2 LITER BOTTLE RECYCLED INTO HAND CRAFTED FISH

This 2 liter bottle that was someone's trash, is now a colorful little fish.  Why Not?  Lol.

I started molding flowers and colorful male guppies came to mind.  I'm still not quite sure what I am going to do with these fish as they do make great cold snack dishes too. Note, the paint is on the outside, so I assume it's pretty safe.  What do you think? I mounted the other pair of fish on a board.  But I am thinking a mobile fish sun catcher for these.  I'm not sure...meanwhile, today, it's a snack dish.  Lol.   I will keep you updated on it's outcome..

Colorful tail and fins.

I will keep it simple since I don't want to repeat myself.  I feel if you can imagine it on a bottle, well then you can create it.  It's all mental work, and just go from there.  However, all the magic takes place when I use Adirondack  Alcohol Inks.

An inside view.  I tell you, I love the effects of these Aidirondack Alcohol inks.
Don't you?

These inks is what gives my molded plastic the color that continues to inspire me to keep on creating my projects.

If you are interested on how I cut, mold, paint, and put together these recycled bottles, please visit my home page for a picture tutorial.
Please help make our planet beautiful...RECYCLE.
Pass this along:)  Till the next time, Many blessings.

Sincerely,

Mary Helen

Until I decide what I am going to make with these fish, I will enjoy my snack mix:)

"FISH LOVING FISH" WALL PLAQUE MADE OUT OF RECYCLED BOTTLES

Again when I looked at the plain clean 2 liter plastic bottle, I saw the image of fish, and went with that.  I call it, "Fish Loving Fish".  haha.  Got any better ideas?  I love my inks especially on colors like guppies, at least the male guppy is colorful.  Not fair, but so I guess I have two male guppies
here or what?  I love color?  Kissing fish is a cute idea right?  I thought so.

I blew each fish up because I liked the paint on it.  I might do an image
transfer with this snapshot.  I think it would look real nice just like this.

Let's see, I used the top portion of a two liter bottle.  Split it in half using some heavy duty tin shears.  I gave it a rough shape.  I continued to shaped it first this time before the Adirondack Alcohol Ink paint job.  Paints are not cheap and I don't want to waste any paint on something I could not use.  I mounted it on a piece of styro foam that was in some throw away packaging.  I covered it with aluminum which I embossed, and painted with alcohol inks.  I used a glue gun to adhere my project together.

Well that's it for now.  I thought I'd share my Kissing Fish since I just made them.  I hope you enjoy my blog, if not for the pics only.  Please come back, or visit my other blogs.  Just go to my home page and don't forget to share.  So till the next time...Many Blessings

This is what they looked like before the mounting.  I did cut some of the
mouth to reduce the size.

Sincerely,

Mary Helen

I just love the colors the inks give.  You don't have to be an artist to play right?

MOBILE SUN CATCHER MADE WITH PLASTIC BOTTLES.

I am still recycling things out of plastic bottles.  Using Adirondack Alcohol inks make it so much fun with vibrant colors.  Sometimes I look at the bottle till I can see an image come forth. I go with that.


I really have no instructions, but my imagination here.  I used the bottom of a Gatorade bottle to create a base for the mobile.  I drilled holes in each "petal" to string the flowers.  I painted each plastic with Adirondack Alcohol Inks letting it air dry before adding another layer of ink.  I used a candle to shape it.   I made the flowers out of the bottoms of six water bottles.  You can go to my home page here for more detailed instructions with photos.

Voila!
A Mobile Sun Catcher.

Recycle folks, and trust me, this is such a fun way to do it.  They make great gifts, or can be sold at your local craft fair/farmers market.  Well that's it for now.  I have another one coming up real soon.  So till the next time, please share, and Many Blessings:)

Sincerely,

Mary Helen

RECYCLED BATHROOM ACCESSORIES MADE WITH 2 LITER SODA BOTTLES.

I'm still recycling plastic bottles into flowers, but last night I made them with a different flair. I didn't quite take the molding to a flower stage as I decided I needed a napkin holder for my bathroom. So I went with the bathroom accessory containers in mind. It still amazes me how pretty they come out. I even put some on a pedestal.  Again, besides the recycled bottles, it took Adirondack Alcohol Inks, a good pair of scissors, and a candle.   I'm so excited I just had to share.

My candle holder with a battery operated tea-light made using the top of a 2 liter bottle.  The pedestal is a bottom of a small water bottle.  I just love the effects of blown glass that the alcohol inks gives.

My paper towel holder made out of an entire 2 liter bottle.  Top and bottom

Soap dish made with the bottom of a 2 liter bottle.  No more soggy soap.  The "legs" keep the soap from sitting in the water.  Also makes a cute candy dish.

Toothbrush holder made out of the bottom portion of a 2 liter bottle.

Another 2 liter bottle bottom made into a small bowl perfect for small accessories

And here is my complete set.  I don't know about you, but I have not seen anything like these accessories in any store in
town.   I love the effects of Adironback Alcohol Inks.  You just never know exactly how it is going to come out.  I do know that the more ink you use, the more like blown glass it will look..

Anyway, it is important  for us to recycle all this junk that would take up a lot of land space for a very long time. My cousin collects and recycles, but when she saw what I was doing, well she thought it was best that I have them.  Boy, was I glad.  115 plastic bottles all in my little kitchen and from one household.  Trust me, just these bottles alone took up a lot of space.  Perhaps it was just a months collection.  There were 88 small water bottles too.  The more populated our world becomes, the more waste is produced, so we will need more waste land, along with more space for the overly populated areas  Sad because it can definitely recycle into something usable.  Too many bottles do not make the recycle bin at all..just the landfills.

 I think why not beautify our surroundings with all that wasted trash.  If we don't recycle for us in out time.  Do it for the next generation, our little loved ones.  By the way the ink is on the outside only.  I do use it for food as long as the food is cold like candy, chips, yogurt or ice cream.  Definitely do not heat or use any heated food like soup etc. One other note I forgot to mention, is they are so much sturdier now, then when they were 2 liter soda bottles,  Yay, I am so impressed. If you are interested in how I made these accessories, just go the my home page and find the instructions there.  If you like this page, please share.  You have my permission to pin it, tweet or or share with a group project..  It is a lot of fun, and so beautiful to see it form right before your very eyes.

So till the next, thanks for dropping by and recycle folks.  Just do it.  Many blessings.
Sincerely,

Mary Helen

RECYCLED BOTTLES THAT LOOK LIKE BLOWN GLASS FLOWERS

I'm still recycling plastic bottles into beautiful flowers, however, this time I used alcohol inks.  Some of the inks I made myself using permanent markers and alcohol ink.  Ha ha, for that matter I also used some herbs and spices and alcohol for yellows, and amber colors.    Aren't they just beautiful? They do look like they were made out of blown glass. I am so happy with this I just had to share.

Each flower comes from the top or bottom of the bottle. I shape each flower to the way I feel they should be by a candle. They are pretty sturdy. The ink is permanent too, so they wash well. I am getting ready for a showing in Hollywood, Californis real soon:)

Here I used markers and alcohol, along with real alcohol ink.

My flower put together

As you can see, I used an empty vegetable oil bottle.  The flower came out so nice too.

These were made from the bottle of small water bottles.  Don't they look like lollipops?

I used a one inch paper punch for some of the inners.

I also used bottle caps for the inside.

I sculpted this face using polymer clay.  I painting her using my alcohol inks..  I then glued her to the flower. and the flower to the stick:)  you like?

RECYCLING PLASTIC BOTTLES INTO FLOWERS

I don't know if you call it art, as I am no artist and I've never painted anything before but a wall.  However, I sure am having fun making these colorful flowers.  I live in a high-rise building in Hollywood, California, and there are no flowers to be seen except for the gardens on the 11th, and 6 floor.  Personally, I like waking up looking at these flowers so I thought I'd share how easy it is to make them.  Note, the molding part is definitely not a child's activity.  Perhaps they can do the painting and leave the molding for the adult.

What you need:

• Plastic water bottle
• Scissors
• Long nose pliers
• Candle
• Acrylic paint
• Clear Acrylic Sealer Gloss spray can
• glue gun if applying to a stick
• Stick, twig, etc.

See picture below for details.

1.  Cut top off bottle, and make as many petals as you like, making the ends pointy like top right pic.  Note I did notice that the more petals I made I had to be more careful of it melting.  It happens so quickly. Beginners should probably try 4-5 petals before attempting more petals.  They are more delicate and prone to melt quickly.
2.  With long-nose pliers hold each pedal over a candle flame carefully, until they bend the way you want it.  Use the pliers to help shape your pedal while it is warm.  Careful, it happens very fast.
3.  Paint with acrylic paint on the outer part of the bottle.  Wait for each coat of paint  to dry before adding additional paint.
4.  In a well ventilated area, spray the painted surface with a gloss sealer.

Some bottles have a cutting guideline like this one.
See the lines. You can follow it and add more or
less pedals.  You decide.  Cut as far up as you can cut.
You  will get to a point where it is difficult to cut.  That's when you stop:)

This soda bottle's bottom had 5 hard round shapes so  I made 5 petals.  
I went online and found a 5 petal flower

This was the bottom of a two liter soda bottle.  I gave it 5 petals.  The bottom is sturdier than the top.  Pretty right?

The bottom of the bottle turned into a 5 petal flower.

Bottle top  No image to go by...just did my own thing.

This flower has a cookie in the middle.  This cookie won't crumble, as it was
part of my salt clay dough,  haha, the cookie might outlast the flower.

Bottom of a vinegar bottle, turned into a sunflower.

My red and gold flower made out of a small water bottle.
 I used polymer clay for the middle.  Buttons will work fine too.  So will
bottle caps.  Pretty right?

Well that's it for now.  Don't forget to share if you like it.  Click a like link below.  So till I post my bottle cap pics...Many Blessings.
Sincerely,

Mary Helen.