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A New Year, A New Beginning

Starting Jan 2011 I will take custom orders only for the following:
Burp Cloths

Aprons

Bibs
Nursing Covers
Etc.

Contact Belezadesigns@gmail.com for info and pricing!

SILHOUETTE MACHINE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

SILHOUETTE MACHINE GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!
wouldn't you love one?? I want to glass etch everything!!!

salon k winners

and the winners are:

 

Ashley  has won a free haircut!!!

 

Hendrickson's has won the travel size Bumble and Bumble

and...

 

since she blogged about the giveaway, she's a lucky winner of the shine spray as well!!!

Congratulations, please contact Karissa at salon.k@hotmail.com to claim your prizes. Thanks!!!

Shabby Apple Shakespeare Garden Dress GIVEAWAY!!!!

Shabby Apple Shakespeare Garden Dress GIVEAWAY!!!!

Salon K Giveaway, You don't want to miss this!

I am sooo excited to be featuring today a FABULOUS special giveaway!! My friend Karissa, started her own salon with her husband and not only do they offer a wide variety of products and services, but their prices are totally affordable! I get my haircut there and it only costs $30!! Combine that with a sweet underarm wax and it's only $50! In order to reward my wonderful followers in Utah, Salon K has offered a THREE PRIZE GIVEAWAY:

Third Prize: Sebastian shine spray and shine drops

Second prize: Travel size bumble and bumble hair powder

First prize: a haircut (can be womens, mens or kids) WITH a shine spray!!!

All you have to do is leave a comment of what your WORST hair experience has been for ONE entry. For additional entries, facebook or blog this giveaway and then comment that you've done so for ANOTHER entry. (1 comment=1 entry)
You have until February 22 to enter, so HURRY!!!

Cherry Pop Refashion Frock GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

Cherry Pop Refashion Frock GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

If you haven't seen what Kathleen can do at Grosgrain, go Check it out!! She literally shows how $2.50 is more than $100 if you've got the right skills! I absolutely love her dresses!

Lucepedia.com

If any of you are lucky enough to know about Lucepedia.com you are amazingly lucky...I've met with the blog owner and not only is she a FABULOUS designer, she knows a lot about FASHION! She also happens to be my wonderful sister with a great design sense and already has some big projects under her belt and she's only 22!!

Check out her blog here.

Isn't this nursery soo adorable? This type of find is only one of many on her blog--I LOVE her design style and we are really similar in style, however, I think mostly because she shows me cool stuff and I'm like OH MY GOSH I LOVE THAT. Sometimes we get into fights over who had the idea and we call No Stealing on each others creative ideas. Somethings we don't have in common...like our height:) I am a full 5" taller than she is...lucky for her she's cute and petite and finds all the best clothes and she doesn't have to worry about them being too short...or she loves designer jeans and I'm all about nondescript:)

Ok, well PLEASE go check her out because she is AMAZING and I credit her for all my design expertise (which is absolutely none) and you can bet I'm hiring her the MINUTE I have my own place!!!!

On another note...see these cute shoes I picked up today

 

I just COULDN'T resist! I've been keeping my eye out for awesome leopard print shoes and I saw these and they are PERFECT!! Also, with the recent move I just got rid of a BUNCH of shoes, so I felt my closet had room!!!

I also wanted to post about an upcoming GIVEAWAY that everyone in UTAH COUNTY should be SUPER excited about. (everyone else can be too...I guess:) haha) So get ready for the big REVEAL

One more thing....I was browsing through blogs this afternoon and ran into this number on Ruffles and Stuff.

 

One of my good friends happens to own this SAME sweater and wore it to church on Sunday and I fell in LOVE! Well I loved it so much I wanted to recreate it because of course I searched everywhere for it and couldn't find it...I'm still in the process of working on it, but I was so glad to find a picture to give me some recreated inspiration...so just fyi Erin, someone in another state has the same sweater as you:)

Giveaway Aprons

The winner of my giveaway received the following two aprons:

A retro black, red, white and gold apron she customized to match her kitchen

And this cute birdy apron I picked out!!
















Hope she enjoys!!
In honor of my giveaway, I am offering all my items currently for sale with FREE SHIPPING for the whole month of FEBRUARY. Don't miss out on this awesome chance to score some cute baby items for you or a friend and a hot apron you can design yourself! I have one more apron available in the retro fabric (customizable of course) and my butterfly pink apron. (photo is under items currently for sale).

Send me an email or comment if you're interested!!!

love these!!!

 

They're from Akira Isogawa's spring preview and I LOVE THEM!

Also, anyone out there obsessed with Project Runway?

Featured again!!!

Come check me out!!! I'm going to be featured: JANUARY 22ND

Vintage Love

Aren't these the cutest paperdolls?? I downloaded all of them to save for when I have a little girl. I remember playing with them for HOURS and I always wanted more outfits. Check out the retouched dolls here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vintage Love

I know it's been awhile since I've posted...but I've been working like crazy (physical inventory time of the year) and we just found out WE"RE MOVING...for real this time:)

I have found time somewhere in here to finish that dreaded pencil skirt, start a dress, alter some curtains, make some headbands...here's some pics of the headbands

 

 

 

 

 

I know these aren't touched up photos...but I'm going crazy here with work and these at least give you a glimpse..I've worn one almost everyday because I have so many to match different outfits! I love it!! Best thing is they cost so little!!!

The Betty Draper Evening Gala Gown GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

The Betty Draper Evening Gala Gown GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!!

LOOK I WAS FEATURED

One of my alllllll time favorite blogs GROSGRAIN FABULOUS featured muah!!!! go take a look here!!!

Found

We went to a friend's house who is remodeling their dutch colonial so my sister could look at their lighting plans and find their lighting. I went along for moral support:) I love old remodels and vintage (as I've indicated previously) and I love especially love how a light fixture can add such a great touch...check out this Swedish blog of White inspiration and the following pictures may explain just what I mean

How perfect are these??

 

You can only see the barest glance of a gorgeous light to the left of the camera view...sooo sophisticated.

While reading my daily inbox of blog posts, I came across these beautiful photos from Centsational Girl

Again, look at the beautiful chandelier above the table...and the wide planked wood floors in a bleached white. To me this just oozes old farmhouse luxury!

I love the 3 sets of french doors! and see that sofa table? Thou shalt not covet...

Looks right out of Pride and Prejudice...but so modern and chic! Look at that cute light. I love how dainty it is. Notice the theme of glass pebbled chandeliers...(I know that's not the technical name) but you all know what I mean...right?? Someone help a girl out...

It seems as if this is the month of White Inspiration and I am no exception.

My Scrap Headband Tutorials

This is my first time doing a tutorial, so we'll see how it goes! (I really want that Joann's gift card)

HEADBAND ONE: Martha Stewart inspired flower headband

I saw this tutorial on Martha Stewart Christmas Craft and knew I could make it work for a flower accessory! I'll show you the Martha tutorial and explain how I adapted (in italics) to make the flower for the headband

Cut three lengths of wide satin ribbon diagonally to form equal-sided diamonds. (I used scraps of fabric and cut different sized diamonds to make more of a flower shape rather than a poinsettia). Pinch each diamond at the center, and pin to hold it.(I made a small gathering stitch from each corner of the diamond and gathered to hold the pinch together.) Hold all three together, staggering them to form the six-leafed blossom, then fix together by looping 26-gauge wire twisted at the back; using wire cutters, remove excess wire at the twist. Cut the stems from four store-bought stamens and attach them to the front of blossom with craft glue. (After all the diamonds were gathered I threaded my needle again and threaded the pieces on top of each other to get a layered look rather than a flat flower. When I had arranged all the diamonds into the shape I wanted I went back through the stack with my needle and then came back up to the front so I could sew tiny pearls on. I sewed the pearls on individually and then finished with a double knot on the back. After that I just stitched the flower onto the black elastic headband (you can buy a pack of 6 for about $2.00 at Walmart).

Here I am modeling it!!

HEADBAND TWO:

To make the roses I used the following tutorial??(Can't find source, please help!!)

Step 1 Cut fabric strip

1) Cut a 3/4" by 22" strip of fabric.(you can make them however long or wide you like) The strip doesn't have to be 22" long - it's just a starting point. How long the fabric is will determine the thickness of the flower.
2) Fold the strip in half lengthwise and press.

 Step 2 Roll the fabric to make the flower

1) Roll one end of the strip a couple of times. Anchor the roll by stitching the edge of the fold.

2) Fold the fabric strip down in a 90 degree angle and continue to roll the bud (fabric roll) over the 90 degree fold.

3) Take another stitch to secure the bud.
4) Continue to fold and roll, alternating the direction you fold, to the end of the strip, or until you feel the flower is thick enough. If your flower begins to distort and the bud starts to poke out, smoosh it flat.
5) Once you have achieved the desired thickness, tie off your thread.
6) Make 2 more flowers of various sizes.
Step 3 Stitch onto the headband

and voila!! Me modeling it!

(added later) HEADBAND THREE: This headband I made to match a little dress I made my sister for Christmas so I used the scraps left over from the dress to make the headband:) Oh and I also used ribbon from my wedding for it as well. I don't have step by step instructions, unfortunately, but FORTUNATELY I used some very good tutorials to make each part so I will have pictures.
1) First I wrapped the headband in ribbon. You can wrap it however you'd like. I used a 1/2" headband that you can buy in a pack of 5 from Walmart. Like the ones pictured. My ribbon was only 1/2" thick so I couldn't sew it on like I wanted. If you use a ribbon that is wide enough to cover the headband all the way around you can sew it on in the back and then it looks more professional, but this was a SCRAP project, so I didn't buy any wider ribbon. (oh and I had to use this ribbon because it matched the dress and the silk I used for the flowers.)


2) Then I made the rosettes following the same tutorial I used for my purple headband, I just made them smaller: here:

Step 1 Cut fabric strip

1) Cut a 3/4" by 22" strip of fabric.(you can make them however long or wide you like) The strip doesn't have to be 22" long - it's just a starting point. How long the fabric is will determine the thickness of the flower.
2) Fold the strip in half lengthwise and press.

 Step 2 Roll the fabric to make the flower

1) Roll one end of the strip a couple of times. Anchor the roll by stitching the edge of the fold.

2) Fold the fabric strip down in a 90 degree angle and continue to roll the bud (fabric roll) over the 90 degree fold.

3) Take another stitch to secure the bud.
4) Continue to fold and roll, alternating the direction you fold, to the end of the strip, or until you feel the flower is thick enough. If your flower begins to distort and the bud starts to poke out, smoosh it flat.
5) Once you have achieved the desired thickness, tie off your thread.
6) Make 2 more flowers of various sizes.

3) Then I made 3 yo-yo's following this tutorial from Heather Bailey. I'll include it here (without the pictures), just for you:)
First, make a pattern. Your yo-yo pattern needs to be twice as wide as your intended yo-yo, plus about 1/2" for seam allowances. You can use a compass to draw out your pattern, or find a bowl or lid to trace. Chipboard works great for a pattern, as does the cardboard from a cereal box.

On the wrong side of your fabric, trace around the pattern. Use a water-soluble pen or chalk. Following your traced line, cut out a circle of fabric.



Fold under a scant 1/4" along the edge of your circle, as you stitch close to the folded edge. Use strong thread and make sure it's long enough to go around the full circumference of the circle, with some to spare.
Note: Shorter stitches create a larger, more open center on your yo-yo (see Step 04). Longer stitches make for a tighter yo-yo center (see Steps 05 & 06). 
Once you've stitched around the entire perimeter of the fabric circle, gently pull your stitching thread until the edges gather to the center. Make a couple of stitches to secure your gathers, then knot and trim your thread. Squash your yo-yo flat, with the gathers centered on the top of the yo-yo. That's it!
This yo-yo was created with small stitches, resulting in a wider gathered center. The next two steps show how longer stitches make for a tighter center. For a tighter gathered center on your yo-yo, make longer gathering stitches.When pulled, longer stitches will allow the fabric to gather together more closely. This is ideal if the centers of your yo-yos are to show (no buttons or whatnots sewn on top), as in a bedspread.

4) Then I sewed the rosettes into the center of the yo-yo's. all 3

5) I marked on the headband where I wanted the buds to go and then I sewed them on VERY close together, almost overlapping. I made the center one a little larger than the other two so I sewed that one on first and then added the other two.

Here's the finished look!!!

And here's the matching skirt

and my sister was even so good as to model the two together:)

 

To Market To Market to Buy a....

Table runner for my cute little sofa table that goes in my family room. Here are some I've found on Etsy...what do you think?

 

 

 

 

 

                                       

 Right now my table is natural wood, but I'm thinking of staining it to be more "cottagey" and do a bleach similar to this George VI one:

 

What do you think?