Lala's Style of Yesterday: A DIY Junkie Never Dies

• Dress of pure glory: A skirt that was blessed with my magical hands and turned into a magnificent dress.
• Skinny brown St. John Belt
• Leopard flats: $3 Target. Oh Target, how I miss you dearly.
• Gold mini coat: $6 Target

As the wise say, "You can take a girl out of the DIY, but you can't take the DIY out of the girl."

Being so far away from home has not as much made me homesick as it has made me craving a midnight rendezvous with Mr. Sewing Machine. I found this amazing long skirt at the flea market I went to last weekend. When I saw it, I thought "Oh. Weird." and then that ultimately turned into I had to have it moment although it was a hefty 5 euro. Thankfully, my roomie did the yeah-it's-super-cool-you-should-buy-it- or-else you'll-regret-it guilt trip on me and it totally worked.

Flash forward to Wednesday night or shall I saw Thursday morning. I brought one of those mini sewing kits from hotels with me so all I needed was the time to actually hand sew this piece around. Buying a pack of colorful thread from a dollar store gave me even more motivation to actually do the DIY. So I stayed up till 5 in the morning doing it. Granted, I didn't start until like 2 AM and was distracted with awesomeness that is the Heroes Season 3 Premiere. The DIY was super simple and hand sewing got the job done. I can wear the dress long or pull up the straps and create a bubbled mini or a tunic. I basically just took the snap up and made it into a one strap creation by cutting some extra fabric from the bottom pulls.

I feel uber successful that I was able to make something while abroad with limited resources. Life is good. Except the large amount of reading I have to do and am terribly behind on. But for now, I should go do some lack packing for a weekend trip to Venice tomorrow!

Ciao belle.

A Scrapalicious Scalp.

Being born on Earth Day gives me a certain obligation to follow the eco-friendly trend. I like to imagine myself as Princess of Nature since that title sounds so lovely, don't it? Ever since I learned those three magic words in elementary school, Recycle, Reduce, Reuse I've been adhering those codes to my royal life. Sure I love thrifting and dumpster diving, but I love re-making things from junk even more.

If you have been reading this blog, you must know by now that I am one hardcore DIYer. I am also a hoarder. I can't seem to let go of many things whether it be the stained girl scout shirt still in more drawer or the hubcap I randomly found on my adventure filled night to the Getty. (The hubcap was sadly thrown away during move out day because my dad decided to bring the sedan for all my things. all my things. I have a lot of things). Because of these two tendencies I have two large trash bags filled with fabric scraps that were left over from summers of random DIYing and my recent fashion show collection. I just can't let go. Not even of a little piece of fabric.

Thankfully, I listened to my instinct and saved the scraps because I found a new way to reuse these scraps in my everyday wear. Nothing earth-shattering here, just really simple and easy to do scrap projects for what else - your head. I have a self-professed love for all head deco so this was such a wonderful way to satisfy my craving while saving the last few dollars for Europe.

Some of these require no sewing at all! Perfect for all you DIY hungry fashionistas lacking a sewing machine or steady hands to thread the needle through the eye.

Like what you see? If you picked yes then good for you keep on reading. If you picked no is it because it's too much, too tacky for your taste, too weird for your chic? Then don't give up just yet because you can make anything to suit your own personal taste. That's what I love about DIY. It's your fashion.

So if you like what you see or you want to try to like what you see, I'll teach you how to make these. They're super easy and I bet most you could even do without a tutorial. But I'm feeling generous today. I'm in my mother teresa mode and nothing can stop me now.

First thing, these pieces (except Braidy Bunch) were attached to my head by a black ribbon. If you like, you can put these scrappy treasures on hair clips, headbands, scrunchies, pins or anything you like! Once again it's your fashion.

In my now attempt to be all professional sounding with official instructions here are the materials you need:

• Scraps in all sizes, colors, shape. Don't discriminate!
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun
• Ribbon
• Safety pins.
• Sewing Machine or thread & needle
• Yarn
• Any other bits and bobbins you want to add.
• Hands
• Mind
• Heart.

I'll start with the Twisted Cloud and Leprechaun Petals since they were the easiest.

1. First take a piece of scrap, preferrably a piece that is more squarish or roundish in size anything that's not super long and thin is what I'm trying to say.
2. Fold in the edges toward the center. Just fold. Fold it like you mean it. Twist it like you want it. Shape it as you like it.
3. Most of the edges should fall somewhere into the center.
4. Pin down and sew an 'X'.
5. Done.
6. Now just add a safety pin on the back size and loop it through a ribbon.

Braidy Bunch and Exploding Veins

1. Take fabric and cut into long strips. If strips aren't long enough you can always connect more pieces.
2. Braid it like a normal braid.
3. Tie the ends together with a little extra at the end so its like a bulbous rash on the top of your head. That's the braidy bunch for you.
4. For exploding veins, you braided fabric should be a little on the stiff side. Tie it in all random shapes and 3-D if you like.
5. Glue down to keep shape.
6. Slip ribbon through.
7. Done again. Wow that was fast!

Periwinkle Barnacles

1. For this one, take little rectangular pieces and just tie knots. Knot it like you know it.
2. The knots should form a circular shape. Cut loose ends.
3. Make many of these.
4. Clump together and use yarn to connect together. It will be a puzzle. Just try to make all the pieces attached.
5. Attach ribbon on left and right side of mass
6. Done. Now you can have a barnacle on your head.

As you can see, my instructions are rather lame. But that's the point. The point is to just get out your scraps and your trash and just do whatever. Play around with easy techniques like braiding and knotting and weaving and who knows what concoction you can come up with. Just remember there's no such thing as wrong. "Ew" maybe. But never wrong. I thought Periwinkle was super wrong at first but I've come to love it and it's wrongness is so right in my eyes.

Now go play with your scraps, create something "ew-abulous" and show me. I swear I won't laugh. Maybe just a little. But I laugh because I love it.

Off to packing again.

Frankstein Boots.

It was a dark and stormy night. Thunder roared in the darkness and crackled like the sound of my laughing uncle when he tries to pet my hair. (He's balding, so the poor man can't help it.) The lightening was also very very frightening as it spliced the colorless sky with it's wicked nails. And in my lab, my mind was flooded with unholy plans and bizarre ideas. With the addition of my anger filled state of the moment, I knew it was time for me to destroy something, to hack apart life as if it were a freshly picked zuccini ready for the grill.

Like a madman I skipped down the stairs quietly as to not disturb my sleeping parents.Being caught in my maniac phase would surely disappoint my parents's notion of my a quiet although slightly odd asian girl. I hit the tile floor and rummaged through an old bag filled with shoes. My dog lifted his head up and stared at me. It was as if he was telling to stop, but I couldn't. The madness in my veins were beyond my control. And there they were. A pair of brown boots. It was unassuming and silent. It knew what fate lied ahead. It was scared. I was scared.

Carrying up the stairs I lied them down onto my peach carpet and strapped them down. I didn't want them to run away. Like a kidnapper who takes a picture of their hostage for ransom, I took a picture of the brown boots. But not for ransom. Or for any strange shoe fetish I may or may not have. But for the purpose of showing the transformation. Of showing the fashion blogging world of what my monster looked like before I made it into a monster.

With my scissors I stabbed into it's pleather flesh. At that point, I had truly gone insane.

I cut and I cut. Slicing and dicing like a skilled master defending his title on Iron Chef. The boots were no match against my meticulous hands. With the help of a few of my lab assistants (scissors, sewing machine, and hot glue gun) I was able to create a pair of Frankenstein boots. They are part boots and part gladiator sandals. Part grandma and part teen hipster. Part fug and part not fug. I felt so proud to have given birth to such hideously awesome shoes.

The end of my semi psychotic story.

So I lied when I said in my Style of the Day post that I made these boots. Technically they were already made and I just re-made them into better things. I had these boots that I bought from Old Navy's clearance rack for way cheap, like $3 cheap. It's one of those buys that you only bought it because it was cheap and you tell yourself you'll actually wear them, but you never do. It was also a time when boots over jeans were all the rage. Remember that? They're made from a pretty cheap quality synthetic leather. I basically cut out pieces and reattached pieces. Everything I used came from the original boots. I think they might fall apart in the near future. It depends on how good my gluing and sewing skills were. But for the moment, they are my pride and joy.

Before and after. Or After and Before.

Streets, be prepared for these Frankenstein boots to stomp all over pavemented sidewalks!

DIY Me Time and a Goodbye to Winter Break

The last few days of my winter break were a mix of last minute sewing, last minute sleeping and a whole lot of just doing blah. I'm going back to school tonight instead of earlier because I just do not feel like dealing with kids today. I'm a bad "big buddy" for ditching my "little buddy" but sometimes life is just not fair. Plus, I could not get up early enough and still did not pack yet.

Anyways, this winter break I spent a lot of timing working for my designs for other people giving me little time to work on anything for myself. I usually spend my breaks DIYing for myself but this break I became the selfless soldier. Nevermind.

In the last minute late Friday night I decided to do a little DIY for myself. I bought this shiny gold stretch fabric the first time I went over to downtown LA. I passed by this fabric after looking for the collection stuff. It screamed to me, literally screamed to me. It was the ugliest most tackiest fabric that I had ever had the pleasure to meet. It had these wacky rectangular prints of various cities around the world along with random words like "Davoucci" sprinkled in with what looked like to be logos for biotech companies.

I knew had to have it.

So I bought it.

Like three yards of it. I should have gotten more. It's fabulous.

So what did I make of it? A pair of treggings (as Kingdom of Style call it). But I intend to wear it more like tights. I have no clue why I made them. I remember the big fuss over AA's lame leggings and I swore to myself I would never buy one of those but here I am with one I have made all for myself. Perhaps I was sniffing too many threads and needles.

Here's me rocking out my "gay-nightclubber-david bowie-esque-spandex pants"

I made them by tracing a pair of pants I had. I have never made anything like this before but it turned out quite easy. Unfortunately, in my first attempt at making them I forgot to take in to consideration the monstrosity that is my huge bum so it was a super low-rised thing that reminded me of the days that low-riders ruled the scene except mine was super low that valleys might have peeked out. My mom was like a voice from above and gave me a suggest of just adding a band around the top and it worked. Now they feel like a pair of pajamas.

In addition I used a leftover piece of mouth that I was intending to use for one of my designs and finished it up to make a headband/belt.

And last but not least I revamped my new planner for 2008. It was a free one my dad got from his company but it lacked sparkle and shine. It lacked the Lala-ness that I need in my everday life. Hopefully this will motivate me to remember the dates of everyday.

I love PrismaColors! They are awesome. I should pack now so I will say farewell for now.

Farewell!

Tiger Shark's Gonna Get YOU

Okay. So I have another new post. I don't want to post everything exciting all at once because i want to even myself out. Once school starts, my life will be back to boring. Not that is was that much less boring when school was not starting.

Now, without further ado, I present to you my tiger shark three in one headband/neckscarf/belt, although headband is like 50% while the other two functions are more like 25% each because headbands just rock my world.

This was a launch off my first wacky band, the Lobster Headband. The theme is a little more nautical with the strips and the center feature being a shark of course. It is also reversible because the back side of the back fabric is a simple black fabric. To be honest, I was not inspired by anything on that fateful day I created this extraordinary masterpiece. I made it because I had bought this huge piece of tiger printed felt from JoAnns last year when they had this huge clearance sale on their remnant pieces. My sister I think, somehow mentioned a shark. I did a little mathematics since I'm such a nerd and all and the equation was perfect:

tiger + shark = tiger shark

I think it's funny, but maybe the mature college people at campus won't get my sense of lameness, but that's okay because I have the lamest friends in the world and they will understand my utter lack of cool. I'm kidding guys! You are way cool. Cooler than the Antartic during winter.

I made a totally of six of these for a few reasons. One, in case I explode in sweat one day and my tigershark headband is just a smelly tigershark headband. Two, possibly to sell so other people can bask in my lameness. And three, to get my idea to the Sushi Chefs of the world and make it a mandatory uniform. I would totally eat sushi from a place that had people wearing this. Wouldn't you?

Please excuse my puffy cheeks. I did NOT accidently inject myself with collegen if you were wondering.

I rock the world!!

Another thing about this headband is that it makes anyone instantly cool. For instance my loser of a roommate Bacne wore this awesome band of delight and turned instantly cool. It was as if a light was shining from her head. Imagine a halo on an angel, but cooler. Yeah, that's just how cool she looked. Then she took it off and the light disappeared and she turned back into her loser self. I love her still because she is the cheese puff in my sack lunch and no lunch is complete without a cheese puff. (Wasn't that the greatest metaphor like ever?? I think only Bacne could possibly understand the greatness of that line)

My rapstar of a friend, MWang also posed for me using my lobster headband. And she looks FIERCE. Tyra Banks will cower in her fierceness. Take a look:

What I Did Today and Last Night

Let's see, I have about 1.5 days left until I move in and official declare the end of my summer fun. Truth be told, I'm actually excited to start a new year. I don't really like school but I like the idea of being at school and being a student. Does that even make sense? Now I'm going to review a bit of what I did today because that is just how bored I am.

I woke up around 8:30 this morning thanks to the lovely sounds of wood being sliced downstairs. My room is above the garage and my dad, like me and my sewing, likes to play with wood. He promised to take me shopping today since yesterday's "father-daughter" activities were a bust. We drove to the thrift store and I shopped. Actually I drove because the today is the last day I have insurance which means that my thrifting habits throughout the schoolyear will be cut short unless my friends take me with *wink wink*. I don't know why I just winked. I'm not sure a lot of my friends read this and even if the do they can't drive *wink wink*, you know who you are :P. He took a nap in the car. Don't worry, it wasn't that hot today so he didn't suffocate to death.

I have found a new favorite thrift store. During my scouring of the racks, this man kept giving me pants he thought I would all like. They were ugly but I didn't say that to his face. I was sweet and said, "yeahh! they're really cool! thanks!" One pair were these tapered drawstring jeans with fabric on the cuffs and another pair were these black goth/raver looking things. Those would have been a really low level-maybe if they weren't $15. And then I went to another rack and secretly placed them back. Sorry dude, you have bad taste, but thanks for your consideration. I love meeting random strange people at thrift stores.

I had a handful of things in my arms at the end but I only decided to leave with two. The hat was an impulse buy because it reminded me of my stuffed animals except for my head and because fashaholic tried on this furry 70's hat at this vintage store we went to once. It's not nearly as cool, but it's an alright alternative. I can pet my head everytime I get bored in econ or accounting which could be possibly everytime.

Me wearing all the things together!

The dress looking thing was my first find. I found it on the floor actually and was attracted to the bow and red plaid on the back and then when I saw the front with its little patch it was mine! I seem to have a strange attraction to anything childish. It's a little big. I don't know if it was a girls or woman's dress because its kinda big but short as well.

So I can always stay a teen at heart.

The back. It reminds me of Christmas!

So in total, I spent around $7. The jumper dress was 3.95, the pink plaid shirt was 0.85 and the furry hat was $1.50. I'm so addicting to thrifting now. I'm going to have a hard time during my withdrawal period. Please don't hate me if I seem irritatated and angry all the time in the future. It's not me. It's the lack of thrifting.

I really should have worn this shirt I made last night. I love it. I'm thinking of making more to sell possibly. Then all us crazy thrifters can identify each other.

After thrifting, we went to send my sister lunch. I also went to visit my art teacher to say hello and to drop off this way awesome shirt I made him:

My art teacher was actually the one to rename me Lala, so without him this blog would not exist. And LalaLiu would not exist. It might be tiffyliu which just is not as cool or have that ring to it. So thank you. It's funny because he's also the wrestling coach. Man, I hope the shirt isn't too small for him.

Afterwards, I met up with my mom for some Chinese Islamic food. Then my dad and I contined our shopping spree. More like "my" shopping spree since I was kind of forcing him. We stopped by walmart for some dorm shopping but all I really walked away with was a bottle of shampoo and some findings for my jewelry making. Then we stopped by Nordstrom Rack and TJ Maxx but found nothing. We went home and I was about to take a nap when I saw my sister had received her Seventeen Magazine. Deciding I had nothing better to do and that I can always sleep at night, I read it. Then I did some ebaying.

I asked my mom if I could go to the thrift store. She gave me a death glare. This is what went down.

Me: Can I go to thrift store tomorrow? (in a half joking/half serious tone)

Mama: TING TING!! SHUT UP!

Me: *Blank* and *quiet*

Mama: Serious, you are so obsessed!

Is she right? Am I obsessed? Perhaps I am but aren't we all obsessed with something? I need to make a list. Yes. I need to prioritize what I need, and what I need to do. So here goes.

• Paint nails.
• Paint toes.
• First pick a color to paint though.
• Finish my online portfolio
• Buy makeup even though I don't know how to do makeup.
• Decide how much clothing/shoes/belts/bags/accessories I can fit in one SUV.
• Place the said amount of clothing/shoes/belts/bags/accessories in boxes and luggage cases.
• Do some more ebaying.
• Watch "What Not to Wear" and "20/20"
• Think about school?
• Feed turtle.
• Buy more necessities.
• Thrifting.

So I made thrifting the least of priorities. Mom should be proud.

"Zip me up, Scotty!"

I haven't quite "placed back my heart" as the start of my second year of college looms closer and closer. I'm not ready to trade in my fashion glossies for econ books and I'm unwilling to swap my sewing machine for pens and notebooks. Not just yet. Because of my stubborn inability to let go of the good ole summer days, I've been on a crazy DIY/sewing rampage this week, to get in as much clothing making/messing around as I can and to transform the last of my ideas into reality before these ideas I've had all summer gets lost in the deep abyss that is my mind. I do tend to forget things rather easily which sucks hairy butts because I don't remember any of my economics or accounting. Oops.

I've been doing quite a few reconstructions with some things I bought at thrifts, but the two prize winners are these awesome zipper dresses. I have a cookie tin full of zippers that I had gotten at downtown LA for like 25 cents a piece, but my fear of zipper sewing left them unused and unloved. But not anymore because now I present to you my Zip Me Up Baby! dresses.

Dress numero one, I call Abernath. Miss Abernath is constructed from a grey Napolean Dynamite t-shirt I got at a 99 cent store, blue jersey fabric, green trousers, and black denim jeans. With all their powers combined here is Abernath in action baby!

I had orginally created the bodice for this other dress I was reconstructing, but like always things never turn out as planned. I used zipper as straps which means I can unzip or zip up the straps as I please. I've been a stronge urge for primary colors lately. I love my yellow tights.

Dress numero two, I shall call Tulip. I know I'm about a season too late, but it was inspired by that talked about Christopher Kane collection. Except my little miss Tulip is not as body concious as Mr. Kane's dresses are.

Kane's version:

My version:

Tulip here was created from that same Napolean Dynamite grey tee and my mom's old dress. This dress makes me want to skip around my mold infested garden for some reason.

I'm also so glad I did not get rid of these $3 vinyl shoes of ugliness because I'm in love with them now. Never throw away/donate/give away anything because who knows when you will fall back in love with them again.

Lala the Magnificient

In my spare time, I, Lala the Art Geek, am not an art geek at all. I have a secret identify. Shhhh, don't tell anyone. I am actually Lala The Magnificent. Magnificient in many ways:

a) I am the greatest magician you will ever meet. Houdini who?

b) I am not only a Magnificient magician, but I'm a magnificient hero as well. I am the caped crusader for my quiet suburban town. I help the helpless and bring hope to the hopeless.

c) I can wear my heels and pencil skirt and mexican blouse and still kick butt and do magic tricks. Now who can top that? Give up? No one. Exactly.

However, today I realized that I do not have the right outfit for the other part of my double life. What was missing? I have my poser of a top hat. I have my magical wands. I had a bunny who sadly ran away to join the gang of wild bunnies because she thought I was too much of a loser to hang out with that she had to join a gang. But it's okay because I can always find one of the wild bunnies running around in my neighborhood, they're not that hard to find. I also have my tykeboy, who is always an excellent alternative. So basically, I had everything except that one special thing that gives a magician/caped crusader that special pizazz. I was missing a cape.

But fear not fellow friends! I now have a lovely cape to call my own built from the very scratches of that despicable skirt that left me looking like overstuffed saugsage I found on my recent thrift trip. At first I was about to do another "When Skirts Don't Fit" re-invention, but it ended in disaster. I guess you just can't force some skirts to fit and look good no matter what you do.

What I basically did was cut open the skirt. Place it on my shoulders to see if it fit. Sew some unfinished hems and then add some ribbon. Voila! It's really easy to do actually. So all you out there with the desire to be a magician or a caped crusader or just plain cool go make one now!

Photos of it in all its glory. With top hat and fancy mask.

My dad was laughing at me when I went to take pictures. Watch out daddy-o, I can put a spell on you! It was funny because yesterday after watching some LA Ink, I asked my dad if he got a vasectomy. I don't know if he was pretending not to understand really did not understand. I guess it was inappropriate to ask, but I just wanted to know if I would ever have a baby brother.

Another sidenote, don't perfume bottles make the coolest flower vases?

Sniff me.