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Wednesday, July 27, 2011

DIY: Trade The Fugly for The Fab for $5

I am NOT a crafty person.
Although, I enjoyed my high school advanced art class
the most creative I have ever gotten is this blog.
I don't sew or knit or crochet.
I have little patients for counting stitches.

So I have to say that I surprised myself when I decided to make try my hands,
literally, at jewelry making.

I get frustrated easily when I try to think of how to start a project.
This time was no different, but one thing that was different was a little inspiration.
The inspiration came in the form of my dear friend, Staci who said 
just start ripping some old jewelry apart
and transform it into something new.

That is what I did.
I started with 5 ugly necklaces, that I was planning to get rid
of by donating them to the Goodwill.
I purchased some chain at the store along with some needle noise pliers.
Turned on season 8 of Project Runway on Hulu.com 
and started tearing the necklaces apart.

Here is what I created.....


This picture isn't as clear as I would have liked but 
I will be pairing this lariat with an outfit later this week and will highlight it then. 
I had purchased a beaded choker necklace 10 years ago 
at the Art Museum in Ann Arbor and only wore it a handful of times.
I have wanted a lariat for a while and 
decided to take each strand of the original necklace and string it singly. 
It ended up being really long so I am excited for all of the styling possibilities.
I added a Swarovski crystal pendant from another necklace
I can remove it and place it wherever I want to on the lariat.
I love all the options I now have for wearing this piece.


The black beaded chain was a double choker style necklace 
that I purchased on clearance at Kmart in the 1990's.
Again, I only wore it a handful of times and purchased more
expensive stone jewelry that I started wearing instead.
The Kmart necklace couldn't compare so it sat in my 
jewelry tower never to be worn again.
I had planned to get rid of it when I decided to re purpose it.
It tore the strands apart using the original jump rings. 
I love this octopus pendant that I purchased 
and decided to add it to the new longer necklace.
It didn't seem unique enough so I twisted antique gold chain
around the black beaded chain as an accent.
I can wear it as a single long strand of double it up for a shorter look.




My final project was to take another clearance choker necklace 
purchased at Vanity and and turn it into a bracelet.
Unlike the other necklaces destined for the Goodwill that I had
used in the previous projects I had saved this necklace specifically
because I loved the individual seed bead strands and had
thought that maybe I would use them to create something else.
I added the toggle closure and VIOLA
a bracelet is born.

The bonus with this one is that I can also wear it as a choker still if I want to as well.

Not bad for my first attempt at something a little crafty.
I cannot wait to try it again.

Honestly, I love blogging, clothes, and styling, but I have been in need of a little more creative stimulation.
I felt better than I have felt in weeks after piecing together my necklaces and bracelet.

I have decided to start posting a few DIY posts each week.
If I can craft than so can you.
So, if you have some fugly necklaces, bracelets, rings, etc. lying around
 maybe I can inspire you a little to try on a little creativity. 
It is so worth it and the best part is that you can't make a mistake with it.
Even better, if you do, just tear it apart and start again.
Same some cash and re purpose your own things.
A win win situation for all of use!

Total cost was $5
-Chain Link
- Toggle Clasp
- Octopus Pendant

Enjoy!

XOXO,

Julie




7 comments:

  1. it's incredible! such a great job. always fun when you even impress yourself

    ReplyDelete
  2. You did a fantastic job on this! I would definitely purchase this if I saw it in the store.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Amazing necklace! And you look smokin in that tube top!

    Ask the Duplex

    ReplyDelete
  4. great job
    haven't jumped on the jewelry making bandwagon but you make it look pretty easy
    brett

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yay! Great jewelry!!! I <3 jewelry!

    xoShelly

    ReplyDelete
  6. That necklace seriously turned out gorgeous!
    -Meagan
    www.spunkychateau.com

    ReplyDelete

XOXO,

Julie

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