My {Re}Purposed Bracelet

I recently came across a blog titled My {Re}Purposed Life.  I know it kinda sounds like a Rick Warren bible study, but it was quite approachable.  Without all the pretentious "My carbon footprint is smaller than your carbon footprint" banter that usually accompanies eco-friendly activist, this site was rather inspiring.  Her lack of Greener-Than-Thou attitude is no doubt what allowed me to get drawn in.  I find nothing more off putting than being guilt-ed into making positive changes.  There are no positive vibes in negative reinforcement.  Her outlook was "look at all this cool stuff".  My ooo-shiny reflexes drew me in and now I'm hooked.

So I got to thinking.  What is something I have and don't use?  What is something I want but don't have?  How can I link them together?  Answer?  CHARM BRACELET!!!  I've always wanted a charm bracelet, but its one of those things you can't just start doing, or buy pre-charmed.  It has to sort of grow organically from your life.  Purchasing a charm bracelet or buying charms in bulk is like ripping holes in clothes so you can sew cute patches on them.  Kinda back-ass-wards.  However, I do have a lot of under-used and/or damaged jewelry...Light bulb!

Left to Right: Hands, Grabber, and Chomper

Before I left Georgia I made a few necklaces for my mom and grandma.  It was super easy and in the process I invested in a basic plyer set.  I say invested as if it was a massive purchase.  The set was under $20 for about six different tools.  But I guess when your a true blue struggling artist $20 is quite an investment.  You can pick them up from any craft store or one of those super stores that sells everything (unless you really need it, then it suddenly disappears-different blog for a different day)  Here are the three plyers I used for this project.


I don't know the technical name for these so I gave them each a painfully obvious nickname.  Hands is the needle nosed one and I use it to mold each link open and shut.  Grabber is the flat one and I use it to hold things still while Hands works.  And Chomper was used to cut existing links out of the other jewelry to create my charms.


Tools in hand I set about picking my charms.  I came across two cheap bracelet I've had since high school and never wear, a favorite necklace that recently broke, and four bracelets with one charm a piece (time to consolidate).

Next, I Chomped one segment off each of the pieces you see to the right.  I actually chomped two from the one in the back, since their multi-colored I figured it wouldn't look redundant.  Next I simply used Hands to unlink the other charms away from their chains.  Bonus: I now have bare chains in my jewelry making bin!


Again, at any decent craft store you can find tiny bags of links in several different sizes.  I went with medium since their not so big as to draw attention to themselves and not so small that I go crazy trying to manipulate them.

I've shown one that already been "opened" by Hands.

Try to open them, slip in the charm and close it on the chain with as little twisting and pinching as you can.  The links get weaker as they're manhandled.

Within minutes, I had my very own truly unique charm bracelet!  It only took me 24 years, but I can finally check that off the list.  I've already gotten some compliments on it and there is nothing more rewarding than answering "where did you get that?" with a resounding "I made it!"

So think about what you have that you don't use, what you want that you don't have, and try to link the two together! Did you see what I did there? Craft Pun!  Stay tuned on LiveLaughLena; I'm on a DIY rampage!