my love for fashion and trend spotting with all of you!

Michele Drago

Downtown Elite

Don't forget to check back tomorrow to read her Style Advice Column and take a peek at her amazing website. 

xx