My DIY J. Crew crystal flower lattice necklace

Here's a super easy DIY of a $200 necklace you can do for a buck.

Below is the inspiration necklace from J. Crew that sold for $228 and is now sold out. Photo on left is from J. Crew. Photo on the right is from J. Crew Is My Fav Store.

Below is my DIY version, made from brooches, buttons and chain I had on hand.

I did a similar J. Crew DIY a few months ago with multicolored brooches, using metallic elastic thread. But my crystal version was not coming out stable enough. Then I discovered a modern miracle - plastic canvas mesh - a product I normally associate with unattractive crafts involving yarn. But it is also the perfect backing for DIY jewelry that does not harm your brooches.

To make this J. Crew DIY necklace, you'll need:

• 9 crystal brooches, buttons or earrings, 3 large, 3 medium and 3 small
• jewelry wire
• 2-4 jump rings
• chain
• 1 sheet clear 7 mesh plastic canvas
• free necklace template.

If you use chain and brooches already on hand, this project will cost you about 47 cents to make.

Three of my brooches were my grandmothers, two were Styled by Tori Spelling, and one was a gift. The remaining pieces are vintage rhinestone buttons of various sizes.

Print out the template and arrange your pins to fit.

Starting with the largest center brooch, pin the brooch to the mesh.

Pin the other larger brooches to the mesh. Slide the template under your mesh to help you keep everything lined up. Fill in with the medium and small brooches.

For buttons or wiggly pins, use a little jewelry wire to secure. Tuck ends of the wire away from the back of the mesh so your necklace won't snag your tops.

After the bottom seven brooches are attached to the mesh, cut out the mesh along the shape of the necklace. Trim the mesh so it is not visible from the front.

Above you see the top part of the necklace with mesh trimmed and the bottom part not cut out yet.

 



Attach the last two brooches to the top with jump rings. Attach chain to the last two brooches.  The finished product is sturdy and the mesh, being clear and trimmed, is invisible.

Spend your remaining $227.53 on something fun.

25 DIYs from old jewelry

Dig in your drawers and find the raw materials for your next fabulous DIY.

Old brooches and chains can be transformed into new jewelry and other embellishments without spending a dime. Many of the projects I found refresh vintage jewels without doing any damage to them, so you can keep grandma's gems in the same shape you received them.

Topping the fabulosity chart has to be this Dylanlex stacked necklace, above, featured at A Pair & A Spare.

Silver maxi necklace made by combining inexpensive chains at Anna Evers.

Bracelet inspiration from Etsy shop Amore Treasure. Dishfunctional Designs shows you how to use bracelet blanks to create a similar one.

DIY drama necklace from Anna Evers.

Connie from Artful Play used filigree and vintage jewelry pieces to create this necklace.

Rebecca at A Bit of Sunshine merged two trends by turning a brooch to a necklace and painting the rhinestones with nail polish.

Make a brooch chain bracelet that doesn't damage the brooch with a project from Why Buy It? DIY it.

Turn odd earrings into rings like Laughter and Lemondrops.

Tanya at Dans le Townhouse turned a broken 25-cent garage sale brooch into a necklace. Kristen at Glitter 'N Glue made this beautiful and clever necklace using brooches and safety pins. Safety pins! No damage to the brooches.

My own J.Crew One-of-a-Kind necklace made from vintage brooches. My J.Crew flower lattice necklace from old brooches. Neither one damages the pins.

Turn wimpy delicate chains into a bold necklace with Cintia at My Poppet. My vintage pin bib necklace. It does not damage the pins.

Kara at Sprinkles in Spring chopped up a Forever 21 necklace to make this Givency-inspired bag. Stephanie from Henry Happened turned a brooch into a bracelet for a project at Petit Elefant.

Make a bridal or prom bouquet from vintage pins. My own super easy Talbot's inspired necklace, my most popular post ever, made from an old necklace and old earrings that takes approximately two seconds to make.

Alyssa from Elemental Carbon made this bib necklace from pieces of broken jewelry.

Turn a necklace into an embellishment for a clutch like Kristen at Glitter 'N Glue.

 Kristen at Glitter 'N Glue also made this one by pinning brooches onto a chain. No damage to the pins.

Stephanie from Henry Happened also made these brooch bracelets for a project at Eat.Sleep.Make.

A Tom Binns inspired pearl and safety pin necklace at Honestly.

Geneva at A Pair and a Spare mixed a pile of chains into a single necklace.

Incorporate an old rhinestone necklace into a crochet statement necklace like Cathy at Trinkets in Bloom.

Update a curb chain bracelet with embroidery thread with the iconic project from Honestly.

That's only 24 projects. I've got a new one on the way.

DIY inspiration from Fashion Month S14

Here are nearly 30 DIY ideas from London, Milan and Paris fashion week spring 2014 collections plus a few stragglers from New York Fashion Week.

Add fur to any accessory, a la Fendi. Or take any large metal object and make it into a belt buckle.

Embellish a cuff with oversized rhinestones or make a perforated clutch.

Add rhinestones to a clear vinyl poncho like Burberry. Or turn your old phone cord into a necklace like Kenzo.

Supersize some earrings.

Make your iron-on transfer sweatshirt hip with sharks or botanical diagrams like Christopher Kane.

Add scattered rhinestones or brooches to a dress or coat like Burberry. Add one bright feather like Thomas Tait.

Paint your wedges with stripes.

Make a skirt out of shiny vinyl like Dolce and Gabbana. (Or almost anything out of gold coins.)  Use enormous beads like Armani.

Make a toucan clutch. Add two huge beads to a collar necklace like Chanel.

Make a mesh cuff (I'm on this one already.)

Try an asymmetrical cape. Paint a golden shoe on your plain black clutch.

Make a clutch with a message.

Use that spare clear vinyl to create a hat like Hussein Chalayan. Add fringe to your denim.

Double wrap a chain and add a single pendant like Valentino. Forget the fanny pack. Attach your clutch to your forearm like Undercover.

Make furry rings like Fendi. Or a fabulous necklace like Vivienne Westwood.

Or make a kitty ring.

And last but not least - in the category of You Could DIY This But Probably Shouldn't . . .

The teddy bear hat and collar from Moschino.

Have you seen anything at a fashion week you plan to try?