Almost every weekend you can find Honey rocking on his back porch enjoying a frosty beverage while he watches one sporting event or another. For years I have asked him to collect the colorful bottle caps. They were too pretty to throw away!
It’s a good thing I did because the boys and I used the bottle caps to create an awesome piece of Bottle Cap Art for Honey’s Father’s Day gift!
Supplies for creating Bottle Cap Art
250-300 flattened bottle caps
16″ x 20″ canvas
Black paint
hot glue gun & lots of glue
needle nose pliers
Flattening the bottle caps was a great job for the boys. We needed a lot so it kept them busy for an afternoon. I only had to break up a few fights over which one had the best whammer-hammer!
Each of us developed our own technique for flatten the caps but there were a few things we learned.
Tips for flattening bottle caps:
- Use a heavy hammer (a large rubber mallet worked okay but the heavy duty hammer was the one they fought over)
- Start with the cap upside down on a concrete surface (we did our work on the garage floor)
- Pound on the caps until they are flat as can be (the flatter the cap the easier they are to glue down)
Prep the canvas by painting it black. Black spray paint made it a super quick job!
Next use a pencil to draw out the shape you would like to create. Since it’s for Honey’s back porch, I decided to make the shape of the state we live in: South Carolina. But you can choose any shape you’d like.
Before I began to hot glue bottle caps down all willy-nilly I laid out the design to see what it would look like. I realized very quickly we needed more caps to over the entire canvas.
“Boy children! Back to whammer-hammering!”
When you are ready start hot gluing caps along the bottom then add rows as you go. It’s really like a giant puzzle. You have to search for caps that will fit into each space. Use the needle nose pliers to create caps with straight edges. Just bend and flatten with the pliers.
Hint: Prop up the canvas then walk away for a few minutes. Then stand back and take a look at your design. This will help you “see” how your artwork is developing.
Ask others to look at the piece if you can. Big Boy just completed fourth grade so he should know what our state looks like. I knew I was on the right track when he said, “Hey Mama! That does look like South Carolina!”
Our Bottle Cap Artwork looks fabulous on Honey’s back porch!
Here’s a few icy brews waiting for Honey’s Father’s Day weekend!
The boys are so excited to show their Daddy what we made for him!
Your comments totally make my day! They give me huge motivation to keep creating and having fun with my 3 Little Greenwoods!
I link up with these fun parties!
Love the bottle cap picture… It’s a great picture for father day! Thanks for visiting my blog.
Hugs maria
Our Bottle Cap Artwork looks great on my husband’s back porch! So happy you like our project!
~ Ashley
I have a pile of growing bottle caps and have been wondering if I was crazy saving them! Nope I knew what I was doing, just needed some direction! This is a super gift! 😀
My sister-in-law has already put her order in for a Christmas gift! We (and all our friends) better get to drinking! 🙂
~ Ashley
What kind of glue did you use? Is it holding up ok?
Awesome! I love this!
I’m so glad you like our bottle cap artwork!
~ Ashley
Excellent job! I love it….can see this as a wonderful project for 3yr old grandson. Thanks for sharing and tell the kids they did a GREAT JOB!
Our boys loved beating those bottle caps down! I just might have to keep collecting them to give the boys something to do during the summer.
xoxo,
Ashley
What a creative idea! Thanks for sharing your ideas with us at the Be.You.Tiful Link Party! We hope to see you again 🙂
Thanks so much Caitlin! I love partying with your ladies!
~ Ashley
Such a fun idea! I love it!!
Thanks so much Megan! Our boys loved helping me make it for their Daddy!
~ Ashley
This is so cute! I can think of so many places where this would look good but a man’s area is perfect. We are wine drinkers at my house but I have a friend who is a serious beer tester 😉 so I am passing this on to his wife!
Stacy
Thanks so much for passing on my Bottle Cap Art to your friend! I hope she loves it!
~ Ashley
This is great! Such a fun take on mosaic art. Great gift for the manly man!! 🙂
x Crystelle
Crystelle Boutique
Hey Crystelle! It does look like a mosaic, doesn’t it? So happy you like our artwork!
~ Ashley
Wow what an amazing DIY project – something the kids can be involved in through every step. Very attractive folk art.
Our boys loved helping with their Daddy’s Father’s Day gift! So excited that you like it!
~ Ashley
Hi Ashley. What a fun and easy project. I found you on One Project at a Time. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much for the comment love! So happy you liked our Bottle Cap Artwork!
~ Ashley
so neat! love it and appreciate all the tips on how to make our own! 🙂
Project tips are the best aren’t they? Nothing I ever do goes as planned so I love when crafters really share how they adjusted to their problems. 🙂
~ Ashley
So cute! Now I want to make one. Thanks for the inspiration!
Start saving those bottle caps! It takes a ton but turned out so great!
~ Ashley
I like this idea,although i wouldn’t flatten thw caps,i would just stack them and give the art a 3d feel. Where are you from? Greenwood,s.c.,,,im from greer s.c.,i love thw Greenwood area.
Stacking the caps would make the art piece have a cool, layered look. Great idea!
What a great project! I love the idea of making the design in the shape of a state! I’d be thrilled if you linked this up to my Creative Ways Link Party that’s live right now. Hope to see you there!
Blessings,
Nici
Thanks so much for the invite! I’ve just linking up, added your fun party to my list, and am a new follower! 🙂
~ Ashley
And here I was all excited because we made bugs out of bottle caps last week, LOL! 😀 That’s very creative! And it looks great on your porch.
Bugs from bottle caps?! Awesome! Hopping over to check out your posts. Maybe we can use our leftover bottle caps to create some creatures too.
~ Ashley
Such a neat idea! I’m sharing this with an artist friend of mine!
I LOVE this!! Great gift idea!
We’d love to have you link up with the Caffeinated Crafters this week!
http://www.chaosandlove.com/caffeinated-crafters-link-party-2/
What a great way to use up bottle caps! I’ve been hanging on to a bunch for ages and you’ve inspired me 🙂 Thanks for the tips on flattening them, always wondered how best to do it! Great post!
I had to research the best way to flatten the caps for our project. 🙂 So happy you liked our project!
~ Ashley
What a fun way to use up all those bottle caps and make such a unique gift! You did a great job, we would love it if you linked up with our party this week! http://www.kraftingkreations.com/2014/06/awesome-things-tuesday.html
Hey Amanda! I’ll add your party to my list. Thanks for the invite!
~ Ashley
Wow!! What a great idea!! LOVE it! 🙂
Hey Steph! Our Bottle Cap Artwork looks so great on Honey’s Man Room Back Porch! And it only took almost 300 caps to make it. We better get to sampling beer again to have enough to make another one. 😉
~ Ashley
Great idea. I’m going to bookmark this one. Now I have to start saving the caps!
Have a great weekend!
I’m so excited you liked our Bottle Cap Art! Bet your going to begin to look at those caps first before you grab some beverages from now on. 😉
~ Ashley
I’m loving this bottle cap art! In fact, I love it so much, I’m featuring it this week at Creative Spark Link Party! Hope to see you again Wednesday!
Woot woot! Thanks so much for the feature! I always love partying with you ladies!
~ Ashley
Love all the colors! I picked this as a Do Tell Tuesday feature today-stop by to grab a featured button and thanks for linking up!
I love that your featured my Bottle Cap Artwork! My boys had the best time pounding the caps to help make this project!
~ Ashley
What a fabulous idea. Looks wonderful!
My husband would LOVE this!! I have always loved the colorful caps as well but could never come up with reason enough to save them. I have to start saving them now! Thanks for the inspiration!!
My Honey does love this on his Man Porch! Bottles up! 😉
~ Ashley
Hi
Stop by Fabulous Friday this week, I have featured your Button Art
Thanks
Maria
Yay! So excited for the feature!
~ Ashley