Planting Mangos: DIY Polka Dot Jeans

Over the past couple of months, it seems like adorable polka dot jeans have been popping up all over Pinterest and in some of my favorite stores. I've been dying to have some of my own! I'd already spent the money we budgeted for fall clothes (good thing fall is a short season in Canada!!!), so I decided to make use of the unworn jeans that have been sitting in my closet since I unpacked them 3 months ago.

Total amount of money spent on this project: $2 :)

Materials:

jeans

a permanent marker/pen

fabric paint (acryllic works too)

old school pencil with an unused eraser

a ruler (to help keep your dots straight and evenly spaced)

This project is done best while listening to Dave Matthews Band, Mumford and Sons, and Jason Mraz ;)

Lay your jeans out on a clean, flat surface! Use a ruler, (or makeshift cardboard ruler in our case) and a permanent marker/pen to measure and mark your "pre-dots". To create the diamond pattern, make the "pre-dots" at every inch mark (1,2,3,4...) then for the next line shift over 1/2 inch and follow the same inch mark dotting (1,2,3,4...) This isn't absolutely necessary, but it does make for a neater and more precise design! My sweet (and handsome) husband helped me with this part because I am slightly challenged when it comes to making straight lines...what a sweetheart, right?!

Once you finish "pre-dotting", the exciting part begins! Find something to pour a little bit of paint into (I used a top from an old pickle jar I saved), dip the end of your pencil (eraser side down) in the paint, and then press onto a pre-marked dot. You should re-dip the pencil in the paint for every new dot. We ended up going over the dots a second time just to make them a little brighter!