DIY Double Spike Earrings

These earrings give the illusion of gauged lobes with a double-sided spike stuck through. I threw a pair together on a whim a few weekends ago. All the pieces happened to be out on the coffee table (an advantage to my cluttered existence) and inspiration struck. I was surprised, then, when I instantly began receiving compliments and requests to make more. They are so deceptively simple!

spike earrings closed

spike earring opened

What you’ll need:

spike earring parts

- 4 screw back spikes (minus the screws)
- 2 earring posts and backs (like those pictured above – not the butterfly backs)
- 5-minute epoxy (Note: We actually used regular epoxy and, after waiting hopelessly for it to begin to dry, cheated with a spot of super glue to keep things in place while it set.)
- toothpick, plastic fork or other disposable mixing/gluing utensil
- newspaper or cardboard to cover your work surface

What to do:

mix epoxy pressing spikes
placing spike
epoxy posts placing posts
pressing posts

First, test your earring backs for size. They should just fit inside the spikes with a thin ledge along the outside. Minor variations from one back to the next can make the fit too loose or too tight. Find backs that fit snugly and completely within the spike.

Cover your work surface with newspaper or cardboard. Mix equal parts of your epoxy components according to the instructions on the package.

Using your toothpick or plastic fork, put a little epoxy along the sides of the earring backs, being careful not to touch the ends. Press the spikes over the earring backs and hold them firmly in place for a minute.

Dip the flat base of the earring posts in epoxy and press them to the remaining spikes. Hold them in place for a minute or two, until they will stay put without sliding.

Allow epoxy to set completely (usually 24 hours) before wearing.

et viola

If you follow me on Instagram you’ve already seen the earrings in action, but you can also check them out in Najeema’s latest post on A Stylized Hysteria.

Posted in diy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Allegory of the Cave Interlude

shadows

In a sleep-deprived state I’m attempting to find something in these photos, hoping to extract some truth or commentary but instead merely tumbling over words. Light and dark. Stone and chain. Shadows. And here it keeps landing me, without a particularly strong connection, at the allegory of the cave.

chains
charm
chest

I’m not a philosopher (and less of a writer with each passing day), but this parable is so firmly planted in my subconscious I’m obliged to allow it occasional attention. If nothing else, it launches me into wild trails of thought. I miss idly chasing ideas. I’m busy and tired, and I complain too much. Because I’m not unhappy – quite the opposite, actually.

side-eyed

I’m just staring directly into the sun without taking the time to acclimate to the light.

falling...
...down
[Like Pirates one of a kind necklace by Gabriel J. Shuldiner, borrowed from Occulter.]

Posted in interlude, photo diary | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Show Your Bones

primp readying

3:00 am

remind me to stand up straight next time twinkle tights

…And within days of the end of the January, I am finally posting my New Year’s Eve outfit! Not exactly anything to be proud of – the timing, that is, not the outfit – but for me it’s pretty good. Which is maybe sad…

Aldous Huxley once said, “Several excuses are always less convincing than one.” If only I had a singular excuse for myself. The truth is I’ve had a lot going on. Good things. Exciting things. But just a whole lot of things. My updated bio should read:

Negligent blogger, Zoora Brand Engagement Consultant, jewelry designer, photo assistant, on-call salon receptionist, freelance writer/stylist/model – and that’s just after 6:00 pm!

Which leaves many questions to be answered. Like who would hire a 5’1″ model? And wtf is a Zoora? And I look forward to answering them all… But in another post. Because right now I am exhausted, possibly delirious and, it appears, incapable of thinking/typing beyond fragmented sentences. It’s probably for the best that I leave you with the outfit details and just step away from the computer.

option c
[Black Milk 3D ribs dress and 3D glasses, Club Monaco sequins blazer from Rescue - who threw the NYE party we went to, which, I should mention, was pretty awesome - DIY shredded tights and spike crown, bracelets and body chain from my covetous creatures jewelry-line-in-progress (as mentioned in above ramblings)]

Posted in costume department | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Interdimensional Interlude

[Side Note: I am aware that the title makes no sense (as "interdimensional" relates to alternate realities rather than visualization of space across multiple planes). However, I prefer a cheap play on words to a misleading title like "3D Interlude," since I was too lazy to Photoshop a 3D effect in. Would have been cool though...]

3D ribs

3D glasses

imma wear you so hard
[Note the JC box in the background.]

Found a little something from Black Milk Clothing under the tree… 3D glasses included. (Thanks Gregors!)

Posted in costume department, interlude, photo diary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

New Traditions

cozy

With the apartment all festive and cozy, it always seems a shame that we can’t celebrate the holidays at home (much as we enjoy our whirlwind Christmas tour); however, with our very first real Christmas tree, this year it felt even more wasteful – enough to inspire a new tradition. From the time we brought the tree home we began piling “presents” below. Some were leftover birthday gifts. Some scores from post-Thanksgiving sales. Some from coworkers or friends. Anything we obtained that was not immediately put to use went under the tree. And we set a date – New Year’s Eve morning – as “our Christmas.”

We had only one free night, the night before, to do our shopping and make final preparations. I managed to pick up a nasty cold along our travels, but I was determined to be festive for our “our Christmas” eve exploits. It was all I could muster to throw on some eye makeup and switch out my pajama pants for a sequins skirt. The plan was to head out on secret missions and pick up a few small surprises for each other. Unfortunately we fail at keeping secrets and ended up at American Apparel buying undergarments together… (Luckily, thanks to online shopping we still had a few unknowns for each other the next morning.)

home for the holidays
[H&M sweater, Club Monaco skirt]

The whole thing was very casual. We made a nice breakfast and opened gifts, filled Christmas socks with candy (because we were too tired to find our stockings from storage) and hung them by the fireplace, spoiled the bunnies with fresh veggies and oats and spent hours taking pictures of them as they explored the tree…

curious weetzie brat

trouble bunny

Let’s face it – you’d rather look at the pictures of them (they are super cute).

Posted in costume department, photo diary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Christmas by the Numbers…

Lights and Antlers

treeeee snowflake

City 1: Boston, MA
One box of antlers accidentally purchased on eBay (yes, a box, as in more than a pair), 3 strands of Christmas lights, 2 lengths of tinsel, 12 cutout bunnies dancing around a snowflake and way too many shoes.

tinsel

Cities 1.5 and 2: Columbus and Dayton, OH
One delayed flight, 1 missed connection, 2 lost “delayed” bags, 1 night and day in Columbus, 4 further “delays,” 32 rooms of books, 12 macarons from Pistacia Vera, 3 scoops from Jeni’s, 8 hours later, 2 found bags, 1 hour driving…

garland scary sister faces

Six people, 2 dogs (a pit bull and a bull mastiff), 1 house, 4 bathrooms, 0 locks, 2/2 broken showers, 2/4 broken toilets (one of each quickly fixed), and ashes in a Pepsi cup in the freezer (don’t ask)…

Seven hours last minute shopping, 2 nights up late laughing, 30+ relatives, 1 visit from Santa, 2 hours sleep.

presents<

kyleigh meets jc

charlie brown tree

hollylight

City 3: Park City, UT
Six hours flying, 2 hours time difference, 1 drive up the mountain, 2 dozen chocolate chip cookies, one roaring fire, and another successful Christmas.

frog king

gregor gifts

Christmas is always an adventure with us, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. We love being able to spend time with our families and to build our own traditions at home.

Hope your Christmas was every bit as merry & bright as ours!

xoxo
Holly & Gregor

Posted in photo diary | 15 Comments

…And then there were flying bunnies.

Apple is holding my files hostage. At least, that’s my interpretation of the situation. They told me that my pictures and documents are all safe and if I hand over a large sum of money they can return them all to me unharmed. I may be missing some minor details (something about a shiny new computer?) but it’s difficult to concentrate in these hostile, high stakes situations.

I resisted negotiations for the first week, but eventually they broke me. In reality, it was probably time for the upgrade. I spent more time holding my breath through the spinning wheel of death than actually working. (And if anything required real Photoshop, forget it – opening it alone risked bringing down the whole operation at any second.)

Tomorrow I will be welcoming a brand new, healthy bundle of debt into my life (I know, inconsistent metaphors – high stress situation, remember?). I anxiously await my files’ safe return.

In the meantime, here is a photo of a bunny for your enjoyment:

Bunny Party via Pinterest
[Original source unknown, found via Pinterest. Also, how do we feel about cursing on the blog? Not that I'm against it, just not really comfortable doing it. This, however, is awesome and makes me insanely happy.]

Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Comments