Altered Bottles (A Tutorial)

 I have a neat tutorial to share with you that can really be expounded upon in so many different ways, your creativity can go rampant. We all know about my urge to save glass bottles and jars and have gone as far as enlisting family members to do the same. So when inspiration strikes, bottles of all sorts are available.

Here's a list of what I used for this project: Glass bottle, sheet music, glitter, Mod Podge, jute twine, snowflake ornament, jingle bells. 

 I was given several of these schnapps bottles, that have really taken me a while to come up with a use for. They are tall and flat and can't really be used for my Waterless Snow globes...but finally inspiration hit in the form of 'Altered Bottle' which is fancy for saying decorating the bottle to serve some sort of purpose beyond it's intended use.  SO I washed up the bottle, removed the label with handy dandy Goo-Gone (thank goodness for that stuff!!) and a pretty bottle is what you have. It no long looks like a schnapps bottle...but in my mind looks like a 'message in a bottle' type of bottle...cue The Police Just a castaway
An island lost at sea, oh.. I didn't use the lids and used wire cutters to cut off the little ring left around the neck.

 I have been lucky enough to find some old sheet music and believe me when I say this book is happy to be given a second chance at life in the form of art...the pages were so weakened with age and fragile....it just couldn't be used anymore. In fact, when I tried to use my paper cutter, it just shredded the paper, so I ended up just scoring and tearing. The idea is to use the music paper to create a label of sorts around the bottle, so I tore the paper to fit the center of the bottle, leaving a little glass on the bottom and the neck of the bottle still exposed. Slather the back of the page with Mod Podge:

 Eye-ball it on the center of the bottle:

 Do the same for the back so you have something that looks like this:

Be sure to smooth it on well.  Next, to soften the edges of the 'label' and for a little glitz, use Mod Podge and glitter around the edge ( I used a paint brush and spooned on the glitter). This a messier way to do it, if you want, you can use glitter glue or something similar. Once dry, use a soft dry brush to remove excess glitter.

 Next, wrap twine around the center of the bottle, leaving two ends for tying. I used about three yards of jute twine. If twine isn't your thing, ribbon would also look good.

 I needed a focal point and found it by way of snowflakes. I found this package of small glittered snowflakes at Hobby Lobby...but you can use several different things....if you crochet, crochet a snowflake...stiffened doily....just something in proportion and creates a focal point.

 Tie the twine through the snowflake:

 String jingle bells on the twine (I just love the sound of jingle bells!)

 Tie a shoestring bow, tightening the bells up and giving the snowflake a finished look. Like I said though, you can get really creative...see what you can come up with!

 I think these would make great gifts, bud vases, candle holders....

 ...or how about writing  a message rolling it up and putting in there for a loved one to read. Wouldn't it be fun to write your yearly Family Letter and put it in there and share with your extended family. Write hope and dreams and put in there. Lots of different things can be done.....or really, it's just pretty to look at.

 Whatever you do, the bottle has been given a second life and been made into something beautiful.

 What bottles do you have that can be altered?

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It is almost Thanksgiving and I really cannot believe it! I know I haven't been around much this past week, but I sure do appreciate you for being here. If I don't talk to you before then I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving spending it with the people you love and cherish. Give your kids an extra hug and your husband an extra kiss, that is what I will be doing....and hopefully eating pumpkin pie! Love to all of you!