7 creative ideas for jewellery

Get creative with your jewellery and how to store it with these tips.

If you're the type who likes to make your own bracelets and necklaces, alternating beads with some spare buttons you've got stashed away will make an unusual accessory. String buttons and beads of different colours and sizes onto two strands of dental floss, fishing line, or heavy-duty thread. Then experiment with a variety of combinations until you've fashioned a piece of jewellery worthy of a chic boutique.

When it comes to silk blouses, dresses or jackets, the last thing you want is to poke tiny holes in the smooth, expensive fabric with a pin. Instead, use magnets to attach the brooch.

Remove the shaft of the brooch and attach one magnet to the back with super-glue. Make sure the glue dries completely before wearing the brooch. Place it in the desired location on the garment, holding it with one hand. With your other hand, place the opposing magnet behind both fabric and brooch. The magnets will lock the brooch in place, and you're ready for a no-pinholes night on the town.

Don't think that adding a bit of glam to your plain pumps isn't jewellery … it is! Rummage through your button collection for two that are oversized and interesting; glue-gun them to the vamp of your (formerly) boring shoes and give them new life!

If you've ever left your pierced earrings in a hotel room or had one mysteriously disappear from the nightstand never to be seen again, keep them safe and secure with another accessory: your wristwatch.

After taking off your earrings, insert them into the holes of a leather or plastic watchband or between the links of an expandable metal band. You can now rest assured they'll still be there in the morning. No wristwatch? It's a cinch to use the holes of a belt as a temporary earring holder.

Your one and only has just proposed marriage, and you want to slip on the engagement ring. But at this moment of a lifetime, you can't get your old ring off your finger! What to do?

Fetch some mayonnaise and slather it on your finger. Romantic? No way. Necessary? Yes, in a (literal) pinch. Make a fist to help the mayo seep under the band. The ring should now slide off easily. Wash your hands and then mentally rehearse the funny family story you'll share with your grandchildren.

Tired of having to dump out all your precious jewels to find that one necklace you really want to wear today? Take a lesson from grade-schoolers and buy an inexpensive bulletin board and some colourful push pins. Paint the board your favorite shade or hue, and then hang each necklace and each ring to keep them from getting scratched and to keep them organized.

It takes a lot of patience to untangle a knot in a necklace chain. How to complete the task in no time? Sprinkle the knot with talcum or baby powder, cornstarch, or vegetable oil and use a straight pin or two to pry the knot apart. The powder and oil lubricate the links, helping them to slide and separate more easily. Afterward, wash the untangled chain with a mild detergent, rinse and pat dry.

One can never have enough bling! Get creative with these ideas and expand your jewellery collection — and then jot down the great care tips, too.