Junk jewellery

Necklaces, bracelets or keyrings - anything can be made into a special piece of jewellery by adding bits and bobs that have memories attached to them.

What you need

A selection of small items
A keyring, chain, piece of thin leather or a piece of string - this will be your base
Safety pins, jump rings and/or head pins

What to do

Before you start, gather small items that mean something to you and your partner (this could be anything - a spare button from your favourite shirt, the ring pull from the fizzy drink you shared on holiday in Blackpool, a badge from a gig you went to together, the plastic heart that fell off last year's Valentines Day's present ... you get the idea).

Not everything you find can be added to your jewellery: first, they have to be attachable (ie they must have a hole somewhere) and second, not everything will work as a charm (that massive stone you picked up on Bournemouth beach might remind you of a great weekend, but does your girlfriend really want to wear it around her neck?)

There are no real instructions for this project, as all you need to know is how to attach each of your pieces to your base. If you are a dab hand at jewellery-making, then read no further - you already know what to do. If you require a little more assistance, then read on.

If the hole in your item is large enough, just thread it directly on to the chain/keyring/piece of string. Easy peasy. If it isn't, you can attach it in one of three ways: using a jump ring or a head pin (available from beading shops), or using a safety pin.

Safety pin: the easiest method. Just open the safety pin, thread on your item and close it. Now thread it directly on to your chain/keyring/string.

Jump ring: using a pair of round-nosed pliers, open the jump ring and slip on your item. Then slip the jump ring on to a link of a chain/around a keyring or piece of string. Use the pliers to close the ring tightly and, to make the join more secure, dab it with instant-bonding glue.

Head pins: useful for adding beads that can't be threaded directly on. Thread the bead on to the head pin and make a loop in the top of it with the pliers. Close the loop tightly after you have attached it to your chain/keyring/string.

When your piece of jewellery is finished, add a little note with it explaining what each item reminds you of.