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Tuesday, November 20, 2012

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?

***
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!

2011-12-013

16 comments:

  1. I love these. What a great way to repurpose the bottles and the music.

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  2. Another fabulous design! How do you keep doing it?! My warmest wishes for a happy and HEALTHY Thanksgiving to you and your family. You are in my prayers constantly. God bless you!

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  3. Absolutely beautiful! I'm going to give this a try!!

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  4. I have the same glass craziness going on over here. My husband keeps asking what I'm going to do with all of them.....now I have and answer thank you. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Keeping you in my prays.

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  5. I like very much your idea. It is simple and I do believe it will be the perfect present for my aunt this Christmas. Thank you.

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  6. I love old bottles and have a stash in my attic. I used them to decorate for Halloween last year on my "Potion" table. Thanks for the inspiration. Hope you are feeling well enough to enjoy Thanksgiving. God Bless!

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  7. I have been saving bottles too and have one like the ones you have here. I love what you did with them. Thanks for the amazing tutorial. Happy Thanksgiving to you! I am your newest follower!

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  8. Those look just amazing--the string next to the glittery snowflake is just shabby chic perfect. Love them!

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  9. I just love this idea and have to find some old music sheets. this would look so beautiful on a mantle filled with greens, thanks for the fabulous tutorial!!

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  10. The bottles are so pretty! My boys brought home some large vintage vinegar bottles from an abandoned farmhouse on their friends' farm. I will have to clean them up and see if I have time to create something similar. I hope this finds you as well as possible. I am thinking of you often and praying for your good health.

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  11. This is quite lovely! Thank-you for sharing the idea.

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  12. I love, love, love this idea! Thank you so much for posting this. I also want you to know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. I'm a cancer survivor and always say special prayers for those of us. May you have a blessed Thanksgiving!

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  13. Bonsoir, j'adore le résultat. Merci pour le partage. Passez de bonnes fêtes de fin d'année.

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Thank You for taking the time to comment! Because of the insane amount of spam comments, I had to stop anonymous comments-sorry for the inconvenience.
Michelle