Using bottlecaps is great fun, and I love to create things with tags! Try making a bottle cap tag ornament of your own. The possibilities are many! Included here are a list of materials, a bottle cap printable sheet, and step-by-step directions. Enjoy!
You Will Need:
*bottle caps (number depending on how many you want to make)
2 2/3" x 1 3/8" - #1 strung shipping tags with reinforced hole (I used Avery brand #11004 - 100 count)
**coffee for staining tags (brew or instant)
snowman bottle cap insert printable
1 inch circle punch
printer
laminator or clear packing tape.
black Sharpie marker (ultra fine point)
glue gun and glue
*I always purchase my bottle caps from
Lehman's. You can find bottle caps for purchase in many places online. You can buy them with and without the rubber seal, and the prices vary.
**My husband made a strong mixture of coffee using two scoops of coffee and about a cup of water.
***I have experimented with different clear lacquers and have found this one to be the best for my needs. No mixing is required, it easily dispenses without bubbling, it does not have a strong smell, and it dries crystal-clear. I purchased it directly from the
Sakura Hobby Craft website.
How to Make:
1. Download and print snowman bottle cap insert
here.
2. Laminate (not heavy seal) or cover inserts with clear packing tape (being careful to adhere smoothly). I do this so that the ink will not run when the clear lacquer is applied.
3. Punch out inserts.
4. Carefully press insert into bottle cap. It is not necessary to remove the rubber seal inside the bottle cap for this application. Press the insert gently into the bottle cap, without pressing it firmly in the center. Pressing too firmly will create seal marks on the insert. I simply press the insert into the bottle cap by lightly pressing in the center and around the edges with my fingernail. See photo for finished look.
5. Fill bottle cap with clear lacquer. Make sure to read the directions on bottle prior to using. Fill the bottle cap to the brim, as the lacquer will naturally shrink as it dries.
6. Allow clear lacquer to dry overnight.
7. Make coffee mixture as dark as desired. Keep in mind that the tags will appear lighter when wet and will dry darker.
8. Dunk tags in coffee mixture and lay on several layers of paper towels to dry. Once I placed the tags on the paper towels, I poured a bit of the coffee mixture sporadically on the tags. This created a primitive stained look when tags were dried. Allow to dry completely.
9. Write desired words in creative lettering using a black Sharpie marker (ultra fine point). Make sure to position a bottle cap as desired so that you can judge the size and location of your words/writing.
10. Knot the ends of string together and hang. These also make great gifts!
11. Try creating your own inserts using a desired picture/theme. Bottle caps can be easily customized and made into ornaments, magnets, and pins. Here are a few caps I created years ago... These are much clearer that they appear, as the lacquer glare so easily when photographed. Note: These bottle caps were not hammered to curl the edges. Nothing was done to the bottle cap prior to filling. I have made many bottle cap crafts over the years where I have hammered and removed the rubber seal, but that is a lesson for another day...
