Glass Bottle Up-Cycle

Glass Bottle Up-Cycle - cheap and cheerful!

I think this is the perfect way to recycle old glass bottles and it doesn't cost much either. I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paints, Graphite (black) and Original (white). Your local Annie Sloan stockist should have sample pots available to buy which are roughly £5-6, these are perfect as you won't need much paint for this project. There are other brands available. Chalk paints are most suitable for this project. If you are new to chalk paints or haven't used them before they are easy to use, rarely require any preparation and can be used on just about any surface. 
You won't believe how easy this project really is! 

If necessary prep your bottle by soaking it in soapy water for a couple of hours, 
to help remove the labels.

You will need to give the bottle two coats of black paint to ensure the glass cannot be seen. Leave a few hours between each application to allow each coat to dry. 

You will then need to paint 2-3 coats of white paint, depending on the look you wish to achieve. I gave my glass bottle 3 coats as I wanted the paint to look even. 

Use coarse sanding paper to distress the bottle. There's no right or wrong when you distress. I followed the curves of the bottle and distressed in different directions. In some places I applied too much pressure and small sections of the glass can be seen, I don't mind as it all adds to the vintage look. 

After finishing my bottle I thought it lacked a little colour so I decided to decorate it with a few bits and bobs lying around my studio. Decoupage is a simple process which can make any surface look beautiful. It may look complicated however it is quite deceptive! I prefer to use napkins although you can use paper, photos etc. I had some floral La Tour Eiffel napkins lying around so I covered the middle of the bottle with this and simply sealed it with pva glue. I also added some little wooden 'LOVE' letters which easily glued to the side along with three paper flowers. Once it was dry I finished it off by adding a little blue ribbon at the bottom and tied a pretty blue bow at the top. 

Moroccan Décor

Exotic, majestic and seductive is what springs to mind when I think of Moroccan interior design. Moroccan trends are influenced by the Arab world, Spain, Portugal and France, although blended with its own Berber and Islamic styles. (Berber - a member of the indigenous people of North Africa) Moroccans prefer low furniture, made of wood and adorned with plush cushions. The use of lighting and bold and bright colours are rich and inviting. Lanterns are a popular lighting source and an important decorative accessory. Distinctive features of Moroccan design include geometric patterns and intricate designs, often paired with desert tones such as muted yellows and reds. Moroccans use a wide variety of colours in their décor, mixing them with textures to create different moods. 

 

Rich and Vibrant
Shades that reflect light in your room can evoke a sense of the exotic in your home. Royal blues, vibrant purples, emerald greens, brilliant saffron and bold crimsons create a seductive oriental atmosphere.

Cool Blues

Morocco is a land of contrast, bring the cool of the Mediterranean coastline into your home by adding clear blues, aquamarine, turquoise and white.  The use of blue, especially on doors and shutters, is believed to date back to Egyptian times and was thought to ward off evil spirits.

Earthy Tones

Combining warm natural colours can evoke feelings of comfort in your home.  Careful selection of tones from terracottas, reds, cinnamons, amber, saffron and aubergine can contribute to a room's warmth and ambience.

Neutrals

Create a calming, peaceful retreat using creams, white, taupe and sand colours.

All That Glitters

Conjure an atmosphere of an Arabian Palace by including bright, metallic colours in your design theme.  Bring a sense of opulence to the room using brass lanterns, gold and silver fabrics and bronze soft furnishings. 

Finally, fragrances are considered part of every Moroccan home's décor. Most homes will combine floral scents with spices.


Shopping for Moroccan Décor. 

Want to know where you can purchase some beautiful Moroccan furniture and accessories? Simply click the links below the images.

Indian carved wooden screen 4 panels with intricate leaf design £265

Agra Chandelier £75   

SHERIDAN Kosler Balm Square Pillowcase, Bold Geometric Pattern £35

Moroccan Photo Frame £6.99

18 Hanging Candle Lanterns Inspired by Moroccan Decor, Your Choice of Colors £119.69

Moroccan terracotta vase in traditional green design £25

Sari Cushion Covers £34

Moroccan Gold Leather Pouf 100% Handmade £56.71

Set of 6 tea glasses with a red pattern £16.50

Moroccan Tonal Hanging Glass Lantern £17.50

Jaipur mirror work Indian footstool £50

I do not own any of the images shown above. 

How to create your very own Candy Tree!

With such a wide variety of sweets and chocolates to choose from, you really have no limits when creating a candy tree. They're fun to make, however they do take time and a little bit of patience. Candy Trees are beautiful handmade gifts and are perfect for parties, weddings or simply a gift for the one you love. Just make sure you know what your recipients favourite sweets or chocolates are, or if you're making it for yourself, dig in and enjoy!

The cost of your candy tree will mainly depend on the sweets or chocolates you choose. You will need a lot of sweets so make sure you buy more than what you think you will need. It's always best to have more than run out and have to rush to the shops, believe me, I learnt this the hard way!

I made my candy tree for my boyfriend for Christmas. He loves Hershey's Chocolates so I chose Reece's Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups Miniatures! You can find these at Asda. In total I used 7 packets, they're on offer at the moment so I saved a little bit of money.

I like everything to look perfect so I wanted all the colours on my candy tree to match. Reece's Mini Butter Cups are gold with orange circles with the brand printed on top. I decided to spray paint my tree gold and use an orange ribbon to create a bow for the final touches.

What you will need

 Cement

Polystyrene ball

Flower pot

Hot glue gun & glue

Plastic piping

Mixing utensil

Water

Large mixing bowl

Spray paint

Ribbon

Tooth picks

Chocolates, sweets or both!

Hack saw

Wet wipes

I bought my gold spray paint, cement and plastic overflow piping from my local Wilkinson's store, their prices are very reasonable and they also sell a cheap hot glue gun. Your local craft store will sell polystyrene balls and ribbons. You can buy a hack saw at your local diy store and your local garden centre will have a good range of flower pots to choose from. If your candy tree is for a child choose a plastic flower pot. I went for a ceramic pot, which can break easily and is also quite heavy.

To begin with you will have to cut your plastic piping to size using your hack saw. You can choose what length you would like, the longer it is the higher the polystyrene ball will be from the flower pot.

With a little bit of force, push one end of the pipe into the centre of the polystyrene ball. This makes it easier to glue onto the piping later on. For now remove the ball and don't worry about any polystyrene that is stuck inside the piping.

Pour roughly 2 pints of cement into your mixing bowl and gradually add small amounts of water, stirring together with your mixing utensil (I used a spoon from the kitchen drawer). How much you need will depend on the depth of your flower pot. Don't make your mixture too runny. It will have to be firm to allow the plastic piping to stand and dry without tipping to one side. If you think the mixture`s too runny just add more cement. Once you're happy with the mixture pour it into your flower pot leaving a few centimeters at the top.

You may wish to wear a face mask and goggles if you have any skin sensitivities or lung problems.

You now have to push your plastic piping into the centre of the cement. Gently shake the flower pot to help the cement settle around the piping, it will also make any trapped air bubbles rise to the top. You can use a spoon to smooth the top of the cement, but you must do this before it dries. This is now the main structure of your tree so it's important that it is straight and won't wobble around. You can use a wet wipe to remove any messy bits on the pot and pipe.

It will take between 24-48 hours to dry depending on the cement you have used. Don't touch or wobble the piping until you're sure the cement has dried. I accidentally knocked mine and I had to add more cement, which takes up so much time!

Take your candy tree base outside and spray paint. You can also spray the polystyrene ball but please ensure you only give it a light spray. I sprayed mine so much that it began to melt the polystyrene so I had to use another one! It'll take a couple of hours to completely dry.

Again you may wish to wear a face mask and goggles for this.

Now you're ready to add the candy! You can choose to stick your sweets or chocolates onto your tree using a hot glue gun or tooth picks. I would advise not to use a hot glue gun with chocolates as they will melt but a hot glue gun would be perfect for hard boiled sweets (as long as they have wrapping on them).

It's best to start sticking your sweets on from the bottom and work your way up, just turn your ball upside down (with the hole facing towards the ceiling). Remember to leave the hole for your piping to go into! Once you have covered the polystyrene half way, turn the it the right way round. Now you will need to glue the plastic piping and the polystyrene ball together. Put the glue inside the hole and firmly but gently press down onto the pipe. If you have never used a hot glue gun be careful, they can become very hot and the glue will burn you. If you have an old plate lying around, set it under the glue gun to stop it from burning your surfaces.

You can place your candies in any pattern you wish. I had some small gaps in my tree but as I sprayed the ball gold, the gaps weren't so noticeable. You may find that some of the sweets may fall off, this is where your patience will be tested. Just stick them back on and fingers crossed they'll stay put!

Remember I mentioned leaving a few centimetres at the top of the flower pot when pouring in the cement? You can now put your extra or left over sweeties in this gap!

Finally, wrap your ribbon around the top of the flower pot to create a bow and secure using your glue gun. This will finish it off beautifully!

If your candy tree is a gift, you can wrap it in cellophane, which will also stop any sweets from falling out. You can find this at your local craft store.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Posy!

 
I love pumpkin carving but there's nothing better than doing something different with your pumpkin for Halloween. These stunning pumpkin posy's are great for party centre pieces, they really give that wow factor and are sure to make your friends green with envy!
 
Here's what I used to create my pumpkin posy:
 

Pumpkin

Carving Set

Pen

Flowers

Green Stub Wire

Black Wire

Floral Foam

Floral Knife or Kitchen Knife

Scissors

Decorations

Bowl

Water

 

 
I began by using a bowl and a pen to trace a large circle on top of my pumpkin, this has to be big enough to allow the floral foam to fit inside the pumpkin. Once I carved the top I scooped all the gooey bits out and discarded them and the lid, this won't be needed.
 
I wanted my pumpkin posy to have a mixture of Autumn colours with a touch of spookiness. I chose Gerberas as my focal flower and Carnations and Hypericum Berries as my filler. When using Gerberas with floral foam it's important to prepare them properly. Their stems aren't as sturdy as other flowers and tend to bend when inserted into the foam. To stop this from happening, I held the head of the Gererba with my thumb resting lightly on top. With my other hand I pushed the wire through the back of the flower head. If you can see the wire poking though the front of the flower, push it back a little. I then wrapped the wire around the stem of the flower. This will give you more control over the flower and stops it from snapping or bending when you're inserting it into the foam.
  

  
 
Using my floral knife I cut the foam to fit inside the pumpkin. When you are buying floral foam make sure you choose wet foam, it's usually darker in colour than the dry foam. Wet foam is used for fresh flowers. I placed my wet foam into a bowl of water. It is important not to move the foam much while it's absorbing the water as the middle may stay dry. Once the water had soaked through the floral foam I placed it inside the pumpkin.
 

I spaced the Gerberas apart when inserting them into the foam, this is to ensure they don't appear too heavy on one side and to allow room for the filler. Always make sure to cut your stems at an angle, this gives the flower a larger surface to drink from. I randomly added the Carnations between the gaps and finally added the Hypericum Berries to any remaining spaces.
 
 
  

 

I used cinnamon sticks as they add to the autumn feel and little Halloween bows and black diamante feathers as they add a touch of spookiness to the posy's appearance.

 

 

I also wanted to add something different to finish off my pumpkin posy. I came across a similar idea on Google when I was browsing for pumpkin stencils. Instead of carving the words BOO I used black buttons and wire to attach them to the pumpkin, to give it a 3D look. I bought my buttons at my local haberdashery store, they had all different shapes and sizes. I was tempted to buy some of the pretty pink ones but I knew they would have looked out of place. I chose black to keep in with the Halloween theme. I thread black wire though the little holes in the buttons and twisted them on one side. This will ensure they stay in place and wont wobble around when they're stuck on the pumpkin. I trimmed the wire to make sure the ends were the same length, and with a little pressure pushed the buttons into the pumpkin to form each letter.

 

 

 

Finally, I sprayed my pumpkin with hair spray, this gives it a lovely shine and slows down the wilting process.

 

 

Now I'm all prepared for Halloween! The sweeties are in, the decorations are up, just waiting for my first trick or treaters to arrive!

 

Boo! Happy Halloween!