Cindy Crushes Programming: Faith Healy is back to talk about her Bottle Cap Turtles

For Earth Day, I like to try to figure out a recycle craft with cute results. We have what seems like a million bottle caps for the longest time so I was trying to figure out a craft for them. I found cute wooden turtle bases and realized I could make an adorable sea turtle with the bottle caps. Plus I know my teens love animal crafts. 

Supplies

• 1 Wooden Turtle Base
• 14 – 20 Bottle Caps per turtle
• Green Paint / Permanent Marker
• Black Permanent Marker
• Hot Glue
• Hot Glue Gun

Instructions

1. Color the Base Green, or another color. I used a Permanent Marker. It worked nicely on the wood and was faster to dry than to paint, but I did offer both options. Feel free to have more colors than green, some teens got creative with their turtles.  
2. Using a black marker create a scale design. I just did little half circles layered on top of each other. 
3. You might want to do this ahead of time. Use a black marker to cover the alcohol logos. Paint also works. You can let the logos show as some thought it gave it a cool look. 
4. I used hot glue to glue the bottle caps to the base. You want to make sure you use low temperature hot glue guns. I accidently used some of our high temperature glue guns and the metal caps absorbed the heat almost causing a few burns.You can experiment with other glue, but we have a lot of hot glue available and it adheres quickly so it was my best option.  I lay out two layers of bottle caps placed flat on the turtle base.  I then played around with them, placing them slanted with the layers keeping it at that slant getting that turtle shell look. I did have some play around with the bottle caps and doing their own thing too.
5. I do recommend having extra embellishments around. I had left over sticker gem stones from a previous craft kit. Those were a big hit making jeweled shells.  You can also decorate the bottom. The base I bought had a hole where you can hang the turtle. So some made double sided turtles, some made rainbow bellies. 

I am sure you can find a way to make this whole craft recyclable. Like use plastic bottles to make a base, instead of buying a wooden base. This is a fun cute craft, plus turtles are always a hit. 

Filed under: Teen Program in a Box, Teen Programming, Teen Programming in a Box