There is a special satisfaction that comes from making crafts out of recycled materials. Sometimes we save things because we have a specific project in mind for them, but other times we end up with a stash of something that we know has a use… We’re just not sure what. Know the feeling? So does DSC reader Maria, who sent us this question:
I have tons of plastic soda bottle caps in my kitchen, and I wonder how can I transform them into a beautiful craft. What do you think we can make using them?
Can you think of any ideas? If you had a collection of plastic bottle caps, what would you do with them?
[photo by Alvimann @ morguefile.com]
34 Comments
Karen
I don’t know about crafting with them but I use mine in the bottom of my potted plants to keep the pots lighter and with a form of drainage in them.
Joni
I have tons of laundry detergent lids. Some of them even screw into eachother to make a container for….what? Hmmm, what to make with all these lids???? I will be curious to see if anyone has any brilliant ideas. Thanks for posing this question.
alex
I like saving bottle caps to make BCPCs, bottle cap pincushions!
Patty
I have some and have always thought it would be cool to make wall art out of them. Use a piece of plywood and screw each cap into some really bazaar art piece.
Panya
Just saw this [http://sweetsugarbelle.com/2011/03/cupcake-cookies/] via Peabody [http://www.culinaryconcoctionsbypeabody.com/2011/06/28/cupcake-cookies/] — tiny cakestands.
[…Uh, according to spellcheck & MW & Oxford, cakestand isn’t a word — neither is cake-stand…] O_o
heather
I use compound words whenever I want, even if they’re not in the dictionary! :) You’re good!
mikeasaurus
If you save the bottles too, you can screw the caps into any solid surface then screw on the bottle on top, making a removable platform for a variety of projects.
Mounted vertically: make an under-counter holder for small items like tacks, nails, or certain powders and spices.
Mounted horizontally: the bottle could serve as a deck for small plants or possibly a birdbath.
Without bottles, the caps can be strung together to make a fun, multi-coloured necklace.
Seriously though, the mounting options are giving me ideas for Man Crafts.
heather
Check out some of the youtube videos on recycled bottles and bottle caps… some are really awesome!
Sarah
Stamps! http://pinterest.com/pin/50944518/
Becky
I use mine as the base for polymer cupcakes
Miriam
My children loved these superheroes I made for them with all the caps that were running around the house. http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2011/02/recycled_super_heroes.html
Amanda
Detergent bottle lids: make nice bases for little pincushions (stuff and cover with fabric & trim). Also useful as paint cups or brush rests. Or sorting out all your hardware after toddler dumped it on the floor. Or just rinse them out and give them to the kids to scoop and pour sand and water with.
Milk jug lids make good counting/sorting disks for older toddlers/preschoolers (supervise if your kids like to eat strange things). Add stickers or mod-podge on a picture for more variety. Decorate and stick a disk magnet on the back. Use as replacement checkers after child puts the REAL checkers down the air ducts.
Bottle tops: Punch holes and string them together to make wiggly “caterpillars”. Make planters for your kid’s dollhouse. Save a few and use to support painting projects so you can paint all the way to the bottom without having to flip the piece.
beth strub
I don’t make anything with them, but I use them for paints. I do handpainted quilts for homes, when I need just a bit they hold it perfect and easy clean up or throw out.
Allison
If any of the soda caps are Coke brands, you can type in the codes at CokeRewards.com to earn Coke swag, enter sweepstakes, and even things like iPods and stereos.
I went through my saved caps and found a bunch of points! I am already at a beach towel and am going to save up for an mp3 player :)
After I enter the codes, I recycle them through Aveda’s program: http://www.aveda.com/aboutaveda/caps.tmpl?ngextredir=1
Maryann
You could combine Alex’s suggestion with Becky’s, and make bottle cap pincushions shaped like cupcakes. I’m thinking you could paint the bottle cap, cover a cotton ball or two with fabric (maybe pinked on the edges) and stuff it into the bottle cap. Maybe put a red bead on top for a cherry. Voila! Tiny cupcake pincushion.
Heather
I would use them to make art like bean art! Create a basic shaped mosaic and fill in the sections with bottle tops! Like polka dots or a bunch of squares. You could probably use a shadow box.
Jennifer
Detergent lid uses:
Starter plants-make holes in the lids for drainage.
Tic Tac Toe-save lids that are different colors and the kids can play indoors or out.
Guessing Game-save 3 lids of the same color and place a small object under one and move the lids around.
mer
spray silver or gold and make a mobile
Michelle
I have recently been gifted* a large quantity of soda bottle caps. I was thinking about spray painting them all one color and then stringing them to make a type of curtain for a rather boring window.
Thinking I could use a hot needle.. no dremel here :( ..to make the holes, some fishing line and some large beads to add another texture.
*I say gifted..what I really mean is my friends/family save their trash for me because I am crafty like that. ;o)
Melina
Last year I saw on TV how to paint a simple drawer with cherries, and the plastic caps would create a 3D effect on the fruits. It looked nice. Here is the link (it’s in Spanish though): http://www.utilisima.com/manualidades/4952-cajonera-retro.html
heather
You know you’re a real crafter when… your friends save their old beer caps for you. Hahhah!
Elizabeth
Found this while browsing for Fourth of July crafts and remembered this post. It’s a cute idea that might be a good stash buster project.
http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/cd-spinners-890164/
Rochelle
Use a permanent marker to write a letter on the top of each one. Use them to spell out words for a child learning to spell.
Joy
I coordinate crafts for over 100 children ages 2-7 and over the spring we made daffodils with orange and yellow caps. Just cut/die cut a puffy star shape out of yellow construction paper. Then, glue a yellow or orange cap to the center of star. Then glue or tape a green pipe cleaner to flower for a stem. They were so cute!
michelle
i made a keychain out of a Jager bottle cap, its kindof tin like so i cut it to be almost flat, and printed of some words to put in the inside part. i also had some clear projector sheets so i made a little plastic cover and put that in too. and then i took a hammer and carefully flattend the slight lip the cap still had to fold over the plastic inside. that way it was sealed in. and then i super glued the seal for good measure. and poked a hole in it and now its an awesome keychain. :)
Jamie
I would spray paint them gold or silver, fill them with beads, seeds, or little whimsies or scenes, and then fill them with resin to seal. Then you could attach brooch pins or magnets to the back.
martha
I thought about a checker set….or use them as a base for found object chess sets…and paint them when you are done
Cindy
I use the 2 liter soda bottle caps to make small pincushion rings. Here are the steps:
1. Take a square of fabric, about 3X3 inches.
2. Put a small ball of fiberfil in the center of the fabric, on the wrong side of the fabric.
3. Gather the four corners of the fabric and twist them together, tie close to the ‘ball’. The right side of the fabric should now be showing.
4. Glue (with hot glue gun or glue dots or tacky glue, pretty much any craft adhesive should work) into the bottle cap so that the rounded part of the ball shows above the edge of the cap. (It should look a bit like a cupcake)
5. For the ring part, you can glue the bottom of the cupcake onto a metal ring blank.
6. These are not only cute, they are also very practical. A sewer can wear one and always have pins right on her finger to use.
Cindy
You can also use the bottle caps as math ‘counters’ for your small children. Here is ONE idea of how to use them:
1. Take 10 index cards and write the numbers 1 to 10 on them, one number per card. Shuffle them so they are not in order.
2. Give your child the cards and a bunch of the caps.
3. Ask your child to put the cards in order from 1 to 10, laid on the table.
4. When they have the cards in order, ask them to put the correct number of caps by each card (1 cap by the number 1 card, and so on).
This activity demonstrates that your child can do the following:
1. Identify numbers 1-10
2. Put numbers in order
3. Match objects with the numbers
4. Counts out objects
If your child has trouble at first, help them out! Soon, they’ll be able to do it alone.
Jen
I didn’t create something but I use my laundry detergent covers and cleaning can covers and use them to organize my makeup, etc. in the medicine cabinet. You can fill one up with mascaras and eyeliners and another with nail clippers, thermometer, nail files, thin lipsticks, etc, you get the idea! :)
pikapal
You can make doll accessories with them.
Ashory
You can also use them for making resealable bags. Cut the spout off of a soda bottle (keep the lid), thread the bag (could be a ziploc with ranch dressing, or filled with goldfish crackers, or whatever) through the spout, fold the bag opening to the outside, and screw the cap on. Voila! No spills, resealable, and green!
Dennis
MAKE A WAVING FLAG FOR 4TH OF JULY
you could (if lucky enough to have the right colored caps and enough of them, or you could paint them accordingly) string them together with fishing line in multiple strips of about 26 caps each (actually depends on the size you want alternating 2 red caps then 2 white caps, use blue caps or alternating blue and white caps for the star field, then string the strips together along the top row and the bottom row and then add a hanging method and hang it from your porch…..just an idea
stephanie
i make pattern/fabric weights with the plastic soda bottles caps i fill the caps with four metal washers and then glue to plastic caps together these with hold your pattern down on the fabric while cutting