Saturday, December 27, 2014

Decorating for Winter with Bottles...a DIY

I love decorating for Christmas by mixing it up with winter décor. When the holidays pass, you still have lots of décor to admire for the long winter ahead.

This year I just had to try making what seems to be the newest trend in DIY.

 Bottle brush tree jars.



Luckily I have a wall of shelves in the basement filled with vintage mason jars and saved condiment bottles. I just have to save everything that may have a use. This time it worked out perfect.

All you need are some wide mouth bottles, packaged "snow" from the craft store, good quality glue, some bottle brush trees (I got most of mine from Walmart), some figurines and a few kitchen utensils. I found some snowmen at Walmart and assorted deer at Michael's. At a new store in my area I found a display of great animal figurines, all 30% off! I got a deer, a bear, a squirrel,  and a bunny.

This bottle is a honey jar with a white lid.

 
I took a spongey glass cleaner, slightly damp, and ran it around the inside of the jar. When I poured the snow in some of it stuck to the sides. I then used my kitchen tongs to hold the trees by their tops and place them inside with glue on their bottoms. I did the same for the snowman. Then I added some more snow to settle to the bottom.
 

I finished the top off by gluing white glitter on it. Tie a plaid ribbon around the top, and done!
 


The second bottle got the same treatment but was finished with a piece of burlap, twine and a jingle bell. For the bottles with colored lids, I painted them ivory and then glued the white glitter on top.

You can find great mason jar bottles at the Dollar Tree for a $1 if you don't have them around the house.

I love this little bunny and paired her with a white tree and a green tree. I found the cute tinsel trim at JoAnn's for around the top.




 
I wanted the bear to look like he was in a winter wonderland so I paired him with three flocked white trees. He is at home in a vintage mason jar with a zinc lid.
 

 
 
He fits right in with my winter wonderland scene on the top of my cupboard.
 
 
 
The one that was the most exciting for me was this cookie/cracker jar winter scene. I saw one on one of the many blogs I visit and it was one of those "aha! I can do that, I have that jar" moments. It took all of two minutes to put it all together. I didn't glue anything down because the inside is large enough for things to stand on their own. The center tree actually fits up into the recess of the lid.
 
 
 
 
 
My most favorite one of all is the one in the first picture. It is a pepperoncini jar, and because it is so tall and skinny, only one tree would fit. I had wanted to do the upside down version of these bottles and it worked perfect for that. The tinsel trim around the lid finished it off.
 

 
Such an easy, simple DIY that adds some winter charm to your home. These will stay out until March in my home, when Spring finally starts to emerge in Upstate NY.
 
 
AnnMarie xoxo
 
I am linking up to these great blog parties:

 
 
 
 




23 comments:

  1. Oh AnnMarie, your bottles are darling! I keep telling myself to make some, but just haven't....maybe next year :) I love the use of critters in your jars - too cute!

    Hugs and blessings!

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  2. I love those bottles! It's great that you were able to use the ones you already had. I never thought about decorating the top of the cupboard, but it looks great. I will have to do that next year.

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  3. Hello AnnMarie, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. I just love your post. These are little works of art. So sweet and charming. Each one tells a little story. Thank you for sharing such a clever idea and thank you for visiting me.

    Wishing you and your family a blessed 2015.

    Janet

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  4. These are all so pretty! So many ideas floating around in my head for next year. Love them.

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  5. These are adorable! And so creative, love the bunny and the cookie jar, pinning!

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  6. Very cute! Now I'm wondering how I could adapt the idea for a summer Christmas...

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  7. They are scrumptious, AnnMarie. Definitely worth of being in your shop next Christmas.

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  8. AnneMarie, these are all adorably festive and fun! Your winter wonderland scene is serene and cool and crisp! They are all perfect!

    Wishing you a very Happy 2015! May it be blessed with good health and happiness!

    Poppy

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  9. I love making little scenes in jars! Didn't do much this year, but it's been one of my favorite things to do. I was playing with some of my trees and deer today for Winter.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  10. I've seen a lot of those projects as well. You did a great job on all of yours. My favorite one is the cookie jar winter scene.

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  11. Your winter jars are Gorgeous.
    I enjoy doing the same but not just for Christmas/Winter but also for Easter, 4th of July, etc.
    They make for such a pretty décor any time of year sitting around the house; on end tables / coffee table, down the center of dining room table and even on your bathroom counters. I just love decorating. I even have a 4 foot Christmas tree that I decorate for each of the holidays, favorite football team colors; just about anything that I can think of, even decorate the tree for when we have a birthday or anniversary celebration / gathering. Fun, fun, fun

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  12. You did such a wonderful job on these! I really want to make some and think I have everything I need. I got busy sewing and didn't craft as much! But it would still be fun to make some! Thanks for the ideas and inspiration! Happy New Year, Diane

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  13. Great job! Thanks for sharing your creativity with the Thursday Blog Hop! Happy New Year! http://www.over50feeling40.com

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  14. So many things to love about this - vintage jars, bottle brush trees, and woodland animals. I can see you repurposing this all year. Thanks for sharing at Make It Monday.

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  15. These are such beautiful winter wonderlands you have created in a jar. I would love to make some for my winter decor. Very lovely.

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  16. They are so sweet! Love the bear and deer, such a great idea. Thanks so much for sharing at AMAZE ME MONDAY...
    Blessings,
    Cindy

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  17. Of course, all my empty jars, so this is what I was saving them for, Yours are so beautiful, not sure mine will turn out as sweet, but will try, thanks for the inspiration!

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  18. Such a fun and great idea! I happen to have a couple of loose trees and now I know what to do with them. Yours are great!!!!! Happy New Year!

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  19. I have been junking for over 20 years! I love you blog and love if you be part of my Fabulous Friday Party and share this post
    Thanks Maria
    http://www.simplenaturedecorblog.com/fabulous-friday-party-happy-new-year/

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  20. AnneMarie ... I really like how you have displayed your bottle brush trees with woodland creatures and that you can use them that way all year. Also easy to put away and use again for Christmas without remaking them. I think I will do that before packing mine away. Thanks for stopping by Timeless Treasures with a nice comment on my bottle brush trees.
    Audrey Z.

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  21. Your bottles are really sweet, AnnMarie. I especially love the one with the little bunny. Just adorable. I had to laugh picturing all the saved jars and bottles lined up. Every time we empty a bottle or jar around here my hubby asks me if I want to keep it for a craft. I can't keep them all, so I have learned to say "no". LOL. Hope you're enjoying the weekend. xxx ~ Nancy

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  22. Love the mason jars projects you created and shared at my last party, hope you can stop by and share some more of your posts
    Thanks Maria
    http://www.simplenaturedecorblog.com/fabulous-friday-party-time/

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