Reuse, recycle and bling-out those old glass bottles that you have sitting around! Is your tween or teen looking for an easy DIY project to craft? From creative candle holders to vases with style, your child can artfully transform plain bottles into magical decorations.
Before beginning any of these crafts, remove the labels and thoroughly wash and dry the bottles. If the labels are being stubborn, soaking the bottle in warm, soapy water before attempting to peel it off. Even though your child is older now, she still needs some supervision during the crafting process. Stay nearby to help with instructions or give her some extra help.
Stained Glass Paint
Turn a clear bottle into a stained glass vase in a few easy steps. Adapt this art activity for your child’s ability level. Novice crafters can create basic designs while artistic teens can map out more complex pictures that mimic church windows to tell stories.
For this project you’ll need colorful glass paint, puffy or 3-D black paint, a marker, toothpicks and paintbrushes.
How-to steps:
- Draw the design on the bottle with a marker. The marker lines represent where the black paint goes. These mimic the leaded lines of real stained glass. Use a washable marker just in case your child makes a mistake. He can wipe or wash off the lines and then start over again.
- Paint the different sections (between the lines) with the glass paint. Your child may need to leave time in between sections for the paint to dry.
- Allow the paint to dry completely. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for dry times.
- Dip the toothpick into the black paint. Draw on the lines, over the marker guide.
When the paint dries, place a long-stemmed rose in the bottle as a good decorative piece!
Terrarium Treat
If mom’s into gardening, but doesn’t have time to get out and plant, this gift idea is a quick fix. Give her a garden in a bottle! Use soil, moss and plants to build a terrarium with style.
How-to steps:
- Line the bottom of the bottle with gravel. Use a few different colors of pebbles (or even buy aquarium gravel in rainbow colors) to create bands or rows.
- Place a layer of moss on top of the gravel. If your child finds it a challenge to reach far enough into the bottle, use thin tongs or chopsticks to get the moss in.
- Pour garden soil onto the moss.
- Add a small seedling or a few seeds.
- Give the need seeds some water.
Parents can place the terrarium on a sunny windowsill to start the growing process!
Duct Tape Candle Holder
Not every tween or teen is an artist. If your child is exactly crafty, but still wants to give mom a handmade gift, duct tape is an easy option. There’s no drawing, painting or complex technical creation necessary. This is also an option if the label on your bottle won’t come off completely. The tape will cover it up, hiding it or any other imperfections.
How-to steps:
- Tear off a piece of duct tape.
- Press it around the bottle, starting at the bottom.
- Repeat this step with a new color. Continue until your child gets to the top of the bottle.
- Tear and cut different widths of tape, adding them vertically and diagonally to create patterns.
Are you proud of your child’s reused glass bottle creations? Show us, so that we can inspire other parents and teens! Submit your kids’ DIY bottle craft photos to us at connect@angelibebe.com for us to share.
