DIY Oil and Vinegar Keepers from Wine Bottles
Who needs to buy those expensive oil and vinegar bottles when you can make your own for a fraction of the cost? Gold leaf adds the perfect metallic pop to these, and they're dishwasher safe, too! Check out our YouTube Channel for more fun DIY's, delicious recipes, inspirational stories, and more!
Supplies:
2 empty, clean wine bottles with labels removed
1" Letter stickers
Scissors
Exacto Knife
A gold leafing kit
A soft-bristled paintbrush (1"-2" wide is best)
2 foam sponge brushes, 2"-4" wide
Dishwasher-safe ModPodge
A garbage bag
Stainless Steel pour spouts
Funnel
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Directions:
1. Prep your area by laying down your trash bag. This will provide a protective barrier for your table, and also catch any excess gold leaf.
2. Using your scissors, cut out the letters required to spell "oil" and "vinegar". Remove only the outer sticker area of each letter, not the actual letter sticker itself, for all of the following steps. For letters such as the "O" and "e", you will need to peel the isolated, center part of the letter out as well.
3. Stickers are generally too strong and will stick to the glass; we want to weaken the hold strength of the sticker, that way it will peel right off when we need it to. Take the "O" and the inner part of the "O" and apply it to your arm or hand, peel it off, and restick it to your arm or hand. Your natural body oils will "clog" the sticky part, making it weaker.
4. Place the "O" and its center and place it sideways on the bottom of the bottle. Make sure the bottle opening is facing to the right, that way you can tell whether your letter is crooked or not. Repeat steps 3-4 for all of your letters, making sure to stick them to your arm or hand before applying them to the bottle, and also making sure that the distance between letters is equal.
5. Once all of your outer letter stickers are placed, you should see the glass of your bottle showing through, forming the letter itself. All of the actual letter stickers will still remain on their original papers.
6. Take your gold leaf adhesive and, using a foam brush, apply a very thin layer to each of the glass letters, taking care that no drips or puddles form. Make sure you get in every nook and cranny, and that the layer is a milky-white color, but do not get any adhesive on the glass anywhere other than inside of your stickers. Set aside for 15-20 minutes, or until the adhesive gets tacky.
7. Take a sheet of gold leaf and apply it to the adhesive, being sure to press it into the edges and corners of your glass letters. Use multiple sheets of gold leaf, and scraps, to make sure the entire area is covered, pressing any bubbles out of the gold leaf with your fingers as needed.
8. Use your Exacto knife to carefully cut the edges of the gold leaf away from the stickers. A very light tracing around the letters is all that is needed.
9. Carefully and slowly peel away your stickers to reveal the gold leaf letters on your bottle. If any part of the gold leaf tries to peel away with the sticker, use your finger or your Exacto knife to break it, then re-adhere it. Use a clean foam brush to gently brush away any excess gold leaf.
10. Using your paintbrush, apply a layer of dishwasher-safe ModPodge to the gold leaf. Allow to dry according to the instructions on the bottle, and repeat 2-3 more times. The bottles will need to cure for 21 days before they can be placed in the dishwasher.
11. Using a funnel, pour olive oil and balsamic vinegar into their designated bottles. Place a pour spout in each one, and enjoy.
