My friend Sonya Nimri recently used the Generation T books to inspire a class she taught at UCLA Family Commons, a family wellness center where she is the esteemed artiste-in-residence. High fives to all the lovely little ladies who refashioned their T-shirts — the shirts came out great, and Sonya reports that the youngest DIYer was just 7 years old (yeah!) and still managed to finish making her shirt even after the sewing machine broke and they had to move on to hand sewing. Awesome work! So who’s inspired to go raid that T-shirt pile right now?
More Fun
From Our Readers: Sonya!
[ No Comments | Posted on September 1st, 2010 ]
Tee Party at the Beach!
My sister once told me the story of one of her peers — an art school student at the time — who carried a pair of scissors everywhere with the offer 
to refashion a friend or stranger’s outfit anytime, anywhere. At the bar, at the bowling alley, at the school cafeteria, in class… In that spirit, last month I took a visit to the beach in Rhode Island for a friend’s bachelorette party. As you might guess, I also carry my scissors everywhere, and the beach was no exception. Party-goer Sonia insisted that I teach her how to make one-of-a-kind T-shirt designs for her and her young daughter, Bella. We whipped up a pink halter dress (a variation of the Pinup Girl halter top in Generation T: Beyond Fashion) for her toddler plus a ravishing red Back in Action tee (also in Generation T: Beyond Fashion) for her–the perfect cover for her shoulders with a little draft in the back to let the breeze in!
What about you? Where have you taken a Tee Party recently?
[ No Comments | Posted on August 22nd, 2010 ]
Wedding Bells, DIY Style
It’s been three years today since Mr. T (no not that Mr. T) and I tied the knot, and I think I was so caught up in the overwhelmingly awesome experience of it all that I couldn’t bring myself to post any tutorials at the time. But when I happened upon Jennifer Perkins’s (aka the Naughty Secretary) wedding nostalgia post back in March, I was inspired to put together a little walk down memory lane myself, in hopes that it might provide inspiration to someone else!
Naturally, our wedding was heavy on the personalization and DIY, low on the budget, and like most weddings, a true family affair. My sister Sophie, a graphic designer, designed the save-the-dates (we sent out a romance novel to each guest with a personalized book plate and “mark your calendar” book mark — the particular gem featured below stars a cave-dwelling gentleman protagonist-from-another-time named Thor). (You’ll notice many of the details are literary-themed — that’s what happens when a writer/editor marries an English teacher!)
The invitations were letterpressed (our big splurge) by Coeur Noir in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (can’t DIY everything–sometimes it’s better to delegate!) and also designed by Sophie.
They were envelope-free with a tear-off rsvp postcard with the prompt “What’s your story?” that allowed guests to get a little creative in their replies. (My sister Ariana’s colorful reply below.)
To answer the big question, no, I didn’t wear the T-shirt wedding dress (I had already spent a lot of time in it for the Generation T photo shoot, plus I wanted it to be a surprise!). I wore a simple on-sale J. Crew dress that I had my friend Diana Rupp help me adjust one day in her workshop while I was wearing it! She introduced me to Michelle Courtois who took me on a whirlwind trip through the garment district to purchase the materials for my birdcage veil and detachable silk flower–which she hand-crafted and made to fit. But lest you think the occasion was T-shirt free, we commissioned a special T-shirt hand silk-screened by our friends at Campfire Goods to give to the members of our wedding party…no word as to whether anyone’s done any T-shirt surgery on them! (Come to think of it, my sister-in-law and mother-in-law made 1″ punk pins for the rehearsal dinner that would be perfect to complete the Pin-up Girl halter top from Generation T: Beyond Fashion.)
And though I saved corks for a year to use as place card holders, we ended up having a buffet (no assigned seating) in the beautiful old two-story barn where we had the reception.
The buffet-style dinner was catered by Marie Gerli Catering (who I used to work for during the summers in high school!) with local fresh vegetables from the family farm up the road.
We floated the beer and wine in a pile of ice my family’s canoe, propped up on some hay bales in the barn.
I made and distributed a “Wedding Activity Book” to guests young and old so they could entertain themselves if the toasts went on too long.
I spent way too much time on it, but had a ton of fun personalizing the workbook with coloring pages, connect the dots, mazes, matching games, trivia (in the form of a GSAT, or Granite State Aptitude Test, in honor of the state I grew up in), and a homemade Mad Libs describing the proposal.
The welcome bags, decorated with a reproduction of a vintage postcard from the town where I grew up, included the activity books, packets of crayons, bottles of NH spring water, some locally made maple candies, and directions to all the fun hikes, swimming holes, and the 24-hour ice cream spot, of course.
My father-in-law, an interior decorator with a real green thumb, created simple bouquets of dahlias for me and my bridesmaids and groom’s lady.
He was also the mastermind behind the beautiful flower arrangements at the ceremony site. He found a bunch of bamboo tiki torches that he brilliantly repurposed into flower containers to line the aisle in the field. (Mr. T and I got married under that big oak tree.)
My mom and I saved and collected tins and mason jars for months to use for the flower arrangements on the tables.
My brother Franz, a musician, composed the processional (the recessional was The Clash’s London Calling, which he arranged for string quartet). Our friends from the Anti-Social Music collective made up the quartet who played at the ceremony and at the reception at the barn.
Our guest book, a scroll of paper fed through the Hermes 3000 portable typewriter my dad received as a gift for his high school graduation, was an homage to my Oma and Opa, who ran a typewriter and office machinery business out of their home for all the decades I knew them!
Mr. T spent hours creating the ultimate playlist (we went DIY iPod-style and borrowed speakers from a friend). And we did opt for the ubiquitous wedding CD (yes, those are hand-stamped labels) — we love music and wanted to share some of our favorite tunes so people could take the dance party home.
Our photographer, the incredibly talented Brooke Mayo, whose photographs you see here, submitted the photos to Brides Magazine, where selected shots and details appeared in May 2009!
My ladies wore brown cowboy boots and red dresses! I strung a necklace of natural pearls for each of them to accessorize with.
Here are the details the Brides thought were most notable: The flowers! The tree! The lights! The barn! The cupcakes! The invites! Our friend Pat, who often sports a mohawk and plays a mean cello!
It was an amazing day, filled with wonderful handmade details–so thanks for indulging me, and giving me the opportunity to reminisce!
And even though I’m well past planning my own wedding, I love attending others’ events so I can take note of my favorite DIY details! What about you? Any tips or favorite party details to share with the Generation T community?
Save-the-Date photo by Tory Williams. All other photos by Brooke Mayo![ 4 Comments | Posted on August 11th, 2010 ]
Total Tee-clipse of the Heart
A friend went to see Eclipse on opening day. It’s likely I won’t see it (I haven’t read any of the books) and personally, my vampire alliances lie with the fangs of HBO’s True Blood, but my heart did do a bit of a stutter step (or perhaps it went pitter-Pattinson?) when I got this news via text from my friend: “There is a T-shirt project in the Eclipse movie! A tee quilt!” Then the news came pouring in as more of my friends went to see it. And here it is: Scores of T-shirt memories, stitched together, and then snuggled between RPatz and KStew!
How, might you ask, can you score a tee quilt like Bella’s mom made for her? You can gather up all the T-shirts from your recent travels, athletic feats, summer camps, bar/bat mitzvahs, tropical vacations–or vampire encounters–and make it yourself, of course! Just flip to page 220 in your copy of Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-shirt to project #88 “Patchwork Punk.”
Photo via casasugar.[ 4 Comments | Posted on July 16th, 2010 ]
From Our Readers: Jenny!
Jenny is a lovely bartendress from San Fran, but her heart seems to be with the Detroit Tigers! She was spotted at the Abbey Tavern sports bar recently wearing a T-Bird halter top (project #47 in Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-shirt) which, of course, she made herself. Totally loving it over at here at GTHQ (Generation T Headquarters) — and double loving that it shows off her tattoos so beautifully!
[ 1 Comment | Posted on July 12th, 2010 ]
First name Mister. Middle name Period.
Last name T.
Presenting Mr. Tee: a Mona Lisa portrait of everybody’s favorite bodyguard-turned-motivational-speaker carved out of a pile of three T-shirts, and printed on a T-shirt that you can actually own. Beautiful and brilliant. And though Mr. T is clearly the perfect muse, I like the idea of softie T-shirt sculpture becoming a new genre of creative expression — who’s portrait will be next?
I pity the fool.
Photos via Uncrate and Threadless.[ 1 Comment | Posted on July 7th, 2010 ]
From Our Readers: Sunday Recess!
T-shirt refashioning meets make-me-a-superhero! This group of Generation T die-hards is courtesy of my sister, a card-carrying member of Sunday Recess, a co-ed multi-sport recreation league (read: they know how to party). 
Here are some photos from her team’s recent Tee Party, at which they refashioned T-shirts into superhero capes (from Generation T: Beyond Fashion, project #55 “Mighty My Tee”) in preparation for a massive scavenger hunt (or Avenger Hunt, from the looks of it). The no-sew cape project can be cut out in mere seconds, and the stenciled embellishments the team added bring the perfect amount of superhero swagger.
Simply add markers, paints, or iron-ons (and maybe some scrap cardboard to make stencils) to your otherwise slim list of materials (scissors!), and you’re moments away from claiming and designing your own superhero identity (need inspiration from the experts?). My sister’s superhero identity is, of course, Super Awesome (I’m developing her nemesis, Wicked Awesome, to lurk menacingly in the shadows in a constant quest to steal some of the remarkable awesomeness for herself).
Super Awesome travels both alone and with the Sunday Recess League of Extraordinary Superheroes to spread the awesome. Here, she’s flanked by other members of her mysterious superhero posse as they disappear into the night to save the world!
And then, of course, the whole renegade crew powers on ’til dawn and beyond to attend actual Sunday Recess games several days later (note the daytime pictures!). They really don’t stop spreading the fun! (And the Hello Kitty cape is a total WIN!)
And, I would be terribly remiss not to mention that you can host your very own Tee Party (superhero-themed or not) at home! What are you waiting for? Grab your scissors and get the party started.
[ No Comments | Posted on June 15th, 2010 ]
And the Winner Is…
Thanks to all who entered the Facebook fan celebration giveaway! You sure made me smile, and I learned a lot about you in the record-setting 82 entries. Based on my review of your entries, I’ve deduced that you are…
Sweet: “I like crafty family time” (Group crafting = awesome.)
Sentimental: “I like our home, Earth” (Amen to that.)
Irreverent: “I like finger puppets and pie” (Both great things!)
Enthusiastic: “I like penguins!!!!” (‘Nuff said.)
Funny: “I like long walks on the beach and bubble baths” (You had me at ‘I like’.)
More funny: “I like reading. It makes me samrt” (Wicked smaht!)
Celebratory: “I like my new haircut” (Congrats, Dana, on a new ‘do!)
Adventurous: “I like finding tees at Goodwill!” (The thrill of the hunt!)
Playful: “I like pretending to be a T-Rex *roarrrrrrr*” (That’s actually a game my sister and I used to play — T-Rex on bikes!)
Mischievous: “I like cutting up my boyfriend’s t-shirts to make them mine” (“Oh, that T-shirt?…haven’t seen it.”)
And more! Judging from the chocolate, cookies, and cheesecake you like, you have a sweet tooth. And you’re also into exercise: from kickboxing, to dance, to soccer, to Zumba. You also like pets: there’s a gerbil named Richard Gere among you as well as a cat named Pickles. You like both peace and quiet and metal music. And you’re crafty, too. You know what? You guys sound like FUN!
What you don’t like is following directions (five words or less, people! 
) but I forgive you this minor rebellion because your collective enthusiasm is just so darn charming.
Well, that was a long drum-roll, but our winner, chosen at random from a hat (literally, a hat) is…HEATHER DIODATI! Congratulations, Heather (stay tuned for a separate email from me soon so we can arrange the delivery of your prize).
Thanks again, friends — more giveaways to come! In the meantime, let’s aim for 2,000 likes! Cheers, and have a great weekend.
[ No Comments | Posted on June 11th, 2010 ]
Grand Rapids is Great!
Last August, I visited the West Side Garage Store in Grand Rapids, Michigan to host not one, not two, but three T-shirt refashioning workshops in one day! It was such amazing fun for everyone involved that they’re doing it again (with two workshop sessions) to celebrate their two-year anniversary. And though I can’t be there in person this time, Generation T will be there in spirit with book giveaways and goody bag surprises.
So if you’re in the Grand Rapids area, reserve your spot for this Saturday!
Saturday, June 12 10:00-12:00 or 1:00-3:00 @ St. Mary’s Activities Center$15/person (includes a goody bag) To make reservations, contact Sue at 616-459-7390 or wsgs13@yahoo.com
[ 3 Comments | Posted on June 9th, 2010 ]
Hey T-shirt Fans, Let’s Celebrate!
The Generation T community is rapidly growing! On a quiet Thursday afternoon last week–June 3, to be exact–Generation T hit an exciting milestone on Facebook. All you scissor-happy folks who “like” Generation T have reached one thousand strong!
To celebrate, I’m giving away one Generation T “A T-shirt is a Terrible Thing to Waste” T-shirt (size L) along with a pair of Generation T scissors to a lucky fan. Just leave a comment telling me in 5 words or less (short and sweet!) what else you like. Your dog? Your new shoes? The weather today? Your newest “I made it myself!” moment? We’ll choose a winner at random end of day Thursday.
In the meantime, here’s to you all, and thanks to each one of you for being a liker, not a fighter. Keep spreading the T-shirt love like!
cheers,
Megan & Generation T
[ 47 Comments | Posted on June 8th, 2010 ]
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