Calling the Storm

(Free People tunic and shorts, Urban Outfitters bra, handmade flower crown)

It has been a very busy couple of months, but I finally got around to doing a little shoot with Lexii!

I also wanted everyone to know that I have opened my own little Etsy shop. I have loved make flower crowns for years and thought that it was about time that I started selling them. 

The wildflower crown that Lexii is wearing can be purchased here.

DIY Holiday Teabag

If you're like me, then you enjoy the little things that give the holiday season its magic. I'm a sucker for anything small and handmade when it comes to gifts. So for those of you still in search for something cheap, small, and easy to make here is an idea for you!

Things you will need.

1 5x5 piece of fabric

1 gift tag

1 ball of cotton string

Needle

Scissors

Some kind of ribbon/string

2 teaspoons of looseleaf tea*

1 deposable tea filter*

*I found these items at Teavana

1) Take the teabag and fill it with about 2 teaspoons of looseleaf tea. Feel free to fill it with more if you want to make a stronger batch. 

2) Fold the teabag in half and begin to sew it together. Start at the bottom corner.

3)Pull the needle and thread to about the half-way through the bag. Continue doing this until you reach the middle of the top of the bag.

4) Pull the needle through the tag.

5) Bring the needle back through the same hole it came through.

6) Continue to stitch the teabag until you have sewn every corner shut.

It should look something like this.

Now that you're finished with your teabag it's time to wrap it up!

7) Place the bag diagonally in the center of the square of fabric.

8) Take all four corners of the corner together around the tag of the teabag.

9) Tie the corners together with some kind of string.

And there you have it! A handmade teabag to share with your families and friends for the holidays!

If anyone has any questions about the tutorial please feel free to send me an email at salvesenalex@yahoo.com!

Long Weekends

Long weekends are great. They make the fun part of the week longer and the less fun part a bit shorter (at least on paper.) I find them almost like a sanctuary from the stress of a normal week. The only real downside to a long weekend is how quickly they seem to pass. One second it's Friday and you're free for an extra day and the next thing you know it's time to get ready for the upcoming week. 

This Columbus day weekend was fun while it lasted. I got to see my family as well as a few friends that I hadn't seen in quite a while. I got to eat real food (not from a dining hall), snuggle with a dog, craft my heart out, take some new photos, and simply just relax. I'm so sad that it is over, but I am so happy that I got to see some of my favorite people.

How to dye with tea

Free People Galloon Lace Halter Bra

So I bought this white halter bra at work about a week ago. It took me a while to decide whether I wanted this particular color or not. I'm not usually one for wearing something purely white at this time of year. I see stark white as something to be worn in the hot months of the summer, and sparingly even then. 

We didn't have the usual off-white or "Tea" color in our store or online. I had heard about dyeing with tea a while ago and decided that this would be the perfect thing to experiment with. 

I had dyed things before, but buying dye can get expensive. Tea comes in such a variety of types and colors. It really makes for the perfect dye.

Step 1) Find an item to dye (preferably something white/light colored)

Step 2) Boil enough water to submerge the item of clothing completely.

Step 3) Once the item comes to a boil add your tea. I wasn't  quite sure what type of tea would be the most potent, so I used the darkest I could find. I just used a cheap black tea that I had lying around. I used three tea bags, but you could probably get away with just two.

Step 4) After the tea finishes steeping, add your item. Stir the item in the tea (with some sort of utensil) until it reaches a color that is slightly darker than is desired.

Step 5) Rinse the item with cold water until the water runs clear.

Step 6) Set it out to air dry. 

I dyed this right before I went to bed the other night so when I woke up it was perfectly dry.

And there you have it! You now have a beautifully, naturally-dyed, vintage-looking piece of clothing.