How to Use Prescription Bottles to Make Yard Decorations

A way to decorate your garden, front porch using just some model paint, sandpaper, fishing line, various hardware items and your used prescription bottles.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Used Prescription Bottles
• Spray Paints
• Something to paint bottles in or on
• 8 lb. test monofilament fishing line
• Sinkers
• Scissors/knife to cut line
• 100 Grit Sanding block
• A place to hang the bottles for drying
• Objects to hang project off of
• Dowels for mobile projects

1. 
   Carefully drill the holes making sure the holes are clean

   First, you want to drill holes in both the tops and bottoms of the pill bottles. Use a drill bit equal to or larger you are fishing line you are using to hang the bottles when finished.

2. 
   Sand thoroughly but lightly

   Second, you will want to prep your bottles for painting. Assuming of course that you will want to decorate them in some manner Use a 100 med grit sanding block that you can buy at any hardware or home supply store.
   
   Sand them lightly to scuff up the surface to allow paint to adhere properly.
   
   After you have sanded and wiped down your bottles using any type fishing line you prefer or have at home hang them in line on the fishing line.

3. 
   Prepping with primer allows for a more even paint coverage

   After you have put the line through your bottles then leaving a long loop to avoid bunching up the bottles tie the ends off.
   
   Hang the bottles on the fishing line in a safe place to paint such as outdoors if it is not too windy of a day. I used an old newspaper tube as my paint box for this procedure. Then using hobby paint primer or any spray type primer of your choice sprays the bottles. Once you have painted the bottles with the primer let them hang in a dust free space to allow them to dry.
   
   Apply a good solid coat of the primer allow to dry or at the very least get rather tacky.

4. 

   Then apply your top coat I chose Black and Blue Pearl, Metallic Silver and Sapphire Blue Metal Flake.
   
   Do not worry about a perfect no drip coating. This is about recycling the drug bottles but if you’re so inclined, you can let the paint dry, sand the bottles that have drips then re-paint.
   
   Layering the colors one over the other will allow for changes in colors as they spin in the breeze. Speckling a little of the lightest color adds a touch of dimension to the entire project.

5. Layout the project to your inclination such as more of a mobile styled decoration or just leave on a single long strand and let spin and dangle in the breeze.
   
   If you’re inclined to make more of a chime or even a mobile style project, you can pick up dowels, washers In addition to other types of objects to hang the mobile from.
   
   Allowing them to hang in a straight chime style pattern will also cover up the missed spots on the top of the bottle caps where they are hanging on one another.
   
   Another option is to cut patterns into the sides of the bottles to allow for more movement and possible different tones as they move.

Tips & Warnings

• I recommend using gloves to avoid paint on your hands
• Always paint in well ventilated areas
• Wipe down projects after sanding
• Avoid painting in windy locations
• Avoid painting in enclosed places

Resources

• eHow Home and Garden Topic Guide

[karileighk]

on 6/26/2009 Wow, I've never thought about that before! *5

[soanyway]

on 6/22/2009 Hmmmmm....this is interesting! My room-mate has oh....about millions of these in a box...thanks. Good pics and instructions!