any suggestions that could possibly spice up old clothes, for someone with limited crafty skills? i am all over beading and patching and am trying to master the subtle art of the scissored t-shirt...but i am quite a novice. oh glitter ladies, i am open to anything fun and crafty.

I find scarves to be a clothing lifesaver. Draped around my head, neck, shoulders or waist, they can really spice up an outfit.

I taught myself to sew by starting off altering existing clothes. An easy way to "make" your own clothes is to thrift a cheap shirt/skirt and then alter it. Make the skirt shorter or longer, take the sleeves off the shirt and put on new ones.

www.ohmystars.net has some good stuff on t-shirt reconstruction..also check out the live journal place for more on t surgery.
I have a bunch of inspirational sites somewhere..I just have to find them...
good luck!
~k~
PS. See, my problem is that I can't reconstruct old clothes..i feel obliged to give them away to people that need them...and buy new ones. Nobody in my family seems to understand my need to reconstruct! and i want hand me downs!

http://www.craftster.org has some great boards dedicated to clothing reconstruction. I also second http://www.ohmystars.net that site has great tutorials.

I get the same urge periodically. Unfortunately, I'm not very patient and sometimes end up ruining things...but that just gives me the excuse to go to Salvation Army and stock up again.

Anyway, some of my favorite projects are:
--the old reliable jean skirt conversion. This spring I made them short in faded denim with darker denim patches. Also, several years ago Gucci showed a denim skirt I'd love to replicate: faded and distressed denim, with appliqued/embroidered roses, leaves, & vines. Nice with a western shirt for that rockabilly look.

--last year I cut t-shirts into tank-tops. Be aware of the stretchability of your top, though.

--I wear scarves a lot, tied in what I like to think of as "jaunty" ways.

--I customize thrift-store skirts by hemming them and adding different trims like ric-rac or ribbon roses.

i have a shirt that i got from a thrift store, it's white with little red polka dots and buttons up the front, and i took off the middle button and sewed red grosgrain ribbon all the way around the shirt. now instead of buttoning, the ribbon ties in the front. it was really easy and you could do it with anything that opens in the front, a shirt, cardigan, etc...even a hoodie might be cute.

good luck! re-vamping clothes is kind of a current hobby of mine.