Author Archive
Dress Up For Halloween Using Body Glue
By Milton
Halloween is just around the corner! Add some elaborate looking elements to your costume this year without using elaborate amounts of energy! A few rhinestones and feathers around your eyes are the perfect accent for Halloween this season.
All you need is body glue, a wooden applicator (or something around the same thickness as a chopstick), beeswax, feathers, and rhinestones in your desired size and color. Our rhinestone starter kit comes with all the essential tools (rhinestones and feathers not included). Your design will stay on all night long and comes off when you are ready to remove it with soap and warm water.
Directions:
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I suggest sketching out a draft of your design before you begin gluing.
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Apply a small amount of beeswax (about the size of a pea) to one end of your wooden applicator. You will use this to pick up the rhinestones from the top by lightly touching the wax end to the top of the rhinestone. Once placed on some glue it should detach itself from the wax. Sometimes a little nudge with your finger is necessary.
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Dot the area around your eye where you want to apply rhinestones or feathers and begin to apply your rhinestones and feathers. Make sure you are looking in a mirror or having a friend do this for best results!
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Let your design dry for about 5 minutes and you are ready to go!
3 comments October 21, 2008
NYC’s Fashion Week Spring ‘09
By Milton
If you love fashion, then you’re going to love these highlights from the Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week SP09. Fashion week started on September 5th and ended on the 12th. Enjoy!
Calvin Klein
Diane von Furstenberg
Donna Karan
Marchesa
Narciso Rodiguez
Oscar de la Renta
3 comments September 16, 2008
Gossip Girl (Serena’s Ribbon Headband)
By Milton
In Gossip Girl’s ”Summer, Kind of WOnderful” episode for the second season, Serena van der Woodsen wore a silver ribbon as a headband to the white party. One option to get this look is by using a metallic silver mesh ribbon. I used about 5 yards and just wrapped multiple layers and then tied a knot in the back. You can call 1.800.9.MJTRIM and ask for item number 36876. It comes in 18 different colors. I used the size 6mm in white.
9 comments September 12, 2008
Ribbon Beaded Necklace
By Milton
Fall is around the corner and with a new season, some changes in our wardrobe are required. As I said before, sometimes spending money in a new wardrobe is not necessary. With some creativity you can transform pieces you already own or create new ones and accessories are one of the easiest. An outfit can go from boring to breathtaking just by selecting the right accessories. This time I’ll show you how to make a necklace that you will often see in magazines and stores a lot this season. Why buy it when you can make your own unique version of it?
Materials:
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1 yard of 50mm Midori Gala Dupioni Silk Ribbon (the color I used was Pin Moon
- 1 strand of 14mm Baroque Pearls ( #41520)
- Scissors
- Straight pins
- Thread and needle or a sewing machine
How to:
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First fold the ribbon in half and pin it along the edge.
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Sew the two edges together which will create a tube.
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Turn it inside out. You need to be patient in this step, since turning the tube inside out may take you a few minutes. You can use a chopstick to push the ribbon thru. You can also use a safety pin or a paper clip.
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Now you can start putting the pearls inside the tube, make knots on the sides of it to make it stay in place.
I used about 9 pearls for this necklace, but you can do as many as you wish. Just make sure that if you do more pearls you have some extra ribbon, so you still have enough at the end to tie a knot. You can also do different variations of this necklace, by using more than one size of pearls or leaving more space in between. Use your creativity and specially have lots of fun!
Add comment September 5, 2008
More of Blair Waldorf’s Gossip Girl Headband
By Milton
It’s Gossip Girl time again! Last time I showed you how to recreate the red and white striped headband that Blair Waldorf wore in the episode “All About My Brother”. This time, I recreated the headband she wore in the episode “Women on The Verge”. I used 50mm Double Face Silk Ribbon in silver and a Rhinestone Appliqué. To make it, you can view the instructions in my previous Gossip Girl Blog . They are very easy to follow.
Gossip Girl’s Season Premiere is on Monday, September 1 8/7c, so let’s get ready for more drama and lots of accessories!
4 comments August 20, 2008
Earth Friendly Jute Belt
By Milton
Fashion has gone green and so should you. This week I designed an easy-to-make belt made from all natural materials. The strap of the belt is made from Jute, the buckle from wood and the braid end from cotton twill tape. This belt is the perfect accessory to a pair of light linen pants, jeans or a classic navy blue or tan A-line dress.
Originally from India, jute is an all-natural vegetable fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is second in production to cotton and has a variety of uses. It is one of the strongest natural fibers and in today’s world, it doesn’t hurt that it also happens to be 100% biodegradable. This environmentally sound product requires little to no fertilizer or pesticides and is mainly exported from India and Bangladesh.
Supplies:
- 36mm Jute Braid (39853): Measure your waist and add about 7 or 8 inches to determine how much jute you will need. Remember there are 36″ in a yard and usually materials are bought by the yard.
- 2 inches of medium brown 1″ twill tape
- 1 ½” Wood Buckle in Dark brown (29695)
- Glue
- Scissors
Directions:
- Wrap the jute braid around your waist, add about 4 inches and cut to size. If you want this belt to fit around your hips you will need to make it longer.
- Take your piece of twill tape and apply a medium layer of fabric glue to one side, fold it in half and wrap it along one of the cut ends of your jute braid. It should cover up any raw ends of the braid, which will prevent it from fraying. Cut any excess twill tape from the sides.
- On the other end of the jute braid, guide it up through the bottom of the buckle and then back down so it comes out on the flatter bottom side. Fold it over about 1 ½” and apply fabric glue to secure it. Fabric glue generally requires a few minutes of pressure until it begins to dry. Most fabric glues dry within 15 minutes.
- And now you have your new eco-friendly belt!
1 comment July 28, 2008
Bullion Crest Baseball Cap
By Milton
Transform a plain baseball cap to something a little bolder with the addition of a bullion crest. The crest can transform a simple cap to something that carries a sense of bold maturity. Crests come in such a broad range of themes; it¹s easy to find one that suits you or your loved one best.
Materials:
- Bullion Crest
- Baseball cap (or any other kind of hat with a heavy weight fabric and sufficient surface area for a crest)
- Unique Stitch fabric glue
- Needle + thread to match crest
- Scissors
- Straight pins
Directions:
- Apply some Unique Stitch fabric glue to the center of the crest, then center the crest onto the front of the hat.
- Pin the edges of the crest down with straight-pins and set the hat aside to dry for about 30-45 minutes.
- Thread your needle sew from the inside of the hat so that the knot at the end of your thread is hidden.
- Stitch around the edge of the crest, removing the pins as you go. Remember to be careful of the inner lining sweatband that most baseball hats have. You don¹t want to sew that down.
- Finish off your stitches on the inside of the hat and you are done!
Add comment July 2, 2008
Milan’s Menswear Spring ‘09
Milan’s Menswear Spring 09 shows ended this week.
Many top designers such as Gucci, Burberry and Calvin Klien displayed their collection for next spring. Here are few a highlights from the shows. Also, I’ll keep you posted on the show from Paris which started today.
Neil Barrett
Burberry Prorsum
Versace
Alessandro Dell’Acqua
Salvatore Ferragamo
Bottega Veneta
Add comment June 26, 2008
Inspirational Fashion Trend Boards
By Milton
Like people, fashion come in all shapes and sizes. It’s no wonder that there are millions of fashion trends out there and inspiration seems to come in all forms. Each year designers forcast the upcoming trend at least a year before the collection actually hits the runway.
At M&J Trimming, we do the same thing and with us being in the fabric trimming and garment embellishment industry, we have a little bit of an advantage. We know what designers are planning for their next collection because it’s us that they come to for exclusive trimmings. Some inspirations actually comes from the trend boards we’ve created especially for our 5,000 sq ft showroom in NYC. Some of you may have seen these as you stroll along shopping at M&J Trimming. Here’s a few photos of the trend boards.
1 comment June 23, 2008
Results for 2nd Annual Independent Handbag Designer Award
The 2nd annual indepedent hangbag designer award was held last night at the New York Historial Society located on 170 Central Park West. As soon as the door opened at 7pm, lines of fashionistas with trendy bags entered the room.
The event was filled with designers from Judith Leiber to Debbie Stroller. When first entering the room, besides the luring cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, Judith Leiber’s display of handbags was standing as the center of attention during the event. The bags were encrusted with hundreds of rhinestones including the bag with the rhinestone handle as seen in the photo.
After an hour or so of socializing and networking, it was finally time for the awards. Everyone hurried to their sits in excitement for the results as well as the goody-bags which included M&J’s measuring tape, gift certificates from Borrow Bag or Steal, lip balms from Smart Water and much more.
Here is the result for the winners.
Best Student-Made Handbag – Clara Yoo: C L A R A Y O O
Best Handmade Handbag - Darren Wallace: Darren Wallace
Most Socially Responsible Handbag – Bridget Reid: PFYH
Best Handbag in Overall Style and Design - Lui Antinous: Lui Antinous
Best Green Handbag – Helen Marcoschamer: Ecoist
Audience Fan Favorite – Suzanna Scarola: Bellabags
Besides the finalist and and the winner’s handbags at the event, there was another special handbag that made it to the award. Timmy Wood’s Eiffel Tower handbag which was featured in “Sex and the City”, the movie. The bag was signed at the bottom and is going to be given away by Borrow Bag or Steal at the end of the month.
3 comments June 19, 2008
