DIY Shark Tooth Necklace (Mila Kunis-Forgetting Sarah Marshall)

After watching Forgetting Sarah Marshall (which is a great movie, I highly recommend it)I couldn't stop thinking about the shark tooth necklace that Mila Kunis wore throughout the movie.

It's absolutely stunning and to me is a gorgeous summer piece that can be layered with other pieces or worn on its own.  I looked into buying it and found that it is by a company called Pade Vavra (http://www.shoppadevavra.com/item.php?item_id=257&category_id=47)  and comes with a $225 US price tag.  While I do love it, I just cannot justify a necklace at that price right now, especially for vermeille (dipped in gold, not solid). So I decided to make my own! I got my supplies on both Ebay and Etsy.  On Ebay, I found a man who sells fossilized and new shark teeth, some of which he sells already wrapped in gold-toned wire..I just had to request that he make the bail smaller (the little hole/hoop at the top is the bail) which he did for me.  The tooth I bought was on sale and cost me $11.

Then on Etsy, I found a gold vermeille chain for $5.  So in total I only spent $16 plus shipping for a VERY similar look-a-like!

If you want to check out the sellers I bought from, you can find them here:

Etsy seller:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/akya?ref=pr_shop_more  (vermeille chain)

Ebay seller:

http://collectibles.shop.ebay.com/Fossils-/3215/i.html?_nkw=shark+teeth&_catref=1&_fln=1&_ssn=whereonearth&_trksid=p3286.c0.m282

Here's my version:

I wear it every now and then and I have had quite a few compliments on it.  It's often a lot cheaper to imitate or make your own version of jewelry you like.  Sometimes it doesn't work out and other times it's just as nice!

DIY Artwork Using Old Calendar Pages

So I was at Chapter early last year and saw an old Calendar that had just expired.  It was with 12 photos of Audrey Hepburn and they were really gorgeous black and white photographs so I decided to pick it up (it was only $4) becase I figured I could use it for something.  I ended up deciding to frame them. After my sister saw this she wanted the calendar too so I ended up picking her one up as well.  Then when she went out of town, my mum decided to re-do her room(my mom loves little room makeovers). 

We picked out two cream 23x23 inch square frames which included matts, and then cut the photographs out of the calendar.  We then just placed them in the frame and voila! Instant art!

 

Imagine these pictures on a pop of wall color! They would stand out really nicely!

The one below is my favorite one of Audrey, it's a photo I had never seen before and she looks like she's so happy.  I plan on framing this one eventually when I move out.

An alternative way to frame these would be to buy an album frame (you can get them at Michael's Arts & Crafts for around $12) and frame them that way if you want a more simple line.

This is just a really good way of creating artwork on a budget, or turning your favourite calendar photos into wall-art! Enjoy!

Some Tips on how to successfully sell clothing on Ebay

I don't know if any of you are like me in this sense but for a long time I would buy a ton of clothing that I "loved", which I would never wear and so it would end up sitting in my closet for months and never get worn.  I eventually would do a closet clear out but did not want to just discard/donate these clothes that still had the tag attached or that had just been worn once.  So about 3 years ago I decided to give Ebay a go.  Over time I got really good at targeting those Ebayers who I thought would enjoy my clothing.  Here are my top 5 tips for anyone who is looking to successfully get rid of some clothing on Ebay:

1.) The TITLE of you listing is the most important.  If you are selling, say, a really gorgeous blouse from Anthropologie that you bought for whatever price it is important that you use certain key words like "Urban", "Bohemian", "Vintage" and other such terms in order to target those individuals who would likely buy from that store.  People who are looking for that type of clothing are more likely to search for these terms as opposed to "blue blouse".  You are not allowed to put titles of stores in your listing if your item is not from there, this is called key word spamming. BUT you can use words that are descriptors that resemble the store such as "Urban" or you can use words that would target the audience you think would be most likely to buy your item.  A lot of people make the error of putting "cute!" or something like "gorgeous pink top" but no one is going to actually search for a "cute top", they would most likely type "Chloe pink blouse" or something of the sort. 

2.) Item Condition.  Do NOT list anything that has stains, holes or marks.  People do not want to buy these things.  I once purchased a blouse that was listed as "gently used" only to receive it and notice that under each arm was a yellow sweat stain! How disgusting is that? The only exception to this rule (in my opinion, obviously) is if it is a very high-end item that is new and has a damage that is easily repairable.  Such a top with a loose seam that can be easily repaired or a stain in an unnoticeable area.  Some sellers on Ebay sell high end merchandise for ridiculously cheap because they can get it from the manufacturer at a discount and then pass that discount on to you!

3.) Photos.  Some people think that listing an item for $50 is justifiable with only one photo of the item.  This is silly.  Make sure you have at least 3 photos so that the people who do come across your item get the best idea of what your item actually looks like.  This will prevent them from getting something they don't expect and thus leaving you with positive feedback.

4.)Shipping.  In order to entice buyers, make sure you are charging shipping costs at their actual rate.  A lot of sellers try to make money by upping the shipping and therefore profiting on this as well as on the sale of their item (which is against Ebay policy, but hard to prove).  Charging $25 for shipping when it only costs $7 will reduce the amount of bids placed on your item for sure.  And for those who do follow through and pay, they will likely leave you a bad rating for expensive charges.  Also, make sure you send out your items within a reasonable 1-3 day period so your buyer gets it A.S.A.P.  Buyers get restless very easily! (If you are unsure what to charge for shipping you can take it to your nearest post office and have it weighed to get a general idea).

5.Paypal.  In order to make your sales as seamless as possible and to get the maximum number of people to bid on your item you really need paypal.  People are skeptical about giving their card out over the internet (rightly so) and Paypal allows them to feel safe.  It also give you a place to keep money securely online and then make purchases with that money, or transfer it to your bank account if you so choose.

I hope this was helpful to anyone who is interested! Let me know if you have any other questions, I'd be happy to answer! xox