Bottle Cap Charm Necklaces–She’ll Love ‘Em!
Here’s a great little project if you need a gift for a girlie girl like the three that live at my house. You’ve probably seen these bottle cap charm necklaces if you’ve been shopping anywhere that sells handmade jewelry. When my daughter, Abby, saw some the other day, she wanted me to help her make some, so we got the supplies, got busy, and here they are:
Aren’t they the cutest? These are made with small bottle cap charms (we found ours at Hobby Lobby), scrapbook paper, & this product, called Magic-Glos (also found at Hobby Lobby) to get the glassy effect:
This is not the ideal project to do if you only want a couple of necklaces. Due to the cost of the materials, I would recommend making several to get your money’s worth. Here’s how we did ours:First, we chose some scrapbook papers in the colors we wanted for our charms. Then, we printed out our initials in a couple of different fonts & designs. Next, Abby cut out the initials in the size we needed to fit the charms.
Then, we placed the pieces in the charms. We used a dab of glue to hold it in place at first, but later found out that it’s best not to use glue at all because it will sometimes show thru later.
Next, we used the Magic-Glos. This stuff is a little pricey (about $10 for a tiny bottle), & it’s also a little temperamental. It took a few tries for us to get this right. The best way we found out to do it is to drop about 4 or 5 drops onto the charm, then spread it gently with a toothpick. If there are any bubbles, you have to get them out before letting them cure. 
Then, immediately place them in the sun. Outside. It will not work in a window sill. You can also use a UV lamp if you have one, which I don’t. We found out that if you let them sit too long wet, the ink will lift & spread. So, you can only do this project on a sunny day when you can put the charms directly in the sunlight.Also, even when we left them in the sun for 15-20 minutes, as directed, they still need a little more time to cure before handling them too much. They seem to remain tacky for a while after they harden.But… other than that, this stuff works like a charm (get it?).So, for Abby, we made ribbon necklaces with 16 inches of ribbon, some cord crimpers, & some a spring ring clasp.
Use some tiny needle-nose pliers to crimp the cord crimp piece around each end of the ribbon, then attach the clasp. It takes a little practice, but after a few times, you’ll feel like a pro.These little necklaces are so cute we made several. I even made one for myself & put it on a silver chain. Just like every other Southern girl I know, I can’t pass up anything with a monogram. And Abby wanted me to announce to our local friends that she’s going to be selling some of these, customized with a school name, a single initial, or 3-letter monogram on a ribbon necklace for $8 each. She’ll also be donating a portion of each sale to her class’ mission’s project. (That’s my girl!) Contact one of us if you want to order.
Hope this gives you a gift idea for some girls on your Christmas list!Sharing with some of these link-ups. Check them out for more gift ideas!Edited on 12-13-10: Due to a few problems we noticed with the Magic-Glos (bubbling, smearing ink, etc.), we decided to use regular Mod Podge Gloss for these charms instead, & just apply it thickly & let dry overnight. We have found that they look much better in the long run!
November 28, 2010 @ 4:32 am
I wonder if you could use the Diamond Glaze stuff?? Great idea!!!
November 28, 2010 @ 6:35 am
So cute! Those turned out great!! 🙂
November 28, 2010 @ 2:56 pm
i absolutely LOVE this! thanks so much for sharing. we have lot's of little darlings in our family and this is a great treat for each of them! i'm going to give it a try!
November 28, 2010 @ 4:00 pm
@4 Leaf Clever
I'm sure that would work great, too!
November 29, 2010 @ 12:13 am
Julie-Those are really cute. I guess because it is winter here this would be a spring project at our house! Hugs- Diana
November 29, 2010 @ 2:39 am
adorable, thank you for sharing, crafty mama with 2 tween girls that are also home schooled… this will definitely be going on our to do list <3
November 29, 2010 @ 2:23 pm
That looks awesome!!! Does it matter if it is below freezing outside? Can you use something other than a printer for the initial? stickers or other stuff with dimension? Totally going to hobby lobby this week!
November 29, 2010 @ 10:59 pm
These are so cute! Would love for you to visit me and link up to Made with Love Monday at Sew Chatty! http://sewchatty.blogspot.com
November 30, 2010 @ 2:08 am
Great post! I would love it if you would link this up to my Strut Your Stuff Party! http://danajeanward.blogspot.com/2010/11/link-up-giveaway-and-winner.html
November 30, 2010 @ 7:25 pm
Cute idea! I just realized I wasn't following you – duh! Been visiting for a long while!
December 13, 2010 @ 6:44 pm
THat is a great idea!!!!!
December 20, 2010 @ 4:44 am
What an adorable idea! I may have to make one for my niece since I don't have a girl of my own.