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!