Trash to Treasure DIY Fall Vase
Written by Victoria Van Vlear
This DIY fall vase is made from an empty juice container.
They say one person’s trash is another’s treasure, and in this case, blogger Jennifer Howard of Cottage on Bunker Hill turned her own trash into a treasure. Here’s how you can turn a juice bottle into your own cute DIY fall décor vase.
What You’ll Need:
Empty juice container (Jennifer recommends the “Simply” brand)
Hair dryer
Craft knife
Sandpaper, 220 or 400 grit (optional)
White chalk paint (Jennifer used Waverley paint in “Plaster” white)
Paintbrush
Dark-colored wax (Jennifer used Annie Sloan Soft Wax)
Chip brush
Oak-leaf wood ornament
Twine
Fall florals of your choice
What You’ll Do:
Clean out the juice container to remove all traces of the juice.
Remove the label. Jennifer recommends using a hair dryer to easily remove it. “Just don’t hold the hair dryer too close to the plastic bottle or it will warp,” she says. “Don’t ask me how I know that.”
Cut off the top of the bottle using a craft knife. If the cut along the top has any sharp edges, use 220- or 400-grit sand paper to smooth the edge so you don’t cut yourself.
Paint the bottle with the white chalk paint. “I did a heavy, even first coat, and when that was dried, I went lightly over it with a second coat,” Jennifer says. Make sure the bottle is completely covered in the paint. Let it dry.
Add rustic detailing with dark-colored wax. Very lightly run the brush down the sides of the bottle. Start with a small amount of wax—you can always add more layers to get the look you want.
Add a layer of wax onto the oak-leaf ornament. You can leave the ornament’s bare wood as the base, rather than painting it white.
String the ornament onto a length of twine and attach it to the vase.
Fill the vase with whatever florals you choose. “I went out to my garden and cut some fresh ornamental grass stems,” Jennifer says. Then display your new arrangement and enjoy.
For more fall DIY ideas, check out DIY Outdoor Pumpkin Planter and DIY Built-In Fireplace. And of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to get your daily dose of farmhouse inspiration!
Victoria is a brand advisor, marketing strategist, writer and editor. She was the editorial director of American Farmhouse Style for almost 10 years, and now enjoys writing occasional articles for the magazine and receiving the beautiful copies in the mail. Victoria is also a wife and mom to three little ones: two on earth and one in heaven. With any (not so spare) time, she devours books, dabbles in fiction writing and works on her house. As a home décor enthusiast and DIYer herself, she knows what a little paint and patience can do for a room!