How to Re-String (or Make) a Necklace

A few summers ago, I found this coral necklace at a yard sale for a buck!  I loved the length, but hated that the coral was strung on a ratty cord that ended in a knot.

It didn't look polished and even though I gave it a good wash, I totally grossed myself out thinking about how much neck sweat was trapped in that cord, so I never wore it.  I finally decided to re-string it and add a clasp.

Here's how to re-string a necklace (it's super easy!):

Supplies:

• Necklace to re-string (or beads for a new project)
• Beadalon brand coated wire
• 2 crimp beads
• Clasp (this magnetic one is cool)
• Crimp pliers (a good investment if you'd like to make your own jewellery)
• Wire cutters or scissors
 

Steps:

String a crimp bead onto the coated wire and then add one end of the clasp.  Thread the wire back through the crimp.  Using the small indentation in the crimp pliers, bend the crimp into a "C" shape.  If you don't have crimp pliers, you can buy a small crimp and just squash it flat with needle nosed pliers, but using the crimp pliers creates a tidier, more secure closure.  Occasionally, a squashed crimp would fail, which is why I finally invested in this tool. 

Using the larger indentation of the crimp pliers, fold the "C" shaped crimp bead onto itself, clamping it tightly.

Then, simply string on your beads, burying the end of the bead wire in the necklace.

When you get to the end, thread on a crimp bead and the other half of the clasp.  Pull the coated wire through a few beads and pull tightly.  Trim the end of the wire and bury the tail in the necklace.

Repeat the process for securing the crimp bead, and you're done!

With this simple technique, you can make striking necklaces and bracelets from scratch, or re-work pieces you own, in minutes! 

A note about coral: Coral is a marine invertebrate that lives in colonies.  These colonies form a hard skeleton and the skeleton of this sea creature is what is used for coral jewellery.  Coral is important to marine life but is being harvested indiscriminately, which is a serious problem and could lead to depletion.  This is why coral jewellery can be unethical to wear and I was conflicted about purchasing this piece.  Truthfully, I'm not sure if my necklace is real or faux, but it seems a waste not to enjoy it.  I bring this up because the use of coral is problematic, so to ignore this issue would be irresponsible on my part.  If you're interested, you can read more about coral here.   

Uncommon Goods - Stylish Fireside Storage

Have you heard about UncommonGoods?  They are a really interesting company because they're hyper-aware of the world around them and strive to offer unusual finds and beautiful handcrafted goods, while trying to respect the world in which they are created and the people who produce them.  Much of what they sell is made in the USA, where even the lowest paid, seasonal employees earn 50% above minimum wage.  About a third of what they sell is made from recycled/upcycled materials.  As a feminist, what excites me most is that they work with not-for-profits - donating $1,000,000 to date and raising awareness - including RAINN (the largest anti-sexual violence organization in the States), Women for Women International (which provides tools for self-sufficiency to refugee women and survivors of war), and Reach Out & Read (a network of doctors and nurses working to promote literacy and language skills in the States).  I try to support socially conscious businesses, who sell goods manufactured in North America - or at least under livable/ethical conditions that don't exploit workers overseas - but I'm far (far!) from perfect.  The Siren Song of something cheap and cheerful sometimes beckons me, even though I know what factors drive prices down.  I know I should make more of an effort to learn where and how the things I buy are made, and I've been working on that as a personal goal, so I appreciate when a company makes it their policy to try their best to make a positive impact on the world.  If we each do a little...

I was given the opportunity to hand select items to review from UncommonGoods, and this gave me a chance to not only peruse the website but also test out the services.  The first item that I chose is a handmade lidded basket (click here to get the full scoop), which I actually really needed (okay, wanted).  After our paper shredder gave up the ghost, we started using all of our sensitive documents and receipts as fire starter instead of shredding and recycling them.  We needed a place to store this paper (which amasses so quickly).  We'd been searching for something with a lid to hide the mess, to no avail.  No local shops had what we were after so we were using a weird, tiny, orange pail that we had received some beer in.  This handmade basket caught my eye because it's aqua, but the lid and handles made it perfect for our intended use.




The basket is handmade in Senegal.  You can read more about the designer and her desire to bring independence to rural African communities right here.  (Click here to see the matching pink knitting basket - it's just as cute.)

Right now, the basket is sitting beside the firewood cubby but if I want to stash it in the office, the handles make it easy to maneuver - even when it's full.  It would look cute anywhere in the house (the bonus of a limited whole home colour palette).

Apologies for the horribly ugly wood in the cubby.  I mentioned on Instagram that because I carefully selected the prettiest rounds all winter, now I'm saddled with some real uggos.  We are going to call them organic and rustic.  Every room needs a rustic touch, right? 

 
Once I had a "practical" item chosen, I decided to pick something fun and decadent.  I really contemplated an agate cheese plate (click here to see) because the hunk of teal agate was calling my name, but I decided that a set of agate coasters (this set, to be precise) would be more practical for me.  Remember how I regretted not buying that second set of agate coasters when I made my DIY Framed Agate art?  Even though I have my solid wood DIY hex coasters, I can always make room for more.  I'm actually keeping this agate set in my office, to protect the solid wood top Hubby made for my treadle sewing machine desk.  I always have a mug of piping hot tea close at hand (it's getting chilly again and snowed a few days ago!).

You can buy these agate slice coasters gilded (click here), but I happen to prefer the raw look of the stone.  It's dyed agate so it's not completely "natural," but I like the organic quality.  It complements my rustic log pile ;)

Everything was shipped carefully and beautifully.  The agate coasters, for example, had some neatly trimmed foam between each slice for protection, but it looked nice enough to gift as-is, so you could easily order something from UncommonGoods and have it shipped directly to a recipient.  Both items were shipped separately, so there was no chance of them damaging each other in transit.  One thing that really impressed me about UncommonGoods is how nicely they handle customer reviews.  When they first contacted me, I perused their website and read reviews on many of the products I liked.  All of the reviews are uncensored - some products have hundreds - and any negative reviews (which are few and far between) have been dealt with politely and thoroughly - I love that!  You can shop with confidence thanks to that transparency.  And, if you're in a hurry or looking for something specific, you can shop by theme, like "Personalized Jewelry" (click here if you're curious), or "Housewarming Gifts" (which you'll find right here).  It's perfect if you have a specific occasion, person (like a recent grad!), or price range in mind.

Perhaps the most important thing to know, which you'll discover if you click over, is that UncommonGoods has a really beautifully curated collection of pretty and practical items that are perfect for gift-giving - or making your own space more special.  You don't need to sift through a million items but you're certain to find something special - from the comfort of your living room!

Disclosure: I partnered with UncommonGoods for this post but was not prompted to provide a positive review of their goods or service.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.  I will definitely purchase from UncommonGoods the next time I'm searching for a gift for that hard-to-shop for person.  

A note to my fellow Canadians: some items do not ship to Canada, unfortunately - but you'll know immediately which ones do and don't, which makes shopping easier.  I had my items shipped to a shipping depot across the border.  I might live in a small city, but proximity to the States makes it pretty sweet!  They do try to make it easy by immediately recognizing your location as Canadian, so all prices show up in our dollar and the shipping quotes include duties and taxtes, with guaranteed landing fees - which is a big deal for International shipments.  As a Canadian, I feel very proud when I can support Canadian businesses, which I try to do as often as I can, but supporting American businesses is important to me too.  I feel a close connection to the US (partly because I'm so close I could probably lob a rock onto American soil with a good quality trebuchet), but also because I think that keeping jobs in North America - and supporting ethical overseas manufacturing - benefits us all.

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Ethics of Thrifting

I'm re-opening our Etsy shop soon, so of course I've been doing some treasure hunting.  I also rummaged through my grandmother's impressive haul of vintage goodies and am now staring at a five foot tall stack of boxes filled with fabulous finds that I have to research, measure, photograph and list.  While I'm doing this, I've got treasure hunting on the brain.

I think a lot about the ethics of thrifting.  Is that weird?  You might have already gleaned, I am an avid treasure hunter.  I hit yard sales almost every Saturday in the warm weather months, I hit estate sales monthly, thrift stores weekly, and antique shops every now and then.  I like to decorate our townhome with vintage finds, of course, but I also love the experience of treasure hunting.  I always go with a friend or Hubs, but my grandma got me hooked, so when I'm in my hometown, she's my yard-saling buddy.  My Mom and I are a pretty awesome treasure hunting duo too.  I opened an Etsy shop with my Mom to sell some treasures we loved but just don't have space for.  Actually, our rule when stocking the shop is: "if I had a bigger house, would I keep this?"  The answer has to be an emphatic YES for it to go in the shop.

I love finding nifty things (and sharing them with people!), but sometimes I feel guilty.

The guilt source: I'm not poor.

Hubs makes a tidy little income and I'm no chump either.  I don't need to buy steeply discounted goods to decorate my home.  I have a lovely home and plethora of pretty things.  Frankly, there's little in this world I "need" because our house is pretty packed.  But there are people who don't have a lot of money and I think they deserve a shot at a home that makes them feel comfy too, and sometimes a little vase or nice drinking glasses could be just the thing to make a home cheery (and, well, practical because glasses are pretty damn handy)!!  Am I taking this joy away from people in need by being a thrifting monster?

The rationale: there's enough to go around.

I figure, there seems to be an endless supply of stuff people don't want.  I think there's enough to go around.  I've never seen a thrift shop or yard sale devoid of stuff.  But still, when I walk into a thrift shop with my Dooney and Bourke bag (from T.J. Maxx, mind you) and next to me is a woman who is carrying a torn canvas sac instead of a purse, trying to pool together enough change for a casserole dish, I feel a little spoiled.  Am I alone???

The guilt source: plus I am selling it!

Yup, some of my Etsy shop items are from thrift shops, yard sales, estate sales, etc.  Sometimes our prices are on par with what we paid (like if it's something we bought at an antique shop, and just want to break even), but sometime we charge more than we paid.  I feel guilty!!  Especially when people think evil thoughts about this kind of transaction, like a commenter on 8 foot 6.

The rationale: it's a service, too.

My Dad told me not to think of the etsy shop as just goods - we are providing a service, too.  Not everyone (like Hubs for example) relishes pawing through stinky stuff in a stinky thrift store or estate sale to pluck out that one gem and then spend an hour scrubbing it clean.  I spend hours researching and photographing items for sale.  Sometimes it takes hitting five yard sales over two years to complete set of dishes.  Plus, I'm pretty hardcore about this sometimes.  I wake up at 6:00am (or earlier) on Saturdays.  I have waited for 3 hours for an estate sale to open.  I hit thrift stores all over North America, even on vacation.  If someone in Nova Scotia is missing a plate from their set (remember how worked up I was?) and I find the missing piece in Minnesota, isn't it awesome I can throw it up on etsy and the two can meet??  Or let's not forget the salad server miracle.

Frankly, it's way more work than I thought when I opened the shop, so I think should make a little money.  But, I do tend to price things under their "market value," to keep great vintage pieces within reach.  And feel less guilt.

The guilt source: I am a taker.

So in addition to finding cool stuff I love, I'm turning a small profit.  I've found awesomely valuable stuff for pennies.  I feel like a taker. 

The rationale: my purchase does good.

Many thrift stores have a somewhat altruistic mission.  Value Village, although a profit machine, purchases donations made to not-for-profit organizations.  The Salvation Army supports its communities.  Sometimes even buying something can keep sweet finds from making their way into landfills if they don't find another person to love them (or find them in time).

I'm sure there are lots of other aspects I could agonize over, but this is on my mind right now.  Do you ever think about this?  At the end of the day, though, it's just stuff, so I'm not going to get terribly worked up about this.  While I ponder (and list stuff), here's a little eye peek at what will be for sale soon.  And, if you're on the hunt for treasures but feel guilty too, try flea markets!  I found a great article on flea market shopping tips on Ryan Homes.  I find flea markets are that happy middle road between (higher) antique store prices and the sometimes disappointing thrift shops.  Remember my deals from the flea market in Hungary?

We're adding more textiles, including aprons and vintage table linens.

Set of 6 shot glasses with circle/square pattern

Vintage wall hanging (tea towel) with metric conversions - easily removed from frame for use

Vintage tin

Depression glass set of liqueur glasses

Full set (with original box) of glasses made of pure sunshine and awesomeness.

Funky bar set, I think these handles are bakelite

Amber pendant with 8K gold setting

Glasses I want so badly

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