45th project completed - a 'stained glass' keyring

I am finding it hard to believe it is Saturday again already. So what did I make with the plastic packaging? 

A 'stained glass' keyring. Does any one remember shrinkies / shrinkie dinks??? Well the type of plastic found in some plastic packaging has very similar properties. You will find it labelled number 6 on the recycling stamp marked on the packaging (it has to be the non-foam type number 6).


Materials needed

• Number 6 type plastic
• Permanent marker pens
• Key chain ring and chain
• 4 x Jewellery pins
• Some small beads and 4 x handmade sweetie wrapper beads (as made in project 1 of the challenge)
• A small piece of tin foil
• Multi purpose glue (like UHU)

Instructions

1. The first job is to thoroughly clean your packaging making sure any labels are completely removed and no sticky glue remains.

2. Cut a section from the bottom of your packaging and using the permanent pens, decorate it as desired. I drew random intersecting lines on mine but you could draw a motif or favourite design instead. Outline in a black pen to simulate the leaded lines separating the panes.

3. Place in an oven at about 180 degrees Celsius. It will curl up then settle down flat again but shrunken when it is ready. Once cooled, glue your piece onto a small piece of tin foil to accentuate the colours.

4. Trim to a desired shape and punch a hole at the top to accommodate the key ring.

5. Thread some beads onto the jewellery pins and make a hook at one end. 

 

6. Now pierce 4 holes in the bottom of your piece to take the jewellery pins. Thread them through and turn in the end to form a loop to attach.

7. To finish add the key chain and there you are, a highly unusual key ring made from recycled plastic packaging.

44th project completed - A buttercup ring

I have noticed lately that there is a fashion for large plastic rings around at the moment so I thought I would have a go at my own. Here's mine .........

A buttercup ring made from the 'butter' tub!

Materials

• Yellow plastic butter tub
• Ring blank or Gold wire and a scrap of yellow craft foam
• 3 light green seed beads
• Super glue
• Needle & thread
• Small sharp decoupage scissors

Instructions

1. The first step is to remove all the borders from the tub so you have flat sheets of plastic to work with. Then cut a small simple 5 petal flower shape from a piece of the plastic.

2. Now cut a small circle from another piece of the tub which looks the right size to make the centre of the flower and cut slits around the edge towards the centre as shown above. Now using a heat gun gently heat the edges of your circle so they start to curl up slightly and separate. You will need to hold down the centre of the circle with a pair of tweezers and do the heating in short bursts to avoid a melted mess!

3. Using the super glue, stick the two parts together and leave to dry. Once completely dry, glue 3 light green seed beads onto the centre of the flower using super glue and set aside to dry completely. 

4. If you do not have a ring blank (like me), you will now need to make a ring. Wind a length of wire around your finger 3 times make sure it feels comfortable and is not too tight. Now neatly bind the 3 strands together tightly with some more wire making sure the edges of the wire are covered.

 

5. Cut a small circle from a scrap of yellow craft foam and stitch it firmly to the wire ring.

You now have a ring blank - of sorts!

6. Now glue your flower onto your ring back and there you are a cute little flower ring! 

I could have painted out the printing on the back of the flower but I thought it was actually quite nice to leave it there!

42nd project completed - perfect autumnal earrings

Well what did I make with the fir cones and sycamore seeds?

Two pairs of autumnal earrings! 

Materials needed (Sycamore earrings)

• Two sycamore seeds
• Permanent Marker pens
• Earring hooks
• Jewellery Pliers 
• PVA Glue

Materials needed (Fir cone earrings)

• Two small fir cones
• Some semi - precious stone chip beads (taken from a broken necklace)
• A few small silver beads
• Earring wires and hooks
• Hot Glue Gun
• Jewellery Pliers

Instructions (Sycamore Earrings)

1. Take your sycamore seeds and very carefully, draw on a small design using the permanent pens ( I did a simple 1/2 tree design using the seed head and spine as a trunk!) See above.

2. Give both sides a coat of PVA glue to add a shine and some protection

3. Once completely dry, pierce a small hole in each top just large enough to take the earring hook.

4. Very carefully attach the earring hooks using jewellery pliers and there you have it a highly unusual pair of earrings, bound to cause a stir!

Instructions (Fir cone earrings) 

1. Using a hot glue gun, glue the jewellery wires to the back of your fir cones. Then very carefully bend them so they curve around the shape of the cone and stand up straight, you don't want wonky earrings!!!!

2. Add a few beads to the wire and then attach an earring hook after making a small loop at the top with the jewellery pliers. 

There we are, two very simple but very interesting pairs of earrings!!!

24th Project Completed - Floaty 'feather' earrings

What a dreadful day weather wise! I don't think it stopped raining for more than a few minutes all day! Mind you it did give me some inspiration for this week's project. I was watching a dove in the back garden this morning and as it started to rain it fluttered away. As it flew it dropped one of it's feathers and it reminded me of a project I did a long time ago using heavy interfacing. It struck me that it would work just as well with the plastic milk container I needed to use so here it is..................

A pair of feather earrings made from a recycled milk container!

Materials used

• A 2l plastic milk container
• Scissors
• Large 'wool' needle
• Jump rings and earring wires taken from some broken jewellery
• Jewellery pliers

Instructions

1. Cut off the top and bottom of the container, remove the label and cut open the middle piece to create a flat sheet.

  

2. Cut out 2 larger feather shapes and 2 smaller ones. Then with sharp scissors, cut small slits (about 1mm wide down each side. Then using a wool needle score lines on the back to add detail and shape the feather. 

3. Now pierce a hole through the top of each feather and using the jump rings attach one large feather and one small feather to each earring wire.

There we have it a fab pair of earrings suitable for all occasions!