Bottle O’ Happy Thoughts

I live a few states away from my family.  It makes it hard sometimes but I take it as an opportunity to make care packages for them.  Sometimes, I’ll send Philadelphia themed items or something I found at a local shop but what I really love to do is make them things.

One of my favorite past times is to hit the thrift stores, flea markets, or consignment shops.  It’s kind of like treasure hunting.  You never know what you might find!  There are many times I have lucked out finding awesome things ‘as is’ but I also love reinventing items.

Today, I was at my local consignment shop and found a little corked glass bottle for $1.50 and this creative idea hit me.

BOTTLE O’ HAPPY THOUGHTS

What you’ll need:

• glass bottle
• Enamel paint (I found this in the folk art section of my local craft store. It has a wine glass on the top)
• a small piece of twine
• small square of construction paper
• hole punch
• scissors
• a string
• paint brush or tooth pick
• random beads, buttons, marbles (optional)
• paper towel
• parchment paper
• cookie sheet
• oven

Lay out the parchment paper on the table in case you get a bit messy.  Fold up the paper towel a few times, this will be your paint palette.  I already had red, white, blue, and yellow paint and decided my color scheme would be yellow, white, and lavender (mix the red, blue, and white).  I used a paint brush to mix the paint but you could use a toothpick as well.  It doesn’t really take much paint so keep that in mind as you prepare.

Be sure to wash your glass with soapy water, rinse well, and dry before painting.

(The first time I painted glass, I had a girls crafty night at my house.  I found this simple tutorial that made it easy to do while enjoying a couple glasses of wine.)

Since I’m not the most gifted painter, I came up with an idea to use string.  I took a string about six inches and pulled the middle 3 – 4 inches through the paint.

I then, keeping the string taunt, I pressed the string against the glass at different angles.  After you do one layer, be sure to let it dry for a bit before going around for a second or third time to prevent it from smearing.

I then took the paint brush and added a few decorative dots at the end of the lines and elsewhere on the bottle.  I chose to keep it a simple design as to not take away from the fun bottle.

Once you are happy with the paint job, let the paint dry for about an hour.  Next, place the parchment paper on a cookie sheet and set the glass in the middle.

Place it in the oven while the oven is cold and bake at 350 degrees for a half an hour.  After the thirty minutes, turn off the oven and let the glass cool down with the oven for the next hour.  It is important to allow the glass to heat and cool with the oven to avoid breakage.  If you would need to wash your glass in the future, be sure to do it by hand.

While my glass was in the oven, I made a tag for my bottle from construction paper and twine.  I cut the paper to fit the size of the bottle, used a whole punch for the end, tied my twine around it, and wrote my message.

“Bottle O’ Happy Thoughts – See reverse side for details”

“To be used when having a rough day.  Shake well to be sure the LOVE is spread throughout each HAPPY THOUGHT”

When the glass is cooled and you remove it from the oven, drop your buttons/marbles/beads into the bottle (these can be your ‘happy thoughts’), drape your tag over the neck of the bottle, and cork.  Last minute, I found a round butterfly sticker and added it as a label for my Bottle O’ Happy Thoughts.

Soon, mine with be snug in some bubble wrap and heading to my sister in the next care package.  I hope yours brings a smile to someone’s day.