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!

Dior potion bottle necklace

I adore Dior. With the same spirit as my other Chanel Potion Necklaces, this Dior Potion Bottle combines a luxury perfume bottle, crystals, gold flake, chain and more to create what I think is the ultimate form of recycling! This bottle was from a mini sample of Dior perfume- I knew this could not just go into the garbage, that it had another purpose. 

I dried and cleaned the inside, filling it with gold flake and vintage pearls. I made a chain harness for it, so that it could hang securely. I added some crystal dangles, of course. The Swarovski crystals I used here were courtesy Cousin Corporation, the licensed dealer of Swarovski Create Your Style to all the major craft stores (Michaels, JoAnn and more). The gold/black/purple combo I used here is unexpected; I was gonna originally go with a neutral crystal scheme but found that teardrop purple crystal and thought, why not? The combo creates a certain drama that the piece needs. Overall, a super glam statement piece. I could totally get used to this type of "recycling"!

COPYRIGHT

Because I take all photos for my blog, the images within this post are all copyright Allison Beth Cooling for Quiet Lion Creations. If you'd like permission to use a photo, email me at allison@quietlioncreations.com

Hippie Crystal Headwrap

Now, this is my kind of tutorial!

Recycled materials + Swarovski crystals + gemstone beads + tie dye = pure hippie glam.

This tutorial combines all types of beads, aka "bead soup" as us crafters call it, to create a bohemian-chic accessory that makes a statement.

It can easily be customized for all your tastes! I used tie dye fabric from a recycled skirt, but if Super Hippie isn't your preferred look, feel free to use plain black fabric or anything else your heart desires. 

This is a turban-style head wrap which is sewn shut, without elastic. You've gotta be good about measuring for this one! You'll use denim (I used it from old worn jeans to recycle) to create a stiff front panel to embroider on.

I created a starburst pattern, stemming from a focal arrangement of hexagonal vitrail (that multihued-coating which looks like a shining rainbow) chandelier-style crystals. Stemming from this is more crystal rondelles, crystal flat backs by Swarovski Create Your Style, pillow Swarovski sew-on vitrail beads, and turquoise gemstone ovals. Turquoise is a purification stone, and is associated with the third eye chakra, so how fitting to use it in a headband?! You can read more about the powers of Turquoise here! Also, vitrail is a french word associated with stained glass, so it's very fitting for describing these crystals.

I kept with a palette of purples/greens/blues here to keep it somewhat consistent! I have a few more color palette ideas too:

-Black shiny fabric with gold, silver and champagne beads for a totally flashy look

-White fabric (with lace!) and pearls, light pink beads and white crystals for a girly look

-Maybe even try brown (faux) leather with copper, turquoise and bronze beads for a "country" feel...

That rhinestone chain is easy to sew on; simply weave and catch the metal in-between the links in your weave! It gives a cool "caged" look to the beads. Lovin' those Swarovski pillow beads too. 

Super glam, right?! Oh, if you want this sign (umm why wouldn't you?!) head to my Prada Marfa Wall Art Tutorial here! Trust me, quick and easy!

Are we finally ready for the tutorial?!!

Step 1: Gather materials. Needed are:

-Fabric. My tie dye is from an old hippie skirt that I cut up.

-Denim. I used recycled old blue jeans, thicker denim.

-Crystals, beads, you name it. Get all your sparkles together to use here. There are no right or wrong beads! I used an assortment of 3mm / 4mm crystals, Swarovski sew on crystals, turquoise oval beads from Happy Mango Beads, hexagon vitrail crystals (found them randomly on Ebay)

-Rhinestone Chain. Mine from Cousin Corporation

-Flatback Crystals. Mine are Swarovski Create Your Style, which you can buy at Michael's or JoAnn Fabrics. I also used Cousin brand Crystazzi flat backs (the small blue ones)

-Thread. I used the extra strong kind, used to sew leather together.

-Glue

I first measured how wide I wanted the headband, and I cut a shape out of the denim and tapered it; You don't have to make it long enough to go around your head, because this is simply the "backing" to your embroidery to keep it stiff. I made mine long enough to sit above the ears. 

Your actual piece of fabric will need to be longer. This is the piece that has to go all the way around your head. So cut a roundabout shape to frame the denim piece with about 1/2" on each side of the denim. I'm lazy so I hot glued my denim piece to the tie dye fabric, folding the fabric over the back of the denim and gluing down. Yes, lazy. Don't cut any fabric yet. Now, flip this over and you should have a nice clean surface.

I started embroidering beads, starting with my focal point of those hexagon vitrail crystals. I layered those with other hexagon crystals and gold rondelles. I laid out my beads before I actually sewed them on, to see how I wanted my composition to go. Do the same! That way, it will save you aggravation if you end up not liking what you just sewed in! I sort of did a sunburst pattern going outwards. I used the rhinestone chain to "cage" certain beads. When I was done sewing, I simply glued on more glitz with the rhinestones and Swarovski flat backs, using E6000 glue.

The top image shows my final pattern. Wait for all your glue to dry before continuing with the next step! When it's all dry, simply fold in and sew in the raw edges on both sides. Take a small piece of fabric and use it to join  the ends, and sew shut. MAKE SURE YOU MEASURE before cutting your final piece! Make your headband snug but not super super tight.

Love the colors in these crystals!

This would look sick on beach vacations; the bright colors and someplace tropical go hand in hand!

Even wear this with an oversized sweater, leggings and ankle booties for a new-bohemian look.

Wear it with your hair up, or down. Or with a braid!

Thanks for reading!

All photos and text copyright Allison Beth Cooling. DO NOT POST OR REUSE WITHOUT LINKING TO ME AND CREDITING ME.

Liquid Crystal Headbands and Bracelets

Simply chic!

My newest tutorial features heat-set crystals which make it easy for embellishing satin and organza ribbons!

You can go gypsy-chic with a boho-inspired look…..

Wear them as stacking bracelets…..

Or, add some sparkle to any updo!

I will be using both Cousin Crystazzi heat-set crystals and Cousin M'Bellish silver studs.

Cousin's Crystazzi heat-set crystals are great to use for all types of projects. They are just like Swarovski Hotfix crystals, meaning you can just iron on to a variety of materials and fabrics.

Cousin's Crystazzi line includes crystal beads of various colors, shapes and sizes. They look like Swarovski but are much more affordable. These heat set crystals take the sparkle and shine of high-quality glass and put them in a very versatile form! Here I'm going to be using satin ribbon as my base, and adding the rhinestones on top.

You can follow Cousin brand on social media for updates with new products and more!

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Are we ready? Let's get started!

Step 1: Gather materials. Needed are:

Satin ribbons in multiple colors/thicknesses 

Crystazzi Heat-set Crystals (the blue and red ones I have pictured here are NOT heat-set just the white are. I realized that when I tried to iron. I guess I cannot read packages!)

If you have non heat-set crystals you can always glue them to the ribbon. Use E-6000 glue if you do.

I laid out a long piece of ribbon and ironed it flat. About 6" from the end, I added my crystals in a row, about 6" or so and then covered them with a thin old white T-shirt. 

I pressed down the iron right on top of the crystals and held it for about 30 seconds. Lift up the T-shirt and see if they are all adhered. Then, flip the ribbon over, cover it and hold the iron on it again for about 30 seconds. 

You will be able to see the melted glue on the back when they are fully adhered.

Keep doing this, in 6" increments or so until the ribbon is as long as you need. Make sure you have 6" of free space on the other side of the crystals.

If making bracelets, wrap around your wrist and see where you need to cut and finish the ends. By leaving the free space, you won't be cutting into crystals if you need to make it shorter! Finish off with ribbon ends and a clasp.

If making a headband you can sew a strip of elastic to the ribbon ends so that it has some stretch. Make sure that about 6" or so of your headband is the elastic so that it's easy to get on and off.

Stack 'em up!

I went with neutral tones here, so I could wear them with everything. Go with neon colors for a rainbow-bright look!

All photos copyright Allison Beth Cooling. Do not use/post tutorial without crediting me!