Of course red is a fabulous color for jewelry anyway – we know that. It’s flattering to most skin tones, it can be casual or dressy, it’s the main color of at least two holidays, and it’s just fun to wear! And…ruby red is the birthstone color for July. So I thought I’d highlight a few of the ruby red glass jewels available in my shop right now.
So if you need a birthday gift for a bestie born in July, you might find some ideas here. Or if you want something to match the red shirt you just bought. Or if you want to subtly point out a few things that would be perfect in your eyes and somebody wants to buy *you* a gift… you get the idea. Get what works for you!
You’ve probably seen me use multiple chains before in a necklace design – I think it’s a great way to add texture, acomplexity and movement to a necklace design.
Partly I wanted to illustrate that even a transparent jewel – the teardrop pendant – can add sparkle and presence. The chains just add a bit of “more”, when it’s not just a single chain. And you may have noticed the loop of chain that anchors the pendant. That loop – and pendant – is removable. So you have a multi strand chain necklace with no pendant at all. Two necklaces in one!
As always, I’m hoping this idea will spark your own creative juices. That’s what DIY is – or should be – all about. Do it yourself – the way you want it!
This picture shows a sparkling crystal necklace – and a super useful DIY necklace design!
Of course, you can just click on the pic to find these jewels – and more crystals, more styles, and more colors – in my shop. This design is made with three sizes of crystal rhinestone (glass) jewels – shown here are 8mm rounds with rivoli faceting, 10x10mm diamond shapes, and a pear or teardrop focal centerpiece that measures 18x13mm. This would be a wonderful necklace for prom – and (I know you’ve thought of this already) a beautiful bridal necklace. Wedding jewels? Yes!
Run with the idea – using the shapes that work best for you, and a different color – or combination of colors – that could be so much fun!
And as always, if there’s a color or shape you’re searching for and not finding – just ask. I might have it – or I’ll help!
Loving these videos on YouTube that show some great ideas for how to make jewelry displays and stands on the cheap 🙂
I’m specially interested in the hanging displays. You could use those on your dresser – or adapt them for craft shows. Versatile and cheap and could be very cool!
Kudos to Karen’s Thrift Store Challenge and HGTV Handmade for these ideas! And a special thank-you for the idea of getting your supplies from thrift shops, so you’re inventing cool jewelry displays – and recycling and reusing – at the same time!
This is good on so many levels. You reuse a cool vintage chandelier that comes from a thrift shop or your attic. So: recycled and re-used, which is wonderful.
And: you’re feeding birds! Also wonderful.
And: it looks so classy!
I found this fun DIY over at Craftster.org which is so full of great projects, you could surf there for a year and still be finding new stuff.
Are you always looking for ways to look chic, fashionable and fabulous – and not spend a lot of money? Yeah, welcome to the club. I just found this little DIY tutorial and it’s so simple – and smart – I just wanted to share. And there’s an added bonus, too 🙂
Click on the pic and it takes you to her instructions and her blog. And, to give you an idea of the bonus I was talking about, look at this great outfit:
The pic takes you to Savvy Lou’s blog – and her blog is the bonus. Why, you ask? Search for the entry that says “Classics With Taupe”, or just go halfway down the page, and you’ll find this breakdown of what she spent to create that super outfit:
Croft & Barrow shirt ($2, Salvation Army)
Investments skirt ($2, Goodwill)
Belt ($2, Salvation Army)
Wooden Bracelet (gift, Good Wood)
Merona Booties ($10.48, Target)
NewYork Color nail color, Flat Iron Green ($1, Dollar Tree)
You see what I mean? This girl is cute and dresses well and she’s SMART. She is a fashionista resource!
First – I am not organized by nature. I have to work at it, because if I don’t, stuff grows around me in piles and jumbles and pretty soon I can’t find anything and, well, you’ve been there, right? So: organization is good. DIY is good. Free or cheap is good.
Also Pinterest is good! Look at the terrific do it yourself jewelry storage idea I found today:
The back of the frame could be screening, or fabric, or foam core, or, well, lots of things that you could slip earring wires through – or stick pushpins in to hold necklaces – there are lots of alternatives. And you’ve probably got the iongredients sitting in your junk drawer. Go to Goodwill and find a frame for a dollar – spray paint it – and you’re on the way 🙂
And speaking of great storage and DIY organization ideas – follow that pin to its source and you’ll find I Heart Organizing Blog. Jen, the blogger, has TONS of great storage ideas over there. And it’s fun to read!
P.S. And if you’d like a little organizational help – check out Jen’s I Heart Organizing Etsy shop, too!
And then of course, if you’re feeling just a bit craftish, you can Do It Yourself. Sometimes this can be daunting, but you know, it doesn’t have to be. If you have no sewing skills at all this won’t be for you. But if you have just the bare basics – you’re good to go.
Take a look at One Little Momma’s self-described “Easiest, Quickest, Dress Refashion. Ever.”
and here’s what it looked like before she transformed it:
Yes, the sleeves were literally torn off, it was stained, etc. She gives clear instructions – with pics – on how she turned it into a cute wearable garment. Truly it’s not a big job. It cost her about a dollar, I think. And it has elastic in the waist now, so she can wear it while she’s expecting – and then later.
If you can’t sew – find some great vintage. If you CAN sew – find some great vintage and refashion it. Like I’ve said before – win/win 🙂
PS Plus her blog is full of great styling ideas and it’s just fun. Go read!
I have to say, it is so fun to discover new stuff out here in webland. You know I’m always on the lookout for vintage recycled and refashioned ideas – well I struck a gold mine today. I found a site called Refashionista.
The fabulous woman behind the blog is Jillian Owens. Her tagline says “I’ll change the way you think about fashion”. And man, she is good at what she does. What she does (among other really fun stuff) is find thrift store rejects, shows you what they look like “as is”, and then transforms them into something you would love to wear. And she shows you, with clear pics, how she does it!
For example, here’s a recent Before and After:
From this:
to this!
And look at this one:
From this:
To this!
I would totally wear that dress! Well, assuming I had a cute figure like hers, anyway. She mentions in her article how much each of those cost – I think one was a family gift, and the other one cost…. wait for it… a dollar. One whole dollar.
Now that’s my kind of shopping. Go visit Jillian’s blog, she has tons of great ideas and she’s not even all Taking Herself Seriously.
Latest Development! Jillian accepted a challenge to remake a totally rejected garment EVERY DAY for a year. And showing us what she does and how she does it. And then – donating the refashioned garment to a shop where all the profits benefit a women’s shelter! Read about it here – and share the love!
This is such an easy and obvious idea – once we’ve thought of it or (in my case) seen this darling example – it’s one of those slap-self-upside-head and say “WHY didn’t I think of that? I need nightstands!”
Isn’t that great? I don’t even need specific instructions. Remove the top, find a board or tray to use as a new top – and voila, you’ve got a nightstand that fits even in a small bedroom, that offers you STORAGE, that can be customized to your exact taste, and that you probably found at a thrift store for, what, $20? Or on Craigslist as a giveaway 🙂
And may I say, bless Pinterest! There are so many wonderful ideas over there – this one is originally credited to Sugar Bee Crafts. I couldn’t find the exact link to this dresser-to-nightstand idea but there are so many wonderful ideas over there – you’ll want to explore!
P.S. And I haven’t even mentioned – okay, haven’t *emphasized* – that this is one more useful and wonderful example of the Recycle, Reuse, and Rethink mantra that I love. That you love.
