Use Your Broken Jewelry to Decorate Your Wardrobe and Accessories

Jewelry is beautiful when it's new but if it becomes broken, or a piece of the ensemble gets lost, what do you do with the rest? Some people have large pieces melted down to make a different piece, others simply toss the broken pieces in a jewelry box and forget about them. Well, open up that dusty jewelry box and prepare to make some one-of-a-kind wardrobe or decor piece with the broken bits.

Since jewelry comes in so many colors, shapes, sizes, and styles you have to choose, by looking at your own selection, which pieces to use for which projects. Pendants are unique and can be used for many different projects. If the chain has broken and the pendant is alone it can make a beautiful accent to a picture frame or even clothing. Use a long chain to decorate a metallic picture frame by brushing one side of the chain with contact cement and just letting it fall where it may, all the way around the frame. You can also do a specific pattern, like pyramids, around the frame or even a vase.

Larger pendants, particularly ones that are very flat on one side, are perfect for decorating a shirt. Use fabric glue to affix it to the top center of a shirt, below the collar, then add glitter paint dots to form a "necklace" on the shirt. Or, center the pendant on an area of the shirt then use fabric paints to form the pendant into a flower. Round pendants are ideal. Paint petals around the jewelry piece, then add a green stem and leaves.

Pieces that are flat on one side are also great for decorating belts and hat bands. Post earrings, with no mate, look great when attached to a hat. If the post is too long for comfort snip the end off after gluing the backing to the post.

Although most people wouldn't consider putting 14 karat gold on surfaces of their home, even costume jewelry can be used to decorate many things. Broken chains pieces can give a rustic look to kitchen drawer pulls. You can also brush a doorknob with contact cement then wind the chain around and around until it is covered.