Trash to Treasure - DIY Halloween Bottles



I always feel bad tossing glass bottles and jars in the recycling bin. I feel like they need to be reused.

So I try to find crafty things to do with them. For years I made wine bottles into decorative lights. Long before they made the wine bottle cork lights I'd have my husband drill into the glass so we could string a strand of small Christmas lights into the bottle.

Now with the new lights that are shaped like a cork and fit in the bottle I don't have to do that anymore.

So I'm always brainstorming new ways to decorate bottle and jars.

I discovered that tissue paper and Mod Podge make a really amazing textured paper mache that it looks amazing on glass bottles.

I rip up pieces of tissue paper and layer it on with Mod Podge. It gives the bottles a kind of cracked leathery skin texture. After it dries I add whatever stuff I have laying around ( I have tons of embellishments from years f craft supply hoarding). Stickers, cardboard, clay skulls, string, paint, jewels, glitter, google eyes....whatever looks fun.


Start with a clean bottle. Then brush Mod Podge on with a sponge brush.

Start layering tissue paper on it. Wrinkles, lines, rumples, tears- all fine. Adds texture and character. So wrinkle away. The idea is to be perfectly imperfect.



I love the white tissue paper creation because I can put lights in the bottles and it shows through. The darker ones are too dense, no light shines out.

The two white bottles are from syrup. They are my favorite to work with not just because of the flattish front, but I adore the cute little handle and the mouth is the same size as a wine bottle- so wine cork lights will fit inside perfectly.



These three bottles above are from syrup, taco sauce, and iced coffee.




I even used a spaghetti sauce jar. A battery operated candle fits in this to light it up.






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