Craft Fun
January Craft: Put those empty bottles to use!
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Suzy's pretty sure you've got a couple of empty wine bottles hiding in your home after this holiday season. Here is a great way to recycle those bottles, and get in the mood for cocktails by the beach!! Tiki-Bar anyone?
Here's what you need to make an Illuminated Wine Bottle:
*Standard size wine bottle (how you empty it is up to you!)
*String of 25 mini Christmas lights
*Polymer clay (e.g. Sculpey® brand), in tropical colors
*Raffia
*Scissors
*Rolling pin
*Knife to cut polymer clay
*Glue gun
1.) Roll out a piece of sand-colored polymer clay to about 10 inches long. Cut each end, and the bottom, straight. The top should be cut in a wavy, sand-dune like design. Stick this on to the bottom of the bottle. You won’t need glue – it will just stick on.
2.) To make the flamingo, roll out some pink polymer. Cut it into a teardrop shape about 1 ¾ inches long at it’s longest point. This will be the body. Cut another smaller teardrop shape. This is the wing. Attach this to the body. Now roll a rope of pink polymer about ½ inch wide, 1 ½ long. This is the neck. Attach to the body. Roll a ball about ½ inch in diameter – this is the head. Attach this to the top of the neck.
3.) Take a small piece of orange polymer. Shape into a crescent, and bend at the middle. This is the beak. Attach to the head.
4.) Roll out yellow polymer to about 1/8 inch wide, 5 inches long. Cut in half. These will be the legs. Bend both in the middle. Squeeze the bottom end of each – these are the feet. Use a knife to slice 3 toes. Attach one leg to the body.
5.) Stick the assembled flamingo to the bottle. Take the 2nd leg, bend it almost in half, then attach to the body next to and over the other leg. Your flamingo is done!
6.) Now it’s time to add some more decoration to the bottle. Shape stars, shells, birds, palm tree, sun - whatever makes you think “summer.” Apply all of these to the bottle. Try not to put any higher than 6 inches below the top of the bottle.
7.) Put the entire bottle in the oven at 275, for 15 minutes. (Beware: clay will not feel hard at this time, but hardens as it cools. Overcooked clay will burn and discolor). When done, remove bottle with a pot holder by the neck.
8.) When bottle is entirely cool, cut enough raffia to surround the top of the bottle (about 6 inches long). Glue to create a thatched roof look. Use another piece of raffia to surround the neck where it starts to slope out.
9.) Feed mini lights through the top of the bottle, plug in, and voila! You’re done! Now crack open another bottle of wine and enjoy your creation!
Craft Idea and Instructions provided by Village Art , West Acton.
For supplies for this fun project and much, much more visit Village Art. They have plenty of Unique Arts & Craft Supplies, Classes for All ages, Affordable Walk-in Projects and can host your next Birthday Party!
Here's what you need to make an Illuminated Wine Bottle:
*Standard size wine bottle (how you empty it is up to you!)
*String of 25 mini Christmas lights
*Polymer clay (e.g. Sculpey® brand), in tropical colors
*Raffia
*Scissors
*Rolling pin
*Knife to cut polymer clay
*Glue gun
1.) Roll out a piece of sand-colored polymer clay to about 10 inches long. Cut each end, and the bottom, straight. The top should be cut in a wavy, sand-dune like design. Stick this on to the bottom of the bottle. You won’t need glue – it will just stick on.
2.) To make the flamingo, roll out some pink polymer. Cut it into a teardrop shape about 1 ¾ inches long at it’s longest point. This will be the body. Cut another smaller teardrop shape. This is the wing. Attach this to the body. Now roll a rope of pink polymer about ½ inch wide, 1 ½ long. This is the neck. Attach to the body. Roll a ball about ½ inch in diameter – this is the head. Attach this to the top of the neck.
3.) Take a small piece of orange polymer. Shape into a crescent, and bend at the middle. This is the beak. Attach to the head.
4.) Roll out yellow polymer to about 1/8 inch wide, 5 inches long. Cut in half. These will be the legs. Bend both in the middle. Squeeze the bottom end of each – these are the feet. Use a knife to slice 3 toes. Attach one leg to the body.
5.) Stick the assembled flamingo to the bottle. Take the 2nd leg, bend it almost in half, then attach to the body next to and over the other leg. Your flamingo is done!
6.) Now it’s time to add some more decoration to the bottle. Shape stars, shells, birds, palm tree, sun - whatever makes you think “summer.” Apply all of these to the bottle. Try not to put any higher than 6 inches below the top of the bottle.
7.) Put the entire bottle in the oven at 275, for 15 minutes. (Beware: clay will not feel hard at this time, but hardens as it cools. Overcooked clay will burn and discolor). When done, remove bottle with a pot holder by the neck.
8.) When bottle is entirely cool, cut enough raffia to surround the top of the bottle (about 6 inches long). Glue to create a thatched roof look. Use another piece of raffia to surround the neck where it starts to slope out.
9.) Feed mini lights through the top of the bottle, plug in, and voila! You’re done! Now crack open another bottle of wine and enjoy your creation!
Craft Idea and Instructions provided by Village Art , West Acton.
For supplies for this fun project and much, much more visit Village Art. They have plenty of Unique Arts & Craft Supplies, Classes for All ages, Affordable Walk-in Projects and can host your next Birthday Party!
