Pressed Penny Jewelry

I'm a sucker for those machines where you put the penny (and 50 cents) in the slot and turn the crank to make a pressed penny souvenir. I've always thought I'd do something cool with them, but I end up carrying them around in my wallet for a long time. Eventually, they make it to the spare change jar.

But lookee here! I got inspired to make this pressed penny necklace after seeing a cool, linked version in Cathy Jakicic's book, Hip Handmade Memory Jewelry. Her book is full of creative ideas for making jewelry with your special mementos. (I love the coin project on the cover, too!)

Since my penny has more of the picture at the top, I didn't want to drill a hole there. I used a BeadFix square to stick an adhesive bail to the back of the penny and drilled a hole at the bottom. I mixed silver and copper findings to give the vintage look some updated shine.

This would also make a fun ornament or key ring, if you're looking for stocking stuffer ideas. You could make a pressed penny somewhere that's meaningful for the recipient or check out the ones that are available on eBay.