ootd: handmade kimono

I love kimonos - just like the rest of the world. But for what they are, they cost a bomb. So when I embarked on a quest to find a long, summer weight and cheap kimono, I hopelessly failed. Until one night (when I should have been revising) I had a brainwave - What if I could make one?

So thats what I did. I bought a scarf that I loved and that was only £7.99 from TK MAXX. With a few cuts here and there and a few machine stitches here and there also, emerged my handmade kimono! Completely impressed by the best idea and design and outcome I have ever completed, I have literally been wearing it ALL weekend!  Its just perfect for this time of the year. Because it is as mum said "in a league of its one" it literally goes with everything: jeans, harem pants, shorts, leggings. Because of the print I used as long as the colours I wear are simple it goes. 

BOOM! 

P.S. If you are wondering I have done anything with my hair - yes I have, but it has been a bit of a nightmare so don't mention the ginger roots. I'm just getting over the embarrassment of it all. 

Driftwood

As you know from the post before, I went to the beach the other day and picked up lots of driftwood, and me being me, I have painted it. This a great thing to do as you can do whatever you like you like with the driftwood and makes a great accessory for any home, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom and it expresses your own personal taste in a really fun way! I chose little sail boats as I thought they complimented the fact they were painting on driftwood quite nicely. They are really easy to do and all you need are some cheap acrylic paints and you are all set to go with no preparation. 

Organic Homemade Lip Balms

Aloha!

We are going a bit organic here at Cover B Headquarters!

So everyone knows how much I love Vaseline right, and how I get through a pot nearly every month. Everyone also knows how much I love making stuff too, right? Well, my parents are going to kill when they find out this one. As well as making my own face scrubs, hair masks and face mists, I am know making my own organic lip balms and they are so simple to make - all you need are a few everyday items.

• 3 Tbsp of Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp of grated beeswax 
• 1 tsp of honey
• 1/4 tsp of Vitamin E oil (3 squeezed out Vitamin E capsuals)
• 7 drops of essential oil (optional)
• 1 tsp of cocoa powder (optional)

Warm the olive oil, beeswax and honey on a very low heat. You want to gently melt them, not boil them. Stir until they are completely melted. Remove form the heat and whisk in the Vitamin E, essential oil and cocoa powder. Transfer to your tin or tube and leave to set for 3 hours at least. If it looks like the oil isn't emulsifying, don't worry, it  will do while setting. 

It is a really simply method, and the good thing about having made it yourself is that you know exactly what has gone into it, and so you can trust that it wont cause more harm to your lips than good.
Vitamin E is a really key ingredient to your lip balm too. It is often used in many skin care products as it softens the skin and it is antioxidant, which means it fights against skin cell damage. Vitamin E is also one of the main ingredient in anti-aging products because of its anti-oxidants.
If you do add the Cocoa Powder to your lip balm, I know it feels weird smearing chocolate brown stuff over your lips, but it actually provides a really soft and gently colour to your lips.

Cotton Bud Pot

Aloha!
When you have 8 piercings you need to clean out with salty water and cotton buds everyday, it can be annoying, if you are like me, having to go back and forth from the bathroom to pick up cotton buds. And because they are so small really, they are pretty hard to store without having them rolling all across your bathroom. That was until I found a little metal plant pot to store them in. But rusting metal isn't always the nicest thing to store things in. It needed a lick of paint to keep the cotton buds clean from the metal, it looks nicer as well!
All you need is a little pot which are usually about £1 from garden centers or Hobbycraft (Hobbycraft also sell pre-painted pots if you are lazy).
The pot needs is some Primer on the bottom to help the paint stick before painting it a colour of your choice. A white paint on the inside and on the rim looks really fresh and clean, but you could paint it all one colour, like purple, it's completely up to you. It's just a nice little way of keeping things out the way. Alternatively you don't even have to store cotton buds in them, you can store whatever you like, and you can get the pots in a variety of sizes too!