Vintage Bottle Cap Creations

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.)

*************

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

Talk of the Town!

Vintage Charm

Craft Frenzy Friday