Anu Kriti - Handcrafted Expresions: February 2014

The party over the weekend was a rocking one and what it has left is a whole mess to clean up and that includes empty wine or liquor bottles! These wine bottles usually find their way to a kabadiwala. But the creative you can actually transform these empty bottles into beautiful vases or simply deco art pieces. Believe me you won’t stop gushing with pride when your guests just can’t take off their eyes from your exclusive art pieces – the Upcycled Wine Bottles!

You can decoupage the bottles with paper or cloth or paper napkins or paint them with acrylic, spray or car paint or glass paints. Embellish them with all sorts of knick knacks lying around in your home or create your own embellishments. Here's how you can do it!

Pick up a bottle that you like the shape of and clean it thoroughly. You can take off the labels by dipping the bottle overnight in soapy water. Most of the labels come off easily. For the stubborn ones use a coarse cloth. Clean the bottles in and out with soap water and turn them upside down to dry.

I personally love decoupaging. Every piece comes out with unique effect. Another bit I love to do is to give it a washed look. Here is how I do it.

Take out any old magazine and tear out pieces of different sizes and shapes. Don’t use scissors. Don’t tear out too large or small pieces.
Now make the decoupage medium (mix adhesive and water mixture in rato of 1:1).
Start from one edge of the bottle and brush the surface with the decoupage mix and stick the magazine tear outs. Brush over with the adhesive mix. You can arrange the bits of paper in a pattern or random or whatever way you like.
Once, the whole bottle is covered, let it dry (usually one day).
Once it’s dry, coat it twice again with the decoupage medium, giving time in between to dry.

Now the fun part, how to give it a stone wash look!

Get thinner from a paint shop (a liquid used to thin paints). Dip some cotton and rub on the dried decoupage bottle. You will see the print ink coming off. The harder you rub, more ink colors will bleed. Rub it harder or softer depending on the amount of ink you want to rub off or keep on. Here is how it will look.

Decoupage bottle washed with thinner

Next you can decorate it. I have done up one with quilling.

Decorated with quilling

For the other one, have simply tied a cord around the neck of the bottle and wrapped it around the mouth.

Decorated with cord and buttons

Next technique is creating textures on the bottle like this one.

Texture created with paper napkin

Have created texture with paper napkins. Since, we are going to apply color on top of it, so you can use even a cheaper toilet roll. Start from the step 3 as above but use paper napkin. Instead of keeping the surface plain, create textures. Create creases in the paper with brush while applying the decoupage medium. Coat it twice. Let it dry completely between layers. Once the intended texture effect is created, let it dry and then apply a coat of acrylic color. If need be apply another coat.

Now take some highlight color on a sponge and rub over the raised texture. You can do this with a flat brush as well. You will get this effect.

Highlight texture with a metallic color

Embellish it the way you like. I have used some cords, buttons, cloth flowers, beads etc.

Highlighted with metallic copper and embellished with cords, flowers and beads

Highlighted with metallic silver, embellished with cord and decorative buttons

Don’t forget to seal your art piece with a sealer (two coats). Do it before you add the embellishments.

So, it’s time for your imagination to run wild, create your own masterpieces and bring joy to your living space with your own creations like these.

Check out Anu Kriti's collection of Upcyled Wine Bottles here.

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