Learn how to up-cycle a wine bottle into a self watering bottle for your planter boxes! This tutorial is my first video so as always your comments are welcome! I have also provided you with a step by step tutorial below.
I am always looking for ways to use wine bottles. I seem to have lots of friends that are more than willing to supply me with empty wine bottles! So, it’s time to get inspired today. Today we are going to create a self-watering bottle out of a wine bottle. We’ll be using etching to accomplish this project. So glad you’re here with me today.
We are going to turn an empty wine bottle or any type of bottle that you have at your house, into a self-watering bottle for your planters. Above is an example of one I made earlier today. I like to add these to planter boxes. They help with adding a little bit of water between your normal watering cycles. I have seen these in a lot of nurseries and they a little expensive. Compared to using a decal or sticker, an empty wine bottle and some etching solutions and making it yourself. So let’s get started. Below are the supplies that you will need.
Supplies:
- Empty Wine Bottle
- Decal or Sticker
- Transfer Tape is using a decal
- Etching Cream
- Paint Brush
- Stopper
- Cotton Ball
- Rubbing Alcohol
I’m using a clear bottle. The one I showed you above was a green bottle, but in this tutorial, I will be using a clear bottle. Both colors work just fine. In fact, I have some beautiful blue bottles that I have used, and they turned out great. The next thing you need is a decal. I created my decal using my Cricut Maker and Design Space. You could also use a sticker if you don’t have a Cricut. The etching cream that I like to use is Etchall, but you can also use Armour Etch. I just got introduced to Etchall, and I really like it. It’s also reusable, which I think is really great. So, let’s get started:
Step One ~ Prepping Bottle
The first step is to clean your bottle. I like to wash my bottle and remove any labels and then take a cotton ball and rubbing alcohol and clean the bottle.. This will ensure that your bottle is free of any fingerprints.
Step Two ~ Weeding Decal
If you are using your Cricut to create your decal, you will need to weed out the design first.
I’m using my trusty weeding pen, which is a Pin Pen. I got this from 651vinyl.com which is where I get all of my vinyl from also. So, the first thing we need to do is weed the design. I first like to make sure there are no bubbles or creases in the vinyl. So, I take my flattening tool and run it across the back side of my design. When I put together this design, I attached a box to the design so that I could do a reverse weed. This is when you remove the design from the vinyl and leave the box. This way, when I attached the decal to the bottle, I will only put etching cream over the design. If you use a sticker, you would place the stickers on the bottle and apply the etching cream to the entire bottle.
Step Three ~ Applying Decal to Transfer Paper
One the weeding is done I apply my transfer tape. I like to make sure that the transfer tape is covering the whole design. I want to use my tool to make sure that the design has adhered to the transfer tape. Now pull from the back and remove the paper from the back of the vinyl. It is easier to pull this way. Just carefully pull back the paper making sure the design all adhered to the transfer tape.
Step Four ~ Adhering Decal to Bottle
Once the decal is on the transfer tape, it is time to put it on the bottle. Keep in mind that your bottle is a watering bottle that’s going to go in your planter box, so it’s going to be upside down. So, you want your design to be more at the top. I like to fold the decal and carefully let the center of decal adhere to the bottle first, and then work your way out very slowly because you don’t want bubbles in your design. The secret to etching is that your decal must be layered down with no creases or air bubbles. I just really, really want to make sure that no bubbles are going around the edge of my design.
Step Five ~ Applying Etching Cream
I like to pour some of my Etchall Cream into a small cup. I find that it is easier than having to be inside my big jar all the time, so you want to make sure that you have a good coat. Don’t be shy. I just cake this on to the bottle. I always say this looks like butterscotch pudding.
Once the cream is completing on, you let it sit for 15 minutes. Basically, the cream is just eating away at the glass, it’s just amazing what you can do. I’ve done etching on wine glasses, and it is fun to do on vases also. So, it’s just up to your imagination as to what you can etch. It is essential to be care when applying the cream. Wherever the cream touches, the glass will be etched away. So, I like to brace mine up while I am waiting. I don’t want to set my bottles upright because the etching cream could run. I also like to leave it in an area it’s not going to be disturbed.
Step Six ~ Removing Etchall
Okay so our 15 minutes are up, and we are going to remove the Etchall from the cup. I like to use my same sponge brush to remove the etching cream. I go ahead and just put it back in the cup, and I try to get off as much as possible. Then I take the bottle to the sink and rinsing it all off.
Once the cream is all removed you need to remove the decal. I always say this is when the magic is revealed on the etching. You could easily add more designs if you wanted. It would be the exact same process.
Final Step
If you are happy with your design. Your next step would be is to fill your bottle up with water and add a stopper to the top and place it in your planter box. I like to use bird feeder stoppers with the tube removed.
Thanks so much for joining me today on for this new Fun Stuff Crafts project. I hope you got some inspiration to create. Below are a few other ideas that you can do with etching.
If this project inspired you, then check out some of my other projects for more inspiration!
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