Wine bottles seem to be everywhere, but they’re usually just being tossed into recycling bins or piling up on shelves collecting dust. Instead of tossing them out, repurpose those wine bottles by crafting something useful and unique with them! Here are 8 amazing wine bottle crafts that you’ll want to try for yourself.
Drip Candles
Making your own drip candles is an easy project and a great way to make the most of old wine bottles. If you’ve been eyeing those artisanal candles but don’t want to spend the money, this is the perfect option for you.
What You’ll Need:
Food-safe paint, varnish, or wax such as polyurethane – Old wine bottle with the label removed and clean with soapy water – Drip candle holder (something similar to a honeycomb) – Wicks for candles – White paper towel or tissue paper – Pencil and craft knife To create these candles, paint the inside of the bottle with food-safe paint and let it dry. Then use a pencil to sketch a pattern on one side of the bottle (you can use a freehand drawing or create something more detailed).
When you’re done sketching, carve out your design using a craft knife while making sure not to cut too deeply into the glass. The easiest designs are geometric shapes like triangles or stars. Once you have completed your design, cover it up by painting over it with more food-safe paint until the entire surface is covered in even color. Let the first coat dry before adding another layer of paint. Allow at least two coats of paint to fully seal the design. Allow time for drying between coats.
The next step is preparing your wick for the candle’s flame by cutting off about 1/2 inch from each end, then pulling it through the hole you created when carving out your design, tying each end tightly around the edges of the hole with string or thread and sealing them with hot glue if necessary. Now insert this wicked assembly into your drip candle holder where you would normally place a tealight or votive candle that isn’t battery operated.
Once inserted, take some white paper towel or tissue paper and fold it lengthwise down the middle several times. Light one end of the folded strip and gently guide it towards the top of your tea light holder so that it will set fire to your wick when ignited. It may take a few tries to get the timing right, but once lit, your candle should start dripping evenly along its sides as a real candle would. These candles last longer than regular ones because they only burn along their circumference; therefore they don’t become burnt out quickly at all points and allow plenty of time for dripping action!
Paper Mache
Did you know that wine bottles are a handy resource for arts and crafts? They’re surprisingly durable, versatile, and affordable. Have a bunch of leftover wine or want to recycle something around the house? Here are some ideas for ways to use your bottles:
-Turn the bottle into a lantern with just a few supplies from the hardware store. All you need is an empty clear jar and some clamps, which will run you less than $2. -Turn it into your own oil lamp with materials like paraffin wax, glass marbles, and cedar wood chips. The whole project should only take about 30 minutes of your time.
You can also find tutorials online on how to make other variations such as votives and tapers. And if you have artistic skills, you can even turn them into chalkboard signs! I found this really cool tutorial that shows you how to convert a white wine bottle into an office sign holder. All you have to do is paint the outside of the bottle with chalkboard paint and attach adhesive hooks. A super easy way to spruce up any room in your home!
Recycled Glass Vase
This easy project requires only two supplies: a wine bottle and a terra cotta pot that’s been soaking in water. Once you’ve washed the bottle, just dry it off before you add it to the pot. Then, poke a hole in the bottom of the bottle for drainage and insert the neck into the top of the pot. Let it dry upside down on your bench for about 24 hours before moving it to an indoor or outdoor area with good drainage!
If you want to decorate your vase with flowers, be sure to let them grow in some soil for about three weeks before placing them inside. They need time to develop roots that will help them keep their shape. A few bits of sand near the base will also provide stability. You can find these at any hardware store. After planting, fill up the pot with rocks until they’re level with the top of the soil. The finished product is a gorgeous vase made from something you might otherwise have thrown away!
Rustic Mail Organizer
For this project, you’ll need your wine bottle, a 1x3x48 piece of cedar, pine, or oak plank (pick your favorite color!), 3/4 drilled dowel rods, and corresponding round head screws. The size of the organizer is completely up to you; I made mine 18 long to best fit my space, but it could be any length. With a pencil and ruler, measure the height and width of the bottle opener on both sides then draw two perpendicular lines on your board to determine where to drill holes for the dowels.
Drill holes using a drill bit that is about 3/4 in diameter for wood or 3/8-1/2 in diameter for metal. Now insert one dowel rod into each hole so they’re flush with the top edge of the board. Make sure they’re parallel to each other and spaced evenly apart from one another before attaching them with the screw heads and corresponding screws, keeping in mind which side will become the front of your mail organizer! Now attach whatever items you want inside by sliding them down over each rod until they reach their desired position. Voila! You have an amazing new mail holder.
Coasters
1) Striped Tub (with a removable adhesive) – Cut stripes from some decorative tape and attach them to the inside of your bathtub or shower. The cut sections will resemble a color-coordinated stripe pattern. Remove after use and replace with a new strip design, if desired.
2) Empty Jar Containers (10-ounce clear jars) – Take about two-dozen empty 10-ounce clear jars and make them into functional storage containers for rolls of decorative tape by adding one tablespoon of baking soda to each jar before sealing it shut with a lid. Use food coloring in the baking soda to tint the jar’s contents. Use masking or painter’s tape to create an easy peel-off label at the top of each jar. Label the jar contents on both sides with either a category such as Stickers or Decorative Tape.
Display this craft next to a bin filled with your favorite types of these items so that you can see what’s available when you need it. You can also choose this option for kids’ craft rooms where they have their own sticker collections. Add additional jars for other supplies like paper clips, scissors, rulers, etc., then add this setup next to another station that has an assortment of pencils and markers nearby. You’ll be able to see what you’re looking for quickly and easily!
Decorative Tape Storage
- Tie a length of string or ribbon around the wine bottle neck and hang it in your living room as a centerpiece for your table or coffee table.
- Line a few bottles up on an empty wall and tape pictures, drawings, or whatever you like to them for an easy (and stylish) accent piece.
- Fill the neck of the bottle with water and put some flowers in it for a thoughtful housewarming gift (or yourself).
- Cut some decorative paper or fabric into strips that are wide enough to wrap around the neck of the bottle, and hot glue them together at one end to create what looks like a bowtie shape-except this one is made of paper!
- Turn your bottle into a vase by cutting off the top third of the bottle and filling it with potpourri or flowers.
- Put up a strand of Christmas lights inside the wine bottle to make a festive holiday decoration.
- Use cookie cutters to create designs on cardboard that can be glued onto the outside of the glass for personalized décor for parties or events.
- Create an ice bucket out of an old wine cooler by placing a large bowl upside down over it and wrapping plastic wrap around both pieces so they stick together.
- Take apart a wire hanger and use it to tie the cork from another bottle securely onto the cork from your current project.
- Bend a wire coat hanger into any shape, then place it through two wine bottles and twist it so that one is touching the other; slip pieces of cloth or ribbon through each loop to hold them together as handles.
- Hang a basket full of wine bottles using rope for a unique decoration for your wedding day reception or ceremony.
- Attach the bottom half of an ornament onto the neck of the bottle and fill it with whatever you would like: snowman heads, berries, pinecones-anything goes!
- String beads in between two or more glasses (tape them together if necessary) to form a chandelier, lightbulb-style lampshade.
- Spray paint different sized jars gold or silver, fill them with green beans or nuts for all-year-round décor, and add candles on top when the company comes over.
Wall-Mounted Birdhouse
Drink up and do some crafting. Glassblowing supplies are not required for this project. Instead, simply grab a bottle of wine and one or two small spools of wire to create a wall-mounted birdhouse. Cut the spool(s) in half with wire cutters to make a length that is about an inch less than the height of your wine bottle (e.g., if you have a 10-inch tall wine bottle, your wire should be about 9 inches long).
Place the short end on the flat edge of one end of the spool and twist it around once so that it stays in place. Next, put the long end through the neck of the wine bottle just below where it widens out into a head (the widest part). Take both ends of the wire and twist them together tightly. If desired, use pliers to crimp them together tightly as well. Bend one side over at 90 degrees at either 3 or 4 inches from where they intersect; this will become one side of your roof.
Bend another side over at 90 degrees at either 5 or 6 inches from where they intersect; this will become the other side of your roof. Push down firmly against each roof with both hands until it creates a snug fit against the bottle’s top opening. Secure the wires to the back of the bottle by bending them in opposite directions on either side of where they intersected and twisting them together tightly. Lastly, trim off any excess wire that sticks out past the roof edges. Once you’re done, all you need is a decorative base and a few crafty accessories like plants or moss, and your new space for feathered friends is complete!
Stamped Clothespins
If you have ever had a bad experience trying to open your favorite wine with a paper clip, clothespin, or similar device then these are the perfect gift for you! You can customize your clothespins by adding paint and rubber stamps of your choice to them! For this project you will need paint, acrylic craft paints are best if you plan on stamping multiple coats onto the pins.
You will also need some sponges to spread the paint around on the cloths pin, stencil if desired and that’s it! To complete this project simply grab a brush or sponge and add in some unique details. Add your contact information to the back of these pins in case they get lost and wash them well before use! Another idea is to take some interesting bottle caps and glue them over the top of the pins so that when people open their bottles they see your artwork.
Double-Stuffed Art
Ever been at a party where all of the snacks have been eaten but there are still tons of empty wine bottles laying around? Never fear! Make something artsy out of an old dirty bottle while getting rid of any extra food too!
This is what you’ll need: An empty white wine bottle (clear ones work best), a small bowl, cornstarch, water, salt, food coloring (optional), and assorted foods like black olives, pickles, dried fruit chunks, etc. Start by washing and drying the empty wine bottle. Then fill up the clean container with about two inches of water, sprinkle in about two tablespoons of salt, mix together and set aside for about five minutes.
After that time has passed add in enough food coloring to tint the water (blue/green/pink are good choices) as well as some cornstarch until it becomes gooey looking and then stir again. Now find a jar lid or other flat object which will fit inside your bottle opening without falling through and start filling it up with layers of different items like olives, pickles, dried fruit pieces, etc. Once done pour more gooey mixture into the jar to cover everything else up inside the bottle. Finish off by screwing on the lid tightly!
Conclusion
Why make one thing when you can make two things? These wine bottle crafts will not only get your creative juices flowing, but they’ll also satisfy that desire to make something with a dual purpose. So if you’re looking for a new craft idea this summer, head over to the following link. You might just find the perfect project for yourself and maybe even the person on your list who has everything.
Also, check out “Wall mirror decor” and “Easter ideas“
Hi I’m Bilal Malik, a digital marketing and blogging expert holding years of experience.
