Plastic Bottle "Stained Glass" Candleholder

Turn those old soda bottles laying around into beautiful "stained glass" candleholders perfect for your next garden party, or a great gift, and made from materials and tools you likely have laying around the house already and would wind up getting thrown out instead of being turned into a beautiful light.

Remember to never leave candles unattended! We've burned ours for hours on end with no problems- actually we were hoping the plastic edges would curl more than they have, and we feel ours to be perfectly safe to use indoors but I keep an eye on it. You might prefer to use it outdoors because of burning a candle inside of plastic, but it could easily be made into a lamp if you wired a led into it or filled it with Christmas lights.

Also please remember to rate this instructable if you like it, and vote for it in the contest! Thanks!!!

Step 1: What you need

2 Clean used clear plastic soda bottles with a compartmentalized base
Sharpie pens of whatever colors you want your project to be
Tea light
Glass tea light holder
Scissors
Elmer's glue (or any other glue you want) (optional)

Comments

[ThamarBerber]

I love this! In fact, it gave me another idea for a, save, indoor lamp. Let's see how far I will get...

[kukopia]

What did you cut them with?

[Skipper jr]

With scissors, what else would you cut them with.....your finger

[ibaluyot]

.......i made it. . i've tried to make it on my own

[kukopia]

I'm using this instructable for small hanging lamps.

If I did use it as a candle holder, I'd put some sand in the bottom to make it more stable and hold the candle flatly in the center.

[jspruill2010]

Kool idea! I think I might do that too! These are gorgeous. Instead of real candles though, I think i'll use the fake tea lights... just to be on the safe side.

[scubagal]

Is anyone aware of other perm methods for coloring plastic other than Sharpies?

[Bonnie in SC]

You can use alcohol inks make for rubber stamping to color plastic. Or make your own by using Rit dye and rubbing alcohol.

[meowzebub]

There's the paint on "stained glass" material.  It's a lot quicker and easier, but too expensive for me :(

[Meshia]

Do we only use the bottom part of one bottle? And then cut the top & bottom part off of the other ones?

[bauble]

How beautiful. That's such a great idea using Sharpie pens. I've never seen pretty colors like that so will have to hunt them down. They sound like a simple alternative to glass paint. Thanks.

[CrystalStranger]

I bought a big pack of Sharpies at Costco one day that has more colors in it than I ever knew they made, hope that helps...

[bauble]

Lucky girl. In my part of the world it is harder to find things. I've tried the big department variety stores with no luck. I can get them at a chain of office supplies stores when I'm near one. They don't have sets though and a limited range of colors. But I'm looking forward to getting my hands on whatever colors I can get. Anyone who's got blue and green fizzy drink bottles could use them to make these candle holders. And I'm sure you've got the LED gurus inspired to rig up their LEDs using your ideas.

[CrystalStranger]

This looks like the set I bought- more than I paid but look around further on Ebay: Sharpie Pens

[bauble]

Got some. A four pack of Black, Green, Red and Blue. And singles of some prettier colors. I wouldn't buy the Violet again. It is very pale on clear plastic and so is Rose. Magenta, Orange and Lime are all good and Berry is the best of all, very bright. The four pack colors are all good too.

[kacy]

this is very cool, can see many uses both inside and out hanging and table top ... thanks

[mmh]

Recycled, cute & thrifty. What more can one ask for?

[NinjaSloth]

laser beams...

[CrystalStranger]

You could always try adding them..... I could picture it.

[comodore]

That's soo nice, i like it. I am a guy that hates plastic bottles... I usually buy water and juses in glass bottles, but this, what you made is soo elegant, you made something so ugly look so beautiful! rate:***** +I added it to my mythbusters group...

[CrystalStranger]

Thanks! I usually buy everything in glass to but I've been sick lately and since I can't do my own shopping I don't complain about what I get! And I guess it was good timing for the contest and all.... What is your mythbusters group? Please send me a link!

[comodore]

http://www.instructables.com/group/mythbusters/

here you go, if you like it, join! Feel free to make a new topic! :)

[mg0930mg]

How is this mythbusters??

[comodore]

Well, its not that much mythbusters, but when you look at the mythbusters you can see everything from ofcource Science, robotics, electronic, green, art, everything!!!! So this is a little bit mythbusters, everything has a little bit of mythbusters, the question is whether you like it or not to add it to the group...

[jeff-o]

You could also stick down masking tape and draw your pattern on that.

[CrystalStranger]

Yeah that would work good- and if you wanted to get fancy you could use the small masking tape that is used for pinstriping to outline it and then remove the tape and have clear spaces between the colors.... I might try that.....

[stinkymum]

These are so pretty!

[ChrysN]

Very pretty!

[jeff-o]

Ooooh - pretty!

[fire_weasel]

Very cool!