Jan 25 2009
Inexpensive Jewelry Wardrobe Make-Over
Making your own jewelry doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Most of us have some jewelry that we never wear. It’s either outdated, or has some components that are much the worse for wear, but may contain some pretty beads that would make suitable earrings, and they go with several things in our wardrobe.
Look through your older cast off jewelry and take the item apart. Lay out the beads you want to use. Use this guide to make a pair of earrings. It will take more time to round up the beads than it will to make the earrings.
You can also just re-string some of your older jewelry. I have a necklace that has several chains incorporated with strings of beads that I’ve been meaning to re do and give a new life to. You may have several pieces of jewelry that have components that go together well that would make a nice lariat or an opera length string of beads you can wrap around your neck a time or two. The good thing about recycling jewelry is that you probably have something in your wardrobe that goes with it perfectly.
To find unique beads for my jewelry I like to go to thrift shops. You know, those that sell bracelets for 50 cents and necklaces for a dollar. I have a Salvation Army store that nearly always has a big basket running over with strings of beads. I found a necklace made with mother of pearl oat beads there, along with strings of plastic and cheap glass. You can also look at garage sales and estate sales. Sometime you can find vintage beads for next to nothing, guarantying that you won’t see someone else wearing the exact same thing you have on!
