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Beadphoria, Bottle Cap Jewelry, Bottle Cap Ring, Bottle Cap Rings, Jewelry from Recycled Items, Linda Peterson, Pop Tab Earrings, Pop Top Earrings, Pop Top Jewelry, Recycled Jewelry, Soda Tab Earrings, Suzann Sladcik Wilson, Upcycled Jewelry, Upcycled Jewelry Bags Belts and More, Upcycled Jewelry by Linda Peterson
By Suzann Sladcik Wilson
Welcome back, Beadphoria friends! How many times have you looked at objects laying around your home or headed for the trash and wondered, “There has to be another way I could use this.” Today I would like to introduce you to a new book that will have you looking at your recycling bin in a whole new way – Upcycled Jewelry, Bags, Belts, and more by Linda Peterson.
Upcycled Jewelry by Linda Peterson features 35 projects that range in difficulty from beginner to advanced. There are several interesting techniques used in the book, including how to melt plastic and re-purposing old bicycle tubes for jewelry components.
The two projects I decided to try were the Pretty Polk Dot Earrings and the Bottle Cap Ring. I chose these projects because I loved how simply the pop tops were altered and I have always had a thing for rings.
As you can see, the materials needed for the Pretty Polka Dot Earrings are, except for the paint pens, common house hold objects. The only tools that you need are two pairs of pliers to open and close the jump rings.
The finished Pretty Polk Dot Earring turned out really cute. They were quick to make, with the longest part of the process being waiting for the nail polish to dry. The only tip I would give is to use opaque nail polish or to make sure you apply a second coat to fully cover the metal.
The materials for the Bottle Cap Ring is bottle caps, ring blanks, and a strong adhesive. The book recommends a silicone adhesive, but I used jewelry glue instead with the results being just fine. For tools, you will need a hammer and bench block to pound your bottle caps on.
I was very happy with how my finished rings turned out. For the brown one, I liked the phrasing on it so much, that I decided to not add anything. For the blue one, I wanted some extra bling, so I added a few Swarovski crystals on the outside. Another idea would be to use the same nail polish technique used in the Pretty Polka Dot Earrings and alter your bottle caps that way.
The book contains lots of step by step photos, which is helpful when you are learning new techniques. A few of the projects required skills such as riveting and sewing, so there is something to interest for just about everyone. If you are looking to expand your jewelry making skills and help save the planet at the same time, make sure to pick up a copy of Linda Peterson’s Upcycled Jewelry, Bags, Belts, and More.
Which project did you like better, the Pretty Polka Dot Earrings or the Bottle Cap Rings? Which one of these might you try? Let me know in the comments above!
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