After taking her latest collection to the POOL trade show in Las Vegas, Roberta Oaks was ready for some fun.

That meant scouring junkyards back home in Missouri, where she grew up going on many a treasure hunting expedition with her family, hitting thrift stores, estate sales and auctions, usually with no expectations. They were happy just to be surprised by their finds.

This time, though, Oaks had a mission.

Inspired by her “;new”; car Charlie, a '69 Valiant she's been driving and working on since January, she decided to capitalize on her newfound grease monkey glam status to create a line of jewelry out of American classic car emblems.

Her Gurl With Toolz line of necklaces, cuff bracelets, pendants and oversize magnets comprises repurposed chains and car emblems with other jeweled finds.

Her collection debuts today, when she'll be open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and will be featured during her First Friday open house event from 5 to 9 p.m. tomorrow.

  “;I had the same car 12 years ago. That was a '76 Valiant my dad and I worked on together,”; she said. “;Old cars are so simple to work on. There's like, five parts, and they have so much style.”;

She couldn't help but notice that style extended from the chassis to the details, and that gave her tunnel vision as she searched for car emblems.

“;People throw away a lot of great things without realizing what kind of treasures they have.”;

Ironically, she's found emblems from Gran Torinos, Malibus, Caprice Classics, Ford Thunderbird Landaus, Pontiac Grand Prix and Plymouth Volares, but none for her Valiant, which is missing its emblem.

No matter.

“;I thought I'd put an El Camino on the back of it just to throw people off.”;