Rachel Smucker is a sophomore communications major. This entry is from Smucker’s blog on bargain hunting and thrifting. Follow “Nifty and Thrifty” at www.goshencommons.org/category/blogs/nifty-and-thrifty.

Photo contributed by Rachel Smucker

One fabric store had rows of sequined fabric, in 10 different colors! They also had almost every kind of textured fabric you could imagine: fur, sequined, cotton, polyester, lace, wool, silk and jean. The starting price was around $20 per yard, but others were priced much higher than that. Alas, the prices were enough to give any college student a heart attack.

Luckily, something glitzy and silver caught my eye that was just within my price range! Deep into the back of the store, I found two silver dangles, and for the low price of $4 each, they were mine. The minute I saw them I knew they belonged on my ears. The minute I got home (this is due to what I call an “artist exhilaration rush” — having to complete a project right after you thought of it) I attached two gold earring hooks to my dangles with a pair of pliers. It took me a total of about 10 minutes to finish both earrings.

So although I struck out on the fabric, I struck silver with my new earrings. I only had to dig a little deeper to find the treasure.

Smucker created these earrings from silver dangles she found in a New York City craft store.