Tuesday, March 27, 2012

"Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature." - Gerard De Nerval

CRAFT WITH RECYCLED BOTTLES

I never realized how many glass bottles I actually go through until I set out to do this crafty project. In my mind, I was like "Ok, let's (I am a group, by the way) slowly try to collect some bottles to get going on this project." 

2 days later... I had 9 bottles! It did help I serve plenty of wine at my work, and they just throw the bottles there away, sooooooo...



I had collected dressing bottles, Pellegrino bottles, Corona bottles, and plenty of wine bottles. Since this project I have another 13 random bottles to get going on another few projects. 

STEPS:
1. Stash away any glass bottles you find.

2. Soak them in suddsy water to get the labels and glue off as much as you can.

3. Sand off any unwanted lingering glue.

4. Head on over to Home Depot or Lowe's (they have a larger selection of colors) and pick out the spray paint of your choice for about $4 a can. Get matte, silk, or glossy - whatever you like! 

5. Whip out your trusty glue gun (grabbed one from Hobby Lobby for about $12 - it's wireless.) I chose to write words on my vases. But you can do any kind of design or verse, quote, polka dots, stripes, or name.

6. Let that glue dry and try to peel off any of those crazy glue gun fly-aways. 

7. Take your bottles outside and set up a little station to where it'd be flat to set the bottles upsidedown.

8. Spray away! Avoid the other bottles while spraying one at a time if they are different colors. 

9. Flip the bottles over once there are 3-4 coats DRIED on them. 

10. Spray the top edges and a little in the bottle's opening.

11. I got my fake flowers from Hobby Lobby. I think I paid too much for them, but that was me being in a hurry to get this project rolling. I heard they go on sale about once a month, so look for them there. OR better yet, drop a fresh flower or two into the vase after filling it with water. (Fake is good for me, I don't have the green thumb I wish I did.) 

12. Enjoy your new, home made, recycled vases! Or give them as gifts - which is what I did ( I shipped them out so hopefully my besties get theirs before they check out my post! I color coordinated the vases and flowers to their room colors.) 




 And that's it! You could set them on your fireplace, dresser, in the window, laundry room, kitchen....anywhere you want to bring the colors together in the space you love!

 I am planning on using most of my next 13 bottles all together in one large display.... Wonder how that's going to look. I'll post that as soon as I do it.

Thanks Pinterest, for your many creative ideas!