
If you were a child of the 80s or 90s, you probably remember putting beads on safety pins and attaching them to your Jansport backpack for a little extra flair. Today, we’re taking the beaded safety pin to a seriously stylish level. All you need are safety pins, beads, and elastic string!
Materials
– safety pins of various sizes
– beads
– elastic string
– chain
First up, the Safety Pin Ring.
For this one, we used those itty bitty gold safety pins often found in sewing kits.
Place beads on half of the pins you’re using. When you string, place each beaded pin on the elastic, then follow with a non-beaded pin in the opposite position (upside down) from the beaded pin.
Continue and then secure by tying the elastic at each end.
Hard to believe that safety pins can look so chic!
Next, the Cuff.
You can use just about any size safety pin for this. We used a standard 1 1/2 inch size.
The process for this is the same as the ring, but you’ll probably want to lay things out and organize by color. For every beaded pin, string on a non-beaded pin until you’re done.
Secure by tying the elastic at the ends, and you’re done!
Looks pretty darn good with a pair of polka dot pants, don’t you think? ;)
Finally, the Necklace!
For this one, you’ll use a variety of sizes to create a chic design. We limited our color palette to blue and silver to keep things a little more simple.
Bead your pins and string onto the elastic with non-beaded pins in between, like with the other projects. Attach chain on each side, add clasps, and that’s it.
This little how-to is a great way to create custom colored jewelry for an upcoming party or event, and you can easily find all the supplies at your local craft store, on Amazon, or even at the pharmacy!
Have you tried your hand at using safety pins in unconventional ways? Any other summer camp throwbacks that we can easily turn chic? Talk to us in the comments below or come find us on Twitter.
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.