Sparkle and shine from canning jar rims.
My canning jars needed an upgrade. They’re hand-me-downs from my mom, so after years of pickles and preserves, it was time for new rims. But what to do with the old rims?
Turn them into dress-up bling!
They have all the necessary ingredients for 5-year-old jewelry bliss: jangly noises when worn together, shiny metallics, and sparkly beads.
My helper got creative with the bracelet at the upper left. She wove wire in and out of the holes, string beads along the way.
Here’s how my 5-year-old and I made old canning jar rims into fun new bangles.
Supplies
- old canning jar rims
- block of wood
- safety goggles
- hammer
- center punch
- pliers
- metal file
- non-toxic spray paint
- latex gloves
- newspaper
-
Position the center punch on the inside of the rim.
- screwdriver (for removing spray paint cap)
- beading or craft wire
- round nose pliers
- beads
- messy workbench (optional)
1. Place the side of the rim on the block of wood. Position the center punch where you’d like the hole and hit with hammer until you punch through the rim. Punch hole from inside to outside of rim. If a smidgen of metal remains in the hole, pull it off with a pliers.
2. After you’ve made as many holes as you’d like, file each hole with a metal file to remove sharp edges.
Filing the burrs.
3. Spread newspaper in well ventilated area, don latex gloves and spray paint inside and outside of each rim. We used gold and silver and gave each band two coats.
4. After the paint has dried, add beads. Cut a 2 inch piece of wire. Grab the end of the wire with a round nose pliers and roll the pliers make several loops in a row. Thread wire through hole in rim, so the loop is on the inside.
5. Thread bead(s) onto wire. Cut excess wire so you have 1/4 to 1/2 inch of wire above beads. Grab the end of the wire with a round nose pliers and roll the pliers back toward the wire to make a series of small loops.
Little spirals of wire hold the beads in place.
6. Although you are finished, allow the bracelet to cure for 7 days to a month so that the paints are non-toxic to the skin. Rust-oleum said its spray paint is nontoxic within 7 days. Krylon suggested waiting 30 days for paint to cure fully to a non-toxic state. If you’re not sure, call the manufacturer.
Safety and other notes
- Always wear eye protection when hammering, filing and spray painting.
- Be sure the paint you use can be worn against the skin and that it does not contain lead. If you’re unsure, call the manufacturer. I used Krylon silver crafter’s paint and Rust-oleum metallic paint.
- Spray paint can be removed from your forehead with nail polish remover.
