Your Daily Thread: Where does your inspiration come from in your day to day life?

Erica Domesek: That’s really how my whole business was born, from the ideology of “I see it. I like it. I make it.” So finding inspiration all over is what it is about and looking to these “design gods.” So it’s seeing everything—whether it’s in magazines, stores, window fronts, you know,  going to museums, going to fashion shows, it’s all of that and it’s kind of like pulling inspiration from colors and textures and designers. It’s everything really…even items themselves that you’re drawn to, like a shiny object from a hardware store.  So, it’s really just a combination of all things that are eye catching…I’m constantly thinking about things that I see, I like, that I want to make.

YDT: Have you done this your whole life?

ED: Yeah, I have.

YDT: Where did it come from?

ED: I joke that I have DIY in my DNA. My grandfather actually had one of the first big women’s sportswear companies in the country…my cousin was a designer for Jackie O. I just come from a creative family, and it’s just something that I was always encouraged [to do]—I did arts and crafts at camp and [was] always doing stuff at home, projects…[it has] always been a part of my life.

YDT: Did you study fashion at school?

ED: Yeah, I was in business school…fashion merchandising…But really, I kind of joke that I had my own college, because I had a jewelry line…I always joke I’m not book smart, but I’m definitely street smart, and I think that’s kind of the whole reason behind prop styling and DIY—it’s figuring out a way to just make it work….[N]o, I have no formal training; however I have worked with amazing people and…I have worked in fashion for years. I’ve done everything from…ad campaigns, and stuff for Kate Spade and Anthro[pologie],  and editorial stuff for Teen Vogue.

YDT: What is one accessory or item that you’ve made that you can’t live without?

ED: It’s hard to pick out one, I have so many. I actually designed [a bag] for Kate Spade; I use that bag a lot. You can see it on my website…It’s a London tote, I designed it with sharpie, chalkboard paint on the bottom…I use that a lot in my everyday life. To be honest with you, I joke that they’re my children and I don’t have a favorite…I wear my ring necklace, it’s a project from my book…there are really so many.

YDT: What two or three crafting items should every DIY girl have?

ED: Oh, definitely you need a great pair of sharp scissors…a great glue gun…I feel like my scissors and glue gun I just can’t live without…and I live with Sharpies, I use [sharpies] all of the time, they’re just good to have on hand for everything….

YDT: Your Daily Thread is an eco-friendly website and we’re always looking to reuse and do new things with old items, and a couple of items we’re always throwing away [or recycling] are coffee cups, cardboard and plastic bags. Do you have anything off the top of your head that we could make with these things? Or any projects in your book that you suggest taking a look at?

ED: Coffee cups…the first thing that comes to mind is that I would slice them horizontally into…one to two inch circles and I’d wrap them with ribbons and make bangles. That’s one that comes to mind because I love accessories.

ED: Cardboard…wow. Well we’re doing a project with cardboard today…[W]e’re making a starburst mirror today, so I got a box that was actually just shipped to me, so I was like wait…let’s use it for the base. Cardboard—there are so many things you can use it for. Just the other day, I had a guy friend over and he wanted to make coasters, so we cut up cardboard into four inch squares and he glued them on top of each other, stacking them up, and made coasters.

YDT: What do you think is so enticing to people about crafting? What do you think it is that draws them in?

ED: [I]n life, anytime you put your personal stamp on something…you do it yourself…it gives you a sense of fulfillment…even if it’s a simple task. [W]hen you actually create a tangible item that you can show off, whether it’s a mirror, which is a conversation piece at home…or a necklace, people will say “Hey, I love that, where’d you get that?” Being able to say, “P.S. I made it,” it’s exciting you know?

YDT: Do you come out to L.A. often?

ED: Yeah I’m in L.A. quite a bit.

YDT: Do you have any favorite stores out here – any vintage places you like to go to? Flea markets or thrift stores?

ED: Oh yeah! One of my favorite things that I own is actually from the Melrose flea market, on Melrose and Fairfax. A patina, aqua old vintage craftsman tool box I got there years ago, which I love, and I actually have on display, but it has tools in it and it’s on top of a stack of colored books.

ED: I’ve never actually been to the Rose Bowl, but I’m dying to go. There are some really cool places in Silver Lake, Los Feliz, just unexpected…There’s just a lot of cool random shops on Melrose that I’ve been to, there’s American Rag…but I really love the Melrose and Fairfax one – it’s always fun.

YDT: For DIY newbies, do you have one project that you recommend that they start with, like a basic take off point?

ED: I wouldn’t say it’s one project, because everyone has a different style and a different taste, but I think that if it’s something that you’re really into—what have you always wanted, what do you like, that you don’t want to spend the money on? [T]hink to yourself, ‘Could I make that?’ And hey, you might not be able to, but ask a friend. I think starting off, if you’re not an expert crafter, it could be something easy, but everyone has a friend who is creative and I think making things with friends is more fun and I think you get help and you can toss around ideas, so starting a little craft group with friends is fun….

Images via P.S. – I made this….

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If you’re anything like DIY guru, Erica Domesek (creator of cutting edge website, P.S. – I Made This…), you’ve probably found yourself walking around a store, or searching an online site thinking, ‘I wish I could make that!’ Well, Domesek is proof that with a little creativity, the right materials and a trusty pair of gold-plated scissors (plating optional, of course), you can!

While creating a Prada-inspired striped iPad case out of tape and Velcro may seem like no easy feat to accomplish, Domesek tells Your Daily Thread that crafting is something everyone can do. “Everyone has a different style and a different taste…” but all you really need is “a great pair of sharp scissors…a great glue gun…” and sharpies, which are “…just good to have on hand for everything….”

Domesek has created fashion-forward items like these boho chic headpieces and this embellished top using safety pins and an old tank. Not one to shy away from bold accessories, she gets her inspiration from all over, “…whether it’s in magazines, stores, window fronts…going to museums, going to fashion shows, it’s all of that…even items themselves that you’re drawn to, like a shiny object from a hardware store. It’s really just a combination of all things that are eye catching.” Domesek suggests starting a crafting group with friends so that you can help one another by tossing ideas around and splitting up materials.

To get us started, we asked Domesek what she would create using an item that we so often see being thrown in the trash: paper coffee cups; “…[T]he first thing that comes to mind is…bangles.” Domesek recommends slicing the cups horizontally into one to two inch circles and then wrapping them with ribbons.

To learn more about Domesek’s craft, check out the full interview here, or visit her website and pick up a copy of her book for some even more rad ideas.

P.S. We’re also seriously gaga for her home décor ideas like this bushel chandelier.

Images via P.S. – I made this….

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This striped, cotton shirt: You saw it in the store and knew that you had to have it right then and there. Not so fast sailor. That shirt may be a must-have of the season, but conventional cotton is produced in a way that is harmful enough to take the wind out of anyone’s sails. During the growing process, it is heavily sprayed with pesticides that contain cancer-causing chemicals like cyanide, dicofol, naled, propargite, and trifluralin. Not only do these pesticides severely damage the land the crops are grown on, but can seep into groundwater, or infiltrate nearby vegetable crops from which we get our food.

That Navy and Cream striped shirt by EmersonMade.: Made in the good ol’ US of A, “The Stripe” shirt is a classic and the perfect addition to your wardrobe. It’s made from 100% organic cotton which, unlike conventional cotton, is grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. This top is perfect on a spring day or for a morning brunch by the beach (just add a wicker fedora and SPF to keep your skin protected from the sun’s rays).

Anchors aweigh!

Images via EmersonMade..

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Earrings, necklaces, and bracelets…Oh, my! Find the perfect gift for a special someone from Ripegoods – home of original design and fresh, delicious, vintage goodies. YDT readers receive 15% from now until Feb. 31 with code YDT15. Valentine’s Day orders must be placed by Feb. 2 for guaranteed delivery.

Coulda, Wooda, Shoulda

Whenever we see scrap piles of wood lying in the garbage, we think ‘What a waste.’ Our friends at Amenity have been thinking the same thing and have made beautiful reclaimed wood furniture. Receive 15% off the collection when you use the code muir15 at checkout, from now until Jan. 31.

We Heart Coffee

What would we do without coffee? Especially certified organic, fair trade coffee like that of Doma Coffee Roasting Company? Visit Roozt to receive 52% off from Wed 1/19 – Thurs 1/20.

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In need of a sweet eco-ensemble for Valentine’s Day? Faerie’s Dance features earth friendly fashions and a wide variety of cute and sexy lingerie. Visit White Apricot for 10% off your order.

Images via Ripegoods, Amenity, Roozt and Faerie’s Dance.

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Guilt be gone, as YDT has finds made out of recycled materials to gratify the ‘Econista’ in you.

Stylish and sustainable, the REUSE jeans Reckless Skinny jean is made out of 80% recycled cotton. Its signature trim, fitted leg and zipped ankle are sure to inspire an evening of reckless abandonment.

With sleek lines and sculpted body, there is no sacrificing style when it comes to this little black dress from NAU made from recycled post-consumer and post-polyester waste. It keeps on giving long after you’re done rockin’ it as it’s 100% recyclable too.

Hand crocheted with over 700 post consumer soda pop tops, the Socorro Shoulder Bag by Escama Studio is a show stopping conversation piece, sure to please.

Proving that some things that glitter are actually gold, Poketo has taken vintage quilted leather and turned it into an eye-catching bag sure to put a glimmer in your eye. Perfect for an everyday carry all, this tote is big enough to fit your laptop, while the inner shirt pocket lining is perfect to hold your camera, phone or make-up essentials.

Who says style and safety can’t go hand in buckle? Not Harvey’s seatbelt bags. As part of its new collection, this stylish black hobo with an amazing silhouette was created entirely out of recycled seatbelts.  Boasting a sleek teardrop design, it can easily carry you from day to night in eco-style.

Interested in upcycling a few of your own fashions?  Watch this video from ThreadBanger on how to turn that bulky sweater into a cute shrug and matching skirt.

Morgan McKean is an Eco-friendly & Holistic Lifestyle Media Personality, Producer, Blogger & Coach specializing in “Glamour Green” luxury living. To learn more, please visit Morgan’s website at MorganMcKean.com.

Images via HARVEYS and Etsy.

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Clothing made from reclaimed materials like Silky Moss Button Downs. Sequin adorned pillows and handmade sleeping gowns. Rose colored vintage beads all sewn onto brass earrings. These are a few of our favorite things. Receive a 25% discount (to be refunded via Paypal) on these one-of-a-kind pieces from Market[Store(Shoppe)], when you enter the code YDTMSS in the “notes to seller” section on Etsy’s order page.

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Shop to it!

Between taking your daughter to soccer practice, going to work and running errands it is unlikely that there’s much time left for you, let alone for shopping. Kate Quinn Organics, however, is your one-stop-shop for women and children’s organic cotton clothing. Follow this link to White Apricot to redeem your offer for 35% off your purchase.

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Stop Drop and Shop

If you find yourself in a fashion crisis remain calm and check out Spun’s eco-chic organic collections. Take 30% off your order when you use the online code congrats at checkout and never find yourself stuck in a style-rut again.

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Wheelin’ and Dealin’

Helmet: check. Riding gear: check. Patterned organic cotton socks covered in bicycles: oh yeah! Kasper Organics has everything you need for your riding style and then some. Receive $5 off any purchase of $50 or more when you use the online code SEPT500 at checkout.

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Your Daily Thread: First and foremost, why Bikinis?

Molly B: I grew up wearing bikinis and find them more practical in the surf.

YDT: On the About page of your website, you say that “Each piece is inspired by the nostalgic beach lifestyle of vintage California.” Would you elaborate on your idea of “vintage California”, please?

MB: Think 1970s, Venice Beach, California… A time where surf sessions, barbecues and bonfires lasted well into the summer night. A time where a bikini had to stay on and perform for an entire day full of activities. As the world gets smaller and technology gets faster, Molly B encourages women around the world to slow down. Water is the life to our planet, and Molly B girls can be spotted on all different types of coastlines embracing each drop.

YDT: When you’re creating your pieces, who do you see wearing them? Who is the “Molly B” girl?

MB: A Molly B girl is someone who lives life to the fullest. Our belief is that the world moves pretty quickly these days and sometimes we forget to slow down and enjoy all the beauty that surrounds us. We fully encourage competition, 110% commitment, and a strong desire to succeed. But as a Molly B Girl we ask that she always remember to splash, laugh and relax from time to time.

YDT: What is it about the ocean, beach and so forth, that draws you in?

MB: The ocean is the most fascinating part of nature to me. The power of the water at times is so incredibly strong, but dive down three more feet and the water is calm and relaxed. The creatures and stories that have come from the sea are indescribable and the fact that scientists know more about space than the ocean leaves the powerful sea to be so mysterious! Think of “A Pirate Looks at Forty” by Jimmy Buffett and that is exactly what draws me in!

YDT: Where did your inspiration come from when creating the Todos collection?

MB: The Todos collection was inspired by the sunsets off the Baja coast. I have spent many nights camping under the stars and watching the sunset spread the colors of that fabric across the sky and sea.

YDT: How do you come up with the names of the bikinis (i.e. Kava, Ex-Pat, Duppy, Guava, Bandito, etc.)?

MB: Each name is related to surfing trips that I have been on and places in the world that I have seen and experienced.

YDT: Are any of the dyes or materials you use eco-friendly? If not, do you plan to explore those options?

MB: Spandex is a man made fabric so it is harder to come across eco-friendly materials. Especially ones that are of high quality that can withstand hard use for many seasons. I am currently working with a mill in Italy that creates recycled fabric. As of right now, I try and keep everything that I buy local within 100 miles. So I am undecided if it is worth the carbon foot print of ordering fabric from overseas. I have local contract sewers, so no sweat shops are ever used to create a Molly B and everything is local created here in San Diego, CA. My bags that I use are 100% biodegradable as well.

YDT: Which collection is your favorite?

MB: I don’t have any one favorite! I only pick fabrics and styles that I would wear, so I love them all!

Want to win a Molly B bikini? Check out our Giveaway and subscribe today to be entered, or invite five friends to join Your Daily Thread.

Image by Jonah Gilmore, Rocket Science Photography

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As evidenced by the vibrant colors, and Hawaiian tropical and palm leaf prints, Goforth’s passion for creating wearable, flattering yet standout pieces does not go unnoticed. Guava Twist Bandeau tops and Kava Loop Tie Bottoms from her Nesta and Bula collections offer surf-goers the perfect amount of detail (and coverage) to ride the waves in sea-worthy style. Pieces like her Cordero Triangle Top and matching bright pink Hipster Bikini Bottoms are ideal for those looking to play in the sand or party by the pool.

What sets this swim line apart from others, however, is the care and dedication with which these pieces are created. The swimsuits are handmade in San Diego, California, materials are from area suppliers, and Goforth uses only local contract sewers to make them. While standard sizes (small, medium and large) are available online, Molly takes custom orders for one and two-pieces (both online and in person), creating a bathing suit tailored to your measurements.

As a gift to the beach babe in you, YDT is giving away Molly B’s sizzlin’ Bandito Twist Bandeau bikini top with the matching Bandito Hipster bottoms from the 2011 Todos Collection – a line inspired by sunsets off the Baja coast. To win: subscribe today to be entered, or invite five friends to join Your Daily Thread.

To learn more about Molly B Bikinis and the designer behind the brand, check out our Q & A with Goforth on the YDT Blog.

Images by Jonah Gilmore, Rocket Science Photography

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