Upgrading/Refashioning basics or clothes you got bored with

I must say that lately,  I`ve been quite obsessed with refashioning. It all started with me going to my favorite thrift stores while back home in Romania. Among other stuff I bought a simple, skin color tee, in a darker shade. Mainly for the color, not the design:)

As I got home from shopping, which also included a visit to the lace&yarn shop, I realized that I can mix the two and get a pretty cute and wearable (outside the house:) tee!

This was only the beginning. I also had a grey cardigan, too simple....and a basic H&M grey dress. As I always do, I starred browsing the internet for refashioning ideas.

I wanted to share the best of them with you for such a long time, but I never seemed to ger around to photograph my own...so, this is me staying true to my NY resolution!

Turn a basic cardi into a whimsy! Tutorial here, thanks to Tea Rose Home. 

What to do when you get bored with basic, uni tees:) Find this amazing tutorial here.

Thanks to the same beautiful blog mentioned above.

A 30 mins cardigan embellishment project, here. From sisters4saymoreismore. 

Well, let`s talk about the Peter Pan collar trend. I think it`s going to be a huge succes in 2012 and really really love it. Reminds me of childhood and times I thought flying was possible:)

So, searching the internet I`ve found lots of tutorials. Couldn`t decide wether to go for a felt or a crochet one.

I`ve decided to try the felt one first, following this tutorial. The pattern didn`t  fit the neckline of my dress, so I had to kinda make a similar one, just a little bit modified.

This is what the collar in the tutorial looks like (you can find the pdf pattern in the link above):

Of course, I had to add a person a personal touch and sew some sand beads and add a cute and delicate fabric button.

I am crazy about fabric buttons. And polka dots:)

Well, what do you think? Which one looks better? I am really satisfied with the result and I think the dress is the opposite of boring now, thanks to the contrasting collar.

I am also obsessed with doilies and lace this period, and I don`t seem to be able to stop imagining how things would look if I just embellish them with a doily:)

So my basic tee I was telling you about in the beginning did not escape this, nor did the simple grey cardigan:)

And this what I have ended up with:

these cute little lace bows just warm my heart

love how the pastel pistachio green goes with the soft, lavender butons

I have a pretty big collection of doilies from the flea market, there`s a kind old lady that sells those for nothing, I think I`ve payed 20 cents for one...

So I guess you`ll be seing some more doilies embellishments from me:))

Oh, found this too:

I really like the contrast between the silk and the wool, if you do too, find the tutorial here. 

And yes, the ruffles:) I guess you can do the next one from a simple cardigan, and make the ruffles from another material. Like lace:))) Tutorial here.

love the vintage look. and the mustard color.

And another whimsical Peter Pan felt collar tutorial, that can upgrade just about any basic tee:)

Ta daaa, this is it for now..I have a big smile on my face, I guess it feels really good to simply share instead of pilling in some of the great (from my pov) ideas I stumble upon:)

Maybe you`ll let me see some of your refashioning ideas?