All these DIY princesses have made me shred and stud a good chunk of my closet—but my inability to “craft” and the slash-and-burn nature of the “crafting” has given me a great pile of clothes that even Sid Vicious wouldn’t wear. But Aya (aka Strawberry Koi) has gotten me to rethink my DIY ban with her sweet homemade headbands. Watch the tutorial below and check out our interview. Enjoy!
xoConnie
Tell us about yourself
My name is Aya Smith, I am 23 years old and live a quaint little town in Indiana, USA. I work at home making crafts and selling vintage clothes online.
Where do you usually get your inspirations from?
I am easily inspired, and pull inspiration from so many sources! Online fashion sites, Japanese fashion, old movies, magazines and vintage photographs are some of my biggest inspirations.
Who did you learn sewing from?
I come from a long line of doll-makers, but a lot of my sewing has been learned by trial and error (and believe me, I still have a lot to learn!)
Since when did you start doing DIYs?
I have always made hair and clothing accessories and altered my clothes myself. Some of this comes from natural creativity, but also from the simple fact that I have always been poor! :)
What are the advantages of DIYs and any disadvantage?
The advantage, is that you feel accomplished and proud when you succeed. It’s very rewarding and you leave the experience with expertise to help others.
The disadvantage, is that it’s easy to procrastinate and never get anything accomplished… or that you feel you’ve failed and disappoint yourself.
What other hobbies do you have other than DIY?
I wouldn’t say that I’m a “Jack-of-all-trades”, but I could certainly say that I try to be! I enjoy painting, writing, guitar and ukulele, travel and translating (English-Japanese). I also enjoy origami and web design, lol.
Tell us little bit about the tiara-esque headband.
I was actually inspired by a headband in a small boutique, to create what I call the “Tiara-esque headband”. The headband seemed simple to make, but was outragous in price. So I went to the craft store and bought some supplies and simply created what I envisioned (lucky for me, it turned out!)
Which occasion/clothes would the headband best suited for?
The “Tiara-esque headband” goes according to your tastes, I think. I personally like to wear one with feminine dresses. I think you could create a bold statment by simply pairing it with a graphic tee and skinny jeans though… especially depending on how you made the headband itself.
Wish Chictopians good luck for the headband :)
For everyone who watches this tutorial, I wish you the best of luck! Remember that you don’t have to make it just like the example… but instead go away inspired, and make it the way that fits your character and personality!
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