Bleached Jean Shorts

Hello everyone! This past week I've had summer fever like no other. While cleaning out my closet I stumbled upon a pair of old jeans. Sure, they still fit at the waist, but it was a rather unflattering cut. What better way to solve two problems in one than to make some shorts!

Supplies
- jean shorts ( I made mine out of old jeans. Check out the first couple steps of my tutorial HERE )
- bleach
- water 
- a large tub or bowl (Don't use a bathtub! Choose something that's plastic.)
- vinegar 
- two ruler taped together

Start off by picking out the shorts you plan to use. Make sure they have absolutely no frays on the bottom or distressing, after washing them there will be plenty. Then dampen them with water, it will help the bleaching process later on.

 Then thread the taped together rulers through the belt loops on the back of the shorts.

Make your bleach-water solution using a three parts water, one part bleach ratio. Cover the bottom of the tub with a good three inches of the solution.

 One part bleach

Three parts water.

Then place your shorts in the tub as well, balancing the rulers on the edge of the tub so not all of the shorts are submerged.

Set a timer for 30 minutes. At every ten minute interval check on the shorts to make sure they are dying the way you want. If they aren't, just re-position them in the tub. Make sure you wear gloves if you do, or your hands will smell like bleach.

At the end of the 30 minutes pull them out of the solution... Mine weren't as white as I wanted so I let them sit another 10 minutes.

Put on the gloves and take the shorts out of the solution. Remove the rulers from the belt loops and rinse them in water. Make sure to rinse out the tub as well. Then, fill the tub with a vinegar-water solution. Mix four parts vinegar with five parts water.

Completely submerge the short and let sit for 10 minutes. The vinegar acts as a base and stops the bleach from dying the shorts.

After the ten minutes are up wring out the shorts and put them in the washing machine. For this first wash make sure they are the only thing in the machine-- you don't want any left over bleach or vinegar getting on other clothes. Put it on the shortest wash time. Allow them to air dry afterwards.

As soon as they're done drying you can go wear them out and about!

Rope Braid Headband

Hello everyone! I hope you had a happy new year and have made new resolutions! My sister and I have both made a resolution to have abs by the summer. I whipped up one of these before we worked out the first time and I can't wait to make more:) Who says you can't look cute while working out?

Supplies
- scissors
- material scrap (at least 3.5 x 18 inches)
- paper clips
- pencil
- elastic (it you aren't using jersey or a relatively stretchy material)

Cut two strips of material, both an inch and a half wide.

Pull the strips of fabric so the edges curl in if you're using jersey.

Paper clip the tops together and place it under something heavy so it wont slip while braiding.

To make the rope braid start by twisting both strips clockwise. Then wrap them together counter-clockwise

Continue this all the way down the strips, paper clipping it off at the bottom.

Cut another strip of material a half inch wide and pull so the edges curl in.

Tie one end to the end of the braided strip, then wrap it around your head to see where it will need to be tied off.

Tie the end onto the other side of the braided strip. Then cut off the excess material.

If you used a fabric that doesn't stretch, sew elastic to the back instead.

That's it! Now you have a stylish headband:)