Amanda Eggert

Jewelry Inspiration: Style on a Budget

Since I’ve started working near Milwaukee’s Third Ward, I’ve fallen in love with store Anthropologie. Their soft textures, subdues hues, feminine accents and colorful twists on the staples have me lusting. The only problem is, while I LOVE the store, I don’t love the prices. So I’m doing the next best thing….using them as inspiration!

When I was younger I used to bead. Of course the necklaces back then were on fishing line and fell apart after the second wear. I’m happy to say, I’ve graduated to sturdy findings, natural materials, and a love for bold, statement pieces.

The overwhelming majority of beads I use are recycled from necklaces bought at rummage sale, thrift, or antique stores. The price is right, the quality is high (Yes mom, they sure don’t make things like they used to) and I’m a big proponent of going green. Not to mention, anything vintage is a great talking piece.

I will admit that I’ve been frequenting Joann Fabrics to augment my supplies…sign up for their flyers and you’ll get a 40 percent off coupon mailed to you weekly!!

In any case, I often browse Anthropolgie’s necklaces for inspiration. Instead of spending anywhere from $50 – $150 on their pieces, I can make most of them ,myself for under $30. Luckily, Anthro’s designs are fairly simple, and that means replicable.

I really enjoy mixing colors and textures and am feeling anything asymmetrical at the moment. I even invested in an awesome book: 1,000 Artisan Textiles to fuel my creative fire. My next project, this awesome DIY yarn scarf.  Soo cute.

I’ll be opening up my own etsy soon so if you like what you see, stay tuned!