Finally Friday

Well here it is Friday and who doesn't like to start the weekend with a brewski? Just remember to save the bottle caps!  Save those caps (I prefer Bud Light Lime) and once you have collected a few, take the caps out and spray paint with your favorite color.

I like to use a brown primer spray, but use your imagination!  You can paint them black, neon green, pink, or Christmas red.

There are many sites that offer free or low cost graphics to use with your caps.  I chose my design from EweNmePrintables.com.  They are already in a one inch circle format.  I turned the printed page upside down and used a one inch circle punch (you can view the photo from the bottom of the punch) but you can use a scissors.  Even if they are not perfect, that's fine.  Once they are cut out, glue them inside the cap.

Coat the photo with ModPodge.  Though it goes on white, it will dry clear.  When dry, fill the cap with a resin, or I found this ModPodge dimensional filler.  Again, it looks white but dries clear.

This needs to dry overnight.  While drying, I like to make my tags.  Using a regular manilla tag that you would find at a office supply store, tea stain the tag.  I put a strong instant tea mixture in a plastic container and soak the tags until they are the stain that I desire.  If you don't like the primitive look, you can omit this step.  I like to lay my tags out in the sun to dry but you can put them in a 200 degree oven until dry as well.  (Just be careful!  You don't want a tag fire!)

When dry, I like to put a faint snowflake stamp on my tags.  I use a tiny stamper and lightly brush a light buttermilk paint on the stamp.  Apply to the dry tag.  (You will want to randomly stamp and I even like to make them run off the edge of the tag)

Finish off your tags by gluing the bottle cap at desired location, stamp or print message on tag, and use yarn, ribbon or twine to hang.

You can use these tags to decorate packages, hang on your tree, or use for gift giving. 

But don't stop there!  Think outside the bottle cap!   You can also put a photo of your favorite person or pet in the cap and glue a pin back on it, (Grandma would love this!) or use a clasp and make a necklace.  Make a fun ring or print letters in the cap and string together for a "HAPPY HOLIDAYS" garland.  Dip the cap in glitter, either colored or white and make small ornaments for your tree. 

The possibilities are endless!  Drink up!