Lately, I’ve been incredibly interested in bottle cap crafts.  There has been a lot of green crafting projects and trends popping up recently, which I think is very exciting!  Taking care of our planet is important and as crafters, we take pride in gathering basic materials (sometimes used) and turning them into a unique creation.  But using recycled products and materials can be challenging, especially when dealing with bottle caps.

Bottle caps are tricky because they’re easy to forget about when it comes to recycling.  I always mean to recycle my bottle caps, but somehow they find their way into secret, hidden places – like underneath the car seat or in the trash.  With something so small, it’s easy to just toss them away without a thought.  But it’s never too late to change.  Instead of tossing your bottle caps away, create intriguing bottle cap projects that you can wear all year round.  If you can remember to hold onto your bottle caps – both metal and plastic – there are a large variety of bottle cap crafts that you can make!

Here are some of my favorite ideas:

Necklaces

You can create stylish necklaces using either metal or plastic bottle caps.  Plastic bottle caps are particularly a good choice, since many recycling centers won’t accept them.  This Funky Resued Bottle Cap Necklace is a great way to turn what-would-have-been trash, into a beloved treasure.  What’s fun about that particular project is the painting.  I have always been an admirer of bold jewelry, so if you are too, try painting each cap a different color.  Pair your bright, bottle cap necklace with a black dress to add some color and intrigue.  Play with different sized caps to create more unique shapes and designs.  If you’d rather use metal bottle caps to fashion a necklace, try cutting out your favorite pictures from magazines and pasting them inside the cap.  This will make the necklace even more personalized and special to you.

Earrings

This Bottle Cap Wine Glass Charms project could easily be turned into a cool pair of earrings, just add a small jump rings and hooks.  In order to add the jump ring, use a small nail and a hammer to create a hole on the edge of the bottle cap.  If you prefer your earrings to be more plain, simply add the jump ring to the caps themselves and paint them a classic color such as black or a dark gray.  This way, they’ll match whatever you’re wearing.  For a vintage flair, try covering the metal caps with old postage stamps, or stickers that are vintage inspired.  These will help give the bottle caps  an old-fashioned appeal.  If you use stickers, don’t forget to protect them  with a coating of clear sealer.

Bracelets

Pick out your favorite bottle caps and string them together on a metal chain for an easy bracelet.  For a more chic-looking bracelet, try embedding an old charm or broach inside a metal bottle cap.  Once you find a charm that fits inside, pour resin over the charm and up to the brim of the cap.  Once it dries, you can sand it down to get rid of any unevenness.  Attach the embellished cap to any bracelet or chain of your choosing.

Do you have any great bottle cap craft ideas?  I’d love to hear about them!