Aluminum Can Flower Jewelry

Intro: Aluminum Can Flower Jewelry

Make bright, eye-catching jewelry using recycled aluminum cans!

STEP 1: Collect Tools and Materials

Start collecting Drink Cans! I like the tea and energy drink cans because they are colorful and non-returnable.
Find Flower-shaped Paper Punches in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Eyelets/Grommets come in many different colors, shapes and sizes.
Make sure that Hole Punch sizes correspond with eyelet/grommet sizes.
Choose an Eyelet/Grommet Setter such as a grommet setter kit or a hand-held setter.
Jewelry Pliers are for shaping the flowers.
You may also want a pair of Scissors, a Permanent Marker, a small Hammer, various Jewelry Findings and Beads.

Everything (except the cans) can be found at your local craft store.

STEP 2: Cut and Flatten Cans

With scissors, carefully poke a small hole near the top of the can and cut all the way around. Do the same at the bottom of the can. Cut the cylinder open and flatten it. My husband cut some of these on a band saw.
Surprisingly, the edges are not very sharp, so gloves are unnecessary.

STEP 3: Cut Shapes

Use the flower-shaped paper punches to make lots of flowers in all different colors.
You can also hand-cut the flowers by cutting out a circle, marking around the outside edge and using scissors to cut petals.
Mix and match colors and sizes until you find a combination you like. A small-medium-large combo is good for a pendant, while a small-medium combo may be better suited for earrings.

STEP 4: Punch Holes

Use a permanent marker to mark the center on the backs, and use a hole punch (the same size as your eyelets/grommets) to punch the holes. Now is a good time to decide what your flower will become and punch the smaller holes, on the largest flower, for jewelry findings. Will it need one hole on the top for a pendant? Will it have an ear wire on top and beads on the bottom?

STEP 5: Stack Flowers and Set Eyelets/Grommets

Choose an eyelet/grommet that goes well with your color scheme. Stack the flowers in order (smallest on top) and insert the eyelet/grommet so the round ring is on the front. Follow the instructions on your chosen setter. For the 2-part setter (shown), carefully flip the assembled flower, insert the setter and tap a few times with the hammer.

STEP 6: Shape the Flowers

This part is fun! Use the jewelry pliers to curve, curl and twist the petals so the flower becomes totally 3-D.

STEP 7: Embellish With Jewelry Findings and Beads

Use jewelry pliers to attach jewelry findings and beads to the flowers to make earrings, pendants, pins or rings.
Wear your new jewelry and get ready for the compliments! They also make excellent gifts!

Comments

[grampam]

Thank you for the tutorial. I love making all kinds of jewelry, but I enjoy making jewelry from things we would normally toss. Please share more of your ideas.

[flammaefata]

I've read of ways to tint the aluminium itself, I think by boiling it in the presence of some added salts or something. I think it'll be great to use that method to add more subtle colours to the jewellery too. Or you could just paint them as well.

Thanks for the great Instructable, I wouldn't have thought paper punches could work for this!

[otbgal]

Unreally cute!!!!!

[charlieanderin]

Love it done it a million times

[armstk180]

Nice Idea ,
But i am much wondering why you Americans wouldn't like to wearing gold jewelry ? or at least silver jewelry ? !!!

[lackley68]

I do own gold and silver jewelry, but I also enjoy wearing my own hand-made jewelry. When I get a compliment, I can say,"Thanks, I made it!"

[armstk180]

you know , here we have a tradition that when a Man get married with a female , the man must buy a complete gold service (including Bracelets , Ring , earring , necklace) for his wife , Expensive tradition for Men :)

SO i try to make your cheap and beautiful jewelry for my wife ;-)
Thank you so much !

[tmarieb]

Aren't the cut edges sharp?

[lackley68]

Surprisingly, the edges are not sharp.

[Very Interesting]

Nice Instructable - very pretty jewelry :-)

[Annalyst]

This is a really great idea. Thanks for sharing this.

[repguy2020]

Nice instructable. The earrings are lovely and a nice way to reuse something that can't be recycled in some areas. The instructions are easy to follow and allow for a lot of creativity. Really nice work.

[jessyratfink]

The earrings are beautiful and the main image is absolutely wonderful. :D