Pop Art
15-30 min
Ages 5+
What Will You Learn?
Soda. Pop. Coke. Whatever you call this sweet, fizzy nectar, recycling bins are overflowing with its containers. Have you ever picked one up and studied it?
Look at all the glorious curves, the shades of clear and green. These mass-produced vessels can have much more value than the nickel and dime deposits you get in some states. Plastic bottles can last for hundreds of years. That durability, paired with our easy project ideas, will help you craft long-lasting household objects.
We’ll show you how to convert these plastic pieces into soap dishes, wrist cuffs, and more.
Bottle Manipulation
Step 1
Mark your bottle. Start with a clean, dry bottle. Using a nonpermanent marker, mark the areas of the bottle you’d like to use. It helps to cut extra, then trim the bottle when you’re done.
Step 2
Poke a hole. Make a hole in the bottle with a tack, outside the area you’d like to keep.
Step 3
Cut and craft. Take your scissors and push them into the bottle through the hole you just made. Cut around your bottle, separating the top from the bottom where you marked your guideline.
Step 4
Decorate. To decorate your plastic treasures, use permanent markers, stickers, ribbon, and anything else you can get your hands on.
Trinket Dish
Step 1
Punch holes around the top of your container, about ½” apart.
Step 2
Take two 16″ pieces of ribbon and weave them in and out of the holes. End with a bow.
Soap Dish
Step 1
To cut a nice wavy line, take your nonpermanent marker and make a line around your bottle. Take your hole punch and punch holes at the points where the wavy line is lowest.
Step 2
Next, take your scissors and follow the wavy line, cutting to the places where you punched holes.
Step 3
Decorate — following the wavy curve along the top looks great.
Vase
Step 1
Cut off the top 2″ of your bottle.
Step 2
Decorate.
Photo Cuff
Step 1
Cut 2 flat bands from 20-oz bottles to 1½”×6½”. Tape one plastic band to the table with the curved side facing down.
Step 2
Cut out five 1″×1″ squares from photos, magazines, or even your favorite fabric. Tape or glue them to the band, spacing them about ¼” apart. You can decorate your band with permanent markers.
Step 3
Place your second band on top of the first, sandwiching the picture squares into the center.
Step 4
With clear tape, tape across the top of the plastic band, with half the tape hanging over. Hold both plastic bands together and fold the tape over to the other side. It helps to have a friend hold the plastic bands while you fold the tape over. Then, use another piece of tape, and tape the other side.
Step 5
Take a piece of colorful tape, like electrical tape, and tape over the clear tape.
Step 6
Take your scissors and round the corners. Now that you know how to make your own pop art masterpieces, get recycling and start crafting
What's Next?
When you’re ready for even more DIY plastic recycling projects, be sure to check out the Plastic Pizzazz book (replayground.com).
About the Magazine
Looking for some projects to fulfill your crafty needs? Look no further! Snag a copy of our sister publication, CRAFT, and delve into a world of DIY delight! From decorative issues, seasonal and event issues, with arts of all types, these mags will quench your crafty thirst! Find it in the Maker Shed.
Materials:
- Plastic soda bottles, 20oz or 2-liter
- Thumbtack
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Non Permanent marker
- Optional: Permanent markers, paper punch, ribbon, tape or glue, electrical tape, pictures
Depending on the project, you’ll need:
- For the Trinket Dish Use the bottom 2½" of a 20-ounce bottle.
- For the Soap Dish You’ll need the bottom 3" of a 2-liter bottle.
- For the Photo Cuff Use 1½"×6½" bands from the center of two 20-ounce bottles.
- For the Vase Cut the top 2" off a 20-ounce bottle.
Printable PDF: Pop Art PDF
