Upcycled Flower Made Out Of a Plastic Ketchup Bottle

Can you believe this was once a plastic ketchup bottle?  I cut, painted, fired it into a beautiful flower.

I am running out of plastic bottles to up cycle into flowers. I had just finished this catsup/ketchup bottle. So I washed it well and began cutting. What was interesting it had 3 layers of plastic which easily separated. The third in between layer was too thin to use, so I ripped that off.

I used my Rangers Adirondack Alcohol Inks to paint.  The come in packs of three at Sams Club for quite a reasonable price.  I love the effects these inks give.



 However, to get this effect, you have to use several layer of paints, using different colors each time. The alcohol inks dry quite fast, so you don't have to wait long to apply the next coat. Just blow. Haha. I do:)  Besides, blowing helps spread the ink into another painted part and will bleed.  That's what these inks do well...bleed.  I love this effect.

This is what happens when you let the inks bleed into each other.  Pretty right?  Kind of looks like stained glass.
Just paint, pucker, and blow, but don't breathe the fumes.  Make sure you do this in a well ventilated area.
 Blowing is not entirely necessary, but it does help.

This is the bottom half of the ketchup bottle.  You can see the two layers of plastic before it was painted and fired.
 It was easy to separate once it was cut into the petals.

Well, that's it for now.  I just had to share this for all my crafty friends who also would like to recycle by upcycling too.  So till the next time...Many Blessings.

Sincerely,

Mary Helen

Recycled Cat Food Tin Into A Trinket Box

For years I have been recycling Cisco my cat tin cans in the recycle bin.  I kept thinking if only there was something I could do with these.  When the label is off some of them have a pretty gold color that caught my attention.  So I've been saving some of them, and thought I'd play a bit with one since this is what I do.  I think it came out cute and thought I'd share for any other crafters.  Good thing is, you don't need many supplies.

What you will need:

• Can food tin with lid    Washed and dry of any oils and water so the paints will stick
• Sharpie permanent colored markers I got on sale at Office Max.
• Cuddle Bug for the embossing, but not necessary as free hand comes out pretty nice too
• Ribbon, enough to run along one side of the tin, and the lids.  Leave some excess ribbon for the pull top
• You do need good ventilation, as these markers put off quite an odor.

Instruction will be via Photos from here:

Here I removed the tab, embossed it with the Cuddlebug.
I them painted it on the outside and inside using my
Sharpie fine point permanent markers. 
Adding several layers of different colors for each flower
really makes them come alive.

I wasn't sure I was going to make a tin till I realized it still fit well.

I glued one end of the ribbon raw edge folded over with a glue gun, right where
my finger is pointing

Once dry I glued it at the rim,where my finger is so the lid will sit nicely.

Now I glued the inside of the lid to the ribbon.  Careful, the glue gun is hot.
 Make sure you you leave enough ribbon with the raw edge glued on for a new
pull top.

Using the markers I added some design to help cover any inked dates on the
sides.

Well, this is how I spent my day crafting this weekend.  It's really easy, makes great gifts, and it's cute.  It's also a great way to recycle folks.

Well that's it for now, when I can find my jewelry tools I will show you the cute earrings I am making out of similar lids.  The lids also make great wind chimes, and the can makes great candle holders too.

There you have it, So till the next time, please share, pin, like with anyone you like.   Together we can help clean up some of this litter by recycling it right?  Lets do it, and if you can't...then pass it on.  Till the next time...Many  blessings.

Sincerely,

Mary Helen

STAINED BEER BOTTLE USING PERMANENT MARKERS-recycled

Here is the same beer bottle in 3 stages of scribbling with my permanent markers because that's all I could do.

Today, my tremors worked for me.  Thank God.  Some days are worse than other days. I 

always tremor, no matter what. But, they have improved tremendously with my brain implant. 

On the days I tremor more, I don't mold, or play with fire so to speak. Or I don't paint,

 because of too many do overs. Today I thought I'd go with the grain, instead of against it. 

 My tremors that is.

I realized I could not use my inks today.  I have a deadline to meet, and I will not let that interfere. So, I picked up the permanent markers and literally began to scribble. I didn't know where this was going to take me, but I was inspired to do so. I am so glad I did.

I quickly began to see flowers forming. Well I see them. Lol, not sure if you do. This is not your typical stain. But, it is stained. I will bake it for 20 min on low and it should be permanently set.

See the shaky lines. Lol. Well at least I can make lines and made the bottle. Haha. If you visits my blog...

Livingwithessentialtremors.blogspot.com

You will get it.

Well, that's it for now. I have a new recipe I have to post on my other blog...

Maryhelenstestkitchen.blogspot.com

So till I have time to post more instructions as mentioned, many blessings:)

Sincerely

Mary Helen

A NEW SERVING DISH MADE OUT A RECYCLED CONTAINER

I've been really having fun making my flowers out of bottles,  So anything different would be a challenge for me.  I thought I'd give this old Trader Joes Biscotti container that I first used to store my dried chillies for about a year. However, for the past month it stored all my alcohol ink containers so I saw it daily. Well, my ink supply had multiplied so I moved my inks to a larger container.

So I cut the rim. I usually ink after I cut, but not when I am not sure of the outcome. So I decided to mold it with a candle prior to painting. I don't want to waste any of my Adirondack Alcohol inks on something that might not come out well.

This old container has been around the house for a while now.
Time for a make over!

This is what it looked like after I cut it with scissors, and carefully
shaped it witha candle.  It's pretty sooty and so are my hands.  So I wash
off as much as I can.with dish soap and a sponge.  You want to make
sure there is nothing stopping the alcohol inks from adhering to the paint.
You will see the missed spots in the final wash.

And this is the result of using Adirondack Alcohol Inks.  I used black, then
the red, gray and red again.  Make sure each layer is dry before you add
another layer.  You don't want smudges.  Don't worry, these inks
 dry very fast.

Well I usually make more than one of the same color to make sets. So I'm off but I shall return with a more in depth picture tutorial on how I mold and paint these pieces.
Till then, many blessings.

Sincerely,

Mary Helen

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