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rock_oak_deer

Finally a GJ project!

rock_oak_deer
13 years ago

Yes! After lurking and commenting for a while I have a first project to post. This is the start of a bottle tree for my yard. Right now it's a small branch on the deck, but I plan to use a larger tree eventually.

I found the tumbled glass on sale at Michael's and applied them to a plain bottle to add interest to the tree.

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And a closeup of the bottle

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The plan is to mix the bottle tree up with different stuff. I'd love to find more of these glass pieces in different colors, but I haven't seen it again.

Comments (17)

  • seamommy
    13 years ago

    Very cute. I see bags of tumbled glass occasionally at the WalMart near where they sell the glass vases, artificial flowers and bags of sea shells.

  • rock_oak_deer
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks, I'll look there next time.

    I took a clearer photo of the bottle

    {{gwi:166004}}

  • sprout_wi
    13 years ago

    I love the look of the glass bottle with the tumbled glass applied. Was the glass already formed into those large, flattened pieces, or did you melt it somehow? Very nice. A bottle tree of those kinds of bottles would truly be a one-of-a-kind work of art.
    -Sprout

  • rock_oak_deer
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks sprout, it should be a fun project. The glass was just like that when I bought it in a bag at Michael's. It was on clearance with the marbles and was the only one they had left. All I did was lay out the pieces and glue it down.

    There's some glass left so I'll try cutting it for something a bit different on the next bottle.

  • jeannespines
    13 years ago

    Looks like a fun project! Love all the ideas on bottle trees! TFS! Jeanne S.

  • luna_llena_feliz
    13 years ago

    Very cool one-of-a-kind bottle! I have seen different colored beach glass online including red. Below is the site I found with some neat glass.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Beach Glass

  • concretenprimroses
    13 years ago

    Thats a very pretty bottle, deer. Good start on your bottle tree. Im interested in seeing what you do, I don't have one yet but have been saving blue bottles for a couple of years. Your yard looks very lovely and mysterious with all those curved tree branches.
    Luna, thanks for the link.
    Kathy

  • excessfroufrou
    13 years ago

    What a great idea to glue the glass on the bottle. I can always find plenty clear bottles to frou-frou up. I like the tree branch too, I used a real cedar tree for my bottle tree, I think it looks like the old timey ones I remember. It was fun to see your first post, great job.
    Frou

  • rock_oak_deer
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks all for your comments, I'm almost done with a plate flower too. More plate flowers? I know, but I'm playing catch up here and had to go out and find stuff first. I'm even working on a totem. Trying not to cheat either, getting everything from legit GJ sources or on super markdown clearance.

    Frou, do you have a picture of your cedar bottle tree to share? We have a couple of dead cedars I plan to use, but could always use a little inspiration.

    Those are live oak trees and we do enjoy them. I've thought about hanging the bottles in the trees with copper wire, but we do get high winds and, besides the danger of flying bottles, it might damage the bark over time.

    Shirley

  • oldcrafty
    13 years ago

    Never thought of decorating bottles for the tree............OK so now there is another project to put on my to-do list. It looks really good Thanks for sharing

  • rock_oak_deer
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    luna llena feliz, I love that site! Most of the ones I found only had tiny glass chips. Those are larger and more like the ones I need. Thanks for the link.

  • Rusty
    13 years ago

    Rock-oak-deer, do you have access to a rock tumbler?
    You could make your own "beach" glass in one.
    Any color, any size (that fit into the drum) you want.
    Harbour Freight often has them at a reasonable price.
    Or check out Hobby Lobby or Michaels.
    If you are wanting to do very many of those gorgeous bottles, it might be worth your while.
    Thanks for sharing your creations.

    Rusty

    PS. . .
    Are you near Rockport by any chance?

  • mmebrady
    13 years ago

    very cool! I'm collecting for my first bottle tree now. My first pretty blue bottle came from a GS, but I'm in the process of acquiring the next 2 the old-fashioned way -- gotta empty 'em first!

    therustyone -- thanks for the tip about the rock tumbler!

  • rock_oak_deer
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Hi Rusty. I'm in San Antonio, but we do plan to visit Rockport sometime. They've been running ads for it here and it looks like a fun and interesting place.

    A rock tumbler is on my list. I'm a newbie at this so want to make sure I'll stick with it before accumulating too much stuff. We have tons of rocks in the yard, so if I could figure out how to polish them I'd have free rocks for mosaics.

    Shirley

  • caroleena
    13 years ago

    you can hit a couple of Dollar Tree stores. they have the glass flat marbles. they are over by the vases and artificial flowers. i got some elongated striped ones but haven't used them yet. thanks for the bottle ideas. cool.

  • rock_oak_deer
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    LOL about acquiring bottles the old fashioned way. The reason I decided to apply the glass is because most of my bottles are clear and so far I haven't convinced DH that the color of the bottle is the most important consideration!

    Elongated striped marbles would look good too. I'll have to see if I can find those at the Dollar Tree.

  • crazyone
    13 years ago

    so sad when the photos are all gone :-(

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