DIY Apothecary Bottles

I love decorating with vintage glass, don’t you? Just the other day, I was browsing the aisles of my favorite home store, eyeing some gorgeously girly apothecary bottles. I loved the idea of gifting them to my favorite girlfriends as a little treat on Valentine’s Day, but I did not love their price tag. Yikes!

Thankfully, my shopping trip that day also took me through the aisles of a home and hardware store, where I spotted some sparkly glass drawer pulls. They were identical to the adornment on the bottle stoppers of those apothecary bottles. I knew I could pull off apothecary bottles as a DIY project.

MATERIALS:

  • One Decorative Bottle (with a Cork!)
  • One Decorative Drawer Pull Knob with a Screw
  • Glue or Decoupage Solution
  • One Sheet of Printable Acetate

TOOLS:

  • Screwdriver
  • Paint Brushes
  • Printer

Ready to get started?

First, unscrew the screw base from your drawer knob. Then, using your screwdriver, drive the screw through the bottom of your bottle’s cork. If you find it’s tough to do, try using a power drill to pre-drill a hole in the cork.

Drive the screw through until it pierces out of the top of the cork. Then, re-attach the knob part of your drawer pull. If your screw is longer than your cork, let it extend out from the bottom. If it’s too short, use a saw or craft knife to cut your cork down a bit.

Next, you’ll want to adorn your bottle with some kind of design. You can try designing your own or searching online for vintage label designs. Or, use this one I created for you. This printable features two different Valentine-themed labels, one vertical and one horizontal, in a few different sizes.

>> Apothecary Bottle Labels

Once you find the label you like and the size that fits your bottle, you’ll need to print it out onto a clear background. I used printable acetate sheets. You can find them in most office stores.

Cut out your label, trying to stay as close to the design as possible. Make your cut-out uniform and neat. Next, apply a very thin layer of glue to the back of the label and lay it in place on the front of your bottle.

Fasten the label into place with rubber bands, if you need, and leave the bottle out to dry. Since acetate isn’t very breathable, this label will need to sit for at least a day to dry. Leave the bottle (or bottles, if that’s the case) in a cool, dry place overnight. It’ll be ready when the glue dries to become completely clear.

With the glue dried and the drawer pull cork stopper in place, these DIY apothecary bottles look as good as the ones you see (and drool over, if you’re me) in home decor stores.

They’re the perfect girly touch to a vanity table or boudoir. I filled mine up with water tinted with just a tiny drop of pink food coloring. It looks femme and luxe and I can’t wait to give the others away!

Comments

  • February 9, 2012 6:11 pm

    this is absolutely incredible. brilliant!!! <3

  • February 9, 2012 8:37 pm

    This is such a lovely idea, and you put it together perfectly! I’m constantly amazed by the way it seems possible to DIY just about anything anymore. I’ll definitely be trying these sometime!

  • February 10, 2012 8:53 am

    These are divine! I can’t wait to try this out!! <3 Thanks for the tutorial~

  • TrishC

    February 11, 2012 11:46 pm

    I love these! Where did you ever find the bottles? Wish I could pop out a good idea like this!

  • Jeanie

    February 12, 2012 3:09 am

    Brilliant!! You are always so clear in your instructions!! Gotta try ’em.

  • Joani

    February 13, 2012 11:02 am

    This is beautiful! Do you need to seal the front of the label so the ink does not smear or is this negated by using acetate?

  • March 14, 2012 4:24 pm

    This is such a great idea! I love those cute bottles, but you’re right- they are way too expensive. I’m pinning this for future craft ideas 🙂

    • June 7, 2012 8:18 pm

      These are absolutely befuaitul. I’ve been collecting hand-thrown mugs for years, and I’ve never seen such a befuaitul, delicate design as this one. Wow, well done!

  • Rachel

    March 16, 2013 12:20 pm

    Gorgeous bottles!I Love the feminine touch.The older I get the more I like it,and I hope my grand daughter will catch the bug too!As if she doesn’t already have her own tiara..Thank You for sharing.

  • Rachel

    March 16, 2013 12:26 pm

    Just came back to add to your idea.I think these labels could also be printed onto “sticker paper”which you can find in most Walmart stores or office supply stores.Waterslide stickers could be another useful idea…LoL,I just love your inspiring DIY projects!!!

  • Nancy

    March 16, 2013 2:35 pm

    I’m going to try using clear contact paper and see how it turns out… too pretty not to try!!! Thanx!Nancy

  • Jo

    March 17, 2013 6:55 pm

    Absolutely love these. I am inspired to have a go myself. Just have to convince hubby another shopping trip to my local Range store is necessary! Many thanks for sharing. Kind regards Jo x

  • Pree

    September 19, 2013 12:57 pm

    ABSOLUTELY AWESOME…THEY ARE SOOOO FABULOUS.
    I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS PROJECT. I WILL BE MAKING THEM AS A GIFT TO GIVE ALL MY FEMALE FRIENDS ATTENDING MY 50TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION.

  • neus

    January 9, 2014 7:40 am

    Me parece una idea genial, sencilla y economica

  • March 10, 2014 1:35 pm
  • Marie B

    January 14, 2018 11:42 am

    I’ve tried this and was very happy with it. My problem was the cork did not fit back in the bottle. Is there a way to shaved the cork smaller?
    Thanks

  • April 22, 2018 10:54 pm

    You can also use the wet sticky tape technique on the labels too. It’s on YouTube.

  • June 10, 2018 11:02 am

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