Recycled PET Soda Bottle Ring

I usually like to post a craft project once a week, but with visiting friends, the holiday, and working on a paper mache creation that's taking too long to dry, I am a bit behind. Thinking of something that's no cost and quick to make, all I had to do was look in my recycle trash bin for a solution.  I've always wanted to make jewelry out of  plastic bottles . . . I think they are cool, chic and a great way to help the environment (if only in a small way) and to re-use some old PET plastic bottles.  PET stands for polyethylene terephthalate   Take a look at the bottom of your soft drink bottle and you will most likely find a logo as shown below and the number 1 there.  PET is also used to make bottles for water, juice, sports drinks, beer, mouthwash, catsup, and salad dressing. 

You can also find it on your food jars for peanut butter, jam, jelly, and pickles as well as in microwavable food trays.  
It is in fact very natural, and is made from really old plants.  PET is highly recyclable and can be transformed again and again to un-imagined use such as fiber for carpets, t-shirts, or fleece jackets, fiberfill for sleeping bags, winter coats, and dog beds, industrial strapping; and automotive parts such as headliners, bumpers, and door panels.

That being said, I'm making an easy to craft floral ring using the following materials:

#1 plastic soda bottle with smooth sides
Magic marker or Sharpie /alcohol
Candle
Scissors
E6000 glue
Nail polish
Seed beads
Mod podge
Ring base

• After cutting out the smooth plastic of a PET soda bottle, draw three or four different circle sizes using a magic marker or sharpie and cut out.  Use alcohol to remove the black ink from the circles.

• Using a lighted candle, hold each plastic circle over the heat from the flame and carefully move the plastic around as it curls up or down.  Remember not to get the plastic too close to the flame.  Tweezers can be used to help with holding and shaping the plastic into petals. 

• Once the petals are shaped to your liking and cooled,  pour a small amount of nail polish onto the petals and move around until the polish is covering each petal.  Allow to dry.

• Starting with the largest petal, glue the next size, one by one, on top in the center, using E6000 and allow to dry.

• Mix a small amount of mod podge and seed beads and place in center of smallest petal and let dry.

• Glue completed flower to ring base using E6000 and allow to dry overnight before wearing.

Plastic bottle jewelry is really beautiful and quite different.  Brooches, necklaces, pendants, in addition to rings, can be made from plastic bottles.  Some can be quite intricate with each piece being unique with no two alike.  Just use your imagination and try it!

                       Take a little time to enjoy

and

Happy Crafting!