Crystal Moccasins +DIY

Crystal moccasins? Why not?! These summery accessories are great for music festivals, parades, arcades, picnics, carnivals and more. Wouldn't you agree?



Just some quick sewing and gluing will have your tired moccasins looking supa' fresh in no time. I think the mix of colors here and those cool iridescent rhinestone flat backs mix perfectly.



Seed beads are traditionally what moccasins are embellished with, but you know I need to pull out the sparkle on every chance possible. You could even stud these for a more edgy vibe. That may be my next tutorial….who knows?! Are you ready to start?!



Step 1: Gather materials. Needed are a pair of moccasins, sewing needles, E6000 glue, fishing line, cabochons (Pandahall Tawaian Colorful Flat Back rhinestones), wooden beads (Pandahall Oval Wood Beads), seed beads (Pandahall Opaque Mixed Color Beads).



Step 2: Start by gluing on your flat backs - I tried to fill up as much space as I could, putting them in rows. Let dry.



Step 3: Cut a 2 foot long piece of fishing line, and tie a small knot right at the end. Thread the other end through your sewing needle, and start sewing on wood beads and seed beads. There is no particular pattern. I hate sewing so I just embellished a little bit. If you love to sew, go all out. It's hard to sew through this thick material, so I used flat nose piers to help me grab the needle and pull it. Tie another knot when finished sewing to hold everything in place, then cut off the excess fishing line. I used fishing line because of its strength and it's clear, so you won't see the thread!



Easy peasy. Pick any color combo you want - try shaped rhinestones (teardrops?) for an elegant look, or even spike studs for an edgy look. It's up to you!

All photos copyright Allison Beth Cooling. Do not post or reuse without crediting me and linking to me!

carnivàle sparkle sunglasses +diy

So if you frequent my blog you obviously have already acknowledged my obsession with gems. I've embellished shoes, hats, shirts, nails and more - but never sunglasses. Well, my friends, now is the time.



These faux Prada glasses (find them here) were kind of plain - and I needed a way to dress them up.So after receiving some of this great sapphire rhinestone chain from Pandahall,  I first thought of using it in a jewelry tutorial. But, why not change it up a bit? It's ability to lay flat and bend/turn made it great for gluing on these frames.



I also added Cousin M'bellish flat backs to fill in some spots, and add more glitz. You can grab these or any other flat backs at Michael's, JoAnn, AC Moore and Walmart.



So totally luxe-looking, they definitely stand out - feel free to mix up colors here. I stuck with clear crystals, but using multicolors would make for a total Carnivale-type look!



Step 1: Gather materials. Needed are sunglasses -you can get the SAME ones I used (faux Pradas) here!-, E6000 glue, a toothpick, rhinestone cup chain (mine from Pandahall here) and flatback crystals (mine from Cousin's M'Bellish line here). You could also use Swarovski flat backs, Crystazzi flat backs or other similar styles.



Step 2: Start gluing. It's super simple - with the toothpick, place a small dab of E6000 glue at the edge of the glasses frame (I started at the center of my swirl). Lay the first rhinestone on this glue- then, simply keep adding dabs of glue, and laying your chain down. Because of the shape of my frames, I did this swirl in one separate piece.



I added another piece to fill out the arms of the glasses. Repeat with other side.



Step 3: Embellish. I again glued down crystal flat backs with dabs of glue, adding a fan-like pattern to the edges of my glasses. I trimmed just the top of the lenses with another length of rhinestone chain. I cut all my chain after gluing it, to make sure I wasn't too short or too long with my cuts.



Are you digging them? I'd pair these with denim skinny jeans, a graphic tee and sneakers. Add a crystal bib necklace if you want to go all out!



I love the blue / silver combo here, adding a modernity to otherwise retro-type glasses. A black / gold combo would create a very luxe, more goth vibe. What colors would you choose?!



All photos copyright Allison Beth Cooling. DO NOT post or use photos without linking to me and crediting me.

If you use this tutorial to make your own pair of glasses, post a pic to Instagram and tag me @quietlioncreations - I'll repost you!