Crafting a Jack-O-Lantern Decoration for Fall Using an Old Coke Bottle

"Two bucks." That's what the man told me when I pointed to a stack of Coke crates and old Coke bottles. I tried not to look too eager, after all, it was a yard sale. "For the whole stack." Sold! I had my kids hauling them to the car before I had my wallet out. There were four wooden crates and one wire one, and over 70 coke bottles. Sure, I like antiques, but these were destined for my craft stash.

I could see these bottles as cute holiday decorations in a variety of characters. Using the coke bottle as their body, they will be perfect on display for all the Coke, vintage or holiday collectors in my life. This quick and easy project creates a Jack-O-Lantern pumpkin decoration for fun Halloween or fall decorating.

Things Needed to Make the Pumpkin Bottle:

Glass Coke bottle
Styrofoam ball, 2 1/2 inches or size desired
Orange acrylic paint
Paint brush
Craft glue
Small stick from your yard
Red acrylic paint
Stencil brush
Orange dimensional fabric paint
Wood skewer
Black dimensional fabric paint
Scissors
Raffia
Old blue jeans
Hot glue gun
Silk fall leaf

Step 1
Center the Styrofoam ball on top of the Coke bottle and push down. You will want the bottle top inserted into the ball approximately 1 inch. Remove the Styrofoam ball and paint using orange acrylic paint. Allow the paint to dry. Apply a thin layer of craft glue to the lip on the bottle and reset the ball on top.

Step 2
Gather several long strands of raffia together. Wrap the raffia around the neck of the bottle, below the pumpkin head. Tie the raffia in a knot. Trim the ends of the raffia even with the bottom of the bottle.

Step 3
Cut off the leg of an old pair of jeans. Rip a strip 1 inch wide by 30 inches long. Tie the denim in a bow around the neck of the bottle, over the raffia. Trim the ends slightly above the bottom edge of the bottle.

Step 4
Break a stick approximately 2 inches long and insert it in the top of the pumpkin ball, leaving an inch exposed. Peel the plastic stem, spine and veins from the back of a silk fall leaf. Apply a thin line of hot glue on the back of the leaf and position the leaf over a strand of raffia, halfway down the front of the bottle.

Step 5
Use a stencil brush to lightly apply red acrylic paint to the cheeks of the pumpkin head. Apply two dots of orange dimensional fabric paint to the center of the face. Use the point of a wood skewer to pull the dots down and together, to form a heart shaped nose. Apply two dot eyes of black dimensional fabric paint above the nose and paint a smile below the nose. Lay the Jack-O-Lantern Coke bottle down to dry.