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lindasewandsew

Christmas Bottle Tree

lindasewandsew
11 years ago

I finally got around to making a Christmas bottle tree in the front yard. It's built around a garden obelisk, but could be made on a sturdy upside down tomato cage, windmill base or anything else that would support it. It's 58 inches tall, not counting the top bottle.

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The next photo shows it almost half finished. I wired one string of bottles at a time, twisting the wire in between bottles, then put the 'skirt' of bottles around the obelisk, starting at the bottom. They're blue beer bottles, which are the easiest to find a bunch of. There's a blue flower pot upside down at the top to hide the wire on the bottles and a wine bottle just sitting on top. We strung some different sets of lights around it without good results, so have to experiment more with lights.

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Linda

Comments (35)

  • tasymo
    11 years ago

    Wow! Very cool!!

  • Marlene Kindred
    11 years ago

    You are the QUEEN of blue bottle decorating! What a great looking tree!! Fantastic job!

  • nanatricia
    11 years ago

    Yes so so cool!!!!

  • tinfoilhat
    11 years ago

    I like that, it would work on a frame like I built for my Cowboy Christmas Tree. I'm going to have to try that in green bottles next year.
    An idea that might work for lighting that is put a clear or white light bulb inside your tree with a small fan blade on top of it. The heat from the bulb turns the fan blade giving it a flickering effect. I can't remember where I saw that but I think it was on a fake fireplace or Christmas decoration somewhere. Might be worth a try.

  • Shades_of_idaho
    11 years ago

    Wow. Amazing. So Beautiful.

  • indigosunshine
    11 years ago

    Oh my! I'll have to recruit the husband and kids to abandon the home brew and switch to the blue bottle kind! Thank you so much for sharing! Hope you don't mind copycats?!

  • rafor
    11 years ago

    WOW!!! Way cool :)

  • oldcrafty
    11 years ago

    That is awesome. Gonna be on the look out for a base. I'm giddy with excitement, friends and family have been saving blue bottles for me and didn't really know what I was gonna do with them.....THANK YOU for sharing

  • ohtobedone
    11 years ago

    That is so cool!! I love the idea!

  • sunnyca_gw
    11 years ago

    Beautiful in the sunshine & hope tinfoil hat's idea will work for a night time glow! Lots of work but so worth it! Jan

  • marylee_2010
    11 years ago

    Your tree is really neat. I like it.

  • toomuchglass
    11 years ago

    OMG ........... I want one so bad now ...! Are they Bud light ? Those bottles are so thin ,I'd end up breaking them all . How many are there ? I just started drinking Skyy Vodka because of the blue bottles ....LOL
    I have 2 so far. I wonder if my liver can take another 100 bottles or so ...

    This post was edited by toomuchglass on Sat, Dec 15, 12 at 16:37

  • Shades_of_idaho
    11 years ago

    lindasewandsew , Toomuchglass brings up the question if they are the Bud beer bottles. If they are how did you get the labels off of them?

    I was trying to see what was all the blue bottles in the background of your picture. Found your Fence Is Done post.
    Looks great and I enjoyed seeing the pictures of your yard.

    Chris

  • Shades_of_idaho
    11 years ago

    WOW Thanks for the inspiration. I only have one blue totem and a few blue bottles. Will see about getting the labels off of them. I can not drink beer either. Will see if the bar people will save me some.

    Now I am finally retired I am going to have more time to get myself in trouble. LOL

    Really appreciate your pictures .

    Kitten helping me to type NOT!!!GGGRRRR

    Here is a link that might be useful: Cobalt Lily

  • PKponder TX Z7B
    11 years ago

    I love the Christmas Tree and all of your other blue bottle creations! You are such an inspiration!

  • mosswitch
    11 years ago

    Reisling wines usually come in blue bottles, too. A lot more fun to drink than beer and vodka, IMO! That's where I get mine!

    Sandy

  • jeannespines
    11 years ago

    They'll be no 'Blue Christmas without you,' sewandsew! Wow, you did an awesome job on the Christmas tree! TFS the 'how-to's' (as you so graciously do for us all)! Any kind of 'lights' even nearby will reflect off the bottles ...I was thinking of a 'floor lamp' or something like that 'underneath' the tree. Great recycling! Jeanne S.

    ***oh & I always love seeing your other project pics, too!

  • nonacook
    11 years ago

    I KNOW that I posted on this before-LOL but something happened and it is not here. This is a most wonderful tree. I love all the blue bottle things, and have 83 bottles on my 4x4 bottle tree.
    I asked the question before 'How do you keep rain water out of your bottles?' Mine are all upside down.
    I have coffee, arizona tea, water, vodka, and of course, the bud bottles. I bought a BUNCH of them and a friend drank the beer. My son-in-law brings the vodka bottles from the people who work in his office.
    Wish I could post pictures!

  • concretenprimroses
    11 years ago

    It flows like a beautiful glass skirt. I love it. thank you for showing the technique, I think I could actually do this if i got the right center.
    Kathy

  • laurastheme
    11 years ago

    Absolutely AWESOME!!!

  • lindasewandsew
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks again for the nice comments.

    Nona, Sorry, my computer was on the fritz for about a week. The bottles on this tree are somewhat protected from water, since each level of bottles protects the one below it. A lot of the bottles here are upside down on old wrought iron fences, daybeds, pieces of rebar, etc.

    The bottles in the trees have to be turned upside down. We do get a little rain here in So Cal, in spite of the reputation, lol.

    If this photo shows up, it's a new experiment with bottles on some old metal pieces.
    Linda

  • nonacook
    11 years ago

    Thanks, and love the new experiment-anything with blue!

  • oldcrafty
    11 years ago

    Love all the blue ideas. Have never seen succulants planted in the tiny opening of the bricks before.......what a clever idea. And the little flower pots nestled together for an edging is neat!

  • luvstocraft
    11 years ago

    Love your new bottle tree! You have been busy making all those creations for sure. Love the flower pot border too. Luvs

  • tracey_nj6
    11 years ago

    Wow, that Christmas tree is insanely gorgeous!

  • concretenprimroses
    11 years ago

    I just looked at all of these again. Your garden is amazing, not just for the blue bottles. It looks like a magical place.
    Kathy

  • JosepTaylor
    10 years ago

    It's Amazing......
    Look at this one more...

  • jlily
    10 years ago

    Your Blue Christmas tree is magical. Along with all of your blue bottle art. TYFS Jlily

  • sorie6 zone 6b
    10 years ago

    Looks GREAT!!! TFS.

  • pondgal
    10 years ago

    That tree is AMAZING!!!! I have never ever seen a blue beer bottle. It's beautiful.

  • diane_v_44
    10 years ago

    just came across your bottle work in the gardens

    Thanks for the work and that you shared your

  • missindepedy
    10 years ago

    If you can get to the neck of the bottles which are upright or near so, try dropping into each one a plain chemical glow stick.
    As they don't last long, wait till xmas eve and fairly late.
    We did it with hubby's shelf of green special label beer bottles on a high shelf. Looked cool - but the blue will look even better

  • Arlene Harlow
    9 years ago

    I would like to try and make it lit with lights in every bottle


  • Teresa Anthony
    4 years ago

    How did you make this, can you show more pics

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