I cannot look at my garbage or recycling bin without pondering ways to use the things creatively. It has become a habit that as an artist and art teacher, serves me well.
My husband likes Yoplait yogurt and stocks up on it whenever it is on sale. I was tossing the empties in the recycling bin for a while, but then decided to save them for possible preschool art projects. Recently, I took one up to my studio, just to have it sitting about, hoping inspiration would strike.
I was playing around with several ideas when the idea of a bracelet popped into my crazy brain. I have been making jewelry out of all kinds of things for years so this wasn't such a stretch. In fact, most recently I have designed several pretties out of toilet paper rolls. Yep, making Toilet Paper Roll Owls spurred a whole other art form. (I will be showing my toilet paper roll bracelets in a future post.)
You will need
- Clean, empty Yoplait yogurt container
- An idea for a pattern to create
- Acrylic craft paints
- Various size/shape artist brushes
- Two pairs of scissors, one for cutting the yogurt container & the other for fabric only
- Hole punch
- Sharpie for tracing
- Scrap of denim or other fabric
- Ribbon or some sort of tie. (I used a draw string from an old pair of men's pajama pants)
- Elmer's or other brand spray adhesive
- Paint on varnish (I used high gloss Polyurethane)
Start with a clean, empty yogurt container
Cut the off the top rim, as shown. Cut off the bottom edge, as well. Make a vertical cut to make the opening of the bracelet. Following the line of the Nutrition Facts box makes it easy.
Paint background color of your choice
Begin adding design.
And more detail.
Let dry. Don't forget to sign it.
Apply three coats of varnish, letting dry in between coats, following manufacturers instructions.
When dry, trace outline of bracelet on to a fabric scrap.
Use your favorite spray adhesive to adhere fabric to the back of the bracelet. Be sure to use a couple of big scraps of paper or a magazine to protect your work surface from the sticky spray! Apply the adhesive to the fabric, not the bracelet.
Smooth out to make sure it stuck well.
Trim any excess fabric even with bracelet.
Using a small brush, carefully paint the edge with your background color.
This part was a bit difficult. Using a paper punch, punch two holes on each side of bracelet. The next time I will punch the bracelet before I have added the fabric and then match up the punch with the hole and re-punch after the fabric is adhered.
Thread drawstring or ribbon through the holes, as shown. I carefully melted the cut edge of the drawstring by running a lit match across it.
I love it. It's durable, soft, and pliable, almost like patent leather. That's me in the photo in the background as a ten year-old. I keep this picture in my work place to remind me to nurture that sweet, imaginative little girl because she is precious.
And here's another little collage!
I know this post is almost 4 years old, but I had to comment on the beauty of your bracelet. We use a lot of yogurt cups every week. I started making my own but since we use so much it was a never ending challenge. Hence empty yogurt cups. I've been looking for some ideas on how to upcycle the empties and found your website. We use a different brand so the results would be different but I do have a young granddaughter who might be able to do this with some help and patience. (Waiting for things to dry - and she only comes once a week. sigh) I can't wait until we finish our current "project" to try this at her level!
ReplyDeleteLinda, how did I miss your nice comment? I just now saw it and you left it almost 5 months ago. Thank you so much!! I hope you are able to do lots of creating with your young granddaughter. I now have two little grandsons and the four year old is loving creating with me when we are together, which is not often enough as he lives far away! Thank you again for taking the time to leave a comment. :)
Delete