Can Do

I read a lot of graphic design and packaging design blogs because I'm obsessed with graphics, especially marketing and logo graphics.

I know some people remember where they were when Kennedy was shot or when the moon landing came on TV, but I remember things like where I was when I first saw my first Absolut Vodka ad, or more recently, when I saw that STUNNING new limited edition white Coke Can.

I love how bold and clean and pure the design is. I think I held my breath for a while when I saw the concept art for it. Stunning.

I normally only drink fizzy water and tea, but I had to get my hands on that can.

After a yummy and rare icy Coke, I carefully cut the can open, and ran it through my Big Shot with my new Framelits Label die from the upcoming Occasions Mini catalog.

It cut through the aluminum like a dream.

I cut a second, larger piece with the next biggest framelit from red glimmer paper.

And in a move completely unlike my non-traditional approach to holiday colors, I added some teeny, delicate, Lucky Limeade organdy ribbon.

The sentiment is from Grateful Greetings.

Don't those gorgeous, ghostly bears just make your eyes happy? I love that the design is built just with negative space.

Stunning, Coca-Cola, just stunning. I will miss this packaging when it's gone.

I'm off to see if there's something I can do with the similarly beautiful box.

Bottle Cap, Bottle Cap, oh Bottle, Bottle Cap!

You know, sung to the tune of Lollipop! :) I guess I'm feeling musical today.

I saw some ADORABLE bottlecap ornaments on Pinterest (of course now I can't find the link, so if you saw them, please let me know) that had a little bottle brush Christmas tree inside and they were so cute!

I wanted to see if I could make something similar without buying anything new - always a temptation, and I came up with a few I like.

What you need is a bottlecap, a pipe cleaner (I like the metallic and iridescent ones), a 1" circle punch (or you can print and hand cut circles) and small die cut shapes, stickers, or stamp images and ephemera, mini glue dots and liquid glue, and an optional large plastic silver or gold bead.

Start by "training" your pipe cleaner so that it is easier to hold and assemble. Trust me, it will get a life of its own and spring from your hand in an unexpected way if not properly humbled. You also need to train a circle from another piece of pipe cleaner to line the inside of the cap if you want. When you are done training, your newly obedient pipe cleaners should look like this.

Leave yourself four or five inches of pipe cleaner above this crook for a hanger. See the little bent part at the end of the crook? That's important - that will secure the pipe cleaner at the end.

Next, run a little glue around the inside of the edge of the bottlecap and put a 1" circle of paper inside - this can be anything. I chose the First Edition designer paper because I wanted a text background.

Next, run a line of glue around the inside edge of the paper - this will secure your little circle of pipe cleaner to the inside.

Apply glue to your little die cut or image and glue that to the center of your paper, adjusting position if needed.

The die cuts in mine are cut from the Merry Details Sizzlit.

Put three glue dots on your bottle cap - one on the very bottom and one on each side. With the bent end of the crook at the top center of the bottle cap, press the pipe cleaner to the glue dots to secure.

Hold the little bent end against the straight stem of the pipe cleaner hanger and slide the bead down until it touches the top of the bottle cap ornament.

Bend the end of the pipe cleaner into a hanging hook and you're all done!!

Today, I found some things that might make this even more fun. 1" circle epoxy stickers and some blank bottlecaps in various colors.

This could get addicting!!

Happy Reanimating! Thanks for stopping by!