Showing posts with label Earrings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Earrings. Show all posts

Monday, February 4, 2013

Re-purposed Vintage Earring Bracelet

So, if you are like us and collect vintage clothing and accessories, you well know that over the years, either because of age or carelessness, some items become damaged or lost. We have several incomplete sets of vintage earrings that have either been stranded somehow, possibly when moving or cleaning and others that are in just bad shape. Even if I no longer have the pairs, I just feel bad tossing them out because of how pretty they are. Needless to say, we were so excited when we discovered you don't have to get rid of them and you can actually give them a new life by turning them into bracelets! How sweet is that?

We just love recycling items and giving them a new life, even if it is not how they were originally intended to be used. 

Here is what is needed:
 Adhesive - (Make certain it is one that can be used for metals!)
Bracelet Blanks - (We had to look this up and suggest you do the same if you are not very jewelry savvy. They are not easy to find in stores, so our suggestion is you order online.)
Vintage Earrings - (Depending on how many blanks are on the bracelet, that is how many earrings you will need. Ours had 5 blanks, so we used 5 earrings. Also important to make sure the size of the earrings you are planning to use are similar to each other and depending on the shape of the blanks, that will be the same type of shape you will want to have in the earrings you are using. For example, for round blanks, use round earrings.) 


Next step is removing the back of the earrings, so you are left with a smooth, flat surface. We did this simply by bending the metal back and forth and pulling off with jewelry pliers. Now, simply assemble the pieces and glue on to your bracelet blanks. Allow enough dry time. Over night should be more than sufficient. Once the glue has dried, your bracelet is ready to be worn and enjoyed!

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

DIY Collar Clips

DIY Collar Clips
(fun way to spruce up those collared shirts)



These bad boys were recently created by yours truly.
Let us start off by saying it is ridiculous how easy it is to make these. It was Michelle who stumbled upon this idea and being that we're big fans of collared shirts here at What's Bippin'? She was very excited to have us try to recreate it for one of our craft projects.

Here is what is needed: 
  • 1 pair of vintage clip-on earrings (easily found at your nearest swap meet/flea market or thrift store) 
  • 1 jewelry chain of your choice (ours were purchased for close to nothing at Wal-Mart, however they are also available at Michael's)
  • glue (make certain it is a glue specifically for use on metals)
Measure how long you would like the chain connecting to each clip to be. Shorten to your desired length. On the back side of the earring, with the clip part open, glue your chain to the middle. Allow plenty of time for the glue to dry before closing clip to prevent it from being glued closed. We let ours dry over night just to be safe.


And voila! You now have ready to wear, perfectly functioning, awesome collar clips!
If there is anything we would have done different with this project, it probably would have been to choose the chain first and then the earrings. Finding a chain to match the earrings already purchased turned out to be a little trickier than expected and a bit more pricey. Other than that, it was easy and inexpensive, leaving us very satisfied with the finished products. 
FYI: These also serve as sweater clips.