DIY Neon Nail Polish Necklace

My DIY version

For months I've been coveting the neon Capucine necklace from Dannijo. And while I adore Dannijo and already own a few pieces by them, I couldn't quite bring myself to pull the trigger on a $450 neon piece considering I'll probably be over neon by next year.  So, I figured, why not try to make a version of it myself? (After all, my job happens to be one where I come across a lot of nail polish...!) So, I did. And while I know mine (above) is certainly not the level of amazingness that is the Capucine, it was super easy to create, taking ten minutes (seriously) and less than $30. Here's how I did it:


What you'll need:

• rhinestone necklace (I wanted one with double rows of stones and some sort of similar-looking big center pendant, and after much searching, I found it on eBay for around $10. Chances are you won't find an exact match wherever you buy yours, but so what? Play around with different styles! Like, how awesome would this one look all neoned up? While writing this post, I actually came across another Capucine DIY by Going West, which shows just how cool it can look in a totally different shape.

• neon nail polishes (I used, clockwise from left below: Orly Nail Lacquer in Beach Cruiser, Melt Your Popsicle, and Glowstick, and NYX Nail Polish in Hot Green)

• Q-tips (optional--to whisk away mistakes if you get sloppy); paper plate (to protect your workspace)

How to do it:


1) Paint. Apply one coat of your first color of nail polish. I found it best to have as little polish as possible on the brush, so that things don't get too gloppy. Go slowly, but you don't have to worry about being perfect. If you do accidentally make a mistake and polish a prong, just quickly wipe away the excess with a Q-tip. After the first shade, repeat the process with the other three colors.

2) Paint it again. This is optional though. One coat gives a sheer color that let's more of the stone shine through, so the jewels look a little more "real." Two coats results in a brighter, richer, more opaque effect. I did two coats.

3) Done. (See, I told you it was easy.)

Hope you enjoyed my first beauty/fashion mash-up of a DIY! (Actually, please tell me what you think in the comments below. Do you like seeing stuff like this on here?) I'm kind of hooked now and I can't wait to experiment with different necklace (or bracelet?!) styles! And, of course, I can't wait to try different shades of nail polish. I'm thinking it might be awesome to do a deep, jewel-tone version for fall. Thoughts?