WITH THE CURRENT DRIVE to be green and spend less money, thrift-store shopping is now eco-chic. But what if those Gap skinnies or Seven bootcuts don't fit, are out of date, or are just revolting? Don't die of barfness — reconstruct.

Did Levi Strauss have skirts, appliques and raw hems in mind when he invented jeans? Nah, but redoing denim makes sense. Denim "has a distinct American history," says San Francisco designer Scatha G. Allison, author of "Jean Therapy" ($20, Quarry). "It's designed to be worn until it falls apart," meaning blues that've outlived their hipness are ripe for rehab.

Choose jeans that fit you, either from your stash or a thrift store. Make sure the denim is in good shape, with no rips or holes. A sewing machine, scissors and heavy-duty needle and thread are musts, say Allison and fellow jean-revival queen Karen Kormondy of Capitol Hill store Ipso Crafto (733 Eighth St. SE; 202-546-4329). Kormondy also just wrote a DIY book, "Denim Mania" ($20, St. Martin's).

Continue Reading "Make Old Clothes Fab: Jean Modification" »

IF SCULPTURE IS 360-DEGREE ART, then shoe boutiques are galleries this season. Spring's heels are sculptural and super-tall, with inspirations ranging from folk art to mod minimalism. Marc Jacobs' surrealist-inspired reverse heel, a feat of engineering, launched the trend. But if comfort is a priority, try a simpler cutout wedge — or, as in a museum, admire from afar.

1. Fashion meets folk art with these totem pole-evoking Miu Miu platform leather sandals. ($550, Net-a-porter.com)

2. On Francesca Giobbi's serpentine heels, multicolored metallic piping accents a reptilian peep-toe; the stacked green heel looks like the rattle on a scary snake. ($268, Wild Women Wear Red, 1512 U St. NW; 202-387-5700)
3. It's easy to picture yourself in these shoes — no, really! The mirrored wedge was inspired by the lines of an F-117 fighter plane. (United Nude, $150, Wild Women Wear Red)

4. A feat of feet engineering, these gravity-defying Giuseppe Zanotti structures float on a 2 1/2-inch platform. ($750, Piperlime.com)

5. Both a heel and a wedge, these patent numbers don't teeter as dangerously as their kin. (Guess Footwear, $74, Piperlime.com)

Written by Express contributor Maura Judkis
Photos by Marge Ely/Express

THE WRANGLING WITH THE broker is over, the contracts are signed and the bank loan has finally gone through. Hurrah! You have your own rad pad. Now how to make it purdy? Lure some good buddies over for a painting party with the promise of food and camaraderie — and perhaps a promise of future household favors. But how does one throw a successful bash without making too much of a splash?

First off, Logan Hardware co-owner Gina Schaefer recommends assigning one guest per wall. "You don't want them running into each other," she says. "Also, people tend to get bored fairly quickly." Even if pals brag about their no-mess painting prowess, take the time to cover furniture with drop cloths, remove outlet covers and tape around windowsills and baseboards before they arrive. It's also worth springing for one roller and tray per person, says Schaefer — that way, there's less of a chance of stray paint drops hitting the floor.

Spring is ideal, as windows and doors can be left open for cross-ventilation, getting rid of fumes and speeding up drying. Start early enough in the day (noonish, perhaps) to let each coat dry before sunlight runs scarce. Since that can take one to two hours, take a lunch break and order pizza. "By the time everyone is done goofing off and cleaning up, it would be OK to start again." Save blasting Bon Jovi tunes and brew for later, though — if people aren't seasoned painters, loud music "might throw off their concentration." And while a cooler of Coors might be tempting, Schaefer learned the hard way when a friend had a few too many: "Our white blinds ended up with blue polka dots."

Photo by iStockphoto

Julia Beizer and her fiance, Tom, guide newbies through basic home-improvement tasks in our pages a few times per month.

THE UPSIDE OF EVERY wine-and-cheese party? The chance to swill delicious fermented grape juice with friends. The downside? Losing your glass. This particular drunkard's affliction hobbles me more often than it does Tom, but there's an easy-enough solution to keep the his-and-hers stems separate: wine-glass charms.

These vino-vessel ID bracelets retail for $12 to $24 at online shops, but the homemade ones here set us back only a few bucks and about 20 minutes. Plus, picking your own beads means avoiding schmaltzy themes or tacky color schemes.

Continue Reading "D.I.Y. Duo: I'm Sure, It's Charmed" »

WITH ALL THE SUPER BOWL HOUSE PARTIES coming up this weekend, there's no doubt that lots of people will be subjected to the horrors of bad chicken wings in all their forms. Delivery methods only make matters worse, since sealed steamy containers turn soggy to squishy, and heat not meant for blue cheese dressing yields a warm puddle of unappetizing goo. To put it simply: Even the best wings can be ruined if they aren't fresh. And what could be fresher than frying them at home?

Making wings is deceptively simple, so it's surprising that so many restaurants' attempts can turn out so wrong. Overcooked dry specimens end up resembling chicken-flavored gristle nuggets, while fat-laden undercooked versions treat unsuspecting patrons to a disagreeably soggy experience.

And then there's the blue cheese dressing. Although awe-inspiring domestics like Maytag and Crater Lake Blue line store shelves, some eateries have the nerve to dispense limp and watery incarnations, tainted with the tang of soybean oil and xanthan gum. You can do better.

Most grocery stores cater to the Buffalo wing enthusiast by providing fresh pre-cut wings packaged and ready for the fryer. All that's left are a few additional ingredients and the patience to find the perfect cooking times for your own home setup. Just follow the tips below, and the recipe that follows and you'll be on your way to perfectly crispy textbook wings that will have your friends hoping you host the next happy hour.

Continue Reading "Avoid Mediocre Wings by Making Them at Home" »

WHEN IT COMES TO WEDDING seating arrangements, you have a few options. A) Enlist a pushy family member to escort guests to their tables. B) Let anarchy reign as guests snatch up seats next to their buds, giving you flashbacks of elementary school field trips. Or C) Give everyone a card that leads them pleasantly and directly to their assigned seats.

Sure, craft stores and Web sites sell place cards and holders and frames by the dozen, but if you're feeling inventive, you can break out of the folded-paper rut by pairing cardstock with some artful accents from a craft store. (We like A.C. Moore). Designers, beware: You will end up spending more cash and time if you go the DIY route. These designs each took only two to five minutes to throw together, but when multiplied by your guest list, those minutes will add up.

But if you have a short roster — and some willing friends and family — glue, glue away.

Continue Reading "A Place in the Fun: DIY Place Cards" »

Family lore says that my great-grandmother Kitty Ann worked as a cook for a rich farm family in the 1890s. Her boss had three sons, one of whom always took the largest piece of whatever she served. Annoyed, Kitty Ann whipped up some apple dumplings, making one turnover much larger than the others and filling it with dried beans. The greedy brother grabbed it, bit in, and broke a tooth.

When Mom told me this tale as a kid, she probably meant it as a lesson about gluttony or work ethics. But Kitty Ann knew what many cooks and party throwers know: Few can resist dough wrapped around a squishy filling. "They're labor-intensive, so people associate them with happy times," says Laura Schenone, author of "The Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken" ($27, Norton), which tracks her quest for her great-grandmother's pasta secrets.

Every wheat-eating culture boasts a turnover, from Chinese shu mai (pork dumplings) to Latin American empanadas. "They're comfort food. You can't go wrong with dishes starring potatoes and bread," says Kera Carpenter, chef/owner of Petworth's W Domku (821 Upshur St. NW; 202-722-7475), which dishes out Polish pierogi and Czech potato dumplings.
Carpenter and other fans of plump pockets admit a dumplings party involves elbow grease and practice. "Have one person who knows what they're doing," says Brian Yarvin, author of "A World of Dumplings: Filled Dumplings, Pockets and Little Pies From Around the Globe" ($22, Countryman). "Kneading and rolling isn't that awesome a task."

If you don't have a pal with dumpling skills, study Ukrainian vareniki or Lebanese fatayer techniques via a book or class. L'Academie de Cuisine offers many classes about dumplings; Taiwanese chef Rebekah Lin Jewell (Artofchinesecooking.com) teaches dim sum workshops.

The tools are basic: rolling pins to flatten dough, Asian dumpling crimpers to close up pies ($5, Surlatable.com) and bamboo steamers or frying pans for cooking 'em. For ravioli, a pasta machine is handy.

Letting guests in on the process is an ice-breaker and time-saver. "Look at it as a fun project," says Schenone. Set up an assembly line with one person rolling out dough, someone else stuffing pies and another guest boiling or frying.

Continue Reading "Styles: From Pierogi to Empanadas, Dumplings Rate High" »

Julia Beizer and her fiance, Tom, guide newbies through basic home-improvement tasks in our pages a few times per month.

OUR CRAFTY HOLIDAY continues with a crochet-covered pillow and a sexy, art deco-ish table lamp.

» BOWLING PIN LAMP:
My friend has had this pin ever since a certain posh bowling alley opened. With patience (and a pricey drill bit), Tom and I transformed it into a fab light.

Besides your pin, you'll need a lamp kit (sold at big-box hardware stores), an all-in-one bundle of cord, sockets, switches, lamp pipe, nuts and bolts.

We don't have a freestanding drill press, so we used a handheld to bore a hole through the pin. The sharp metal teeth of a 17-inch-tall, wood-hollowing Auger bit drilled from top to bottom. Ours was 3/8 inch in diameter, chosen to fit a lamp pipe the same width into the pin so it could hold up a socket. While many DIY Web sites recommend a hand brace with an auger, an 18-volt power drill worked for us. Just drill very slowly.

Continue Reading "DIY Duo: Personal Presents" »

Julia Beizer and her fiance Tom, guide newbies through basic home-improvement tasks in our pages a few times a month.

IN THE SPIRIT THAT a little time and effort make any gift that much more special, Tom and I set out to create the DIY Duo's first gift guide. These easy projects bring some funk to the holiday season, and didn't completely empty our wallets. Two of our creations are pictured; you'll see the other two in next week's column.

» DARTBOARD END TABLE
Our condo's too small to play darts, so we decided to build this homage to Tom's favorite game. Stealing the idea of using plumbing pipes as a base from a friend, I headed to Home Depot, where I spent two hours staring at the selection of steel pipes and connectors — fitting them together, taking them apart, praying that somehow I'd find a combination to serve as table legs. When I finally called Tom, he figured out what we needed in about 90 seconds.

Continue Reading "DIY Duo: Home Economy" »

Julia Beizer and her fiance, Tom, guide newbies through basic home-improvement tasks in our pages a few times per month.

THE DUO SPENDS its Thanksgivings circling the Beltway. With one set of parents in NoVa and the other in southern Maryland, we barely get a chance to eat before rushing out the door to the next kinfolk function. Not surprisingly, the hectic schedule doesn't leave much time for cooking. This year, we decided to contribute to the family feasts by bringing the centerpieces (and a bag of my pumpkin spice cookies).

Because we figure a centerpiece should never distract from the food, we offer these three edible takes on the traditional.

» 1) Boat of Plenty (pictured above)
The cornucopia, or horn of plenty, is perhaps the most tried-and-true Thanksgiving centerpiece of them all. The curved, funnel-shaped basket full of fall veggies, wheat stalks and flowers seemed a little too old-school, but when I saw this low-slung, boat-shaped basket at World Market, I was just too tempted to give the gourd look a try.

I outfitted the basket with two candle holders and secured them in place with strong tape. I then filled the basket with a colorful assortment of fall fruits and pinecones. Fire around a wicker basket is never a great idea, so take care when lighting a creation like this.
» Materials: Basket: $8, acorn squash: $1.50, baby pumpkins: 2.7 pounds for $2, apples: $0.75, pinecones: $5, candles: $4, candle holders, $3 each.

» 2) Cranberry De-light (pictured at right)
This centerpiece offers a contemporary twist on time-honored ingredients. I filled a vase three-quarters full with fresh cranberries and slowly poured water over top. The berries will drift to the surface, so you'll need to press them down slightly to place the floating candle on top. Scoop a handful of cranberries from the surface, allowing the candle to be seen from all sides. And don't make this one too far in advance: The cranberries will rot if left in the water too long.

» Materials: Vase: $20, floating candles: $3.50 for a package of eight, cranberries: $2 for12-ounce bag.

Continue Reading "DIY Duo: Incredible, Edible" »