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 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.
