DIY Vase made from Plastic Bottles!

 Things You’ll Need

 Ø  Cylindrical plastic bottle, preferably one with a fluted shape at the base.

 Ø  Craft, gardening or kitchen scissors

 Ø  Beach glass marbles or decorative stones

Steps:

Mark and cut the smooth middle portion of the bottle to give an even edge approx 7.

1. Mark and cut the smooth middle portion of the bottle to give an even edge approx 7.5 to 8cm (3") above where you want the fluted rim to be.

Measure and make straight, evenly spaced cuts all the way around the bottle.

2. Measure and make straight, evenly spaced cuts all the way around the bottle. Cut the segments in half and then cut each of those in half to make even, thin strips.

3. Carefully press and fold all the strips outward to make a level edge all the way around.

4.Press the bottle upside down on a flat surface to ensure an even edge.

5.Weave the tip of a strip over the next one and under the next two. Fold and crease it so that the tip is at the place shown here by the arrow.

6. Fold and crease the next one the same way, but weave this one over two and under one.

7. Fold the third strip and weave the same as the first one.

8. Continue around in this pattern until the last three and tuck each one under the next until woven in completely.

Tips:

 Ø  Because the plastic will be very lightweight, add marbles, beach glass, or decorative stones in the vase to provide a weighted base.

 Ø  When you add the marbles and stones and allow the light to shine through your vase, it will produce beautiful, stained glass-like colours.

 Ø  Heating the bottle can ensure your folds do not come apart.

 Ø  Be sure to maintain the regularity of the creases.

  Now you can put your flowers inside! =) 

  Adapted from http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Vase-out-of-a-Plastic-Bottle

DIY Bracelet made from Plastic Bottles!

You will need:

Ø  Scissors

Ø  Empty used small plastic bottle

Ø  Glue gun

Ø  Needle and thread

Ø  Felt (any colour)

Ø  Chalk 

Ø  Fabric scraps

Ø  Doilies/lace/buttons or other adornments

How to Make It?

Step 1. Using scissors, cut plastic bottle to your cuff shape.  Cut a gap and curve each corner to avoid sharp bits.  One plastic bottle can make three cuffs.  I’ve made  this example using the label part, so also removed the label.  This will be the base of your cuff.

Step 2. Take felt (my felt is from a recycle centre selling off-cuts) and trace around plastic cuff base with chalk.  Trace around one end, and slowly roll along length of felt, tracing as you go.

You’ll get something like this…

Cut two pieces.

Step 3. Using a glue gun, glue one felt strip to the inside, and one to the outside of the plastic cuff base.  This makes your cuff ‘padded’ and a little more sturdy. Because glue guns get very hot, I use sparingly to avoid burning plastic.

Cut off excess felt and plastic bits.

Step 4. Use cuff to trace around chosen fabric scrap with chalk, like you did in Step 2 with felt.  This time you only need one piece of fabric, and make sure you cut around traced shape leaving enough fabric to wrap around the inside of the cuff.

Step 5. Wrap fabric around the outside of the cuff, and sew in place with needle and thread, pull in tight as you sew. Start sewing at one end, pull tight.

Your chosen color of thread doesn't matter as it will be covered.

Step 6.  Decorate. You can use anything, lace, buttons, or make fabric scrap flowers to make your cuff look pretty.

I used a cut up doily from a previous craft project for my decoration.  I swapped threads and used ‘invisible thread’, sewing the cut doily in place right through the middle of the cuff to secure in place. We’re almost done…

Step 7. Tidy up the inside. To hide sewing on the inside of the cuff, use felt to cover. At this point I actually used an alternative, suitably matched colored felt, but you don’t have to. As per Step 2, trace cuff onto felt using chalk to get appropriate shape. You will need to trim to size. Use your glue gun to glue to the inside of your cuff. If you have your own label, you can glue that to the inside too. And you’re done!

Adapted from http://blog.kanelstrand.com/2011/12/weekend-diy-how-to-make-plastic-bottle.html

DIY Flower Pot made from Plastic Bottles!

Stuff Required:

Ø  Plastic Bottles

Ø  Old Useless CD’s

Ø  Marker

Ø  Knife / Scissor / Cutter

Ø  Plastic Cement / Glue to firmly connect CD and Bottle

Ø  Sand Paper

Ø  Paint

Instructions:

1.  Use marker to draw the sketch (the shape in which you want the final design of container) on plastic bottle .

2. Use the scissor to cut the plastic bottle from the marked location.

 Plastic Bottle and CD

3. Use the sand paper to rub the bottle cap from top and CD from the center.

4. Use the plastic cement to join the CD and bottle cap.

Plastic Cement

5. After some time cap the bottle firmly.

Glue CD with Cap and Cap the Bottle

Two Containers using One Bottle and One CD

6. Make the container colorful using some paint or you can even skip this step as per your requirement.

Ready Containers for Plantation

7. Your plastic bottle container is ready for plantation.

Precautions:

1. Carefully use the plastic cement.

2. Children must be supervised while using the plastic cement.

DONE! Ready to put your plants inside? =)

Adapted from http://www.latesthandmade.com/diy-ideas-plastic-bottle-plantation/

DIY Piggy Bank made from Plastic Bottles

What you’ll need

 Ø  Paintbrush

 Ø  Pink acrylic paint

 Ø  2 toilet tissue tubes

 Ø  Scissors

 Ø  Pink tissue paper

 Ø  Clean 2-liter plastic bottle

 Ø  Mod Podge, or a mixture of 2 parts tacky glue to 1 part water

 Ø  2 googly eyes ( ours are 5/8-inch wide)

 Ø  Pink two-holed button (ours is 3/4-inch wide)

 Ø  Tacky glue

 Ø  Craft knife

 Ø  Pink pipe cleaner

How to make it

 1. Paint the outside of both tubes pink. Paint half of the inside of one tube pink. Set them aside to dry.

2.  Cut the tissue paper into 1 1/4-inch squares. (To save time, stack several sheets and then cut them.) Brush a small section of the bottle with Mod Podge or diluted glue, lay a square on it, and brush Mod Podge on top of the square. Repeat the process until the bottle, including the capped spout, is entirely covered. Let it dry.

3. For the ears, cut two deep U shapes from the tube that’s painted pink inside. Cut three 1/4-inch slits in the base of each ear. Bend back the flaps to create gluing tabs. For the legs, cut four 1 1/2-inch-long sections from the tubes. Trim each leg to fit the contour of the bottle. Attach the legs, the ears, the googly eyes, and the button nose with tacky glue. Let them dry.

4. Use the craft knife to cut a rectangular coin slot in the pig’s back. Wind the pipe cleaner around a finger to make a tail shape, then glue it in place.

5. With scissors, trim the legs as shown so that the pig will stand flat. When you’re ready for some pork barrel spending, cut a flap in the underside of the bank with the craft knife.

And finally! It’s DONE! A cute piggy bank is made! Now you can drop your coins inside to save your money! =)

Adapted from http://spoonful.com/crafts/recycled-piggy-bank