Do you have a pile of aluminum cans in recycling bin purgatory? Well, if you have been around here long, you know I love to cut my cans and form them into various upcycled jewelry pieces. Today, I am going to show you how I used a coke can, a bezel and some resin to create this fun, one of a kind heart pendant. It would make a lovely gift for many occasions, and especially the rapidly approaching Valentine’s Day Holiday. I made it for a gift and personalized it with a monogram stamped charm. You don’t need a lot of expensive supplies and equipment to one of these yourself. Here is how…
SUPPLIES
Empty Soda Can, rinsed with warm soapy water
Jewelry Shoppe Heart Bezel and corresponding heart paper punch (got mine at Hobby Lobby)
-OR-
Any heart shape bezel and a sharpie or other permanent marker
Glossy Accents or other metal glue
Grungeboard or scrap cardboard
Embossing folder and machine
3 colors of acrylic paint
Metal paint primer (I used Martha Stewart’s)
INSTRUCTIONS
This project came about as I was doing another project that I haven’t shared with you yet. There was a leftover aluminum can punched heart shape, and I remembered I had the corresponding bezel. I found the bezel and paper punch at Hobby Lobby (by My Jewelry Shoppe) a couple of months back. I decided to emboss the heart and add some acrylic paint and Liquid Pearls for a cool effect.
For the other project, I needed rectangles with a heart cut out in the middle. If you just want the heart shape used in this tutorial, you don’t have to worry about cutting perfect rectangles. Just primer and paint your can sheet and punch the heart shape from it. I showed you how to cut the cans into a sheet in the video here…


Now apply a second paint color over your base (Ranger Paint Dauber color Pool used here).
Let dry and and sand with sanding block to distress as desired. Not shown here, but in my final pendant, I added a third paint color. The red made the pendant pop. If you sand away too much paint, it’s ok. Just paint again and sand until you are happy with your piece. The raised areas will lose color when you sand, while the depressed areas hold color. The embossed design is enhanced by the contrast. So fun!
When you are happy with your paint job, glue heart into pendant bezel on top of cardboard base as shown. Hold in place with clothespin while glue dries.
Let glue dry completely, then apply Magic Glos resin like I showed you in this Plaid Ring Bling tutorial.
You can use any resin you want. I just had this on hand, and love the fact that it cures in minutes vs. the hours it takes 2 part resins to cure. Maybe you are more patient than me!
Add chain and charms as desired and you are done!
I’m in love and now need to make a trip to Hobby Lobby! Awesome craft!
Absolutely AMAZING, Johnnie! I have come to realize that you can create gorgeous art out of anything. Anything. 🙂
Wow, you did an amazing job on the heart pendant! You would never know it came from a cola can. I love working with resin…it’s SO addicting! lol I didn’t know about the rolling pin trick. I’ve got to try that cause I don’t have an embossing machine…..yet. 🙂 I’m putting your beautiful project on my “want to make” list. Looks like I’m gonna have to make a trip to Hobby Lobby next week too. 😉 Thanks so much Johnnie for sharing your beautiful pendant! Very inspiring!
Thank you, Brenda! I am excited to see what you do. xoxo
That is sooooo cool! I love the texture and colors!
Oh how cool this is!!!
I absolutely LOVE this Johnnie…what a great idea and it looks like an expensive piece of jewelry!
I have to try this one…already have it “pinned”.
Thanks so much for the inspiration!
Lisa H.
Seriously cool!!! I heart it!
Kelly
AMAZING!! I have seen TONS of beautiful things made out of old cans, but I must say your wonderful piece of art is by far one of the most (if not THE most) gorgeous pieces I have come across. You would never be able to tell that it was made from something that would otherwise be trash. Keep up the amazing work! You have inspired me to give it a go.
Thank you, Sarah!
What a cute project! I love it so much that I decided to feature it in our roundup of soda can crafts! Check it out here: http://www.favecraftsblog.com/recycled-soda-can-crafts/
Have a great day!
I think I need to go dig a couple soda cans out of the recycler 🙂
If you havn’t given the tutorial.. no one could believe this is hand made… Osssummm
I appreciate this was last year but just found on Pinterest.
Absolutely wonderful idea, love it!! Presuming one has to be careful with can metal as rather sharp. I have variations of all things needed so will hopefully try the method. Tfs :))
Love this! BUT, how can there be trash, as Johnnie reuses everything! So creative!
[…] Need some earrings to show your Valentine’s Day spirit? Give these recycled Coke can heart earrings a try. They are super cheap to create, and your friends will be amazed that they came from a can. You can used a paper punch or a die cut machine for the heart shape. The embossing can be done with a die cut machine or embossing folder and rolling pin, like I showed you in my recycled can heart bezel pendant tutorial. […]
[…] Aluminum Can and Resin Pendant from Saved By Love Creations […]
[…] the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I have hearts on the mind. Check out this embossed aluminum can heart bezel resin pendant I shared with you at Saved By Love […]