Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Monochrome Soda Bottle Goody Bag

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Repurpose a throw away soda bottle (trash) into a lovely monochromatic goody bag!  Something so creative, enjoyable and beneficial for the environment at the same time! A goody bag made out of a recycled soda bottle is so simple to make resulting in a gorgeous look especially when trimmed in a black filigree monochrome color! I love using soda bottles in projects as seen here, here, here, here, here, and here! I think I may have gotten carried away crafting using soda bottles, but this monochrome craft is such a cool project- although I would have preferred to used purple as the monochromatic color, lol!

It's time for another Sustainable Craft Challenge hosted by Julie @Sum of Their Stories! Welcome! This challenge is all about sustainable crafting with a different theme each month!  The projects must have some sort of a sustainable element to them. This could be an upcycling or recycling element, or something that reduces waste, uses leftovers, etc. This month's theme is Monochrome! I know! Are you wondering what eco-friendly craft can we come up with that's monochromatic? I did too! But Julie put us at ease with saying it's OUR interpretation of a craft using only one color or a variation of one color- black, white, or gray. I must say that I'm using a plastic soda bottle which is clear! No color, but by using black trim to decorate it makes it, I think, a monochrome project, lol!

So let's get started!

Supplies:

Disclosure I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, this post may contain links. I may receive a very small commission at no cost to you! The affiliate money I earn helps pay my crafting expenses. Thanks so much for your support!

How to:

Begin with a clean plastic soda bottle. I keep emphasizing plastic, but when I was little, soda bottles were made out of glass and had to be returned for a small deposit. Maybe we should go back to that! It would certainly help the environment in so many ways! Anyway, on to my project!  I got this particular soda bottle from the Dollar Tree. It has a smooth surface with no ridges - perfect to make a goody bag! But first, remove the label.

If there is any adhesive left on the bottle that you can't get off after removing the label, apply Vaseline and let it sit on the glue for a few hours to work its' magic! 
Then clean off with soap and water; let dry for a nice smooth finish.
Next, tape off the top using masking tape and .  .  .
begin cutting the top off using a craft knife to get you started following the edge of the masking tape.

Once you have a slice opening big enough for scissors, switch to sharp scissors to finish removing the top. 

It's so much easier using scissors to cut the plastic for a nice smooth edge.

To remove the bottom portion of the soda bottle, follow the line that's inscribed in the plastic for easy removal .  .  .

resulting in a nice plastic cylinder shape.

For a rectangular shape bag, flatten the plastic and . . .

using a bone folder or the round handle end of scissors, flatten one side of the  plastic in half and .  .  .

then "by eye" flatten the other side in a .  .  .
smaller width.
Complete forming the bag by using the bone folder to flatten the remaining sides in the same widths of the larger and smaller sides.

To make flaps on the bottom to close, measure the width of the front side and divide in half, 
cutting up the sides and .  .  .
folding over to overlap the four flaps. 


To decorate the goody bag, I found a free image online of a black rectangle filigree which I resized in Word to fit the front, back and sides of the goody bag - then copied the images on clear stencil sheets and printed out using a laser printer.

                                                          

               
Attach plastic filigree images to bag with quick dry glue.
 

           


Cover the inside bottom of the bag with a piece of stiff black felt cut to size. 
                               


Use a hole puncher to make holes near the top for the ribbon handles.
Just insert black ribbon ends through the holes, one side at a time and tie into a couple of large knots to secure. 

To complete the look, add a simple black and grayish bow for an adorable monochrome soda bottle goody bag! Perfect to use for any occasion or celebration! 
I hope you enjoyed how I made my Monochrome Soda Bottle Goody Bag!

Welcome again to our Sustainable Craft Challenge Blog Hop!  


Be sure to check out all the creative "Monochrome" Sustainable Craft projects from my fellow crafters listed below:

Julie @ Sum of Their Stories  - Monochrome Patchwork Bag DIY

Marci @ Old Rock Farmhouse  -  Simple Silhouette Greeting Cards

Gail @ Purple Hues and Me  -  Monochrome Soda Bottle Goody Bag

Allyson @ Southern Sunflowers  -  Easy DIY Button Art on Canvas - Tutorial for Adults

T'onna @ Sew Crafty Crochet  -  Monochrome Crochet Scarves

Terri @ Our Good Life  -  Monochrome Watercolor Painting








Saturday, September 28, 2024

Fall Fluted Galvanized Catchall Tray

     ,  15 comments

Decorate your home this autumn season with a fluted galvanized catchall footed tray that's decoupaged with a colorful fall leaves napkin!

Welcome to this months' "Do It Over Designers" Blog Hop! The "Do It Over Designers" is a group of creative bloggers who love to recycle/upcycle/ DIY, hosted by Anne @The Apple Street Cottage. It happens the 4th Saturday of every other month and it's all about taking something old and/or unused and 'doing it over' into something new. Thanks Anne for hosting this wonderful blog hop!

I picked up the tray at a local Goodwill store. The tray has a galvanized metal base with fluted edges with a faint fluted gold trim rim!

I couldn't resist the price at $2.50 or the styling. Plus, it has rubber discs on the bottom to help prevent scratching or banging on other surfaces. 


 Materials used to update tray include:
Disclosure I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, this post may contain links. I may receive a very small commission at no cost to you! The affiliate money I earn helps pay my crafting expenses. Thanks so much for your support!

To decoupage the metal tray, start by washing tray with a liquid detergent like Dawn Platinum in warm water to remove any dirt and grime then dry.

Open the napkin and place pattern faced down in the tray. Use a pencil to mark around the inner rim napkin pattern and .  .  .

 cut out the napkin tray design. 

Once the napkin tray design is cut out, separate the printed layer of the paper napkin from the plain layers by dipping your forefinger in Mod Podge and tapping your thumb and forefinger together until sticky. Then tap the corner of the napkin with your thumb and forefinger until the edge of the layers loosen to separate them.
Then using a paintbrush, apply a light layer of Matte Mod Podge to the bottom of the galvanized tray. Lay the pattern napkin on top. Use a piece of a ziplock plastic bag or plastic wrap on top to smooth the napkin out over the tray to remove any wrinkles. Let dry and then add a layer of Mod Podge to seal. 
I'm loving how the fall leaves napkin looks on the tray! Perfect for the fall season!
Then I remembered that I had some left over silver knobs that would give the tray a "footed" look. The knobs are perfect for "feet" to attach since they have a flat surface! So I .  .  .
glued them on top of the rubber discs .  .  .
for a fabulous footed tray look!
Full of color and texture!
Adding a warm, fall style and design to your home! 

Perfect for displaying your seasonal decorative pieces!

Be sure to visit all of this month's creative projects by the  "Do It Over Designers"  listed below:




Tuesday, September 10, 2024

Festive Jute Decorative Wreath

     ,  18 comments

Hello and welcome to our Creative Craft Hop hosted this month by Sara @Birdz of a Feather! We are delighted to have two hosts - Sara and Donna  @ Modern on Monticello! They each take turns hosting every other month! Thank you ladies for hosting this awesome Creative Craft Hop! Coincidentally, if you're visiting from Sara @Birdz of a Feather, doesn't her Soda Can Bracelet look amazing! Sara is famous for creating the most unique and fabulous items!

My contribution to this months' Creative Craft Hop is a Festive Jute Decorative Wreath! It is quite a unique looking wreath! Made of two types of cording - jute and purple twine shaped into loops attached to a cardboard base! Easy to make but may be a bit tedious. I love listening to music while crafting especially when it requires repetitive steps! But I'm glad to share only a few materials are used to create this fun wreath!

Materials:
  • Cardboard (use any heavy duty parcel box)
  • Wood ring -14"/pan top -8"
  • Craft Knife/Scissors
  • Jute twine 5mm
  • Purple twine 4mm
  • Glue Gun/Glue Sticks
  • Mod Podge Matte
Disclosure I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, this post may contain links. I may receive a very small commission at no cost to you! The affiliate money I earn helps pay my crafting expenses. Thanks so much for your support!

How To:

Draw a big circle on the cardboard using a wood ring shape as a guide.  


Cut out using a craft knife.


Use a small pan top to draw another circle inside and . . .  
cut out.

This is your wreath form and base to add the twine loops!
To make the loops, I'm using jute and purple twine.
First cutting the twine into 7" strips and . . .

lining up together a jute, purple and jute strip to glue the ends together.

Then .  .  .
shaping the glued twine into a loop ,  ,  ,
crossing one end over the other and gluing in place.
Make lots of loops and begin gluing in place on the edge of the cardboard wreath form.
There are twenty-six loops glued to the wreath form.
Once the first row is done, begin gluing on the second row - overlapping the side edges of the first loops.
I managed to squeeze in twenty-six loops for the second row.
And began gluing on the third row!

Once all the loops were attached - I glued on a total of 73 loops, 52 for the first two rows and 21 loops for the last row - it was time to braid a piece to go around the circle at the bottom of the loops. To do this, measure around the circle and multiple that number two or three times. I'm sure you have realized that this is not an exact science so I'm improvising the length needed. Cut five cords - two purple and three jute. 

This decorative braiding technique is by far the easiest for me to do:

1. Arrange the cords so there are two on one side and three on the other. Using five alternating cords - jute, purple, jute, purple and jute. Divide the group with two, jute and purple on the left and jute, purple and jute on the right.

2,  Take the jute cord on the far right and cross over the two to join the two on the left. Now you have three on the left side and two on the right.

3. Take the jute on the far left and cross over the two to join the two on the right.

4. Take the purple on the far right and cross over the two to join the two on the left.


5.  Take the purple on the far left and cross over the two to join the the two on the right.

 6. Take the jute on the far right and cross over the two to join the two on the left.

7.  Take the jute on the far left and cross over the two to join the two on the right.

8  Continue alternating the cords far right/left as before to braid the cords.

Once the length needed is braided, arrange around the circle. Where the two ends meet, paint Mod Podge on both areas to seal the braiding and let dry. Once the braid is dry, cut off the excess braiding.


 Begin gluing on the braid using hot glue on top of the ends of the loop, covering any cardboard that may be exposed.

Until the area is .  .  .
covered with the braiding.




So unique and beautiful hanging on the door or . . .

use as a centerpiece as seen with my soda bottle candleholder! The wreath is very versatile!

I hope you enjoyed how I made my Festive Jute Decorative Wreath! In case you started viewing the creations from the bottom to work your way up, next is Cecilia @ My Thrift Store Addiction sharing her lovely Vintage Picnic Basket Glow Up! How cool is that!