DIY - clear skin, anti-breakouts face mask

This mask helped me soooo much. I've been using it daily for almost 2 weeks now, and my face skin has cleared so much!! I have a lot of stress related breakouts on my face. And this fact alone stresses me more and makes me upset (vicious circle here I know). I used a lot of cleansers, scrubs and moisturisers, but nothing really worked for me. I then thought to try out natural products that are known to clear breakouts. I tried a mask with cucumber and I did not think it was suited for my skin.
The one that I tried and worked nicely contains:

- 1/3 banana, grated
- 1 teaspoon of grounded cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 5 drops of squeezed lemon juice

Warning!

Firstly, this mask really stings your face! So, you might want to do a test first on a small section of your face or neck. It stings for a few minutes, and then the face gets used to it and everything is fine. I've been reading that this can be caused by the lemon juice and/or the cinnamon. So, don't overly use any of the ingredients. 5 drops of lemon juice is enough!!

Secondly, your face will of course be red when you take it off. Don't worry, it will calm in a few minutes ;) the toner will help with that.

Benefits

• bananas - anti-bacterial (good for treating acne, blemishes), moisturising, contains vitamins C, B and traces of vitamins E, K, A, prevents wrinkles (contains antioxidants), nourishes the skin.
• grounded cinnamon - antiseptic (helps dry out acne), antibacterial, natural exfoliator, plumps up the skin .
• lemon juice - lightens, dries acne, add tenderness to skin, cleans the skin and blackheads, vitamin C, anti-dullness.
• honey - glowing skin, hydrating, antibacterial, smoothing skin, antiseptic, antioxidant, prevents wrinkles.

Easy peasy steps:

1. Mix all the ingredients together and stir well until the mixture looks like a paste (see image above)
2. Apply evenly to face and neck, avoiding the eye are
3. Allow to settle on the face for 20-25 minutes
4. Remove the mask using a make-up sponge, and then wash the face with cool water. Pat dry the face gently with a towel, don't rub it!
5. This is optional, but at this step I use my beloved konjac sponge, about which I talked previously http://whatscraftdoc.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/konjac-sponge_20.html
6. Allow the face to cool off for a few minutes, then follow with a toner.
7. Moisturise.

Be patient!

This mask did wonders for my skin from the beginning, and I will continue to use it daily, but I would like to say that every skin and skin condition is different, so my advice is to stick with a routine and wait patiently (1 month, maybe more) for the results. :)

Would like to hear if anyone else used this mask, and also if anyone is addicted to it just like me ;)

DIY - Stand for your tablet, watch videos/ movies like a queen/king

 

This diy is not only going to be fashion related, so only for cuteness sake :), but also I believe a practical and useful one. I bought a tablet recently, and they had an offer of getting a free case for it. Which is a very nice one, black simple, doesn't stand out too much. I like it. The downside of it, is that it does not have (had hihi) a stand, so I could not watch videos or whatnot while doing something else. So, I thought to myself, why not have a go at making a simple and efficient stand for myself. I am very pleased with the result and have been using it ever since  (meaning for 3 weeks :) ).

Material:

Original tablet case

- tablet case (the type that folds)
- velcro
- fabric glue
- material of your choice - I think both the colour of the case and colour block would look great! I used black velvet.


Steps:

1. Measure the width of your desire stand and also the length of it (this will determine the angle of the screen).
2. Cut the fabric to those measurements, leaving at the ends (of the length) allowance for the velcro to be added on. If the fabric is a bit thin, you might want to fold it once to make it more sturdy. I did this, and used the fabric glue to make sure the fabric sticks together well when folded.

Step 2

Step 3

3. With the width measured at step 1, cut 4 pieces (2 hook and 2 loop) of velcro of that length.
Important: If the tablet case has a camera space like mine, you might want to cut that space out in the middle of the velcro pieces as well, depending on whether the camera cut out comes on the same side as your stand. At this point you have to be careful to put the charger side on the top (not where you will add your stand), so you can have it standing and charge it at the same time (unless the charger is on the side).

Step 4

4. If you want to take the stand out (for travelling) you might want to cover the showing piece of velcro of the unfolded case (one will be behind the tablet, but one will show when unfolded), you can cut a piece of fabric of the dimensions on the velcro to add on it ;) Again, double it if the fabric is thin.
5. Stick the velcro on the ends of the stand fabric and on the parts of the case where it will attach on. I put the loop part where the tablet would be, because it's softer.

Step 5

Step 5

And voila, super easy, super useful and super cheap tablet case stand. I know the instructions seem a bit complicated and tedious when taken step by step, but it is pretty intuitive as to how it works.
Hope this helps, would like to hear comments, opinions, and maybe pictures if someone did this! :)

P.S. When I don't need the stand and I am at home, I just fold the stand inwards in between the 2 flaps of the case (as can be seen in the last pic the folded mark on the stand).

3. High- low pleated skirt

I bought a long (and rather large) pleated skirt from a charity shop for £1 thinking I would cut it to a high-low skirt. Even if i mess it up i will not be sorry :) I am not a fan of the chiffon skirts, but I love the pleated ones, so I am looking forward to this project. The pics show what I hope to achieve :)

2. Lace trimmed shorts

This would be great for the summer, and I have some ideas for cutting an older pair of jeans into shorts and adding lace cuffs to them

http://wobisobi.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/lace-jean-cuff-diy.html

http://bywilma.com/2012/06/06/diy-lace-shorts/

Any ideas and pics on these are welcomed ;)

1. Pistachio shells necklace

This is just so amazing and creative!

http://www.cremedelacraft.com/2012/07/diy-ombre-necklace-from-pistachio.html

If you tried this or something similar I would really like to see your idea! ;)

Konjac sponge - 100% natural and amazing

The konjac sponge is a natural product used for cleaning and exfoliating the face. It's very gentle! I found it by mistake actually, as I was looking for a sponge to help take off my face masks. The mistake came of course because of my shopping online, which makes it difficult to see (and feel haha) the products :) After receiving it and reading more about it, I became really interested in it.
The sponge is at first hard as rock (which scared me a bit), but it softens with water.
 I use the sponge in my morning routine. How to use it: gently massage the face in circular motions. You can add a toner or cleanser on it, but I just use it by itself as I think it's more natural and chemical free this way.
A great how to use it video can be found here:

I used it now for about 10 days I think, and I can say I really notice the benefits:
- smoother skin
- brighter skin
- moisturising
- I used it on my blemishes and break outs and it looks like they are started to shrink down! My break outs are due to stress, and I have tried a lot of products to try and get rid of them.
- it's 100% natural! also it's naturally pH balanced.
- you can use one sponge for 1-3 months, depending on how you take care of it (the sponge needs love not roughness! haha dodgy)
- it's small, so it's easy to travel with

For the disadvantages of this, I noticed that:
- it does take some time to massage the entire face and neck, for me at least 10 minutes (in the weekend I use it a bit more). Maybe a solution to this is to use it in the evenings instead of mornings.
- storage for this is a bit difficult, as it is most of the time damp, so I would definitely suggest not storing this in the bathroom. Also, I wash it with soap before every use to make sure it is absolutely clean!!
- long term usage product

I bought mine from ebay, for under £2. It's definitely worth a try in my opinion!

For more information on the Konjac sponge and its benefits:
http://www.konjacspongecompany.com/

Apparently, there are different types of Konjac sponges: aloe, green tea, bamboo charcoal. I have not tried these, if my second one will not be the natural one again, I will update.

Hope this info and review is useful :) 

I love it!

Diy - woven studded necklace

I found out about these type of necklaces about a month ago, and they might not be everyone's cup of tea, but they do make a statement. They are quite powerful by themselves, so they are not really a daytime choice in my opinion. What I really like about this style is that it combines thread and chain, so, although it is a statement piece, it is youthful as well.

Materials:
- chain: I did mine double and quite close up to the neck, so you'd need at least double the size you want it
- 4 colours of thread - the one I used is thick one (embroidery thread I think); of course you can make your own design by using different colours and numbers of threads
- studs
- nail polish of the same colour as your chain, if the studs are not already matching
- scissors
- sewing thread
- clear fabric glue
- necklace closure

Steps:

1. Start braiding the thread on the chain by passing one colour through one chain ring from underneath upwards and then pulling it underneath the second colour. Continue the process using the second colour, and so on.. I used red and dark blue as my first 2 colours.
2. Do the exact same thing as step 1, but using the second piece of chain and the second set of colours, which for me were light blue and coral.

Step 1

Step 1

Step 2

3. At this point, I wanted to join the 2 chains together, and had a few ideas on how to do this, including sequins and studs. I decided to go with the studs, as to me they make more of a statement.

Step 3

Step 4

4. Optional - paint the studs to be the same colour as the chain by using nail polish ;) you will have to leave them dry for a safe time interval, just to make sure the necklace won't be ruined.
5. Place the studs alongside the chain, kind of like mock joining the chains, to arrange and position them. Make sure you arrange the necklace in a circular shape before placing the studs. This will ensure that the necklace will be bendable, and not stiff.

Step 5

Step 6

6. On the back of each stud, attach thread to its legs and bend them to hold the thread in place.
7. Pass the thread coming from each leg of the stud through the rings of each chain, in the position established at step 6. Tie at the back. 

8. Using fabric glue make sure the thread is glued to the back of the necklace. This will help ensure that the studs won't come off and also that the back is neat and no loose thread will show on the front.

Step 7

Step 7

Step 8

Step 9

 
9. Wait for the glue to dry and turn transparent.
10. Put on the necklace closure.

11. Rock it!!!

As always, I would really like to hear opinions and read comments! :)

DIY - From turtleneck to lace panels top

 So, a while ago I came across an old turtleneck (top left pic is an internet image of a very similar turtleneck to the one I had), which I have forgotten at the back of my closet. Doesn't this happen to all of us?! :) I like and wear  turtlenecks a lot, but this particular one felt very warm and never wore it too much. So,  given I was really in the mood for a diy I thought I would take my chances at reconstructing this. I had a lot of spare lace and didn't really mind ruining this as I wasn't wearing it much.
The idea was to have panels going on the sides and up the sleeves (top right pic - and now I've learnt not to take white on white pictures, sorry....). Midway through the project I thought to add the lace collar too for more of a ladylike touch.
This project was done a couple of months ago, so unfortunately there are no step by step pictures, but I will do my best to explain what I did. Also, I made some images myself to try and help with the intermediary steps and of course will answer any questions about it. Another thing I should mention is that this took a really long time to complete and needed a lot of patience from me because I don't have a sewing machine, so had to sew everything by hand!

Materials:
- needle and lots of thread, the same colour as your turtleneck.
- lace - this should not only fill in what you originally cut form the turtleneck, but allow a bit of fabric on the sides, to adjust on the way.
- scissors.
- pins.
- tape measure.
- I added some pearl like beads on the collar.

Steps:

1. Think where you would like your lace inserts to go, and put pins in to mark it. If you think it would help, use a pencil to draw on the inside part of it.
2. Take a deep breath, get your courage together and cut alongside the pins you had put in at step 1, as in:

I also cut off the neck at this stage, thinking I will make it like a sweater type top :) Plus, it's easier to handle if you cut the neck off from the beginning - given we'd put in pins and have to turn it inside out and what-not. Save the turtleneck in order to construct the collar out of it.
3. Measure the length between the underarm and the bottom end of the jumper. Cut a piece of lace of that length + a few inches allowance. Also the width of the piece of lace depends on the fabric of the jumper and the style you want to create (loose, fitted etc).
4. Measure the length between the underarm and the end of the sleeve. Again, cut off this length + allowance from the lace fabric. For the sleeves, make sure you cut the lace in a triangular shape, so it narrows as you go towards the wrist. This way the sleeves will follow the arm shape and not be bell-shaped (unless you are going for that style ;) ).
5. Pin the lace on the jumper, making sure that the ends of both materials join on the inside of the jumper. This can be a bit of a tricky and time consuming procedure, as you'd have to make sure that everything aligns well and is of the same dimensions. This is where the allowance comes in ;)
6. Sew, sew, sew - carefully sew everything on, of course on the inside of the jumper. When you reach the ends of the sleeves and the bottom of the jumper, turn the lace inwards to make a seam.
7. Sew the underarms. Here, what I did (after thinking a lot how to join the 2 parts together) was just to sew it across (from the back of the jumper to the front), see pic:

8. Cut all the excess fabric you are left with on the inside.
9. Now, for the collar, I made a little image demonstrating this step:

a. Cut open the turtleneck
b. Draw the collar shape you want on it and of course allow for extra fabric. Measure the neckline on the jumper in order to have the same dimensions. Cut out your collar
c. Cut the same pattern on the lace material
d. Sew the lace on the collar
9. Attach the collar to the top by sewing it along the neckline. Also, I sewed it all along the rounded part too, so it stays fixed on the jumper.
10. Attach embellishment - I added pearl beads, but something of a different colour, for contrast, could work just as well.
The finished results:

 This was for me a very big project to undertake and I am very pleased with how it turned out. Any comments and opinions are more than welcomed! Thank you.