A Color Bath For Old Bottles

This is a way to use those attractively shaped bottles which have been collecting for some time by creating decorative vases or lamp bases. All you need is odds and ends of enamel.

MATERIALS:
Old bottles
odds and ends of enamel paint
ivory 'flat' paint
a good sized pail
water.

DIRECTIONS:
First, wash bottles in hot soapy water, rinse well and dry thoroughly. Then give the bottle a coat of flat paint for base--ivory is good. Let stand to dry overnight, fill a good-sized pail with water, to about 4" from the top. Now put a few drops of each of several colors of quick-drying enamel on top of the water. The enamel will float. Flatten out the drops on the surface by gently blowing on them. Now holding the bottle by the neck, as close to the top as possible, dip it down into the water, twisting it as you dip. The bottle will pick up the colors on top of the water as it is lowered, so make sure you use a smooth continuous motion -- don't stop part way. Give the bottle a twist as you dip it, creating a swirl of color. Carefully remove from the water and set it on a newspaper to dry. When the bottles have dried, give the surface a luster with wax and polish. You'll find you have a pattern of color which could never be produced by brush, or, for that matter, even be repeated. These sell for a $1 and up depending on the size of bottle. (That was in November of 1958, imagine what you could sell them for today!) They also make nice little gifts or prizes.

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Last updated on Friday, February 02, 2007