By Emily Fredrix-Associated Press

Make flowers out of panty hose. A purse out of a tie. A necklace out of shoelaces.

Beautiful and inexpensive accessories abound if you know how to transform the everyday into the chic.

For do-it-yourself fashion maven Mary Jane Baxter, inspiration comes from something as simple as a cereal box. Her favorite project in her new boho-chic craft book is what she calls the “Emergency Hat.” The scenario: a last-minute invite to a posh party, nothing to wear. The solution: Make a pillbox hat out of a cereal box. Wear hat, look fabulous, brag to your friends that you made it.

“You don’t have to spend lots of money to make something beautiful. You can make a beautiful thing out of something that is pretty humble,” Ms. Baxter said. {read on!}