March Challenge

So how are your outfits looking now that you are looking at accessories?  I'm feeling good with mine, still loving the scarf but also finding that I'll grab a necklace, bracelet or little purse as I head out the door to finish off my jeans and cotton shirt, cuz you just can't get me out of those.

So onto March's challenge....anyone other that me been thinking of trying gluten free?  I admit I always thought it was a bit silly that so many people were eating gluten free when the only people who really need gluten free are those with celiac.  Enter my son, 5 years old, keratosis all over all the time, constipated, short for his age (even though my husband and I are tall and so is his sister), and suffering from joint pain.  All these seemed unrelated, and on their own, not that big of a deal, until I saw an episode of Dr. Oz (my guilty afternoon TV watching) where his discussed symptoms of gluten intolerance/sensitivity....guess what, all my son's symptoms were on the list.  So I thought I would try to reduce the gluten to see if there were any changes.

Here we are 2 weeks late,r and though we are not a gluten free home, I've drastically reduced his gluten consumption and am noticing a few changes, better skin, less joint pain and more trips to the potty ;)

So this month I want to decrease our gluten even more and my biggest hurdle has been baking....so welcome to my month of experimenting with gluten free baking....wish me luck, the first 2 attempts were a flop with the family!

Scarfs

 

One of my favorite accessories I have been wearing this month has been a scarf.  Maybe it's that there is a chill in the air or that they are SO easy to put on and instantly up the look of your outfit.  Whichever, they have been my go to for this month.  I've found a few new ways to wear them too.  I especially love the pretzel knot as well as the Boho look. 

 

As much as I love the scarf look, I only have 3 fabric scarves....(since I live in Canada, I have about 10 knit ones, which I love too but they don't quite have the same effect on the look of my outfit).  So after seeing a project on turning an old t-shirt into a scarf, I thought I'd give it a try and add some creative bleaching to make it look pretty.

 

 I started with my old shirt, q tips, bleach and some scissors.

 I cut the top off just under the sleeves and cut the bottom hem off.  Since I wasn't planning on doing any sewing, I wanted both sides of the scarf to look the same.

 (Yes it is uneven, if you are more particular about your projects you can measure, mark and cut straight across, but take it from me, once the scarf is on no one will know that your scarf is lopsided.

Put a piece of cardboard or thick paper (I used a paper bag) between the two layers of fabric to prevent the bleach from going through to the other side.  Then I dipped my q tip in bleach and dabbed it randomly onto the fabric.

 As it started to dry you can see the color changing.

 To finish it off, and because I'm impatient, I stuck mine in the dryer for about 12 minutes on medium heat....

 And voila - my beautiful new scarf!  I think it looks great!  I will definitely be making a few more of these.  Since I used my own shirt, the scarf isn't long enough to wrap around for a double loop.  Next time I'd like to grab a men's XL at the thrift store so that it will be long enough to wrap around twice.  I can also already imagine some other patterns to try, like dipping the fabric into the bleach to create an ombre look, putting the bleach into a spray bottle and spraying it onto the fabric for a more scattered or paint splatter look....and it goes on!

 

Enjoy!

February Challenge

Happy Monday!
Ready to start the February Challenge?  Are you ready to rock some accessories?

Anyone seen a young girl out wearing a tiara, sparkly purse, a dozen necklaces, bangles, sunglasses and carrying a stuffy puppy?  That girl feels like she's rocking her accessories....and yes, often that girl has been my daughter and she is the inspiration for this month's challenge.

I took a look in my broken jewelry box over the weekend, and realized I have some great pieces that never get worn!  I thought it's high time to dress up my standard jeans and cotton shirt ensemble with some of those little treasures hidden in the big broken box.  I'll pull out the cute purse even though it's too small for everyday and I will need to do the dreaded "purse transfer" of wallet and other necessary items, I'll wear a scarf not because it's cold but because it looks cool, and even plan a few DIY projects.

A new system to keep my accessories front and centre through the month is in order......and I'm sure I can even DIY some cool accessories.

So join me in amping up the wardrobe, taking some risks, changing things up and rocking some accessories!