Draped Vest DIY (Five minutes and NO sewing!)

This is SUPER easy and so cute! We all know that draped vests are very popular right now, and this one might just be FREE if you have an XL t-shirt lying around! Let’s get started! Now all I had lying around my apartment was a XXL Mossimo (Target) long-sleeved flow-y shirt with this neat design on the shoulders. I touch more on this in a bit, but you may be able to skip a step depending on the type of shirt you are using.

First we are going to cut off the arms. I made a little cut in the armpit then cut all around the front and back of the sleeve, rather than cutting it folded. Do the same to both arms. In the last picture (with the belt) you can see that this shirt is fitted for a woman, this is where you may be able to skip a step. If you get a mens T-shirt that is straight down from the armpits, you can cut straight down the seems of the shirt from the armpits and wait while I explain how to remove the “armpit point.”

Once you have removed the arms you need to cut all the way down the side seems of your shirt, and it should look like the pictures above when you open it up. The center whole is the neck whole. NEXT!

The “armpit point,” if you have a women’s fitted shirt you will have this problem. When you go to put on your vest, you will have these weird little pieces of fabric that want to drape, but they are too short. So cut them off, I say! This BIGGEST thing here is that you want to just be removing the point, so gauge what angle you need to cut at to be aligned with the angle of your shirt. When you finish all four “armpit points” you are done! EASY PEASY! Put on your new draped vest! How cool is that? ENJOY!

P.S. If you enjoyed this DIY, like my blog!

Check out how to custom line envelopes HERE!

(Vegan) Nutty Chocolate Bar

Mmmmmmm……(and almost raw)! Last night I was in desperate need of some CHOCOLATE! Hopefully you can relate :). Naturally the closest thing I had, was organic unsweetened cocoa powder. Ugh. All I  could think was “I do not feel like baking.” But I had to have chocolate! This is what I came up with:

1/2 C of Coconut Oil (I only had refined in the house)

1/4 C of Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (I used organic)

2 to 3 T (to taste) of Maple Syrup (you can also use honey or agave)

1/3 C of Nuts (I had Walnuts and Almonds in my pantry, use what you’ve got!)

First I measured out the Coconut Oil in a regular bowl and stirred it with a fork until  it was a “runny” consistency. Then I added the Cocoa Powder and Maple Syrup until it was completely incorporated (make sure you get the sides of the bowl). It still should be a “runny” mixture. Finally I incorporated the Walnuts and Almonds. I always taste my dessert concoctions before they set in the fridge or oven and with this mixture I could taste the maple syrup, which worried me a little, but at least it wasn’t bitter (If yours is, try adding some more maple syrup to sweeten you can also use honey or agave). After everything is all mixed in pour into a shallow dish, pan, or container (whatever you have lying around, I used a rectangular take out container) and throw it in the freezer to harden! Simple as that! About an hour later you have a (vegan) nutty chocolate bar!

This was a great alternative to turning on the oven! And it’s super easy!                       This recipe would also be delicious if you added or substituted the nuts with fruits, like raspberries!

What kinds of nuts do you enjoy using in your deserts? I love Toffee in my chocolate! Do you have any favorite kinds of chocolate?