DIY Western Applique'd Denim Shorts

Denim is huge this summer.  Indeed, when is it ever not?  But in recent years we've seen denim in every single incarnation known to man from raw and tailored all the way to bleached, ripped, studded, ombre, embroidered and everything in between.  Just as long as we don't start seeing any of this again, denim is a good thing to be in right now.

So here's my contribution to the many denim-related DIYs out there:


Quilted, applique'd denim cut-offs.  These are inspired by a combination of all the navajo inspired denim around this season as well as Indian textiles and Indian quilting techniques.

You will need:

• A pair of jeans in need of a new lease of life! - These old baxter's are a size too big for me and as skinny as I thought they were when they first came out, I much prefer super skinnies these days.
• Fabric of choice - The floral stripe and red on this Indian suit piece I thought was suitably western-themed, without being so yee-haw as to date it by next season.
• Pins
• Fabric shears
• Matching thread and needle
• Tracing paper
• (Optional) Tracing wheel - this is handy but not essential.
• (Optional - not pictured) Pinking shears or a sewing machine

 Using my favourite cut-offs as a guide, I cut off the legs of the jeans.  Always overestimate!  More than you think you need to, trust me, you will not regret heeding my warning.

Fold the garment in half, and use as a guide for cutting the other side.  Yours should look a bit longer than these!!

 And just in case they don't, keep the excess!  Not wanting to flash a load of cheek, I ended up needing to add a little bit extra on, as despite adding a whole inch extra, it wasn't enough.  I neglected to allow for the fact that even though both denims are the same size, these were a skinny fit and the other a more relaxed fit, so they sat higher up.  It's always handy to keep the legs anyway, for saving your favourite pair of jeans when they start to develop a crotch hole!

 Cut a piece of tracing paper larger than the exposed part of the pocket bag and pin it over.

 Using the tracing wheel, or a pencil, trace round the shape of the exposed pocket bag, making sure to give yourself an extra 1cm allowance around the outside.

 Cut around the line you've just traced and use this pattern to cut out the shape from your fabric.

 Fold over the 1cm allowance just at the top and side and press with an iron.

 Pink the curved edge of the fabric using pinking shears.  If you don't own any, you can also sew a zig-zag stitch around the edge or hand-sew a blanket stitch.  This step is important to ensure this edge doesn't fray over time and will help your DIY last so I don't recommend skipping it.

 Pin fabric in place.

 Cut around the rivets and tuck raw edges underneath.

 Blindstitch the fabric to the denim using matching thread.

And here's a fun, optional detail- I added a vertical running stitch, just like on Indian quilts and bedspreads to ensure the fabric is secured to the denim and won't wear away (as my applique is made from quite a flimsy material) over time.  I love the look of this, but you don't have to do it if you are using a more heavy-wearing fabric.

Shorts: DIY;  T-shirt: Gilly Hicks;  Waistcoat: H&M;  Boots: Clark's;  Shawl: Pakistan;  Silver bracelet: Ebay;  Silver ring: antique store in Munich (now lost after my birthday shenanigans!)

photography: Leon Roy

Have you done any denim-related DIYs?  Let us know in the comments below or tag me in your instagram pics: @patterns4life.

Patterns 4 Life According to Instagram

If you've been following me on Instagram, you'll have seen some of what I've been up to, but for those who haven't (yet!), here's a little summary of what's been inspiring me creatively in and around London:

 l: Adored this stunning eye look by Nikki Makeup.  Check out my Facebook page where I'll be posting the final results from this shoot.
r: Check out this window display in Topshop's flagship store!  The VM there has an enviable job.

 l: I love this well considered collection of old books and vintage glassware on this mantelpiece at a stylish pub in North London, it's all about the colours and textures juxtaposed together.
r: The biscuit building in Shoreditch has beautiful interiors, including these feminine bathrooms.

 l: The blue and white teaset in this pub reminds me of Ming vases and Wedgewood pottery (which, as it happens were often inspired by the former).  Keep an eye out for blue and white pottery in charity shops and fleamarkets and you'll always have a co-ordinating yet charmingly mismatched set of crockery.
r: This dumpling soup with shitaake mushrooms and pak choi is the NUTs.  Amazing if, like me, you're trying to drop a few inches without sacrificing on yummy food.

l: Nails by the legendary Jenny Longworth on a job for Revlon cosmetics.  I know I've said I'm not a big fan of nail art but both these versions I am a fan of!  They're subtle enough to be sophisticated and the 80s throwback on the left reminds me of stationary I had as a child.  Can't beat a bit of nostalgia!

r: Nails by Nikki Makeup.  Love this matt/gloss combo, will definately be trying this one at home and I think it would also look fab in nude.

 l: I've been doing more and more meditation, often daily so success on one of my 3 goals for 2013.  I've had a few extremely intense spiritual experiences so far this year, although that's not really the goal of my meditation practise it has been encouraging me to do it more and more and the benefits to my peace of mind have been immense.  I was very disappointed by this article in Stylist magazine that dumbed the whole thing down, painting it as another 'flavour-of-the-month' fashion industry fad.
r: Spring in the air and I've been so uplifted by all the apple and cherry blossom adorning the trees.  Grab a pair of pincers and nip off a branch to brighten up your windowsill!

l: A book sculpture in a music shop, spotted out and about on castings.  I made one in my 2nd year of Architecture and have been quite fascinated with them ever since.  I can feel a DIY coming!  Has anyone else ever made one?
r: These 1930s styled kitchen canisters look equally great in a rustic themed farmhouse kitchen or a more modern one, like this stunning house I was shooting in.  The vintage lettering co-ordinates beautifully with the natural tones of the marble.

Birthday Giveaway!

Hey folks!  Time for a beauty giveaway!  Well it's my birthday today and I'm feeling super thankful for all you lovely readers who keep visiting this blog time and again.  A blog is nothing without it's readers so even though you're a mighty quiet bunch, I have Google Analytics so I know you're all out there, enjoying the content.

So... on the day of my birth I thought it appropriate to give something back to not one, not two but THREE readers as y'all have given me so much motivation to keep channelling my creativity through this blog.  Just want you all to know that with such a huge saturation of content out there, it means so much that you all have chosen to spend your time on this little blog here.

So... without further ado.  Some of you may remember my DIY tutorial for my anti-ageing facial oil.  Well, if you are anything like me, who used to tune into Art Attack every Monday, transfixed by Neil Buchanan's creativity yet never, ever manage to get round to making that love-letter tree out of used toilet rolls, here is one just for you:

No, not a toilet roll tree, the face oil!  Made with love by me :)

And this version is even better than the one I showed you how to make as:

- it contains vitamin A and carotene so is very effective at fighting free radical damage, so great for daytime use as an extra shield.

- almond oil in it also provides a natural barrier against the sun.

- the astringent properties of rose and geranium minimise pores, fight against wrinkles and tones and lifts skin.

- geranium is balancing.  It balances the skin so great for combination skin and helps to fight acne.  It also balances hormone production and the emotions, calming stress and anxiety.

- rose is a natural anti-depressant.

I've been using it every day now, sometimes even twice a day, once at night and once in the morning and I've really noticed a difference in my skin.  I have normal/combination skin and I haven't had any problems with it being too greasy, it just sinks in deliciously with the scent of geranium and roses... mmmm!

But anyway, enough rambling, you don't need to listen to me, I'm inviting you to try it for yourself.  So if you would like to get your hands on one of the three, all you need to do is:

- Like my Facebook page
- Leave a comment on this post (not on facebook) with your Facebook name

The 3 winners will be randomly selected and contacted via Facebook.  The giveaway closes on 27th May.  That's not long so get liking and commenting!

Styling Thrift: The Black Coat

As I said the other day, black coats and jackets are always up for grabs in charity shops and I managed to score this benetton one in my size and in great condition for a tenner.  I had to sew on a missing button but that's small fry for all you DIY fashionistas out there.

Bring the look bang up to date by pairing with on-trend items like this 90s style beanie and leather leggings; turning a classic into something much more of the moment.

Hat: Market stall, oxford street

Coat: Thrifted

Polka-dot blouse: Thrifted

Leather panel leggings: Guess

Chelsea boots: Thrifted

Bag: DIY

Photos: Nigel Pacquette

And what with the weather being so erratic at the moment, this sort of understated, single-breasted number is the perfect cold-weather alternative to your basic black blazer.

Styling Thrift: Basics

I quite like charity shops for finding unique, one-of-a-kind type purchases (like these and this), but they're also great for picking up good quality basics at a fraction of the cost.  Black blazers and coats are always up for grabs, I always find one whenever I go browsing, it's just about finding one in your size that's the right cut and fit for the season (boyfriend vs. mad-men style nipped in waists) and of course, in good nick too.

This one, originally from Zara is a really good relaxed fit and pairs well with my Pucci tailored cigarette pants, scored from another charity shop in Kensington (where you'll find the best second -hand designer).  Rockstar trouser suit done and dusted.

Jacket: thrifted Zara

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban

Jewellery: gifted

It's not always easy finding white tees and shirts in charity shops, people tend to hold onto them till they're gone, so this was a lucky find.  If you do spot one, pounce as that worn-in, pre-loved softness that is so elusive on the high street comes as standard.  Paired with your favourite skinny jeans, it's the perfect canvas for a stack of silver rings.

Vest: Thrifted Zara

Jeans: H&M (best jeans I've ever had!!)

Jewellery: Bugs, Munich (similar here) and jewellery stores in Udaipur, Rajasthan (similar here)

Photos: Lumir Schulz

Body Shop Beauty

This tinted cheek gel from The Body Shop could give Nars Orgasm a serious run for its money.  A beautiful rose pink tint with flecks of gold light-reflecting particles, I've been using this product to give me a serious (after ;)glow for castings.  I've been using their 'Rose Pink' lip and cheek stain for years, every summer I get it out and it's great to put in your beach bag on holiday.  But when I saw they'd added a new shade (Bronze Glimmer) last summer, I thought I'd give it a try.

You just need to swipe a bit on your cheek and then use your fingers to blend.  I use a patting motion rather than a rubbing motion, otherwise I end up with more of the stain on my finger than on my cheeks, leaving mostly just a gold highlight.  Also, do one cheek at a time, as I've made the mistake before of swiping on both cheeks at the same time, then going to blend each one in turn, leaving the second cheek with a deeper stain from where the product has been sitting for too long.  And, unlike the rose pink shade, this one doesn't look so great used on the lips.

Despite those drawbacks, I'm on my second one now (only because I heartbreakingly lost the first one), and I keep it in my bag always.  It actually lasts hours, so it's not like I need it for touch-ups, it's just part of my 'travel beauty kit' that I always keep in my handbag for mornings where I've overslept and have to do my makeup on the tube.

Also in said kit is their awesome crayon concealer, which is great for concealing both dark circles and blemishes, and I also use it on other areas of discolouration like round the nose and a bit on the chin.  It gives you that even-toned complexion without wearing foundation, cheating perfection ;).  After all, you don't wanna be that girl trying to blend foundation on the tube, why not bring your hair straighteners along for the ride, too?

The coverage is really good so you need only a teeny bit on imperfections.  They do a wide variety of shades so most should be able to find one that blends in well with your skin tone.  Unfortunately, they don't seem to go that dark, however, which means black girls are left out, which is crap.  Body Shop, please address!

Skin Primer

Whether your'e using foundation or not, this product is a win for normal or oily skin.  It's completely colourless and goes on like so much liquid velvet, leaving a soft, perfect, velvety finish to the skin.  It's amazing.  I've stopped using it recently, however, as my skin for the last few months has been on the drier side of normal, but I might pick one up before I head off to Asia again as my skin tends to get a bit oilier in more humid climes.  This product is just as good as other, pricier products I've tried (e.g. Smashbox, although it doesn't come in colour-correcting or illuminating varieties, unfortunately).

Their eye pencils, however, I would give a miss.  Usually if I trial a product and it doesn't perform up to scratch, I won't even bother giving it any coverage, but I thought I would here to demonstrate my integrity, authenticity, lack of bias and general awesomeness.  I'll also have you know, I don't receive any kind of kickback if you click on one of the links to purchase any of the products I've ever recommended (you can just click on the picture and it will take you to the product page).  Nor have the Body Shop ever sent me any free products, so I just want y'all to know, if I say something is good, that shit be true and I'm not getting any kind of compensation for saying so.

Anyway, the eye pencils.  Really not that fussed, very difficult to get a good colour in the water line with these, I have the navy blue and the black and they are both VERY subtle.  Which is actually kinda good for castings when I want to add a bit of definition but not look like i'm wearing anything (eyeliner for castings is a bit of a no-no), I might just run the black over to give my eyes a bit of depth.  But if you're looking for a real kohl, you'll need one that is softer and more highly pigmented.

And in the spirit of product-bashing, here's another I'd give a miss to:

Chocomania Shower Gel, smells supposedly like chocolate but I find the smell more like soapy chocolate.  It's also extremely viscous so I had to squeeze the bottle quite hard to get any out.  It doesn't lather amazingly well but that's not a huge concern when I'm assessing a shower gel.  For me it was just that smell was so off-putting, it made me want to vom every time I used it (and I committed to finishing the bottle despite how much I hated it, I'm very anti-waste).  I'm back onto my Original Source stuff after that traumatic experience.  It seems like The Body Shop's Hemp shower gel has been discontinued, I can't see it on the website in any case.  Which brings me great sadness as it was actually one of the best shower gels I've ever used.  Quite viscous, yet easy to get out of the bottle, almost like an oil.  And so, so moisturising.  A real treat.  Bring it back, guys!

And let's end on a high note:

these two are great:

For my full review of both, check out What's In My Manicure Kit Bag, some insider tips from a professional hand model (me).

And for anyone who isn't familiar with The Body Shop, despite selling out to L'Oreal, they seem to be  making quite a firm stand against animal testing and still take their founding values quite seriously.  The Roddick family would be proud, and so am I, which is why I'll forgive their disgusting soap scented liquid chocolate this one time.

DIY Retro Egg Nests with a Twist!

I'm sure many of you can remember making these classics back at school, but here is a more on-trend alternative: pastel egg nests!

Made using white chocolate and food colouring, these are just as easy to make as the original version, although you do have to be a bit more careful when melting the white chocolate as it doesn't contain cocoa solids so it can go lumpy more easily.

If you missed yesterdays, here's what you need:

Cornflakes

White chocolate (2 slabs will make about 15 nests)

Mini eggs (I used about 150g)

Food colouring (a powder or oil based one is best for white chocolate as it doesn't mix well with liquid but I used a water based gel and that worked fine.)

Small pastry cases

Fill a saucepan with water.  Bring to the boil.

Pour a few drops of food colouring into a glass or stainless steel bowl (only a few if you want a pastel colour, more if you want a more intense colour.  I made one batch of each).  It's important to add the food colouring first if it's a water based product, as white chocolate can seize on contact with liquid.  I chose red but an orange would be great for an on-trend peachy colour when mixed with the yellow-toned chocolate

Break the white chocolate into small, even-sized chunks into the bowl.  This is important to ensure the chocolate melts evenly.

Stir the food colouring into the chocolate as it melts, to distribute the heat and colour evenly.  Just before all the chocolate has melted, when there are still some lumps remaining, remove from the heat.  The heat from the rest of the chocolate will melt these remaining lumps.  Stir-through.

Sprinkle in some corn flakes, adding more at intervals while distributing the chocolate through, until all the chocolate has evenly coated each flake.

 Dispense a small amount of the mixture into each pastry cases (one slab will do about 7 or 8).  Pop 3 mini-eggs into the centre of each 'nest'.

Pop the whole lot into the fridge to harden for an hour or more before serving.

Easter Treats!

Chocolate and lingerie... two of my favourite things!  And what better time of year than Easter to enjoy such things?  I know we had Valentine's day recently but when it comes to chocolate and lingerie, any excuse will do!

Here is an easter moodboard to get you into the Easter spirit!  Ahh, this took me right back to my Sheffield University architecture days... ok, maybe further than that, maybe GCSE DT days, although back then we didn't use Photoshop, we stuck the images onto an A3 sheet of paper using Pritt Stick.  When I was studying architecture, I used to cringe looking back on those, but I guess several years as a model have made me come full circle.

In any case, I have an Easter publishing deadline to meet and besides, I think it's rather charming in a kitsch, handmade, schooly, twee sort of way.  Sorta.

It's easter.  Easter is all about eggs.  And birds.  I only made this connection last night (I know, it was a bit of a Joey 'people eat birds?!' moment) when my sister and I were doing manicures and I commented on all the egg and bird related nail trends for spring.  Forget about bunnies, they don't come out of eggs, birds do.  And eggs come out of birds as well.  

Nails

I'll admit, I'm not the biggest fan of nail art, I do find a lot of it a bit naff (shock, horror!) if I'm completely honest, but that might be just because of modelling, it's just way too much effort to go to to then have to take it all off again for a job, replaced by a natural manicure.  During quiet seasons, however, or if I'm off on holiday I do love a good moon manicure (its the art deco-loving flapper girl in me) and I do like the more subtle styles, like this speckle polish from Illamasqua, which I've completely fallen for.  I'm secretly hoping Barry M come up with a knock-off however, as I'm sure this trend is gonna be like, sooo last week by April.  But for Easter, it's perfect, although I'd recommend filing your nails into an egg-shaped oval for this one (it's also a shape least prone to splitting! -insider tip for you there).  Eggs, flowers, birds, rainbows, freshly sprouting grass- Easter is all about colour, as my sister so eloquently put it when she inquired as to why I was painting my nails nude.  Perhaps what she forgot is that Easter is the festival of fertility so it's also about going nude.

Lingerie

Speaking of which, when it comes to lingerie you can go either way.  In fact, I'm rather partial to both, colour and nude (or colour and then nude, as the case may be).  In fact, a nude-neon colour combination in lingerie is the height of design sophistication, imho, probably because it's not a colour combination bastardised by the bargain basement lingerie mass market.  Not yet, anyway.

The neon set pictured is from a past season of Damaris, I've put it up there cos it's the set I'll be wearing this weekend, as captured here by Andrew Robert Fox for Nineteen13:

makeup/hair: Heather B. 

This is a patterns4life EXCLUSIVE as the whole story was originally published in black and white.  Isn't that coral/neon yellow just scrumptious?  As Holly from The Lingerie Addict wrote regarding neon lingerie, 'done wrong, it’s incredibly tacky. Done well however, it just looks very, very expensive'.  I'd say this set from Damaris is definitely the latter!  It's a real shame that I can't find any images of the back of the knickers cos the detail on the bum is to die for but check out my instagram (@patterns4life) over the weekend, I'll upload a pic for all the lingerie-loving readers (and from what Google analytics tells me, there's a lot of you out there).  I'll spare you a bum-selfie, however.

For a current season recommendation:

Garden of Delights from Tallulah Love Lingerie.  You can't get more spring awakening than this delightful set!

Chocolate

The floral egg by Nikki Tibbles for Melt is so, so beautiful that it just had to feature on my moodboard.    A chocolate egg covered in sugar flowers, too pretty to eat!  I know it's too late to order eggs online, but if you're in London, you can pick up a mini Nikki Tibbles egg for £7.50 (a lot cheaper than the £150 price tag of the original!) from her Pimlico store.

And if you like both chocolate and lingerie at the same time, The Lingerie Collective is selling their Boudoir Bunny Eggs, easter eggs from award-winning chocolatier Paul Young which come with a pair of silk knickers from British label MC Lounge encased inside.  Again, if you're in Soho tomorrow head on down to their store to see if any are still in stock!

Or, if you fancy getting creative, I'll be doing a retro mini-egg nest DIY tomorrow so why not join me? Pick up these bits from your supermarket tomorrow:

• Cornflakes
• White chocolate (I got 2 slabs of Lindt)
• Oil or powder based food colouring of your choice
• Mini eggs (I got 200g, hopefully that's enough for the gannets we'll have round this weekend!)

It'll be a little bit different from the ones you used to make at school, as I'm sure you can tell from the ingredient list, and I'm sure you can tell what the twist is.  See you back here tomorrow!

DIY Pomegranate Salad

This quick, easy recipe pomegranate salad is light and refreshing, while also being filling and healthy.  It's completely vegetarian too, and you can substitute the feta for grilled tofu or just add more nuts to make it vegan.

You will need (for about 2-3 people):

- a pomegranate
- fresh spinach
- tomatoes
- feta cheese
- cucumber
- walnuts
- sunflower seeds

for the dressing:
- balsamic vinegar
- olive oil
- sea salt
- ground black pepper

Halve the pomegranate and empty the seeds out into a bowl.

Dice and add the cucumbers, tomatoes and then toss in the spinach, sliced or whole, whatever you prefer.

Crumble the feta on top.

Sprinkle in some sunflower seeds and walnuts.  Break the walnuts into smaller pieces using your hands (using a pestle and mortar I find can break them up too fine).

 Drizzle with olive oil, a splash of balsamic and grind some sea salt and plenty of black pepper over the whole lot.  Toss, serve up and enjoy!

Santiago's Hotspots

This city-guide video from H&M Life has reignited by love of the capital and inspired me to get out and about a bit more.

It's easy to forget how wonderful your home city is when you've been living there for so many years, especially when you take into account tube delays, snow (in spring!) and all the other shitty things London has to offer, especially when I'm dreaming of sunnier climes for my next work placement... but listening to stylist Macarena Hamilton talk about her favourite Santiago offerings has got me thinking about some of my favourite London spots.

From sharing a coffee with the girls in-between castings at family-run Brick Lane cafe Suzzle to browsing the independent jewellery designer stalls at nearby Spitalfields market.  Or antique hunting in Camden Passage, Angel, London has so much to offer.  I may have to make the most of the weather while I can ;).

What are your hometown's hotspots?  Leave a comment below so we can all share insider travel tips!