Happy Tuesday everyone!
I hope that your spring is off to a great start
and if you celebrate Easter, that it was
filled with joy.
Ours was a full day with singing, playing outdoors
a lovely picnic and ending with the family
gathered around in prayer.
A blessed and beautiful day.
(I had some fun preparing for the picnic that we had
down at our gypsy camp in progress.
I was able to get some photos that I will share later.)
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Today, I'd like to share a little project
that I made from some vintage bottle caps.
I found this box at a flea market for $1.
I just loved the look of the box. Sometimes I just buy things
for the vintage look and they are used to add color or charm
to my creative space. Do you like to do that, too?
I also thought that I might be able to use bottle caps
in mixed-media art or something.
Many of you probably have your own ideas
about how you would use them.
Isn't creating so much fun?!
My first project, was to re-purpose
them into keychains with hand-stamped sayings
and flat-backed cabachons and strings for bows.
I used the Pittsburgh 36 piece set.
It's an upper case set, reasonably priced that has been a
good beginner set for me.
You can find the stamping set that I used here.
And I purchased the bronze keyring pieces here.
The process required me to flatten the lip of the cap.
Each cap was set on a metal plate and then
I used a small hammer to gently tap on the sides
and this curled the outside edge up.
It almost looks like a little flower.
After I decided on the sayings that I wanted to
stamp, I began the stamping. I have a tack hammer that
I used. it took a little practice, but if you have a bit
of an eye for centering, it doesn't take too long!
Some of them turned out a little rough but I guess
that can add to the charming imperfection.
After doing the stamping, I used a q-tip
wet with black ink to smear over the words. Then I just
wiped off the excess.
The little design above the word here was actually
a leather punch that I decided to try.
I don't have a photo of the back. But they are cork.
In the stamping process, some of the cork broke away.
I just covered the backs with circles cut from pretty papers.
Do you like the lovely coloring of vintage packaging?
It's what so many artists try to re-create with
the distressing and tea-staining techniques.
And they do an amazing job of making it look authentic!
I love the look of the authentic AND re-created.
This was a fun project. My first attempt at metal stamping.
To attach the chain to the cap, I used a nail to hammer a hole
and then added a bronze jump ring to attach them together.
I hope you enjoyed this little project!
Are you working on something today?
If so.. may it bring you joy and clarity about who you are.
Where you've been and where you're going.
Bringing you a few steps closer to dreams realized
and peace in your heart.
I was hoping to start transplanting some herbs today but
our spring winds have arrived and they are a fierce
60 mph! shiver...
It's enough to rattle the house!
So... I've been staying cozy inside and
working on memorizing the chords
to John Denver's Rocky Mountain High.
(I love to sing and play!
Along with God,
it's one of the things that helps keep me
centered and grounded.
It delights my heart and sometimes the words from songs
help me to express what I'm about.
Is there something like that for you?)
His music has always been some of my favorite.
He was such a poet and so often wrote about nature.
"The shadows from the starlight are softer than a lullaby."
If you'd like to listen to the song, you can find it here.
Wishing you a beautiful day and thank you for coming by.
Tamara XO
I'm joining the party at
