Make Earrings from Ballpoint Pen Caps

Before: Ballpoint pens

As soon as we saw the purple caps of these ballpoint pens, my daughter and I were excited. The color was yummy and we decided the caps would make great cone components for earrings. We used brass wire and added a pearl dangle taking advantage of leftover pearl earrings from an old beading project.

After: Pen cap earrings by GeltDesigns.com

Materials
2 ballpoint pen caps
2 pearls
headpin or  20-gauge brass wire
ear wires or 22-gauge brass wire

Tools

Gather your tools

Jewelry saw and blades
Chain nose pliers
Round nose pliers
Needle files


Wire cutter
Nylon jaw pliers
Steel bench blockRawhide mallet


Step 1

Cut off the tails of the pen caps

Cut off the "tail" of the ballpoint pen cap with a jewelry saw to create a cone. The pen caps we selected are a lovely shade of purple, but you can use any caps you like. If needed, sand the caps with sandpaper until smooth.

Step 2

Make loop below pearl

Feed a pearl on the wire. Make a very small loop below the pearl so the pearl will stay on the wire.

Step 3
Measure 2 mm less than the length of the pen cap (about 2 inches) and make a second larger loop at the other end of the wire. Wrap the excess wire to secure the loop. Trim the excess wire with a wire cutter and file the ends of the wire until smooth using needle files.

Step 4
Make a loop on another piece of wire. Secure the wire wrapped loop of the pearl drop to the loop of the second piece of wire. Feed the second wire through the top of the cone of the pen cap until the loop is at the very top of the cone. (Our pen cap had a hole at the top of the cone, but some do not and may need to be drilled).

Step 5
 Create a third loop on the outside of the cone. Wrap to secure the loop and hold the pearl dangle in place. Trim the excess wire. File the ends of the wire smooth with a needle file.

Note: Only the third loop will be visible on the finished earring, so take care that this third loop is round, well wrapped and as close to perfect as possible.

Attach the ear wires

Step 6
Make the ear wires. Place the formed ear wires on the steel bench block and hammer with the rawhide mallet to harden the ear wires.

Step 7
Attach the ear wires to the loop at the top of the cone.


Related Tutorials
How to Make "Fish Hook" Ear Wires
Make Earrings from Copper Wire
Make Earrings from an iTunes Gift Card
Make Dog Earrings from Toys
Make Earrings from Scrap Wire  

Further Reading
"101 Wire Earrings: Step-by-Step Projects and Techniques"; Denise Peck; 2009.
"The Earring Style Book: Making Designer Earrings, Capturing Celebrity Style, and Getting the Look for Less"; Stephanie A. Wells; 2010.

Day 112. Month 5. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent: 0
Found materials: ballpoint pen caps
New Jewelry a Day.   

Make a Bracelet from Beer Bottle Caps

Before: Beer bottle caps

Bottle caps are a great material for jewelry making. In this simple project, we collected some interesting beer bottle caps. The bottle caps we decided to use were made by Lion Brewery have a nice design on the bottle cap itself and puzzles printed inside the cap.

We used the bottle caps "as is" without any further decoration. We simply drilled the bottle caps, made links and findings and constructed the bracelet... but you can change the look entirely by decorating the back of the bottle cap with decoupage or by using the bottle cap as a bezel and filling the bottle caps with resin, polymer clay or the item of your choice.

Materials
Beer bottle caps
16-gauge round brass wire


Tools

Gather tools

Automatic center punch
Drill and size 41 drill (.096) bit

Half-round file
Chain nose pliers
Round nose pliers
Wire cutter
Needle files or wire rounder
Steel bench block
Rawhide mallet

Step 1
Select the bottle caps and determine the order used for the bracelet.

Step 2

Mark bottle cap with center punch

Mark the bottle caps where you want to drill. Use an automatic center punch to indent the marked spot before drilling so the drill bit does not slip and the bottle cap does not go flying.


Step 3

Drill beer bottle cap

Drill each bottle cap. We used five bottle caps to create a bracelet about 8-1/2 inches long.


Step 4
Use round nose pliers, bail forming pliers or a mandrel to make large "S" shaped linked from the 16-gauge brass wire. We made four links to piece together the five bottle caps. 

File the ends of the wire until smooth using the needle file, wire rounder or a cup bur and flex shaft. Place the links on the steel bench block and hammer with the rawhide mallet to harden the links so they retain shape. 

Step 5

Make clasp and attach to bottle cap bracelet

Make the "S" clasp. File the ends smooth. Hit the clasp with the mallet to harden the metal.

Assemble the bottle cap bracelet

Step 6
Assemble the bracelet parts.


Related Tutorials
Make Cuff Links from Beer Bottle Caps
Make Earrings from Plastic Bottle Caps
Make a Necklace from Plastic Bottle Caps

After: Bottle cap bracelet by GeltDesigns.com

Make Chanukah Menorah Earrings from Plastic Bottle Caps
How to Select a Cup Burr

Further Reading
"500 Bracelets: An Inspiring Collection of Extraordinary Designs (500 Series)"; Lark, 2005.


Day 111. Month 5. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent: 0
Found materials: beer bottle caps
New Jewelry a Day.  

Make a Bracelet from a Plastic Box Handle

Before: box handle

This is a quick and easy project made from the handle of a box. Soften and form the plastic, drill holes and add findings for a chic new bracelet.

Materials
Box handle

After: Bracelet by GeltDesigns.com

16-gauge brass wire 

Tools
Automatic  center punch

Gather tools

Drill and drill bit
Chain nose pliers
Wire cutters
Rawhide mallet
Steel block
Bail making pliers

Step 1
Gather your tools and equipment.

Step 2

Drill holes in plastic handle

Mark the plastic handle with an automatic center punch. Drill a hole in each side of the handle.

Step 3
Place the plastic handle in very warm (but not boiling) water and shape the plastic until it takes the form of a cuff bracelet.

Step 4
Use the bail making pliers to create a heavy "S" clasp using the 16-gauge brass wire. Cut off excess wire using the wire cutters. File the ends of the wire smooth using a cup bur, needle file or sandpaper.

Bracelet by GeltDesigns.com

Step 5
Place the formed wire clasp on the steel block and hit the clasp with the rawhide mallet to harden the metal and prevent the clasp from becoming misshapen.


Step 6
Feed the formed clasp through the drilled holes.

Related Tutorials
Make a Bracelet from a Handle
Make Your Own "S" Clasp

Day 111. Month 5. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent: 0
Found materials: box handle New Jewelry a Day.