Author's Note: There was some conflict over the title of this series, so you might have noticed that I changed it.
Ninety-nine bottles of milk on the wall, ninety-nine bottles of milk . . .
Aside from inspiring incredibly annoying songs, it seems like bottles just aren't all that useful. Once they're empty, they're off to a landfill to sit in piles of garbage - but it doesn't have to be that way!
This week, I'm showing you just a few of the uses old bottles can be put to. Before trying any of these crafts, make sure the bottles you're working with are completely clean, and that you have permission from your parent or guardian!
Very Nice Vase
Yes, it's pretty simple, but using a bottle as a vase adds to the atmosphere of any room. It gives you a story to tell, can lift a bad mood, and most of all, makes you proud that you made it yourself!
Glass or plastic bottles work well, as long as they're heavy enough to stand up straight without support. You can fill your "vase" with marbles, shells and sand, flowers, or colorful beads. As for the outside of the vase, the possibilities are endless - glue on some colored tissue paper, add stickers, paint your own designs, or tie a ribbon around the neck of the bottle. Choose a nice place to display your work!
Bottle Bowling
Gather ten plastic bottles (the two liter kind or smaller), and make sure each one can stand with its cap facing upward. Then decorate each one with colorful tape, permanent markers, stickers, paint, or anything else you'd like. If you want to make them personal, tape or glue some pictures onto each bottle. Remember to set four "bowling pins" in the last row, three in the next, two in the row after that, and one at the very front. Then grab a ball and get ready to bowl!
Ship in a Bottle
Okay, maybe not a ship . . . but how about an ocean scene instead? Glass bottles work best, but if a plastic bottle is heavy enough, it should be alright. The larger the bottle's cap, the better (you'll need to squeeze things through the bottle's opening). First, drop in a layer of sand or colorful marbles. Then stick in some toy fish, fake plants, a plastic treasure chest, even a little scuba diver - get creative! Fill the "tank" with water and make sure the cap is secure. You've got your very own aquarium!
I'd like to thank gr8girl9 for the suggestion of bottles for this week! Also, thanks to everyone else who y-mailed me last week - you had some great topics. If you'd like to see an idea of your own in my next article, y-mail me with your suggestion!
Ninety-nine bottles of milk on the wall, ninety-nine bottles of milk . . .
-Wicked777
