How To Make A Water Bottle Flower Pendant
This tutorial is a fun way to recycle water bottles into jewelry. I was originally experimenting to see if I could get a shrink plastic type of effect with water bottles, but realized that water bottles don't react the same way shrink plastic reacts. The water bottle did, however, have a very cool reaction to heat and I loved the way the bottom of the bottle looked like a flower, so I painted it, embellished it and turned it into a flower pendant!!! You don't need a lot of materials to make these and they are truly beautiful and unique. Also, you'll get different shapes of flowers depending on how you cut out the bottom of the bottle. Try cutting it more like a circle at times, or a little wavy at others and experiment with different shapes.
I used a heat embossing tool to heat up the plastic. If you don't have a heat embossing tool, you can bring the plastic close to a candle flame (but not touching it). Be very cautious when heating up the plastic and use tongs to hold it so that you don't get burned.
I used a heat embossing tool to heat up the plastic. If you don't have a heat embossing tool, you can bring the plastic close to a candle flame (but not touching it). Be very cautious when heating up the plastic and use tongs to hold it so that you don't get burned.
Materials Needed
- Plastic Water Bottle
- Nail Polish
- Embellishments (glitter, rhinestones, etc.)
- Glossy Accents (Or other clear adhesive)
- Jumpring
Tools Needed
- Scissors
- Heat Embossing Gun (or candle)
- Small hole punch
- Jewelry-making pliers
- Tongs or tweezers (to hold plastic while applying heat)
Instructions
Step 1: Use scissors to cut the bottom off of a plastic water bottle.
Step 2: Using tongs or tweezers, apply heat to the plastic using either a heat embossing tool or a candle flame. If you're using a candle flame to heat the plastic, be very cautious and don't apply the plastic directly to the flame. Just a little bit of heat will make the plastic start to contort.
Step 3: Use the small hole punch to make holes where you would like to add a jumpring to hang the pendant.
Step 4: Use nail polish to paint the pendant. You may need between 2 and 3 coats. Let dry between coats.
Step 5: Embellish the flower pendant. Use Glossy Accents or another clear adhesive to add rhinestones, pearls, beads, glitter or microbeads to the center of the flower. Let dry.
Step 6: Once the glue has dried, shake off excess glitter or microbeads and you're ready to use your recycled water bottle flower pendant!
Some Ideas For Your Flower Pendants
- You can make beautiful mixed media necklaces by adding other recycled items like in the picture below. I made the statement necklace using the flower pedant, paper beads, drops from an old chandelier and an assortment of other beads. Mix new and old together for a unique look.
- If you want a simpler look, string the pendant onto a chain or necklace cord.
- Make two identical flowers for dramatic, yet light weight earrings.
- Use the flower as the focal point of a bracelet.