In an active kitchen we tend to collect a bunch of empty bottles and containers. The trick is finding creative ways to re-use these kitchen canisters. They can be used to store food, spices and even dog treats. I am writing a 3 post series about the creative ways we can decorate the kitchen with a fun artsy project that recycles those empty containers. Today’s article is about a simple project that I found to be very creative, using colored water to decorate a beer bottle.
This project was actually inspired by a friend. I had this friend that loved to drink fine wine and spirits, and beer; so you can imagine he would have a lot of left over bottles. The clear bottles he kept and turn into works of art with just colored water. When I would come to see him these bottles would be on display. I remember thinking how creative that was and I wanted to share this with you.
What You Need:
1: Empty wine, beer, or liqure bottles that are clear and have a lid or cork
2: Assortment of colors of food dye
3: Water
How to put It Together
Fill each bottle about 3/4 full with water and pour in several drops of the desired dye until the water turns the color you want. Then repeat this step with the rest of the bottles. You can change up the colors how you see fit. These bottles look really nice when they are displayed in front of a light source too. Thats pretty much all there is to it, I know very simple right!
Ocean Waves
Another way you can take this project and add a little flair to it is by making an ocean wave in one of the bottles. Take one of the bottles and fill it 1/3 with water and then put in some drops of blue food coloring dye. Now fill the rest of the bottle up with cooking oil. This step would be completed easier if you had a funnel to poor the oil into the bottle without making a mess. Top off with a tight lid and now you can tilt the bottle on it’s side and rock it up and down to see the cool waves!
Waves in a bottle
These projects are just one way to recycle those empty bottles and create something you can decorate your kitchen with. Feel free to play with the ingredients and make a truly unique piece of artwork. One thought is to add flowers to one of the bottles and create an art deco style vase. Expressing your creativity is a unique experience that you should enjoy doing because that joy will come through in your design. Stay tuned for the last article in the artsy kitchen canisters project. This time we are making an entire ocean scene!
Do you have some empty kitchen canisters lying around that you have been wondering what you are going to do with them? In the next few days I will have a series that will talk about the different ways you can turn those old canisters into pieces of art that you can use to decorate your kitchen. These projects are fairly easy and with some extra ingredients found at a hobby store, anyone can do them. They will also allow you and the kids to flex that creative side of your brain. Today we will talk about creating a decorative bottle with colored sand.
The great thing about making decorative sand bottles is that it is a creative project that will allow you and your kids to express themselves. Everyone’s bottle will look different and unique to their taste. The way the sand shifts, what colors are used and how big a stripe of a particular color used will all depend on your own creativity.
For this project you will need:
1: Empty clear bottles with lids
2: Different colors of sand (can be purchased at hobby stores)
3: Funnel (to help with pouring the sand in the bottle without making a mess)
Putting It Together
Now all you have to do is put the funnel in the bottle and pour in the colors, alternating them as you go. The amount that you pour in and how even the stripes are is up to you. For an even stripe you can shake the bottle gently side to side and tap it on the table to help settle the sand evenly. When you’re done pouring in the sand secure the lid and enjoy your artwork. To ensure the sand stays put you can glue the lid on by putting glue on the threads of the lid.
Once completed the sand in the bottles will look amazing. You can get as creative with this project as you want. The fun with art is that it is an express on ones self so there isn’t a definitive “right way” to do this. Have fun and stay tuned for the next post in this series when we talk about making colored water in a bottle.
Dinner time is over, and it is time to put the leftovers away. Will the leftover lasagna fit in the plastic food container with the blue lid or the clear lid? Should I shove it in the circular one or the square one? How deep should the container be? There are so many choices, it’s hard to make the right decision when dealing with food canisters.
Plastic kitchen canisters are available in most chain stores. Target and Wal-mart are a few of the most convenient places to get them. Many come in sets with different sizes ranging from small to large. Department stores such as Macy’s also carry different types of canisters. Depending on the quality you want, you can get even get them from a specialty store, such as Pottery Barn, or an outlet of such. These canisters can be used to store a variety of items.
Kitchen canisters are great for storing food in the freezer. If you make soup, or a special sauce, it’s easy and convenient to put some in a clear plastic canister for use at a later date. It might be a good idea to use a clear kitchen canister so you can view the contents inside of it. Small kitchen canisters can even be used to add an aesthetic appeal to storing spices or other items in a public viewing space. Some even come in unique shapes and you can add labels to designate what is inside.
plastic container keeping fruits fresh
Plastic contianers are also practical for storing leftover food to put in the refrigerator. They make storing cereal or pet food easy as well. Many have tops or covers that are designed specifically to pour out its contents when tipped. It is wise to choose a size that will not have too much extra space. They should be as close to the shape of the original food, if at all possible. That way you are using the canister efficiently.
Whatever you choose to use them for, many of the clear plastic containers can be washed in the dishwasher. Storing them is usually a breeze since they can be easily stacked inside each other, depending on the size, then placed in a cupboard where they are easily accessible. Whatever the use, plastic kitchen canisters are readily available, easy to store, and make eating leftovers a breeze.
Decorative Ideas | admin December 28, 2010 | 
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