Anthropology Inspired Charm Necklace

My pal Kelly called me up to tell me about a hobby she picked up when she accidentally entered a store near her house-jewelry.  I've accidentally picked up a lot of hobbies this way, but I had been wanting to try my hand at jewelry making for awhile, so this was good timing.  It's an unexplored piece of my world.   The great thing about necklaces is that they fit, no matter what you had for dinner the day before. 

She took a couple classes, and we made plans to get together.  She taught me some really cool techniques I'll blog about soon.  After my tutorial, I showed her this necklace from Anthropology I was in love with...

*Image from Anthropology website

I did not love the price (almost 300 dollars), or that weird tooth looking thingie in the middle.  I saw this tutorial at Flamingo Toes for making your own....oh my!  I went to Hobby Lobby, and Michaels, collected some beads and charms, and got to work.  The hardest part of the whole project was finding the charms I wanted. 

I laid out the beads in the order I wanted them to go. 

I bought these little circle thingies, and attached them to each charm (like little key rings), and then attached those little ring thingies to the necklace using needle nose pliers. 

I bought a long chain, and I pulled off part of it for the second row, and attached charms every three circles on the chain. 

I attached the smaller swoop to the necklace using more of those circle/wannabe keychain ring things. 

Hobby Lobby sells charms half off just about every other week, they were only about a dollar each.  I bought a few more at Michaels, like the middle piece, and some of the number pieces. 

It wasn't cheap to get all the beads, though I got most of them on sale, but it certainly was nowhere near that $300 necklace that stole my heart.  I attached findings to the end of the necklace using more of my circle things.  I might be a little obsessed with jewelry making now....11 more steps to go until I'm cured.

Apron Giveaway: Anthropologie Knock Off....and One for *You*

After approximately 8,567 aprons for other people (with one more to share in a few months)...I finally made one for myself...and, for *you.*  If I were an apron.  This is me.  Granted, this will be the third apron in my drawer. 

I love aprons. 

This won't be my last apron.  I was inspired to make this apron for myself (oh, and *you*) after I saw this one at Anthropology. 

I decided NOT to make the top portion because I don't really like things hanging around my neck, AND since when are aprons anything but ornaments to make you look busy?  If I wore a full length apron, I might, like, get it dirty or something.  I couldn't find the exact fabric, but I'm pretty content with the fabric I did find.  As for the flower, I decided to just go with one they sell at Hobby Lobby and bypass making my own.  It can be a pin or a hair piece, so you can plop it on, or pull it off when the apron needs washing.  Assuming your into that whole laundry 'thing.' 

The bottom trim is an inch of fabric folded over, and sewn in a generally straight line.  I cut the top portion 4.5 inches, folded it inside out, and then gathered up the top portion of the striped apron part as it was sewn on so it 'flares' a bit at the bottom.  I can't promise it doesn't look like a drunk person sewed it.  I can promise I wasn't drunk when I sewed it, but I wish I was....then I'd have a reason for the lack of skills that blossom when I sit in front of a sewing machine. 

Here's apron #2:

I placed the flower higher....I mean, can you believe how versatile this little gal is? 

Need an apron?  

Need a gift? 

Need a dust rag? 

Want to stimulate the postal services revenue this month as I ship this out? 

Leave your name and email below (if it's not linked to a blog).  You don't have to be nice, or tell me you like me as long as you follow and suffer through these daily post...it'll be just like we are real friends then.  Trust me, my friends don't believe in that sort of 'thing.'  You just have to send messages through other forms than telepathy.  Carrier pigeons are totally fine. 

No rules, there are enough of those in the world already. 

I'll come up with some strange, bizarre, and legal (only in my world) way of pulling a name on 1/30 and we can be apron twinkies....and if that didn't make some therapist shudder somewhere, well then....my names not Christy. 

**#30, Peggy, is the winner**:O)