Tutorial...How to Save a Pair of Jeans by Putting on Your Own Metal Bachelor Button

My Repaired Kut Jeans

Yayyyy!

Read my Pictorial Tutorial for step-by-step instructions

Metal Jean Buttons...aka Bachelor Buttons

Made by Dritz
Probably can find it on Ebay, at your local craft or fabric store.
I got mine at our local Bernina Store.

The Orange Chalk Mark...need to place the button Right above the Zipper area
for the Perfect placement

I repaired the Hole where the old jean button fell out of
by handstitching with thick white thread

Made a hole using a sharp tool to get thru the thick jean material
then put the pin thru from the backside
This is what it'll look like

From the Front side of the jeans, place the Metal button as it should look on jeans
Place the pin inside the button
Get ready to hit with Hammer

Place the jeans with button and pin on HARD surface
I put it on my metal Anvil
You can just put it on a piece of wood on a hard surface like your driveway or something

Then,l just hammer one good time...that's it!

Here's the finished look. Yayyyy!
That was soooooo EZ and FAST
I like that.

I have a funky body shape...aka out of shape body shape. So, only certain types of jeans actually "fit" me well. One brand is "Kut" which I get from Nordstroms. In fact, last week, I bought a pair for about $60+ and started wearing it immediately...like that day. My husband knows me. Whenever I buy something or make something for myself, I'll be wearing it that day or the next. Rip off the tag, put it on, who cares about washing it before I wear it (except for underwear), I just don't care.

Then, a couple days later, wearing my new Kut jeans, I happened to be touring the local Goodwill with my GF Liz and came across...you guessed it, a pair of "Kut" jeans in my size!!!! EEEEkkkkk!

I tried it on and OMG...it fit! Better than the one I bought the day before...bc I actually bought one size too big and it was "stretching" so much so that I felt like one of those repairmen when they bend down you can see the "crack". Yeah, my waistband was hanging.

Anyway, the price on this oldey but goody was $9.99. But, the only bummer was that the metal jeans button fell off in my hand. Apparently, that was the reason that the former owner must have decided to "donate" this bad boy. So, here I am, trying on this pair of jeans without a button...it was in my hand. But it fit. So, I'm buying it! I pointed out this tragedy to the clerk and...you guessed it...mark down 50%! New Old Kut jeans for only $4.99!!!!

What to do about that button? My husband, the MacGeyvor that he is, was stumped. I wanted to know if there was some way to "save" the old button and reuse it. No can do.

Yesterday, had to stop by the local Bernina store to p/up a replacement bulb for my vintage sewing machine (still to be named). They were out...bummer. But, I happened to spy on the wall of sewing notions from heaven a box of Jeans Metal Buttons!!!! What??? Never even thought that these existed. Clerk told me that these were called "Bachelor's Buttons" bc these were the type that a man could use...no sewing required...just a Hammer. Right up their alley. You Pound this baby into your jeans. How cool is that?

So, needless to say, I HAD to share this tutorial with you bc I was just so excited that now I am wearing my brand new Old "Kut" Revived from the dead Jeans...P.S. I did Wash this pair Before I Wore it. And, I wore it to my SIL's B-Day party at Paesano's...yummmy food btw. :) And, my SIL Colleen is now the Lucky New Owner of my Light Coral Vintage Kimono Rosette Blouse (see Post on it Click Here).

Anthropology, Please Move Over...Stacy's Here

My Target T-Shirt

Re-Do

From Target, bought a couple Plain but Cute Tees
in Sage Green and Light Coral

Using my own Handcrafted Handsewn Vintage Kimona Rosettes,
Pinned them onto the Tee

My handy little pincushion, thread, and snippers

I handsewed on each Vintage Kimono Rosettes,
several scattered Swarovski Light Cream Crystal Pearls,
and a Vintage Silk Taffeta Golden Plume Ribbon for girly girl accent

Ta Dah!

Love the look of the Vintage Kimono Rosette on this Tee...Perfect!

The Silk Taffeta Ribbon really complements
the 2nd Vintage Kimono Rosette
to a "T"

I'm Very Very Pleased with the Finished Tee turned into Blouse.
Now, to work on the Sage Green one...



The Completed Sage Green Tee...
Vintage Kimono Rosettes take Center Stage



Another Cute Tee Turned Blouse
Perfect to wear this Summer

Sometimes you look at a piece of clothing and envision it just a heck of a lot better looking. At least, I did when I came across these cute little Tees at Target. Loved the colors, loved the style, but it just didn't have that "oompf"....know what I mean?

So, I took them home and dreamed of a better look for them. Like a Make Over for Tees. Looking at this Light Coral color, I immediately thought of my handsewn Vintage Kimono Rosettes. I Love to collect vintage fabrics especially Lovely Kimono fabric. They sure make pretty Fabric Rosettes. Normally, I turn these Rosettes in Lovely Cuff Bracelets which I then list for sale in my Lilikoi Cottage Shop. (Sorry, they're all Sold Out right now but hopefully in the future I'll create more.) But, this time, I knew they would be perfect for this tee. And, I was right.

Wearing my trusty Reading Glasses (yes, my eyes are not what they used to be), I threaded my tiny needle and started individually handsewing each component on. Everything just sort of fell into place. You know how that goes when everything goes just right.

I added in the small Silk Taffeta bow because everything can use a bit of "Girly Girly" glam, right? It just looked so perfect along with the rosettes and the tiny Swarovski Crystal Pearls.

Who needs Anthropology when you have a bit of imagination and a desire to make things Pretty Pretty, right?

P.S. Whoever the lucky Gal is that gets this tee needs to "handwash" it with loving care. Hmmmm....who should that lucky person be?

Life with Tobey...Her Favorite Snack is Ramen Noodles

Tobey enjoying a Mid-day Snack with her Dad
Ramen Noodles

Chomp Chomp Chomp
Yum Yum Yum for my Tum Tum

Good to the Last Drop...or Noodle that is :)

Must See Movie...The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Have you heard of the author Stieg Larsson?

You Must read his 3 books, The Millennium Trilogy. It's Absolutely thee Best Summer Books that I've read in a longggg time. Must Reads for Sure. 2 Thumbs up.

Background on Larrson:
Stieg Larrson Larsson was an editor in chief of the magazine Expo. He lived in Sweden. He died tragically in 2004 after delivering his 3 manuscripts, "The Millennium Trilogy". His books have sold over 25 million copies worldwide. The 3 novels in his series are The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.
Each of his 3 books have already been turned into films. The movie, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo", based on his 1st book premiered this March in America. The 2nd movie, "The Girl Who Played with Fire", is set to premiere in July 2010 in America.

Synopsis of 1st Book and movie "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo":
Harriet Vanger, a beloved niece of one of Sweden’s wealthiest men disappeared over forty years ago. For all those years, her uncle has combed thru everything looking for her. Finally, he hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate her disappearance and put an end to this mystery. Mikael gains the help of the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander who is a computer/internet wiz genius. Together they uncover hidden clues and make astonishing discoveries.

See Synopsis of All 3 Books (Click here)

See the Official website for the movie (Click here)

See the Review of this movie on Rotten Tomatoes (Click here)

See a Clip of this movie...


And, after you read his 1st book, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo", Run to the theatre and watch the Swedish movie based on this book. You will be Blown Away. I promise. It's too good to be true. Much more "real" than what our Hollywood directors would do. Follows the most important plot in the book....great editing. There are scenes in there that are from the book that are Very Raw but necessary. I can't wait to see the next movie based on his 2nd book "The Girl Who Played with Fire" coming next month to American theatres.

You do NOT want to miss out on this movie or his books. I mean it.

A Lazy Day In Haleiwa Town...A Must See For Locals and Visitors Alike

In Old Haleiwa Town, hanging out at the Beach

Some Senior Visitors Lounging Under the Coconut Trees

Aoki's Shaved Ice
A Must Do Stop in Haleiwa
Right Next Door to Matsumoto's Shaved Ice place
Aoki's has more Creatively Tasty Syrups than Matsumoto's and just as Super Fine Shaved Ice

The Shaved Ice Syrup Selection Menu
taped to the window.

Japanese Tourists beating the heat with a Tasty Treat

Jimmy slurping up our shared treat...Chocolate with Pink Haupia (Coconut) Syrup
OMG, this was Heavenly!!!

Jimmy and I outside Cholo's Mexican Restaurant
waiting to eat lunch
Yum Yum for our Tum Tum

If you are visiting Oahu, you have to drive or catch the Bus out to the North Shore side of the island and hang out in Haleiwa town. It's our version of Laguna Beach but way way way laid back. There's a lot of good places to eat, great shops to check out, DELICIOUS Shaved Ice to eat for both Young and the Older folks. And, you can also take a dip in the ocean. It's a quaint surf town with a lot of charm and character. You will LoVe it.

Jimmy and I go there every so often. I love to try out different flavors on my Shaved Ice. Try getting ice cream on the bottom and mochi on the top. Yummy!

Pretty New Jewelry for Your Flower Girl and Your Own Little Girl...She'll Love it and She'll Love You

I truly enjoy creating Pretty Pretty things. And, I started creating a new line of jewelry for the little girls in our lives. Pretty pretty jewelry for your Flower Girls, your daughter, your niece, birthday gifts, Baptism, Holy Communion, any occasion you want to surprise that special little girl in your life with the sweetest gift.

Here are just a few of my new styles...my Cherry Blossom matching necklace, bracelet, and earrings AND my Little Daisy matching necklace and bracelet. These can be bought as a set or separately. I can create my Little Daisy jewelry in other colors...purple, blue, red, yellow, clear and white...just tell me what colors you're interested in and I'll tell you if it's available or not.

I'll be listing them in my Blue Lovebirds shop soon.

On Mother's Day...this Sunday, May 9th

Personalized Decorated Jewelry Box

My Handwritten Note on behalf of my Customer
to his Mother

Some of my customer's ask me to mail their jewelry gift directly to their Loved ones. I'm happy to do this. And, I always include a handwritten note for them with their own sentiments to their Giftee. I always want to make the gift as personal as possible so that it's as if it came directly from the Giftor (is that a word?). For these special gifts, I also take extra care in decorating the box to suit the event of the gifting.

Recently, I had a customer order a lovely religious necklace for his mother. And, he wanted me to mail it directly to her for her Mother's Day gift. I was happy to do this. I also handwrote his sentiment in a lovely Paris inspired card which I included in her gift.

I just wanted to share this with you because I thought the sentiment was so lovely. I've hidden his name behind the Red Heart for his privacy. What a terrific son! His mother will be so HappY...I know.

To all you mothers, I wish you all a "Happy Happy Happy Mother's Day". You all deserve it. Because of your love, we are the persons we are today.