DIY - How to Recycle Bottles to Beautiful Flower Vases!

Transforming Recycled Bottles to Beautiful Flower Vases

Have you ever taken the time to really look at how beautiful some bottles and jars are...especially Passata jars, coffee jars and wine bottles. This may seem a little weird, but they really are gorgeous shapes and it seems like such a waste to simply throw them in the recycling bin. They should be displayed and used (remember I am on the path of being a little more thrifty and organised...without being too hippy 😉)

Standing at the sink and washing the dishes including the bottles and jars for the recycling bin, gave me a great idea, to not just dispose of the old glass bottles or jars, but to put them to good use and recycle the bottles to beautiful flower vases.

In my home I never have enough vases... there is nothing better than having fresh flowers in your home - they smell great, add colour and when given from someone you love, they remind you of them and give you a chance to smile! (sorry if that sounds a little mushy...).

So with a few easy steps (actually really easy) I transformed (and was thrifty...) - recycled bottles to beautiful flower vases!

All you need is:

1. Painter's Tape
2. Old wrapping paper
3. Spray paint to cover plastic - I use Rust-oleum Spray Paint which has a primer and paint in one
4. Hot glue gun and hot glue gun glue sticks
5. Some old cardboard or paper to protect where you spray
6. ...and of course, some old bottles and coffee jars

How to Recycle Bottles to Beautiful Flower Vases

Step 1

Remove the labels and throughly wash the bottles and jars with warm soapy water and rinse them with clear cool water and  leave them to air dry.  This way they wont get any streaks or fluff from the tea towels. (Click here to go to the Organised Craft Storage post to see the trick to getting sticky labels off jars and bottles).

Then using painters tape, tape around the place where you want the colour to start and stop. On some of the bottle I like to spray paint only ½ of the bottle so that way I can see if the flowers need water or not. On others I paint the whole jar...especially with smaller ones like the coffee jars.

Step 2

Using some old wrapping paper, tape off  the areas where you do not want spray paint to go.

Step 3

Using a hot glue gun, let it warm up so the glue comes out freely and add some words or pictures to the bottles. When the glue dries is sets on the glass, so you are able to spray over it.

Tip - If you make a mistake with the picture or letters (or it just looks wobbly and wonky) quickly peel off the mistake before it goes cold and sets. (Trust me, I did this a few times with the love heart...why is it that one side worked well and the other didn't..so yes, I had a few attempts.) Warning - The glue is hot, so use gloves so you don't burn yourself)

Step 4

Lay down some old cardboard or paper outside, to protect your yard from being covered in spray paint. Then pop down your bottles and jars and give them a good spray of spray paint. (The tip here is to do short sprays...if you do long ones you may find that there is too much spray paint and it starts to run and create a dribble. )

Sometimes I cover the top of the bottles so that no spray paint gets inside the bottle, Other times I leave it open and then lightly spray inside the bottle, to give the inside a speckled effect. It really looks pretty when filled with water as it gives the water a glittery shine.

Leave them to dry completely and then give them a good rinse out and fill with water and beautiful flowers.

Ok...so now maybe I can have flowers in every room 😉 ... I have enough vases now 😃

Organising and Storage

I also do this to tins and others containers to help with storage in my craft area, bathrooms etc. You can write the name of what is stored in the jar eg: brushes, pencils, makeup etc

The best part is that you can use any colour to match your decor and can even personalise this with friend's and loved ones names for gifts.

An easy DIY way to store your fresh flowers by recycling bottles to beautiful flower vases!

(Don't forget to pin this to Pinterest, so you have the all the steps handy for when you have a collection of old bottles and jars!)

😃

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