5-minute necklace refashion

I don't know why, but I've really been wanting an infinity necklace. However, I didn't want it to be horizontal, and I wanted the infinity sign to be silver, BIG and bold. The biggest I found on Etsy was about 1.25", and I went ahead and ordered it. I thin it's gorgeous, but it really wasn't as big as I wanted.

When I was shopping for my writers' conference in April, I happened to check the jewelry rack, and there was a big, bold, silver infinity! Of course, it wasn't quite what I wanted, so I had to redo it a bit. Because two shoe refashions the busiest week of my year weren't enough!

The original chunky chain wasn't what I was looking for, and it was oriented horizontally. Both of those things were easy to solve! I used two pairs of pliers to twist open the jump rings connecting the pendant to the chain. (NEVER pull a jump ring open! It loses its spring.)

That freed the necklace from its chain, but there were still little loops soldered onto the ends of the infinity sign that connected it to the necklace. I used the wire nipper part of the pliers to cut those loops right off! (The picture above was taken after I'd done this).

After I cut them off, of course, I realized that ∞ sideways is really an 8 . . . . Oy.

This left a little bit of an edge and a burr, but I think a metal file should smooth them out pretty well. I kept one of the jump rings since it fit on the body of the infinity sign. Then I just had to find a chain. I tried it on with a few silver chains I had around and took pictures to help me decide. I picked this one:

And here it is the night of!

One last #storymakers14fashion post, because of the awesome. @JordanMcCollum #Storymakers14 #kilts pic.twitter.com/zoScKgoCPr
— Gina Denny (@ginad129) April 27, 2014

Spa Flip Flop Makeover!

Last Summer, Jordan shared this post at The Foley Fam. We liked it so much, we wanted to share it again! 

Over the weekend, my sister Jasmine and I painted our nails. She does this all the time, but it's been years since I've bothered. (Sad but true.) When I was brainstorming ideas for my post, I wanted to do something to go along with my new pedicture. And then it hit me--spa flip flops!

They're quick and easy: just crochet a fluffy eyelash yarn onto the strap of your flip flops. But as I attempted to do that, I discovered it's a little easier said than done, especially if you're not much of a crocheter (I'm not). Once I figured it out, though, I made a quick video to show you! Instead of using eyelash yarn, I used an easier-to-see bit of scrap yarn to demonstrate the technique. (Pattons Simply Wool Stripes, if you're interested.) Don't adjust your sound--due to technical difficulties, this is a silent film.



After you make the slip knot, it's basically just a chain, except that you wrap the working yarn over, and then under, the flip flop strap between the stitches. Once you're done, be sure to turn the stitches to sit on top of the strap. For a fuller or poofier effect, you can bunch the stitches together (that will take more yarn and more stitches, of course).