This year been a doozy! Our company has grown in awesome ways, we’ve moved into a new office (with way more space for making excellent things), and we still love the challenge of tricking out, repurposing, and turning just about anything into something you can wear.
1. Zipper Necklace: Zippers will never cease to amaze us, especially when used as a DIY material! Forget thinking that these old things are just for clothes and bags — they actually make awesome color blocks for necklaces, bracelets, and the like.
2. Studded Bangles: Take a regular old stack of bangles and elevate them to the next level by adding studs! So cool.
3. Leather Tassel Necklace: Turns out, tassels are not just for graduation ;)
4. Rope Rhinestone Necklace: Can you believe this elegant piece of neckwear was made out of rope and chain? Oh, and rhinestones of course!
5. Studded Stacking Bracelets: More studs? Yes please. To create this set of stackers, we simply added studs, gold beads, and gold wire to black VELCRO® Brand ONE-WRAP® Straps. Easy peasy.
6. Rhinestone Wrap Bracelet: As you can see, we’ve got it pretty bad for chain and rhinestones. Combine them to create a glamorous wrap with just the right amount of edge.
7. Sparkling Cuff: Originally created as part of a bridal-inspired trio, this cuff would be a great statement piece all year around. We especially love the tulle bow that acts as a clasp.
8. Fringe Statement Necklace: Guess how we made this one? We simply added fringe to an existing statement necklace, picked up at Forever 21. Pretty awesome, eh?
9. Beaded Bib Statement Necklace: Inspired by an Anthropologie necklace that would certainly break the bank, this bib necklace was created with beads, glue, felt, and chain.
10. Brass Ring T-Shirt Necklace: The colorful strands in this piece are made from t-shirts! And we picked up the brass rings at the hardware store.
11. Clay Geode Jewelry: Bust out your grade school clay tools and get to work!
12. Beaded Watch Wrap Bracelet: The search for a watch that doesn’t look like a clunky piece of equipment can be kind of an endless one… unless you take an old watch face and add beads, ribbon, or rope to it!
13. Copper Pendant Rope Necklace: And finally, everything to create this necklace was picked up at the hardware store. How cool is that?
Be sure to let us know if you have any favorites from the list in the comments below. Happy making!
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.