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Wednesday, February 20, 2013

[Make] Faux Bois Vases


A faux bois project has been on my to-do list for a while.  It fits with my decor and I like to bring in the look of the outdoors whenever I can.  With just a few materials, some of which you may already have on-hand, these faux bois vases can be created in an afternoon.

One of my favorite things about faux bois-- It's perfectly imperfect. The less straight and the less perfect the lines the better!


Click "Read more" for the tutorial

DIY Faux Bois Upcycled Vases


//materials needed//
old wine bottles, mine are a cool golden brown and mossy green
Tulip Dimensional Fabric Paint in Metallic Gold (aka puffy paint) or clear silicone adhesive **
dry erase marker
paper towel
goo gone or lighter fluid (to remove labels)
spray paint (optional)**
faux or real branches (optional)

** If you plan on spray painting your bottles (and thus covering up the puffy paint), use clear silicone caulking (found at your local hardware store). It's more economical than puffy paint and also adheres well to glass.  I used it before for glass mosaic vases and they are still strong almost 20 years later. I also did a similar project (puffy paint / spray paint) a couple of years ago. Click here for the details.

//instructions//
The instructions are very simple.

1. Clean your bottles and remove the labels. I soaked my bottles in hot water, then removed any residual stickiness with Goo Gone (lighter fluid works too).

2. Draw your faux bois pattern using a dry erase marker. I just freehanded it, but you can also google "faux bois" for pattern ideas. I started with the "knot" on the bark and worked my way out. Experiment with the design-- the beauty of dry erase markers is that they are easy to erase and are virtually mess-free.


3.  Trace your design with the puffy paint. Make sure to give your paint bottle a firm downward shake every now and then to eliminate bubbles. Let it dry over night. Then wipe-off the dry eraser marks and your vases are ready to be used.

I haven't decided where to put my new faux bois vases... Maybe on the mantel?

Or the kitchen table?

Barring any indoor soccer games, the mantel may be the best place. You have to think about these things when you have two young boys who have an affinity for throwing and kicking balls inside the house.  :)


I hope you're having a nice week!


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