Bottle caps are a great addition to a scrapbook layout. In an earlier article, I discussed how to use them in your layouts. Now I’d like to focus on getting them onto your layout by flattening them and making them easier to use in your albums.
Because bottle caps are very thick and really do create a lot of bulk in your albums, the most effective way to use them is to flatten them. It’s pretty easy and you will wind up with a nice thin embellishment that is pretty much the same thickness of a standard 3-dimensional embellishment.
If you are lucky enough to have a Sizzix machine or other die cut machine with a converter plate, this is probably the easiest way to actually flatten your bottle cap. It will not have any scratches, which seems to happen a lot with the colored bottle caps.
You can place up to six bottle caps in two separate rows on the converter plate with the smooth side of the bottle cap facing up. Just press the handle down and you will end up with six perfectly flat bottle caps. There is not a lot of strength involved and you won’t have a lot of work to do. They are ready to use right off the machine.
But if you are one of the unlucky one’s who does not own a personal die cut machine, there is another way. You can use a hammer or some other type of mallet and hammer the bottle caps until they are flat. You will need to place them on a flat, hard surface. I recommend covering the bottle caps with a paper towel or other fabric to ensure that no scratches get onto the bottle caps.
When you are ready to adhere the bottle caps to your scrapbook layout, I recommend using double sided tape on the back, or try using a glue gun. Either way, it will stick to the surface and your embellishment will look great.
Be sure to embellish the bottle caps with whatever you choose! Have fun with it!