How to Not Decoupage Plastic Bottles with Napkins
If you’ve ever wondered how to decoupage napkins on plastic, check out these great tips and suggestions for what NOT to do.
Decoupage is a great way to add decor and interest to all sorts of items in your home. If you’ve ever wondered how to decoupage napkins on plastic, check out these great tips and suggestions.
A few weeks ago my daughter’s friend gave me a gift. It was a bag full of plastic bottles that were for tea. She knows what a recycler and repurposer I am and she was sweet enough to collect a bunch of them and bring them over. A girl after my own repurposing heart!
I had them hidden away with a vague idea that I’d do some sort of spring project with them. Little did I know what a mess that would turn out to be.
Today I am advising you on how to NOT decoupage plastic bottles with napkins.
I had no idea what I would do with those bottles till one day I went to Ikea and spotted these cute napkins. Aha! I thought to myself, why not decoupage that lovely spring pattern onto the bottles?
I removed the plastic covers and washed out the bottles. They looked cute like this too but I wanted to use the napkins.
I figured this project would take me half an hour tops. After all I had decoupaged so many other items in the past such as a dresser, a suitcase, and a side table. In fact I had even decoupaged a trunk with book pages. Now if that wasn’t a tough project I don’t know what is.
Materials Needed to Decoupage Napkins on Plastic
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. If you purchase any of these products through the links, we receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. You can find our full disclosure here.
- Mod Podge
- Chalk paint
- Decorative napkins
- Plastic bottles
- Sponge Brush
- Paint brush
- Twine, ribbon or yarn.
How to Decoupage Napkins onto Plastic
First I added the napkin to the bottle but realized after I applied it that it was a three ply napkin. Did it say that on the label? Silly me, I should have known better! This did not look good!
I tried again, this time with only the patterned napkin, but it looked awful. The brown color of the bottle showed through and made the pattern look muddy. Not to mention it was very wrinkled.
Finally I did what I should have done from the beginning. I went to You Tube and looked at how-to videos but I was so overwhelmed I almost gave up. I knew I had to finish those bottles and make my daughter’s friend proud since she had gone to the trouble of saving them for me. And I wanted to be good to the environment!
So following the tips on the videos, I painted the bottles using chalk paint. Two coats was more than enough to give me this look. I let them sit overnight to cure.
Half an hour project, huh?
The next day I cut a strip of napkin and started from the top, adding a little bit of mod podge and carefully applying the one ply napkin. I even had to make cuts where the neck of the bottle swelled out.
But more often than not this was the result!
Did I say this was going to be a half an hour job?
I even attempted to do individual flowers cutting them out and applying them one at a time.
But the final result was less then desirable. Instead I ended up applying individual flowers to the whole surface of the bottle. I would have been better off with the first method, just cutting large pieces and adding them on.
Finally after much anguish I finished with all the bottles.
I added various cords, ribbons and yarn on top as embellishments and called it a day! Although it was more like two days – with the painting and all that gluing.
I have to admit the white turned out so much better than the blue. It looks bright and crisp!
Whereas the blue has spots of white napkin, maybe where I had to overlap the paper.
And it also has these epic fails! Now you may be wondering why I’m showing you all these mistakes.
Because I have a confession to make.
If you scroll up a bit you can see that I was bragging about my decoupaging abilities. But it turns out that they are practically non-existent.
I was humbled by a few lowly plastic bottles. It’s not about the size of the item you are working on, but the finesse that is involved!
And so I am eating my words! I still have much to learn about decoupaging. After I finished this project I even found a site that had lots of helpful hints! And here is a seven step guide. Now why hadn’t I seen these before?
It serves me right for being so arrogant! I should have known better after my battle with the Fabulous Ikea Desk Makeover!
Consequently, I bow my head in shame and I’ve added a few muffins in the photo to take your attention away from all the decoupage mistakes! How am I doing?
You can see here that I am far from perfect. I made more than my share of mistakes with this project. The biggest one being that too much bragging will get me nowhere.
Thank goodness my older daughter had made those muffins to save the day, er, the photo shoot!
And so I present to you a set of decoupaged bottles for spring! But really this is about how not to decoupage plastic bottles with napkins. And having some food around really saves the day!
Have you ever had any epic fails with mod podge or am I the only one?
More Decoupage projects:
This blog is for entertainment purposes only; my DIY tutorials are not professional advice. Read my full disclaimer here.
Hi Mary,
Please don’t beat yourself up too much over this decoupage ‘disaster’. For me, it’s always the effort that counts. Your desire to please your daughter’s friend, is much more admirable than the project itself, whatever the result.
Poppy
Poppy, in hindsite, I think I enjoyed the process so much more than the end result. And I managed to learn a thing or two.
Well you had me laughing out loud, Mary!!
Not at the bottles themselves, because I think they turned out wonderfully (you know, we are are own worst critic, right?). But your dialogue was hilarious.
That’s exactly how I talk to myself!!
jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Haha Jodie! I did more than talk to myself with this one. I still cannot believe it took me two days!
Sorry to hear these plastic bottles gave you so much trouble. My daughter went nuts for the Arizona tea and last summer we collected every single one, but I got rid of those bottles immediately – straight into recycling….
Your post sounds and is very realistic – something that I am sure each and every one of us has experienced crafting fails at least once in our crafty adventures, so I appreciate you sharing this!
Maya just imagine the fun you could have had if you had kept all those bottles. I have to say it was fun painting them. It was the other part that sent me into a tizzy.
Mary, I think the bottles look wonderful! I’m sorry that you had so much trouble with this project but look what happened when you persevered. You did a great job! I like the print on the napkins! Don’t sweat this project, it was a learning process and you’re still the decoupage queen. 😉
It’s all in good fun Keri. I have learned to not take myself seriously and to laugh at myself when doing these projects. The moment I stop laughing is when I will stop creating.
I must admit, your title was intriguing to me (how NOT to do something). I am delighted to know that I’m not the only person to have epic fails in my projects. Been there! But — you persevered and did not let those plastic bottles defeat you! Yaayy! The final product is so appealing. The finished bottles are quite attractive, and I love the finishing touches you put on them with ribbon and twine. Great job!
Thank you Carol. When someone gives you a gift you cannot afford to disappoint. Otherwise I might have given up after the first hour.
Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by!!
Love this idea!! So simple yet so pretty and unique!!
Hugs,
Deb
Thank you so much Debbie!
I hate it when I think I’m about to do any easy project and it turns into a huge ordeal. But those turned out really cute!
But never again Stephanie! It is not a Monet that it should take 2 days! 😉
You are too hard on yourself, Mary! Your bottles are pretty! Just perfect for Spring. I have a love/hate relationship with Mod Podge so I will definitely be checking out those tips. Take care, Cynthia
I would have been much happier if I had checked them out sooner too Cynthia!
I love that you wrote this explaining what happened! I was thinking that I am the only blogger around that posts fails haha! Although I won’t call your project a fail only a time consuming one!
This was such a fun post to do Katerina. Not only was I humbled but I actually learned a lot. And you got to see my human side! 😉
What beautiful muffins….bottles, what bottles!!!
You saved it in the end, they look great, especially the ones that you painted white, so well done. I do love a good 1/2 hour project don’t you?!
The muffins were beautiful but even more yummy! As for half hour project, I’ll be in the corner muttering under my breath!
Although I remembered I’d seen your epic fail before it has made me laugh so much to read this again so thank you for sharing this at Handmade Monday.
(you know they were not actually an epic fail though right?)
Your step by step walking us through your thought process as well as the crafting process is hilarious !!
Everything we do teaches us a lesson. And what’s the point of doing things that are always perfect? We’d stop learning eventually!
You are so right Zografia. I had never thought of it that way before.
Mary, this looks amazing. Pinned. 🙂
Cristina, do not be fooled by it’s looks. It is evil! 😉
I think they came out so cute.
Thank you Linda. Getting positive comments from all of you is making me feel better.
Oh Mary it sounds like you had so much “fun” with these! They turned out beautifully though and I love the look of the pretty napkins you picked out. Thanks so much for linking them up to the Inspiration Galore Project Party last week. You are one of my features tomorrow over at Recreated Designs. Pinned and shared. Have a wonderful weekend!
Thank you so much Lisa. Enjoy your weekend.
Decopage is mess business. The napkins you used are adorable. I think the bottles turned out cute and the color is perfect for spring. I’m sorry they were a pain in the neck. Thanks for sharing at Monday Social.
Mary, I did not read where you did lot of bragging, instead, you shown much humanity by admitting your mistakes. I love the way your project turned out. Your daughter friend must be so proud! I would have never thought to do anything like this. Your result is fabulous . Thank you for not giving up, and presenting this breathtaking results to your readers, and step by step of how we too, can also get the same results.
Thank you so much Ivory. Your comment is so sweet. I always try to look at my projects with a sense of humor. Nothing is worth getting so frustrated over that we have to ruin our health. Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed my post.
Oh, but it does make a good story!! 🙂 And don’t we call these our “learning experiences”??? 🙂 Yep. Relating here. Too many times when my mental image and idea totally didn’t equate when I gave it a try!
At least we learn, and learn to be more flexible in the future.
What mistakes? I don’t see any! I just see a creative person who gave it her best shot.
I’ll be honest with you – I don’t craft that much for fear that it will turn out terrible. I’m impressed with what you did!
Stacey no need to worry about a craft turning out terrible. You saw from my bottle fiasco that even if it was not perfect it was still a great learning experience.
The white bottles turned out great. Good for you hanging in there and finishing. Found you on Blogger’s Pit Stop Link Party
Thank you Candy, I was not about to let a few bottles do me in!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful “failures.” Now we all know NOT what to do! You have saved us all hours of frustration, wasted materials and time! Thanx!
Thank you Kathy. Sometimes it is just as valuable to know what not to do than what to do.