Raise a glass for DIY: Cool and crafty uses for wine bottles

By Sarah Sharp

There are  many ways to repurpose wine bottles: as centerpieces, flower holders or festive decorations for your home or garden. It’s an inexpensive alternative to purchasing vases or centerpieces for your home, and the bottles themselves are usually not difficult to come by – even if you must badger your wine-drinking friends. This particular craft was used for a country-themed bridal shower, but you can make the concept work for your purpose or space.

First, you’ll want to coat your wine bottles with baking soda and dish soap. This is an easy craft to duplicate for many bottles at a time, so pile them in.

Soak the bottles overnight to ensure the labels and their sticky residue come off easily.

Use an edged surface to save time scrubbing off the label. An old credit card or scissors can do the trick. Be warned: a sponge is more helpful in spreading the residue than removing it.

The bottles should be clean and sparkly. This is where a trip to your favorite craft store will determine the look of your bottle. Choose from ribbon, bows, twine, appliqués or even spray paint. We chose to keep the bottles clear, but you can just as easily decorate the bottle with your choice of colored spray paint. Gold, silver, black and white make excellent backdrops.

#5: Use a hot glue gun to apply ribbon and appliqués.

#6: Twine adds some rustic character to your bottle, but you’ll need to reapply hot glue as you wrap it around the bottle to ensure the lines remain even.

#7: The size of your bow or ribbon should complement the bottle. For this wide bottle, a larger bow worked well.

#8: For tall, skinny bottles, delicate ribbon is all you need.