DIY // Chunky Beaded Necklace

Over the years, I've accumulated quite a collection of beads. Some of them were from bracelets, necklaces and broken jewellery I had as a kid. Other beads came from swapping with my friends. And as you can imagine, most of them were horrendously ugly and mismatched.

I'm sure I'm not the only crafter who hoards beads. Coming up with ways to use your beads in pleasing combinations can be a very hard task, especially when most of them are the cheap plastic ones painted in tacky colours from the dollar store. How, then, do you turn them into something wearable?

Well, I've got the perfect solution!

TIPS // 10 ways to use old perfume

Most of you will probably have some forgotten, slightly off perfume lying around. Perhaps you don't like its over-the-top, in-your-face floral stench. Or it was an ill conceived gift from a distant relative you barely know. Or maybe you were caught up in the Spring sale tsunami of '05. Whatever the reason, there's no way you can bring yourself to commit the atrocity of throwing out perfume that maybe, just maybe, has a use.

Well, then, here are 10 ways you can get rid of that perfume. For good.

My personal collection of unwanted perfumes

DIY // Statement Necklace from Earrings

I came across these gorgeous gold filigree leaf earrings while shopping at the QVB in Sydney (you can buy them here). I never intended to wear them, of course - they were the perfect piece to take apart. Look how pretty it is! And the best part about this is that I only used one earring - another project for the future!

Shows up very well on black, doesn't it?