How to Recycle Bottle Labels

Make beautiful home decor using recycled bottle labels.

There are many beautiful designs on food and beverage bottle labels, wine bottle labels being one of the most artistic. These small paper labels can be recycled to craft stylish household decor or theme decorations for a party. Many projects can be created with additional recyclables, making them extremely economical.

Things You'll Need

• Hair dryer
• Oven
• Decoupage medium
• Sponge brush
• Wood frame
• Measuring tape
• Paneling or plywood scrap
• Jigsaw
• Paint or stain
• Paintbrush
• Wood glue
• Standard 4 and 1/4-inch square wall tile
• Scissors
• Needle
• Rubber cement
• Card stock
• 1-inch circle punch
• 1/8-inch paper punch
• Wine charm ring finding

Instructions

Removing Bottle Labels

1. Place your empty bottle in a sink of hot water. Allow the label to soak for approximately 5 minutes. The hot water will loosen the glue.

2. Remove the bottle from the water. Carefully peel the label from the surface. Use hot air from a hair dryer for labels that will not release. The heat from the hair dryer will soften the glue.

3. Set your oven's temperature control on warm. Place the label on the rack and allow it to dry. This will take less than an half an hour.

Wine Platter Centerpiece

1. Apply a decoupage medium to the back of a wine bottle label using a sponge brush. Place the label on the front of your wood frame and fold the edges around to the back of the frame. Smooth the front of the label over the surface of the frame. Add more labels, overlapping as you go, until the entire frame has been covered with a collage of labels. Apply a layer of decoupage medium over the labels to seal.

2. Lay the frame face down on your work surface. Measure the inside dimensions of the frame. Include the picture inset with your measurements.

3. Measure and cut a scrap piece of thin paneling or plywood using the frame's dimensions and a jigsaw. Paint or stain the front and back of the paneling.

4. Apply wood glue to the picture inset of the frame. Insert the paneling in the frame and allow the glue to dry.

Decoupaged Tile Coasters

1. Apply decoupage medium to the surface of a standard 4 and 1/4-inch square wall tile using a sponge brush.

2. Center a bottle label on the tile with the front side facing up. If your label is bigger than the tile, trim to fit before applying. Apply decoupage medium over the label to seal.

3. Press and smooth out bubbles and wrinkles as the medium dries. Pierce stubborn bubbles with a needle and press flat.

Wine Glass Charms

1. Apply rubber cement to the back of a wine label. Press the label onto card stock. Cut around the label. You will not need the excess card stock.

2. Turn your 1-inch circle punch with the bottom facing up.

3. Insert the wine label into the punch. Move the label around until the desired design is centered inside the circle-shaped blade. Punch out the circle. Repeat for additional charms, using more labels if desired.

4. Punch a hole just inside the edge of the circle using a 1/8-inch paper punch.

5. Thread a wine charm ring finding through the small hole in the punched circle.