Don't Masquerade with the Girl In Kate Spades, Oh No

I have a habit of becoming obsessed with a particular fancy (i.e. expensive) item that I cannot afford. Most of these obsessions are in direct relation to pieces of jewelry from Kate Spade. And how could you not?! Even just looking at their website makes me happy. My "Baubles" board on Pinterest is 80% full of things from Kate Spade alone.

So when you combine that with Glee, we have a real problem. Thanks to the website Fashion of Glee, my addiction is not only fed, but encouraged. You see, thanks to this obsessively accurate site, you can see every piece that a character is wearing and find out where it's from, from tube socks to headbands. They even find pieces that the actors are wearing out and about or on the cover of magazines. It's borderline ridiculous, but then again, so am I.

Speaking of obsessive, our favorite guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury can often be seen wearing all kind of fabulous pieces from Ms. Spade. I know a lot of teachers, and I'm pretty sure that the majority of them can't spend $245 on a short sleeved sweater, but hey, these kids also break into song in the middle of the school day, suffering no disciplinary repercussions whatsoever.

I love almost everything Emma wears, because it's always bright, slightly weird and adorable, which is how I feel about myself sometimes. So when I discovered a necklace that she had worn on an episode earlier this season that featured a hefty pair of gold glasses hanging from a chain, I knew I had to have it. Not only because she wore it, but because I'm a little bit obsessed with glasses and have always wanted to need them myself.

i'm so distracted by my curly-haired beau that I accidentally bought this crazy expensive necklace. oops

Of course I looked it up and was horrified to discover that the necklace was $148! I don't have glasses, but I'm pretty sure that people don't even pay that much for functional specs. I showed them to Steve, and he did this thing that he does when I show him ridiculous things that I want. He yells "HA HA!" really loud like someone just told a hilarious joke, then stares me right in the eyes and shakes his head while defiantly saying "no."

Well clearly I wasn't going to buy it. Even I know that's outrageous for a piece of jewelry that is really more of a conversation starter than anything. But sometimes you just want to admire things... and then think about how many pints of blood you'd have to sell to get it.

So I forgot about said glasses necklace. Until Cyber Monday when my friend Patty posted on her "Things to Love on a Monday" series that the necklace was ON SALE for less than $50. And then a little piece of me died because it was 11:30 pm and it was totally sold out. Also, my husband still laughed at me and told me that's it's not really in the spirit of giving to buy yourself things barely a month before Christmas. It was then that my dream of owning a tiny pair of glasses on a chain was shattered.

Until January.

I was at work, preparing for inventory, when my former associate Sarah (who has moved onto bigger and better things out in St. Louis- HI SARAH!) informed me that she had something for me. Never one to turn down a gift, I giddily accepted, until she pulled out a tiny white satchel with the name Kate Spade emblazoned in its signature green across the bottom.

Me: No, Sarah, you didn't.

Sarah: No, wait, there's a story.

It was then that she informed me that this find was from TJ Maxx for $4.99. $4.99!!! I didn't think it would be physically possible to even purchased the lid to a Kate Spade gift box for $4.99. As I opened it, she informed me that while it wasn't the necklace I had been coveting, she thought that I could possibly turn it into one with the right tools.

Behold! My very own... Kate Spade keychain!

cuff be gone

But not for long. Because I grabbed my tools and got to work.

yes, i have tools.

I was going to take off all of the links except for the one connected to the glasses, but I was worried it would sit correctly. I decided to undo the second circle ring, but I basically needed the jaws of life to pry it apart. Also I felt like I was chipping it the more I poked at it. So I settled for the ring at the end, because at least if I ruined it, I figured it would be easier to get rid of it later without screwing up the whole thing.

I had purchased a cheapo necklace at Forever 21 to use just for the chain. I just went and looked for something that I wouldn't care about taking apart. It almost broke the bank.

tiny glasses are way cooler than tiny trumpets

chain chain chaaaaain

My finished product ended up much longer than the original inspiration, but I like it.

golden-colored glasses

The thing that I love about Kate Spade stuff is that there are hidden messages. Like all the bangles have little sayings inside them. Of course, they are useless because no one ever knows those things are there but you. But it's kind of like having a secret... with yourself.

read between the tiny tiny print

done & done

Of course I can't just wear this necklace have people compliment me on it and be like "thanks, it's Kate Spade, of course." Well, hopefully I wouldn't say that anyways, because I would be a huge tool. But no, when I wore this on Saturday to work I had to let everyone and their mother (including Sarah's actual mother, who works there as well) know that not only did I make this, but the materials all together combined cost less than $10. But that's sort of my favorite part.

~L