Make these retro-look refrigerator magnets with bottle caps, charming images, and clear casting resin.

Cute as a button – or a bottle cap. These magnets are vintage all the way, with happy children's faces in a retro bottle cap settings. The casting resin adds a permanent sparkle. Don't you love recycled crafts?

Materials

• Vintage images (Adobe PDF file), about 1” X 1”, printed on photo paper.
• Bottle caps – the twist-off kind from soda.
• Clear casting resin and catalyst. You’ll need a 1-oz measure and a disposable mixing container.
• Contact cement.
• Small adhesive-backed magnetic discs.
• Craft knife and cutting mat, or scissors.
• A good old 25-cent quarter as a circle template – or a 1” circular craft punch.
  

Instructions

1. Using the quarter as your template, trace a circle on each image. Cut them out.
2. Glue each image inside the bottom of a bottle cap, using the contact cement.
3. Mix the casting resin with the catalyst, following the manufacturer’s directions. You’ll need about 1-oz for six caps. (This stuff sticks. Protect yourself, your clothes and your table.)
4. Fill each bottle cap to the rim with resin mixture and let dry for 3-4 days.
5. Stick the magnetic discs on the backs. If you have to glue them on with contact cement, let them dry overnight.

Tips

• Twist-off bottle caps are better than the pry-off ones, because those usually end up bent.
• To measure 1-oz of resin without ruining your measuring cup: Measure 1-oz of water into a disposable plastic cup (non-waxed). Mark the water level on the side with a marker, dry out the cup, then pour in resin to the mark.
• You’ll be tempted to shortcut gluing the images into the caps, thinking the resin will hold them down. But no - the resin will get under them and push them up. VOE (Voice of Experience)
• You can create thumbtacks, too! Just use strong contact cement to attach thumbtacks to the backs.
• Think of the thematic possibilities! Lucky symbols like shamrocks, Christmas pictures, flowers, dogs or cats, spell out a friend’s name… whee! Give them as gifts, stuck inside a small metal box.