Milk Bottle Snowmen

        I found some vintage style milk bottles at a craft store the other day.  I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do with them, but I played around awhile and this is what I came up with.....

Aren't they cute!  And, they're so easy to make.... This is what you'll need:

Supplies:

• etchall® dip'n etch
• Milk bottles
• Tea lights
• DecoArt® black and orange gloss enamel paint 
• Paint brush (any size/style - you'll only use the end of the handle)
• Small sponge paint dauber
• Black felt
• AdTech lo-temp glue gun
• Small holly and berries embellishment for hat

1.  Etch the bottle:
To give Frosty his special look, I filled the bottle with etchall® dip'n etch, glass etching liquid from B&B Products.  Leave for 20 mins then pour the dip'n etch back into its container.  Rinse the bottle thoroughly. Now to etch the outside of the bottle.  You'll need a plastic container a little taller and a little wider than the bottle.  Fill the bottle with marbles, pebbles, or something that will stop it from floating, then place it into your container.  To measure how much dip'n etch you'll need to etch the outside, fill the container with water up to the neck of the bottle. Carefully remove the bottle.  The water level will sink.  Mark the water level on the outside of the container, then empty the water.  Dry the container thoroughly then fill with dip'n etch up to the mark.  Carefully place the milk bottle back into the container. The etching liquid will rise to the occasion.  Let stand for 20 mins.  Remove the bottle, rinse thoroughly then dry with a soft cloth.  Add another bottle if you make more than one. When finished,  pour the dip'n etch back into the dip'n etch container to be used again at a later time.

2.  Nose:
Holding the brush upright, dip the rounded end of a paintbrush handle into a puddle of orange paint.  Make a dot on the glass where you want his nose to be, then without removing the handle from the surface, slide it downwards and to one side.  Practice on a piece of wax paper first.

 

3.  Eyes:

Clean the paintbrush handle then use to make a black dot on each side of the nose.

4.  Mouth: 

Dip the paintbrush handle into black glass paint then place the first dot where the center of the mouth will be.  Continue to add 3 dots on one side.  Each dot will be smaller than the preceding dot. To add dots to the other side, dip the handle back into black paint then make the first dot on wax paper, then add 3 dots to the opposite side of the center dot. 

5. Tea Light:

Use the paint dauber to lightly sponge black paint onto the bottom of the tea light.

6.  Hat:

Cut a strip of black felt about 1" wide and long enough to go around the neck of the bottle. Glue the overlapped ends together.  To make the brim, cut a 3" circle of black felt with a hole at the center large enough to place over the tall part of the hat. Place the LED tea light upside down inside the top of the hat.  It is a little larger than the bottle opening, so it won't fall in.  Don't glue in place, or you won't be able to replace it when the battery eventually wears out. Decorate the hat if you like.  Frosty the snowman never looked so good! Especially in the evening when his light is turned on.

  

Hope you enjoy lighting up your holidays with these easy milk bottle snowmen lights! Enjoy!

Yours truly,

Julie 💝

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!