one | two | three | four | five

DIY Project || #18 || Kaleidoscope Earrings

After a brief hiatus from the blog in respect to the events that occurred last week, I want to thank everyone I know who's been really supportive and caring. I can't be any more grateful that my friends are safe, the perpetrators are no longer on the streets, and we can begin to move forward with heavier hearts. 

I wanted to get back onto my schedule with this DIY project I like to call Kaleidoscope earrings. I've seen similar projects that have used cut up CDs to put on wallets, necklaces, bracelets and such so I thoughtI I'd give it a whirl! If anyone has seen some cool CD projects, let me know and I'd be glad to link to them in this post!

It's a fairly easy process overall -- probably took me about half an hour to do the whole project. Simply take a blank CD and cut it into small pieces (helps to start with big chunks then break it down smaller). Then, after situating the pieces onto your earring, simply heat up your glue gun and start attaching them on. Sometimes the glue will melt a bit of the silvery film that coats the CD, which I ended up liking a lot because to gives it a rougher edge and plays with the clear/reflective theme. After the glue cools, you can trim away any edges that might seem to sharp or poignant. Simply wipe the surface to rid of any sticky residue when you're done and voila! Hope you guys like it, let me know what you think!

Update || A Moment

My apologies for the recent silence on the Kipi blog. This week has been one of many trials and I would like to take the week as a moment of silence for those affected, traumatized, and hurt by Monday's bombings in the Boston Marathon. Though many of those I know who were in the marathon or near the blast are safe, my heart continually wrenches for those whose lives have been brutally interrupted by the evil acts of others. Let us continue to pray and reach out to those in need of help, and may justice be rightfully carried through.

DIY Project || #18 || Gifting with Gold and Tassels

This week I was inspired by subtle spring colors and couldn't help but bring out the peach colored yarn I've had stashed on top of my drawer for the past few months. One of my friends' birthday was coming up and she loves very minimal, yet elegant styles. I got her this standard moleskin notebook, perfect for her sketches, and wrapped it in an untraditional style. Using just a small necklace gold chain, yarn, and a bit of tape you can ditch those boring store-bought wrapping bows and make a unique, long-lasting wrapping. What's best about it is you can wrap anything in it and in a variety of ways, check it out below!

Making the tassel is so quick and yet such a more delightful look than a typical present bow. Simply wrap yarn around your palm (try using a variety of colors, too!), then slide the wrapped yarn off your hand. Squeezing at the top, wrap the last strand of yarn around multiple times until you are pleased.

Afterwards, cut the thread and tuck it into the wrapping (or glue it). Then, cut the bottom of the circular yarn until it starts looking like the all wonderful tassel. Feel free to trim the bottom edges if they are uneven. Next, carefully slide or thread the gold chain into the top of the tassel and wrap as desired across your gift. Simply tape the chain on the back (as this is what I did), so that the person can remove it and even wear it as a necklace or hang as decor! Sweeeet.

Friday Faves || #15 || Designing your Space

I know, I know. I'm going a bit crazy with the home decor lately but that can all be explained! After landing my first ever full-time job (yay for post-grad life working out!) I've been scouring apartment sites for places to rent in Boston. Unfortunately, the stunning, all-natural, bright, spacious, and homey pictures I've been looking at on Pinterest have raised my expectations a bit too high now that I realized my budget probably won't get me anywhere close. Alas, the past friday faves have been my outlets to *imagine so wonderfully* what I would do if I had my perfect apartment space. For starters, there would be tons of natural light -- and I'm talking huge windows, please. Next, it would be a colonial, rustic place with hardwood floors and flat, white walls. The rest of the space I would pretty much decorate in all things Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, vintage/thrift finds, and the occasional Ikea DIY piece here and there. Ah, if only this were real life!

room image | one | two | three | four

DIY PROJECT || # 17 || COLORBLOCK BUTTON-UP

I have been anticipating the week I get to post this DIY project for you all! I made this colorblock button up way back in January, but thought it fit better with spring time wear rather than winter. Anywho, I am a huge fan of all things colorblock so this project was right up my alley. After ransacking my older brother's closet on winter break, I found a couple white button ups from his younger days that fit perfectly on me. If you have a boyfriend, husband, brother, dad, or any other man who's closet you can raid -- get kickin! In just about an hour I transformed the shirt into a stylish, spring top that goes great when paired with skinny jeans and boots.

Here's what you'll need:

And here are the steps to make the shirt: 

Step one: Lay out the blouse on a flat suface and, using a fabric cutter or scissors, begin cutting out the back piece of the shirt. I just cut along the insides of the original seams.

Step two: With the back cut out, lay it over the new, colorful fabric you wish to use. Cut the fabric along the outline of the original shirt piece, leaving about 1/2" to 3/4" extra along the borders. It helps to pin the two fabric pieces together while doing so.

Step three: Fold in the extra 1/2" that you had cut all along the sides and then loosely hand-stitch the sides inside. I did this because the fabric I used frays a lot, and it made it a lot easier for adding it to the shirt.

Step four: Then, pin the new backing to the shirt, exactly how it was originally.

Step five: Slowly with the sewing machine, stitch the new colored piece to the shirt along the seams. 

Step six: If you haven't done so already, cut and pull out the hand-stitching you had made in step three so you get a flawless look! Voila!

Graduation Countdown || #2 || My Spring Bucket List Update

As I mentioned earlier here, I kicked off my senior spring wanting to try a variety of activities that I have yet to explore on campus before graduating. Ideally, I wanted to do 99 things in the 99 days remaining until graduation. Now, that number has dropped to just 60 days! Gasp! Well, I still have a lot of work to do but I was pleasantly surprised with everything I was able to do over just the past couple months especially. Here is the visual proof below, and my brief notes about each one afterwards!

1. Go on a spring break trip - went to Florida with my girls!

2. Dance in Ghungroo Performance (South East Asian dance show on campus)  - danced in the senior segment!

3. Sled down Harvard yard steps - thanks to Hurricane Nemo, I went down Memorial Hall steps on a dining hall tray!

4. Attend Celebration of Black Women (campus event organized by the Black Men's Forum at Harvard) - went for the first time, got a rose and a special note! 

5. Go to the Holi Festival (cultural Indian/Hindi festival including dancing and the throwing of colored powder) - got purple, pink, and yellow in my eyes, mouth, and hair...and I loved it!

6. Deliver letters on Housing Day (a Harvard tradition where freshman are randomly selected into one of 12 upperclass houses) - chanted until my throat was sore and ran like never before in the yard!

7. Go out dancing in Boston! - went two times already with my girls to a dance club in Boston!

8. Attend an IOP Forum (generally high-profile individuals who come to speak at the Harvard Kennedy School of Govt.) - went to go hear actor Sean Penn and former prime-minister of Haiti, Michelle Pierre-Louis, discuss Haiti 3 years after the earthquake

9. Try a new food place in the Square - a few days ago I finally tried Clover, an entirely vegan restaurant just across the street from my old freshman dorm. The rosemary fries are perhaps the best fries I've ever tasted!