Bottle Cap Bracelets

I made these with the kids at work (public library). We had to work with the theme of arts, culture, and diversity. So I thought this would be a good way to combine all three.

I supplied a bunch of withdrawn and donated magazines and books from various cultures, languages, and interests. The kids could choose an image out of these and then mount it into a bottle cap. We then made those bottle caps into pendants and used Rainbow Loom to make the bracelets.

Step 1: Supplies

• Bottle caps, washed and dried.
• Mod Podge
• Paint brushes
• Rainbow Loom or similar elastics and clips (often sold together)
• Jump rings (the kind that work like mini key chain rings are easiest and best, but the regular kind work too, though it means you will also require needle-nose pliers)
• Jewelry punch that can handle metal (like this one). Most craft stores carry them.
• Scissors
• Magazines/books/newspapers you are okay seeing get cut up.

Step 2: The Bottle Cap

Punch a hole in the bottle cap rim in two places opposite one another. Thread a jump ring through both.

Cut the desired magazine/book/newspaper image so that it fits into the bottom of the bottle cap.

Using a pain brush, apply a layer of Mod Podge to the bottom of the bottle cap, place the image overtop, and then seal it in with another layer of Mod Podge.

You can continue on with making and attaching the bracelet component, but treat the pendant delicately as it will take about 12 hours to dry.

Step 3: The Bracelet

The great thing about the basic (AKA single) Rainbow Loom bracelet it is you actually don't need a loom to do it, since it's only threading one elastic through another over and over. Here is the tutorial I used for that. Doing it this way is an especially good idea since essentially you are making two lengths of bracelet and connecting them at one end by the pendant, and at the other by the clip (visible in the photo).