6.30.2011

Vintage Alterations and Such

I have poison ivy. It's a tiny little patch on my knee. I don't actually get it very easily or very often, so I thought it was just a couple of bug bites at first, but, as a couple of days went by it became QUITE apparent that it is, indeed, poison ivy. I'm pretty sure this is an excuse to never do yard work again. Just say'n.

However, I will happily continue to play with paper flowers and such...that's kinda like gardening and that is kinda like yard work, right? Right. I'm going with that, so you may as well jump on that bus with me, folks!

Altered Bottle


*sigh* Happy little altered bottle. I've actually been sitting on this one for a bit. I made it some time ago and didn't have time to post it then, and since I didn't make SQUAT yesterday, I figured now was a good time to show you this little pretty!

altered bottle (detail 1)


I began with a good 'ole McKormick bottle of vanilla. It was probably imitation, actually, 'cause sometimes I'm cheap. Just say'n. I removed the labels and then sat and basked in the beauty of the gorgeous brown glass bottle. *another sigh* Yes, my friends, it's pretty stuff. Brown glass. Kinda fabulous, actually. Just say'n.

I wrapped a strip of paper from a vintage encyclopedia page (about flowers, of course!) around the jar and then added all kinds of fabulous embellishments.

Altered Bottle (embellishment cluster)


The top was a bit tricky. You see, McKormick uses BRIGHT RED screw top lids. My project wasn't so much feel'n the red. Nope. Not so much feel'n the red at all. So...I tried to alcohol ink it. Complete and utter craft FAIL. No. For reals. It was a bit frightening, although, I did manage to ink my fingers for a good three day stain. Just say'n. I then covered the whole lid with glue and glass glitter. BIGGER complete and UTTER craft FAIL. FOR REALS, you guys! It was hilarious! Bulky and ridiculous looking. Very much one of those, 'it seemed like a good idea at the time' kind of moments. SOoooooo....I scraped all of that off and then turned to my trusty tissue tape. THAT seemed to work. I covered the lid with the tape, inked it a bit to give it some age and then wrapped a bit of string around it for added embellishment.

Altered Bottle (lid)


And those drips? Ahhh...the drips. Those happy, fabulous, wonderful, I couldn't have asked for better, drips. I do so love them. Don't you? You do. I know it. I just KNOW it. You see, I started out thinking I wanted to seal the very top with a bit of liquid glass for a finished look. Then I went a little nuts and started thinking I could get a wax-like effect without the fragility of wax with the liquid glass. PURE GENIUS, I tell you! It worked BRILLIANTLY! For reals. I was so stinking excited!

Altered Bottle (side)


*And yet another sigh* Why? Because this makes me happy. My little altered bottle. I will be creating LOTS more of these. They are wonderful decor and make pretty little gifties, too! And, they are just plain wicked fun to create! So, there you have it! Your inspiration for the day - now go make something fabulous!!!

Altered Bottle (2)

18 comments:

  1. You know, I've been collecting & saving bottles for a while now, KNOWING I wanted to do something vintage style from them. But they are ALL 'resting' in a big, cushioned container. No embellishments. NADA! Your formerly vanilla extract bottle was just the inspiration I needed to pull a bottle out & get started! THANK YOU! And YOUR results are brilliant! A tiny piece of delightful perfection! LOVE IT! P.S. Hope the mean old poison ivy heals F-A-S-T! May I suggest Calamine lotion ... a LOT of it? (Oh! And SAVE THE BOTTLE! You can decorate it when you use up the lotion! LOL!)

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  2. Very cool - the drips are my favorite!

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  3. Very cool! Love how whimsical it is. Great little extras. :)

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  4. I love bottles too and the drip is fantastic!!!

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  5. Gorgeous altered bottle Jingle and I love the drips as well........
    Hope your poison ivy isn't too painful. Annette x

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  6. This is pretty! I'm a bottle collector. Any fun shaped and colored bottle I snatch right up. ;0)

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  7. very nicely done.. thanks for sharing...

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  8. Lovely work in spite of poison ivy, poor you! Valerie

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  9. I absolutely LOVE this idea of altering a little bottle. And your use of the tape on the lid was pure genious! And then you go and do one better with the "drips" - oh my goodness but this is so fabulous! Makes me want to leave work (I wonder if I put a phone book on my chair if my boss would even notice - grin) and run home to make one. Thanks for the inspiration!

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  10. Poor Jingle! I've never had poison ivy. Cute bottle!!

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  11. That bottle is so adorable! You did a wonderful job! Hope you have a non-itchy holiday weekend! :)

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  12. Lovely little altered bottle! Never have had poison ivy, but I know it itches really bad!

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  13. The drips add to the quirkiness of the project! Love it!

    Sorry to hear you have poison ivy. It would definitely be a good reason to stay out of the garden. (I hate gardening.)

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  14. Oh don't you love when something turns out just right? The drips are fab-U-lous!! Cute little bottle-such cuteness may have to be copied:)
    Sorry about your poison ivied knee!

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  15. Hahaha! Of COURSE poison ivy is the perfect excuse to evade the yard work! Might steal it myself (as I sit here blog commenting and the grass outside is probably ankle high!).

    Hope you have a happy 4th!

    ~Cindy

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