How to Make Your Own Jewelry Using Recycled Materials

Member

By mam736
User-Submitted Article

Article Rating: (5 Ratings)

Make your own jewelry with recycled materials

If you're working on a tight budget, you can make your own jewelry using recycled materials to keep your costs low. Another benefit of using recycled materials is that it minimizes waste and makes for a greener planet. Try re-using bottle caps, buttons, vintage jewelry, and even washers and screws to make your own jewelry.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Make your own jewelry using recyled materials

Use old buttons as a substitution for beads to make necklaces, bracelets, or earrings. You can use buttons with shanks (rings) on the back or buttons with holes punched all the way through to make different designs.
Step 2

Look for old hardware sitting in a junk drawer or toolbox. Make your own jewelry with washers, screws, and bolts for a unique piece.
Step 3

Make pendants out of twist-off bottle caps. Decoupage pictures from old books into the cap and use resin to create a nice seal.
Step 4

Drill holes in old Scrabble tiles to create pendants. If you're missing pieces from an old game of Scrabble, this is a great way to reuse the tiles.
Step 5

Keep an eye out at the local thrift shop for inexpensive vintage jewelry. Take apart several pieces of old jewelry and put the pieces back together in a different pattern to make your own jewelry.
Step 6

During trips to the beach, look for sea glass and shells washed up on the shore. These can be used in place of expensive beads. Sea glass can be found in a variety of shapes and colors, but be sure to choose pieces with smooth edges.