def create_inventory(items):
    """
    Create an inventory dictionary from a list of items.

    The string value of the item becomes the dictionary key.
    The number of times the string appears in items becomes
    the value, an integer representation of how many times.

    :param items: list - list of items to create an inventory from.
    :return:  dict - the inventory dictionary.
    """
    items_dict = {}
    for item in items:
        if item in items_dict:
            items_dict[item] += 1

        else:
            items_dict[item] = 1

    return items_dict