estoy, je suis: Spring Fling: A Boho Prom

The school year is coming towards an end and a glimmer of glamour is in the air. You may be a teen getting ready for the biggest night of the year, a collegiate prepping for an end of the year bash or just a gal with a clutch full of excitement over the approaching warmer months and all the bonfire get-togethers they bring. Whatever your walk of life, we've got a month filled with styliscious DIY's to make each outing your best ever!

image: EstoyJeSuis.blogspot.com

Yesterday, Katt and I hit one of our favorite vintage spots, "Golyester", on La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles. We had lots of fun trying on some of the amazing AND bizarre finds they had. However, we had a clear purpose -- to find two stunning bohemian gowns on the cheap. Jackpot! We also headed over to Michael's, an all-in-one craft spot here in the states (for you over-sea-ers) to pick out a few odds and ins to create beautiful headpieces and a simple arm-cuff to complete our looks {note: if you don't know how in-love I am with headpieces, allow this to serve as your official notice}.

image: EstoyJeSuis.blogspot.com

On first glimpse... rather pretty, eh?

Well darlings, below is your guide to making gorgeous accessories just like these for your special occassion or, if you're like me, any and every day.

xoxo,

& Katt

image: EstoyJeSuis.blogspot.com

___________________________
1) Begin by measuring out the length of ribbon you'll need to (comfortably & supportively) wrap around the circumference of your head. Be sure to keep your thumbs in tact with the spot at which the two ends meet in the back so you can mark them. These points will be where the decorative elements begin and end. Then, allowing for plenty of room to tie the ends together, cut the ribbon ends at an angle so that when they hang down the back of your hair the ends are clean. {On silk ribbons, you can lightly burn the cut ends to seal them and prevent fraying.}

2) The main ribbon band I chose came with gold thread evenly lined through it,so I used those lines as a guide for laying the decorative ribbon on in a straight line. Lightly bead in hot glue in 2 inch sections, then lay down the decorative element and firm it into the base ribbon. After 10 seconds, carefully peel the base ribbon away from the paper. Any paper stuck to the backside of the base ribbon won't be seen in the front.

image: EstoyJeSuis.blogspot.com

3) Once you've completed part 2, continue with the third layer of ribbon or beading (I chose lace ribbon with pearl beading for extra texture and dimension). This layer can be placed either directly over the first (on a thinner headpiece) or, as I've done, slightly higher up the base ribbon so that the final piece is more multi-faceted.

image: EstoyJeSuis.blogspot.com

Putting it all together...

Bohemian Prom:

1960's Original Orange Fishprint Maxi by Jack Hartley Miami

image: EstoyJeSuis.blogspot.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

image: EstoyJeSuis.blogspot.com

1) Here, you'll measure out the length of the chain, the same as you did with the ribbon in the tutorial before.

2) Using a pair of fine needle-nose jewelry pliers, open one of the links. Choose a link that is about three links longer than the one that fit most snug to your head in the back. I chose to leave about 2 inches of extra chain hanging - leaving room for error and also because it's a pretty finishing touch.

3) Loop the open link (still attached to its original two links) now to the link on the opposite end of the chain that fit most snug to your head. This will close the headpiece into a circular chain. Be sure to give the link a squeeze in each direction so that its closure is secure. There will be a long section of chain still attached to the second side. Select the length of chain you want to hang down the back of your head and remove the remaining section.

4) On your secondary chain, open and remove the loop that the clasp would usually close into. Set this aside to later attach a bead or pendant to the front center of this headpiece.

image: EstoyJeSuis.blogspot.com

5) Using your jewelry/wire cutter, clip off the clasp attachments so that you are left with a long clean chain. You'll then loop the chain through the front center link of your base chain and pull it so that it is also centered with even lengths on both ends of the chain link.

6) With this particular headpiece, I counted out 10 links from the center to one side, wrapped the secondary chain once around the base chain, then looped it through the 10th link on the base. I continued this process until there was about 1 and 1/2 inch secondary chain remaining. Repeat to the second side.

image: EstoyJeSuis.blogspot.com

7) Place a dab of hot-glue on a fine, thin metallic ribbon. Set the remaining ends of the secondary chain and the section of the base chain where it lines up into the glue. Before the glue dries, roll the ribbon around this section of the chains. Then use the needle-nose pliers to firm the ribbon into the setting as the glue begins to harden.

image: EstoyJeSuis.blogspot.com

8) Take the remaining section of the base chain that you detached in Step 3. Attach the end link of that chain to the front center of the headpiece. Put the headpiece on as you would wear it and measure the length of this third section over the top center line of your head all the way to the back center of the headpiece. Remove the headpiece and attach the third section to the back to now complete the basic form of the headpiece.

image: EstoyJeSuis.blogspot.com

9) If you have a pendant or bead(s) that you'd like to place at the front center of the headpiece, use the loop from the clasp you detached in Step 4 to assemble the final touch.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1) For the cuff, we chose a 4 inch wide embroidered ribbon. The starting end was cut at an angle and the wider section of that angle was placed up the arm to fit the increasing circumference of the arm as it travels up from the wrist. To measure where the other end should be cut, simply match the cut end to the length of the ribbon.

image: EstoyJeSuis.blogspot.com

2) Place a 1/2 inch bead of hot-glue on the back-side of the ribbon at the top of the band and lay a very thin ribbon into that bead. (We purchased about a yard of the metallic ribbon used in the chain headpiece and used the remainder of it on this step.) You'll repeat this action at the inside base of the cuff ribbon and again at the inside center line.

image: EstoyJeSuis.blogspot.com

3) Folding the cuff ribbon in half with the inside facing out, flip it over and repeat the actions in Step 2 with the opposite ends of the fine ribbon. Then, finding the center point of the fine ribbon attachments, make a cut in each of these three. These will form the ties for the cuff to be fixed onto the arm.