Midlife Loves

"Timeless everyday style"

Midlife Loves

Pimping Up My Holiday Bag & WIWT

So I recently purchased the below bag in the sale for our holidays.  I just love the simplicity of this style & the fact it's like a traditional summer basket but has the advantage of being able to fold flat in the suitcase if you don't want to use it as hand luggage.  Plus it's not as scratchy as a basket & less likely to hurt when you knock it against your leg & won't take half your tan off.....(only me?!!).




Mango Jute Bag


Now I've made no secret of the fact that I love a pom pom or two & after seeing lots of different baskets around adorned with pom poms thought I'd have a go at pimping up my new holiday bag.

So cue a little browsing on eBay & several mintues later I purchased the following.




Hgih Quality Chenille Pom Poms


Needless to say I spent ages deciding on colour combo & sizing but in the end plumped for red & black 40mm pom poms together with 25mm orange pom poms.

As I make quite a bit of jewellery & regularly sew & embroider I already had the rest of the bits & pieces I needed but just in case you're interested in making your own, I've listed below the other items you'll need with links to similar suppliers:-

Clear nylon, similar here
Pliers, similar here
Scissors, similar here
Darning/tapestry needle, see here
4mm beads, similar here
Crimps, see here
Crimp cover, see here
Keyring hook, similar here


My Midlife Fashion Pom pom keyring DIY


To get started I began by cutting a piece of the nylon thread to approximately 15cms.  Then at the one end I threaded one of the crimps near to the end of the thread & firmly clamped it to the thread using my pliers.


My Midlife Fashion Pom pom keyring DIY


Then I placed one of the crimp covers over the crimp & again using my pliers squeezed the ends of the cover together so that it fully covers the crimp & looks like a bead at the end of the thread.  If this is too fiddly you coud simply skip this part but I just wanted to cross the 'i' & dot the 't's!  If you've still got some thread showing don't worry as this can simply be snipped off with your scissors.


My Midlife Fashion Pom pom keyring DIY


Then thread the darning/tapestry needle through the other end of the nylon thread & after locating the middle of the pom pom (easiest if you squash it between your fingers) take the needle & thread through the pom pom, pulling the pom pom to the end of thread up against the bead already secured on the end, which will in fact be hidden once the pom pom has been taken right to the end.


My Midlife Fashion Pom pom keyring DIY


Then taking some of your beads thread these onto the thread (I used 7 which spaced my pom poms out whilst allowing a few beads to show).  Then simply take your next pom pom & thread this onto the thread followed by more beads then pom poms until you've got your desired length.


My Midlife Fashion Pom pom keyring DIY


I finished each length with four beads at the end to allow the pom poms to hang freely from the keyring.  Then to secure to the keyring hook simply thread a crimp bead on the end, then thread the ring from the keyring ring onto the thread, take the thread back through the crimp, pull tightly & then clamp with your pliers & like before you can cover with crimp with a crimp cover if you wish.  

Then repeat this whole process until you've got your desired look.  As you will see from the photo below I wanted quite a full on pom pom keyring & probably attached approximately ten lengths of thread all of different lengths.


My Midlife Fashion Pom pom keyring DIY


And this is how they look on my new beach bag.


My Midlife Fashion Pom pom keyring DIY, Mango Jute Bag


Moving back onto clothes & finishing with what I'm wearing today.  Off to my sisters for a family picture so we've all been told we need to wear white tops & jeans.  I don't know about you but I hate been told what to do & automatically felt like rebelling & wearing an off white or cream top but don't worry little sis I've behaved myself ;-)  


My Midlife Fashion, Zara, Clarks, Draped Top, Tan Sandals, Skinny Jeans


Top - Zara
Jeans - Zara
Sandals - Clarks


Timeless, My Midlife Fashion, Mango, Zara, Dune, Tan Sandals, Skinny Jeans, Studio crossover top


Top - Zara £49.99
Jeans - Mango £39.99
Sandals - Dune £75


So what do you think of my latest DIY project?  Do you think I've gone pom pom crazy or are you tempted to have a go yourself & make a keyring for your bag?  Of course another idea would be to sew some of the pom pom edging I used on my scarves (see here) around the top of the bag or any summer straw basket.  In fact I've even seen baskets with individual pom poms added to them & attached in a random design.  I'm also planning on using a couple of my spare pom poms to make a bookmark by attached one at each end & threading the small beads between the two, right I'm scaring myself now & think this pom pom thing is becoming an addiction lol!

Have a fab day I'll see you tomorrow & don't forget it's the last day for an additional 10% Boden's dresses, tops & t-shirts that are in the sale click here to grab yourself a bargain!

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5 comments

  1. Clever you Jane....It's amazing how a few pom pom's can take that bag to a different level....Love it!
    Helen xx

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Helen, definitely think I may have gone a bit pom pom crazy these last few months but as you say they definitely transform a plain bag.
      Jane xx

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  2. I love that you have created a one off individual piece by adding some funky extras Jane! You will be stepping out in style on your holidays! Gorgeous outfit of the day too! xx

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  3. Love it. I was looking at that very bag today in Mango and I was quite tempted except I'm waiting on another one at the moment. Do love the pom poms though - they are such fun! And you could change them by doing different combos so they go with different outfits!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Sue, I'm thinking of inter-changing with tassels (which could fast become my latest obsession lol!).
      Jane xx

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