Elizabeth Taylor would be envious . . .

When my Grandma Jane, who was a fabulous woman in her own right, passed away a few years ago, I found myself with some of her equally fabulous jewelry. She loved gold and precious stones, but also had a veritable collection of fun and funky costume pieces. I was thrilled to discover that some of the oversized clip-on earrings she'd always worn would make terrific cocktail rings - which seemed gleefully appropriate to me, as I remember her fondly with a Manhattan in her bejeweled hand, always sparking and social. :)

For this particular ring, I needed pliers to pry the earring clip free (which is much easier than it might look) and used a strong glue (such as E-6000) to secure the bauble to a ring blank. These blanks are adjustable, inexpensive, and found at most craft stores - mine came in a set of four, which allows for mistakes or a whole set of cocktail bling. Pick some up and flaunt that vintage jewelry like your own personal Taylor-Burton diamond. ;)

Simple, Boho-Chic DIY

I can't really take credit for the design of this multi-strand necklace; that would have to be attributed to DIY diva Erica Domesek and her blog, P.S. I Made This. While Erica used classic plastic pony beads and fabric strips, I opted for a sliced-up cotton t-shirt (long past its prime) and a pack of wooden beads from Michael's. String, tie, done - with the help of a wide-eyed needle, as my baubles were a bit difficult to maneuver into their setting. I love the mixture of classic glamour and free-spirited boho style in this necklace - it's like Holly Golightly got into her NYC yellow cab and ended up at the Monterey Pop Festival. (Not to mention the ease with which it will transition from summer into fall. I'm a sucker for versatility).

Anthropologie-inspired DIY

This "Emcee Tee" jumped out at me in the shabby-chic, retro-elegant (but notoriously pricey) retailer Anthropologie. Only problem ... the $40+ price tag! I picked up a similarly red-striped shirt at WalMart for five bucks, then hunted through the lace trim at the local Jo-Ann Fabrics until I scored a fairly good match to the Emcee Tee's finery. (It's no Mood, you Project Runway fans, but it will do). I used Aleene's Ok-to-Wash fabric glue to adhere the lace, and voila! my own Anthropologie creation. :) I discovered that washable fabric glue takes several days, if not a week or so, to fully "cure" - so, if attempting this super-simple DIY, don't don your new tee immediately. (Difficult, I know. :)