Desktop Message in a Bottle

Intro: Desktop Message in a Bottle

Give someone you love a message in a bottle to show how much you care this Valentine's Day; or anyday really. 

I remember making "wave machines" in plastic bottles when I was younger.
You could say this is a more romantic version.
It's fairly easy to make. The hardest part is finding the tiny bottles.

I used glass bottles but you could use plastic, which can really float. If the small bottle can float you could skip the string step. Just make sure to weight the small bottle with enough sand to float at the right level.

STEP 1: Gather Materials

YOU NEED:
2 bottles - 1 small enough to fit inside the other; labels removed, washed and dried. (I used a small sample of Tabasco for the small and a sea salt bottle for the large.)
Baby oil - enough for 2/3 of your large size bottle
Small amount of sand - to go inside your small bottle
Water - enough for 1/3 of your large bottle
Blue food coloring - or whatever color you want
Glue - appropriate for glass or your materials
Nylon craft string
Spouted Measuring Cup or pitcher
Decorations

ALSO NEEDED:
Small paper and pen
Scissors

STEP 2: Prep the Small Bottle

Put a small amount of sand into the tiny bottle.
Write a small love note and roll it so it fits through the neck.
Glue the cap on.
Tie some nylon string around the bottle neck, but do not cut it from the spool yet.
Place a little more glue around the neck to secure the string.
Set it aside to dry completely.

STEP 3: Prep the Large Bottle

Fill a spouted measuring cup with water.
Add food coloring until you reach your desired color.
Pour and fill about 1/3 of your large bottle.

STEP 4: Put Them Together

Once the glue is dry, hold the string and lower the small bottle into the large bottle.
Carefully wrap the string around the neck of the large bottle and pull until the small bottle is "floating" at the level you want.
Tie the string a few times to hold it in place. Cut the string.
Slowly pour the baby oil into the large bottle and fill to the top.
Glue the cap on and place more glue around the neck to secure the string.

STEP 5: Decorate

Wrap jute twine or ribbon around the bottle top.
Tie on buttons or a gift tag.
That's it.

Comments

[Kite builder]

tip for the plastic bottles version with the really floating small bottle:

mix the sand with some glue to something like dough and push that with a stick to the bottom of the small bottle.

so the sand stays at the bottom of the small bottle if some one shakes the big bottle, too

[Georgemk]

You can use vegetable oil too, it's looking nice...

[MicioGatta]

Very nice :) >^.^<

[jojo692012]

I LOVE THIS (:

[skeinywoman]

Thank You!

[amandaggogo]

So I just found the perfect housewarming gift for my brother and his girlfriend, they are decorating the bathroom in a shell theme.

[marccase]

You could also try adding a drop of bleach to the water to keep algae from growing inside it and allowing it to last longer.

[ashbegash]

Soooo cool! And very island-ish :)

[skeinywoman]

Thank you!

[ashbegash]

Your Welcome! =D

[buteomont]

Nice instructable! I wonder if you could adjust the amount of sand in the small bottle to make it float between the oil and water without having to tie it.

[skeinywoman]

That could work with plastic bottles (please see intro), but I used glass bottles.

[Pfarmkid]

so they never do read the message?