I created these Party Panda Messages in a Bottle for my recent Happy Birthday class for the Ladies of Wetmore.
This is an annual class held in February.
We stamp, laugh, sing happy birthday to each other, and eat cake!
It’s one of my favorite stamping events.
This year, I was steered towards making these messages in a bottle by accident.
You see, I normally allow myself one Coca-Cola a day. I usually drink 1 of the small 7.5 oz cans.
It’s enough to give me my morning jolt without the extra sugar and calories of the larger cans.
But, on my recent trip to the grocery store, they were out of the small cans.
So, instead, I purchased an 8-pack of 12 oz bottles.
I’m always thinking about how I can recycle and reuse products in my crafting (see my Recycle and Reuse Page HERE), and when I saw these bottles, I knew I wanted to make them into Happy Birthday messages in a bottle!
Something a little different, something to bring a smile!
Here’s how:
- Empty the bottles, wash out, and remove the labels. This part can take some advanced planning. It took me 8 days (1 Coke per day) to empty the bottles. After removing the labels, I ran them through the dishwasher and set out to dry completely.
- Cut a strip of designer series paper to go around the middle of the bottle. Since I knew I wanted to use the black and white pandas from Party Pandas, plus the caps on the bottles are red, I decided to use some Real Red DSP I had in my stash. I cut the strips 1 1/4″ x 9 1/2 “. I attached a piece of Tear & Tape Adhesive to the DSP, peeled off the backing, and wrapped the strip around the bottle. The seam is to the back of the bottle.
- Stamp the pandas onto a piece of Whisper White card stock using Archival Black ink. Fussy cut the pandas out using a pair of scissors. Be sure to cut the balloon string and part of the balloon too, as this part will be the base for the baker’s twine and heart.
4. Cut a heart out of Petal Passion Designer Series Paper using the Big Shot and Wood Crate Framelits Die. Attach to the partial cut-out balloon using a Mini Glue Dot to secure.
5. Run a bead of Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue along the stamped string image and apply a piece of baker’s twine up to the heart. Wrap the bottom of the baker’s twine around, so it looks like the panda is holding onto the string. Set aside to let the glue dry.
6. Tie a bow out of the baker’s twine and secure to the top of the string using a Glue Dot.
7. Place a Mini Dimensional behind the panda and the heart and attach to the front of the bottle. Fold up the sides of the heart, so it is popped up a little more.
8. Now for the message. Cut a piece of copy paper to measure 4″ x 7″. Stamp greeting from Happy Celebration using Archival Black ink. Stamp panda from Party Panda using Archival Black ink. Color in the dots on the panda’s party hat using a Real Red Stampin’ Write Marker.
9. Roll the message up, and secure with a piece of ribbon.
10. Fill the bottles with shredded paper, insert the message, and close up using the bottle cap.
Supplies Used:
Stamp Sets: Party Pandas (a Sale-A-Bration choice!), Happy Celebrations
Ink: Archival Black, Real Red Stampin’ Write Marker
Paper: Whisper White, copy paper, Petal Passions, and Brights Designer Series Paper Stack
Accessories: bottle, Big Shot, Wood Crate Framelits Die, Tear & Tape Adhesive, Tombow Multipurpose Liquid Glue, black baker’s twine, Real Red striped ribbon, (retired), glue dots, Mini Dimensionals, shredded paper