Creativi-bee: Knockoff Necklace
I’m all about the knockoff. I know there are people out there who will stop at nothing to have the real deal, but if I can have something just as good for half, sometimes a quarter, of the price, I’ll take it.
When I was browsing through my local Anthropologie store, I came upon a necklace that I just loved. It was made with 3 simple felt accordion beads and 3 contrasting color beads. I carried it with me through the store, contemplating whether I could force myself to splurge on this $100 necklace…and finally I gave up. I put it back and told myself that maybe I’d come back if I got a bonus, or lost 10 pounds, or happened to find a $100 bill in a pair of old jeans…
Needless to say I’ve yet to buy the necklace…however, I did discover a fun way to make my own rendition! While this one isn’t as colorful as the one I saw, it’s the same basic idea. I didn’t want to have to buy anything to make it, so I used felt scraps I had in my fabric drawer and the beads from a broken bracelet that has been sitting in my dresser for years. I didn’t have a chain that was empty, so instead I used some yarn and made it long enough so it can slip over my head.
I think this is an easy and fun statement piece and a great way to get the look you love for free!
Felt Knockoff Necklace
Materials:
- Scrap pieces of felt–you’ll need 5 small circles of the same size per felt bead. I used a quarter as my template
- Scissors
- Hot glue gun/glue
- Chain or yarn
- Needle
- Beads
Directions:
- Fold one of the circles in half and place a thin line of glue down the middle crease of the circle. Fold another circle in half and glue the two pieces together. Repeat this all the way around and then secure the bead by gluing the center fold of the last circle to the center fold of the first circle. You can also make the bead lie flat by gluing the last circle to both halves of the first and last circle folds. That way it opens up like an accordion.
- Repeat for your other two felt beads.
- Then with a needle and your yarn, string your beads into a necklace. If you’re using a chain, it’s helpful to place the chain in the middle of the bead before you secure it closed to you don’t have to thread the chain through the felt bead.
And there you go! Easy, fun, and economical. Plus it’s a great way to make a thrifty and fashionable statement!
Filed under Craft Projects and Tutorials
Bee Happy: Down Among the Dead Men
There are a few jobs in the world that have everyone questioning what a day at the office is like. For most people, I think the field of mortuary studies is something that both mystifies and terrifies people. What happens to bodies after death? How are murder victims treated in the morgue? How are autopsies performed?
All these questions and more are answered in Michelle William’s book, Down Among the Dead Men. This fascinating tale covers a year in the life of a mortuary technician, from the general day to day to the more complicated workings of the corner and the investigating police officers. Williams covers everything from what she experienced on her first day to the most gruesome and repulsive case she’s ever worked. For anyone who’s ever expressed an interest in this field of science, this is an eye-opening read that will stay with you long after you’re done.
In terms of getting down to the nitty griddy, this book leaves out a lot of the hairy details that you might expect to find in a book about the dead. If you are looking for blood, guts, and everything in between, you’ll find little enjoyment in Down Among the Dead Men…but for those who are simply curious about the day to day goings on of a small town mortuary, this is an entertaining read that may or may not leave you thankful for your bland 9-5 office job.
Filed under Book Recommendations and Reviews
Creativi-bee: Vintage Felt Pinwheels
As you can all probably tell, I’ve been on a kick recently to clear out my craft stash. I’ve been trying to use up leftover yarn, fabric, felt, and more in an effort to A) make room in our closet for things we ACTUALLY need to store there…like coats and shoes and B) ultimately make room for more craft stuff that I obviously don’t need. Ugh…it’s a vicious cycle.
Anyway, I’ve been working through my felt stash and came upon this idea to make these cute vintage inspired pinwheels. I’m not quite sure how I want to use them, although they’d be great on a gift package or as a hair accessory, but they were so fun and easy to make, and it was a great way to get rid of all those little felt scraps that are too small to reuse but too big to throw away.
You could also make really tiny ones and turn them into earrings or a necklace! Ohh! I think I just found my next craft project!
Vintage Felt Pinwheels
Materials:
- Felt squares, about 4″ on all sides
- Scissors
- Hot Glue Gun/Glue Sticks
- Vintage beads or buttons
Instructions:
- If it’s not cut already, cut your felt into a small 4″ x 4″ square (you can go smaller or larger depending on how big you want your pinwheel to be).
- Fold your square corner to corner so it forms a triangle shape.
- Cut from the corner to the fold, but DO NOT cut through the fold. Stop a few centimeters before the fold. Unfold and repeat with the other two corners.
- When you unfold your square, you should have 4 slices, one from each corner going towards the center of the square, but not through it.
- Now you’re ready to start folding! Place a dollop of hot glue or fabric glue in the middle of your square and fold down one corner to the middle of the square. Repeat this with every other corner to create a pinwheel shape.
- Secure the corners with another dollop of glue and a bead or button embellishment.
And there you have it! These cute pinwheels make great pins, magnets, gift package embellishments, hair accessories, and much more. This is also a great way to use up felt, fabric, and paper scraps.
Filed under Craft Projects and Tutorials
