If you could travel anywhere in the world right this moment, where would you go? I could probably narrow it down to a handful of places (I’m so indecisive!) but all my dream destinations would be near the sea. I feel trapped when I am away from the ocean for too long. I know, I am weird! Give me an open blue landscape, seabirds, salty air, offshore breezes and I’m a happy girl. I feel free.

Today’s DIY craft is reminiscent of my love for the ocean.

D.I.Y. ‘Lost At Sea’ Bottle

You know when you’re making a craft or baking something and things don’t turn out the way you want? Sometimes it’s terribly frustrating, and other times it works out for the best. I didn’t intend to make a DIY seaside treasure, it just kind of happened and I loved it!

This simple craft transforms an ordinary piece of recycling into a beautiful vase or decorative piece for your home. It also makes a great gift!

Supplies
Your favourite funky looking bottle 
Spray Paint (I used Krylon brand, with primer included)
Clear Protective Coating Spray 
Newspaper scrap
Dishcloth

Note: Try finding a bottle with a cool logo or inscription on the glass– like my Parallel 49th beer (amazing beer by the way!)  A bumpy inscription on your bottle  will make the final product look pretty awesome once sprayed. If you can’t find primer, buy a spray paint with the primer included in the mix. This is what I did. Make sure you buy a spray paint that can be used on glass.

Step 1: Lay newspaper down in an outdoor location. Prime bottle, spray with three coats of paint, letting the paint dry for at least 1 minute between layers.

Step 2: Use dishcloth to gently rub off paint over logo until it is to your liking, then spray with protective clear coating spray to seal paint onto bottle. Let dry, and you are finished!

Throughout the painting process, the bottle evolved to adopt a sort of salty, historic character as you see it now. I loved its transformation. It reminded me of an old, sea salt corroded glass bottle that could have rolled up on a beach after years at sea.

The paint dried in thick, crackly layers and fused onto the bottle’s sandpapery surface. After the paint dried, I took a rough dishcloth and gently rubbed the paint off some patches of the bottle, to emphasize the ‘worn’ look and to reveal an etching of the brewery’s logo. Voilà: my salty, corroded, seaside treasure!

You can use your finished bottle as a vase as I’ve done, or simply as a pretty, decorative piece to admire on a mantle or snug in an attractive corner of a bookcase.

Enjoy your crafting and I hope you have a great second half of your week!

Love,

Blue Owl