My last major DIY project was all about home décor… and the decorating bug hasn’t left me yet!

I’ve finally moved into my new apartment in NYC which is now filled with issues of Elle Décor and House Beautiful. The furniture is moved in (…and up 5 flights of stairs) and my apartment is finally coming together. However, I could not help but feel depressed when I looked at my bare, lonely, and artless walls. I was envious as I flipped through the pages of decorating magazines to see how small living rooms and dorm rooms were so fabulously decorated with different pieces of art.

But my budget doesn’t exactly allow for me to splurge on fancy art or even framed posters. So instead, I found my own cheap and chic way to spice up my walls and décor. So if you’re looking to spruce up your room or update your walls on a budget, here is an easy and fun way to make your living space unique! Read More »

Technology is amazing, we can all attest to that (especially if you’re reading this online on the best website ever. I <3 the Internet.) But technology,  has also made things, like the way in which we communicate, a lot less personal.

With the Internet, texting, cell phones, and every other quick mode of communication, we speak to each other differently than how we used to.

What we’ve gained in convenience, we’ve lost in finesse and beauty. Instead of beautiful, handwritten letters, we send and receive quick and short emails filled with LOLs and emoticons. I can’t tell you the last time I actually wrote something down and the last letters I received were from Bank of America and a summons for jury duty. Lame.

So with graduation coming up (5 MORE DAYS… AHHHHH!), I wanted to find a cheap and chic way to send letters to my friends once we’ve all gone our separate ways. But custom stationary and envelopes can be expensive, so I created a way to get the custom envelope look without breaking the bank!

What You’ll Need:
4×6 or 5×7 envelopes, any color: These can be really cheap, basic envelopes. You can buy these in packs at stationary stores or most convenience stores!
A magazine or two: You’ll use magazine pages and fun advertisements for the outside of your envelope.
Glue stick
Scissors
Plain white labels – Optional. This will be where you’ll write the destination address. You can pick these up at any office supply store. Read More »

Safety pins are no longer just for those dire emergencies when you’re getting your dance on, trying to get low, and then you split your skirt and need to pin it. (Yes, if you’re wondering, this may have happened to me recently.) Metallic safety pin inspired fashions are all over the runways this season.

They’re making a statement on necklaces, earrings, bathing suits, purses, and anything else you can imagine. Whether metallic or color, safety pins can add an extra edge and funk to your wardrobe!

I needed inspiration on how to best incorporate this season’s look into my college wardrobe, so I looked to my all time favorite DIY craft heroes, the ladies over at P.S. I Made This, and they did not disappoint!

Here is an inexpensive, easy, and fun way to transform your plain tank-top-and-jeans-typical-college-girl look to runway ready diva. Seriously, it’s so easy you’ll wonder why you didn’t think of this sooner. Read More »

If you’re anything like me, you’re a crafty college girl who may or may not have an addiction to jewelry. You also may be a Disney fiend who reads too many gossip magazines…

Okay, so even if you’re not like me, you probably still have lots of necklaces and earrings lying around (what girl doesn’t love her some jewels?). And you probably have NO place to store them.

I don’t know about you, but I refuse to stuff away my nice necklaces in a jewelry box where they’ll end up tangled and tarnished and I don’t have space on my crowded mess of a desk for anything better. Not that I could afford a fancy jewelry box anyway; I’m a broke college girl with zero cashmoney living the dollar-a-slice lifestyle.

I decided to get a little creative (on the cheap) and come up with a way do store my jewelry and add some personal pizazz to my stark white walls. This on-the-wall jewelry hanger is a creative and easy way to store and display your jewelry. Plus, you’ll spend less time detangling your favorite necklaces and more time actually wearing them! Read More »

Ever since the beginning of Gossip Girl (pre and post threesome) and the sensational style of Blair Waldorf, hair flair has rocked the fashion world. What is hair flair, you ask? Um…only the most vital/amazing/and necessary accessory any woman can own, obvi.

Hair flair can transform an entire outfit and conceal your unwashed hair on days when you just don’t have time to shower (i.e. after a particularly long Tiki Tuesday). More importantly, unlike those expensive skinny jeans you picked up at the Nordstrom half-yearly sale, hair flair will always fit regardless of those holiday pounds, the freshmen fifteen, or the beer belly you’ve been sporting since football season (curse you keg stands and beer pong).

Well, if you want the same accessories as the Upper East Siders but don’t have the same cash monay, don’t worry.  Here is a thrifty way to get the fabulous look without paying the big bucks. And if this particular style isn’t for you, something is wrong with you we’ve got another awesome DIY hair flair project you can do instead.

What You’ll Need:

Stretchy headbands/headwraps: You probably have one of these lying around, but if not, these are super cheap and you can pick them up at drug stores like CVS, Long’s, Duane Read or at any beauty store. My favorite brand to use is Scunci No Slip-Hair Grips because they come in packs of 4, are comfortable, and easy to decorate. Use a black headwrap to keep it classy or a bolder color to add some extra pop.

Fabric: A foot or two of any type of cloth fabric in any color/design you want! Most craft stores sell fabric squares meant for quilting, which are perfect for creating your hair flair, as your fabric needs to be cut in a square shape before you begin. Bonus: Many craft stores (Michael’s or JoAnn’s) have tons of leftover fabric scraps that you can get for super cheap. Just ask one of those ladies with the scissors! Read More »

Worn correctly, accessories can take an ordinary, plain outfit and transform it into an extraordinary one. Personally, I’m in amore with accessories, especially jewelry.

This season, the fashion world is all about neon and bright colors. Yes, even during the winter. Bright tights under dark skirts, bright purses to add a splash of color to any outfit… I like to think designers like Michael Kors, Diane Von Furstenberg and Christian Siriano are doing their part to put an end to seasonal depression. And I applaud that.

Especially when it’s happening with fun and cheery bracelets that will brighten any dark and dreary winter day.  Like Ettika’s braided neon bracelets that celebrities love. They are so simple, adorable and fun. And I want a million of them.

Problem is, they’re expensive for being a simple (yet fabulous!) piece of jewelry. $24 for one bracelet? I don’t think so!

Good thing they’re incredibly easy to DIY on the C-H-E-A-P. Add a little neon-cheer to your winter and make these bracelet on your own.

What You’ll Need:

1. Neon Satin Cord: You can pick this up at most fabric/trimming/art stores. You can even get it at the Container Store. You’ll need about 1.5-2 feet each of 3 different neon colors of satin/silk thread. This will be enough for one bracelet (with a little extra depending on wrist size). If you want to save some money and get the most for your buck, buy a yard of each color so you can make way more bracelets!

P.S. If you live in NYC, you’re in luck because the Fashion District has about a million fabric/trimming stores. Try M&J Trimming (they are the bestest).

2. Superglue: Since the satin or silk thread is very slick, the superglue will help keep the ends of the thread in the clasps. Use the type with a brush – it makes the application easier (and prevents it from getting on your hands/getting your fingers stuck together). Also, whenever using superglue on your bracelet, only use a little! Read More »

[Ever see something you want but don’t have the money to buy? Ever get sick of studying/watching TV and have the urge to get crafty and make things on your own? We know! Us too! We just don’t know where to start, which is why we got some of CollegeCandy’s craftiest writers to share their favorite DIY projects with everyone. These things are easy, fun and a great way to save some serious cashola.]

For all you organized chicas like me out there, you understand the importance of a bulletin board. You can put up papers and important notes before they get lost in the shuffle on your desk. You can hang your keys on them. Heck, you can plaster them with pictures and have a make-shift frame!

The problem is, bulletin boards are either ugly or look like something out of a 3rd grade classroom. You don’t want that stuff hanging in your perfectly decorated dorm room!

Solution: the wine cork bulletin board. It’s chic, it’s cute, and it’s easy to make with all those wine corks you college girls most definitely have lying around. If not, pop a few bottles and get crafty! Whoever said being a wino wasn’t productive?

Ingredients:
A backed frame/a piece of wood cut to the desired size and shape
Enough corks (lying on their side) to fit in this frame
Carpenter’s glue
Push pins
Perhaps another glass of wine to keep with the theme….. Read More »

The summer season is here, and that means the season of sandals! But are you tired of wearing the same Old Navy flip-flops that everyone else has, or are your Rainbows almost worn out to the point of nonexistence? If you have a shoe addiction like I do, these homemade sandals will add a whole new dimension to your shoe closet. And with these homemade kicks, you will never have a shoe twin again.

Huaraches are traditional Mexican sandals or flip-flops made with woven leather straps and rubber soles. They became extremely popular due to their reputation as being long-lasting, comfortable, and inexpensive to make. Oh, and someone in the fashion world decided they’d be cool again. Either way, you don’t have to spend money on a shoe that everyone else will inevitably have – you can make a pair of the originals yourself!

Materials:
Rubber sole material, about 5mm thick
Very long strips of leather (as thick or thin as you want them).
Scissors
A hole puncher Read More »

We’ve all heard of Vision Boards. Whether it be from The Secret, The Oprah Show, or that crazy chick on The Bachelor who went on and on (and on) about hers the first night she met Jason. And then got kicked off. (But don’t let her bad luck turn you off; it wasn’t the vision board that sent her packing. That bitch was crazy.)

So, what are vision boards?
Vision Boards put your thoughts on paper, and force you to sit down and really evaluate what you want for yourself in the future – be it tomorrow or 2 years from now. And they stop you from going down a path you don’t really want. Not to mention looking at those images every day is a constant reminder of your dreams and goals and makes you that much more motivated to work towards making them a reality.

You can make them big or small. Mini vision boards are great for smaller goals. I have a mini vision board in my kitchen, which reminds me of my goal to stay healthy whenever I’m reaching for the pizza takeout menus. And I have one over my desk, filled with images and words that remind me of my long term academic goals so I don’t stray when I should be studying.

And then there are the biggies – a vision board for your life, filled with what you want to achieve in many aspects of your future: school, career, love, dreams….anything.

Read More »

[Ever see something you want but don't have the money to buy? Ever get sick of studying/watching TV and have the urge to get crafty and make things on your own? We know! Us too! We just don't know where to start, which is why we got some of CollegeCandy's craftiest writers to share their favorite DIY projects with everyone. So get to your nearest craft store for the essentials and let's make some fun sh*t.]

Every college girl has moments of extreme stress/anxiety/feeling a little crazy. Rather than take it out on a poor, defenseless friend (or door), I have the perfect project to ease your mind:The Dammit Doll.

These little dolls make great targets for taking out your frustration when you’re stressed about school, when you have guy troubles, and just in general when you need something to throw, jab, squeeze, or stomp on (not that I promote violence).

They also make great gifts for your angst-filled friends as well, and are much cuter than your average bland stress ball, not to mention cheaper than anger management classes.

Materials:

- Felt

- Stuffing (cotton balls, beans, pine straw, rice, etc.)

- Needle & thread or sewing machine

- Decorations (cut-out felt pieces for clothing, sequins for eyes, pins for jewelry, etc.) Read More »