Before I plunge into some more rhinestone DIYs, here's a pause to contemplate the possible death of DIY - the abundance of incredibly affordable bling on the Internet. (Above is an example from Bauble Bar via Sequins and Stripes.)
Why spend $30 on a DIY when you can buy a necklace for $15 and free shipping?
The solution is that you have to be able to make a necklace for less than $15. More on that later. In the meantime, let me introduce you to my new favorite blingtopia - Shop Lately.
Shop Lately has literally hundreds of jewelry pieces, most under $30 and many under $20 (mixed in with a few high-end pieces). Most of the jewelry is big and bold and on trend. Below are a few comparisons with your ever popular jewelry retailers like Anthropologie and J. Crew.
Anthropologie's Onica Crystal bracelet. Shop Lately's Manifest a Miracle bracelet for $88 less.
J. Crew Crystal Color Statement necklace. Shop Lately's Azure Breeze statement necklace for $96 less.
J. Crew's Geometric Floral necklace. Shop Lately's Translucent Jasmine necklace for $116 less.
Shopbop's Petite Foret necklace. Shop Lately's Luxe Gem necklace in green for $55.50 less.
J. Crew Beaded Rose necklace. Shop Lately's White Rosette necklace for $103 less.
Here's another treat. In an example of brilliantly simple marketing, Shop Lately gives you store credit for sharing on Facebook or inviting your friends to shop. (Your friends get a credit, too.) And Shop Lately has a blogger program where you receive credit for sharing your purchases on your blog. So, thanks to sharing a bargain that I would have shared anyway, I now get to buy a necklace. Or a bracelet. Like this one.
So, DIYers, does it bug you to spend more to make than it does to buy?
I love this post! When I reblog a jewelry DIY and it seems to have expensive components from Etsy I always go to the supply links provided and add up the cost of the DIY to see whether it can be made cheaper than the real deal. Or I think to myself can these components be switched out for cheaper supplies. There is one blogger I won't mention that keeps posting pretty but really expensive DIYs that I can't in good conscious post on my blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks for understanding. I hate spending a lot of money on craft supplies. It defeats the whole purpose. My next post will be some secret sources for truely inexpensive rhinestone components.
DeleteI must add that I'd rather spend my precious free time DIYing something I can't afford in real life (avant garde and runway designer jewelry, unique art, a gorgeous sweater etc...) or something I want to personalize. But that's just me - I want to make something that I won't see at Forever21 for a few bucks when I paid $$$$ for the materials. I brought this up a while back on FB because I was getting tired of seeing unrealistic tutorials of DIY bracelets costing $40 to make! Looking forward to your next post.
DeleteI did not know about Shop Lately, so I appreciate the tip. I love looking at sparkly, colorful jewelry.
ReplyDeleteMy answer to your thought-provoking question is "sometimes." Sometimes I'd rather just buy the item. However, sometimes it is so much fun to make an item that I consider the extra cost an "entertainment" or "fun" expense. My best example for this is that I love to knit socks, which my husband constantly points out can be purchased for much less than the time/money it takes to knit them. Similarly, it can be fun to hunt down components to make something--and to substitute items that I already have or found at a thrift shop. "Needing" to find a certain component is sometimes my excuse for an enjoyable trip to a craft or thrift shop. In fact, today I have a lot of tedious errands to do on snowy roads, but I "have to" stop at Michael's in the middle of those errands in order to look for a certain item. :-)
I love your blog and look forward to your next post.
Thanks for reading my blog. I'm like your husband about knitting, etc. I don't always enjoy the process of making something. I just want the thing done. However, I do enjoy the process of figuring out how to do something. And we all need an excuse to visit a thrift store once in awhile. :)
DeleteDIY isn't always about saving money. It can also be about creating something unique that is not available or tailored specifically to you. There needs to be more of this drive toward creativity than copy-cats.
ReplyDeleteGood point. The more I DIY, the more I appreciate originality.
DeleteI agree 110% with you! craft supplies can add up quickly, defeating the whole purpose of saving money by DIY.
ReplyDeleteYup. Of course clever DIYers like you figure out how to recycle something free or cheap into a cool DIY. (Like shopping bag cord handles.)
Deletemy mom always makes fun of me for how cheap I am!!!
DeleteI agree with you statement about products. All the designs of the necklace and bracelets looks beautiful to purchase. Thank you so much for sharing this post.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.returnfavors.com