DIY Soda Ring

Recycle bottle caps into jewelry

Save plastic soda bottles and bottle caps from the trash or recycle bin and give them another use. Recycling soda containers may get you a few extra bucks in your pocket or a ring on your finger. Turn plastic bottles and metal bottle caps into a piece of jewelry and give your child a lesson on science and recycling in the process. Making a soda ring is easy with the correct recyclables and supplies.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic soda bottle
• Scissors
• Toaster oven
• Heatproof container
• Heatproof gloves
• Craft stick
• Plastic coloring
• Glitter
• Metal or soft plastic mold
• Permanent adhesive
• Ring blank
• Hammer
• Bottle cap
• Flat image
• 1-inch hole punch
• Decoupage glue
• Paintbrush
• 1-inch epoxy sticker

Instructions

Recycled Plastic Ring

1. Cut plastic soda bottles in even, small pieces with scissors. Set the plastic pieces in a heat-proof container, small enough to fit in a toaster oven.

2. Move the toaster oven to a well-ventilated area or outside. Plastic creates toxic fumes when melted. Insert the heatproof container in the oven.

3. Set the toaster oven's temperature according to the plastic used. Melt plastic from soda bottle lids at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Melt plastic soda bottles at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Check on the plastic routinely. With heatproof gloves, remove the plastic from the toaster oven once melted. Melted plastic has a sticky consistency.

5. Mix glitter and plastic coloring in the melted plastic with a craft stick. Pour the colored, melted plastic in the metal or soft plastic mold.

6. Cool the melted plastic for 15 minutes or until the plastic hardens. Move the plastic out of the mold.

7. Squeeze a permanent adhesive on the back of the plastic. Secure the plastic to the flat blank on the ring. Allow the permanent adhesive to dry according to packaging instructions.

Recycled Bottle Cap Ring

1. Flatten the bottle cap with a hammer. Place the bottle cap on a work bench or flat surface that is able to withstand the impact of the hammer.

2. Punch a 1-inch hole in the image of your choice. Secure the 1-inch piece with the image to the bottle cap by placing a small amount of decoupage glue on a paintbrush and painting the backside of the image.

3. Seal the image by coating the front with decoupage glue. The glue keeps the colors from bleeding from the bottle cap. Allow the decoupage glue to dry, according to the packaging directions.

4. Peel the backing away from the 1-inch epoxy sticker. Place the sticker on top of the image for a three-dimensional effect.

Tips & Warnings

• Cut stickers, fabric, printed images and scrapbook paper for the bottle cap's image.

References

• Knowledge Galaxy: Melting Plastic
• "Tackle Making" Magazine: How to Make Soft Plastic Lures
• Ridout Plastics: Frequently Asked Questions
• Beadaholique; Bird in a Bottle Cap Necklace; Julie Bean
• Crafty Goat's Notes; How to Make Easy Bottle Cap Jewelry; Angela Mabray; Sept. 20, 2006

Resources

• Artists Helping Children: Plastic Bottle Crafts for Kids
• Artists Helping Children: Soda Can Crafts for Kids
• Artists Helping Children: Bottle Cap & Jar Lid Crafts for Kids
• Artists Helping Children: Plastic Bottle Crafts for Kids
• Knit 1 Slip 1: Making Recycled Bottle Beads; May 2010
• The Daily Green; What Do Recycling Symbols on Plastic Mean?; Brian Clark Howard
• Nobel Prize: Plastics & Polymers; August 2007