Those of you who follow me on Twitter and Facebook know that I spent the last 4 days in Las Vegas. Yep, that’s right VEGAS!!! The good people at WWDMAGIC invited a blog-tourage to come and be a part of the trade show. I was invited to host a DIY lounge along with my two other DIY blogger friends Alicia (from Dismount Creative) and Jenni (from I Spy DIY). I met other bloggers from across the country and was able to interact with show goers in the DIY lounge. For 3 days we Alica, Jenni and I held DIY tutorials at the lounge and people stopped by to get crafty with us. On the last day Jenni shared her fabulous feather earring tutorial with she’s featuring in her I Spy DIY book. Be sure to pick up a copy when it hits stands in April because it’s full of fun projects AND yours truly is quoted in the book! Here’s the step by step for the easy, breezy feather earrings…

First, pick out a colorful combination of feathers you want to play with

You can purchase feathers at craft stores like Michale’s. There’s also a good selection of feathers online, but if you live in Los Angeles may I suggest you check out Mother Plucker Feather Company. It’s my favorite feather store in LA!

You’ll also need jewelry clasp and earring findings.

Lay you feathers into the jewelry clasp, then using a pair of flat nose plyers bend each clasp down until the feathers are secure.

Then, use your plyers to open the ring on the end of the jewelry finding and attached the clasp. Close the ring to secure.

In two easy steps you have yourself a fancy pair of feather earrings.

Lots of people came to the lounge to make their own pair. So many feather. So many colors. So many different combinations. That’s what I love about DIY. Everyone participated in the same project but no two pairs of earrings looked a like.

The highlight of my trip to Vegas had to be meeting Betsey Johnson!!!! I still can’t get over it! The day after her NYC runway show at Fashion Week, Ms. Johnson got on a plane and headed to Las Vegas to make an appearance at MAGIC! (Sorry I’m using a lot of explanation marks but I was literally that excited!!! JUST BE HAPPY I’M NOT TYPING IN ALL CAPS! #excited) Anywho, the other bloggers and I got a chance to meet and be photographed with her. While we were waiting for the lights to flash, Betsy and I got to chat DIY. She’s very excited about the trend. She doesn’t remember the first thing she ever made herself, but she said when she got her first sewing machine it “changed [her] life.” Well obviously! And it changed our lives too! I’m a BIG fan of Betsey’s. Her collection is always fun and whimsical.

Look at the smiles on our faces. Like kids in a candy store! Just being in her presence gave us an extra boost of energy.

Bloggers from L to R: Danielle from The Style and Beauty Doctor (sitting), Wendy from Wendy’s Lookbook (squatting), Me, Betsey, Rachel from The Style Line, Marie from The Curvy Fashionista (sitting) and Alicia from Dismount Creative (squatting).

I had to crop a few people out of this picture to make it look like Betsey and I are best friends, but hey you gotta do what you gotta do! lol Thank goodness for Instagram.

All and all my time in Vegas was exciting, energizing and exhausting. Now to spend the next 3 days catching up on my sleep. Viva Las Vegas!!!