Between Naps on the Porch: Bottle Tree Dreams

Apr 13, 2010

Bottle Tree Dreams

Hi Everyone!

Bottle Trees...Give me some bottle suggestions! :-)
A couple of weeks ago I shared these fab pics and the history behind bottle trees,
HERE.

(Image from Southern Style by Mark Mayfield)

Several folks left comments naming some of the drinks you can purchase that just happen to come in nice, big, colorful bottles, perfect for creating your own bottle tree. The suggestions were Harveys Bristol Creme Sherry which apparently comes in a pretty blue bottle. Also, suggested were Riesling wines from Trader Joes. And, apparently, some of the fancy waters you can purchase from the more expensive grocery stores come in colorful bottles.

(Image from Southern Living magazine)

Since I'd love to make a bottle tree this summer, I would love to hear your suggestions. Does anyone know of a wine or beverage that comes in a large, bright red, green, blue or yellow bottle? I'm going to be looking for big bottles since I think I want most of the bottles to be on the larger size.

Labels: bottle trees

31 Comments:

At Tuesday, April 13, 2010 , Stephanie Lynn @Under the Table and Dreaming said...: Love these trees - Amazing! Luna di Luna wines have great colorful bottles. They also sell very large bottles too. Hope that helps.
At Tuesday, April 13, 2010 , Anne said...: I don't know the name of the sparkling water, but liquor stores carry it in both gorgeous red and blue bottles. Yellow bottles are a tough one to find. Also, there are some beautiful blue vodka bottles out there. The big thing with the liquor bottles is to watch for when they go on sale, so you can nab the ones you've been eyeing. No I'm not a big drinker, I just have 3 bottle trees in my backyard that needed filling. My baby tree is full of beer and saki bottles (which have interesting shapes). Also, let ALL your friends and family know to save bottles for you. One more thing, then I'll go away...some olive oil bottles come in tall and slender shapes. Ciao!
At Tuesday, April 13, 2010 , The Barnett Family said...: I am thinking about a bottle tree too.....I have always been interested in them. You got me REALLY wanting one. Question: What keeps the bottles from breaking during a storm?.....You know the weather is sooo unpredictable down South. Thanks!
At Tuesday, April 13, 2010 , Marigene said...: Susan, I think it is rude not to link back and maybe you should start deleting any that don't.
The bottle trees are cool...the only wine I can think of that comes in a colored bottle is Blue Nun, cobalt, that was years ago so maybe they have changed.
At Tuesday, April 13, 2010 , mary beth said...: Hey there..here is a tip that might help you and it's free! Every time I go to the recycle place in town, I notice lots and lots of pretty bottles in the colored glass bin, and you can have as many as you want for free! Most of them are beautiful deep blue, but they also have pretty shaped clear and brown ones. Why go out and buy all that booze when you can get these without it? I would love to start one and am trying to figure out what to use for a base...can't wait to get started!
At Tuesday, April 13, 2010 , The Little Red Shop said...: I don't drink...but I do live in one of the highest alcohol consumption spots in the country. There are probably quite a few empties to be found. t's much too windy up here in the mountains to have an outdoor bottle tree, though. I don't know about big bottles...but I do have a bunch of blue Ramlosa bottles from the Swedish water my dad loved to drink. A wee blue and white (clear) tree would be sweet....like gingham!

Happy decorating!

: )

Julie M.
At Tuesday, April 13, 2010 , Susan (Between Naps On The Porch.net) said...: Wow, awesome suggestions! I'll have to start visiting some recycling places.

About bottles breaking in storms...I guess it's possible to lose a few but it would have to be a pretty big storm. If you really slant the nails or whatever the bottles are on, pretty good...and if the nails or rods are long enough, I think the bottles would stay on the tree during a storm with no problem. The only thing I can think of that might break one would be golf ball size hail. Regular size hail would sound pretty wild hitting a bottle tree. ;-) It would be your own private tornado alert system, although it's a bit late by the time you hear the hail.
At Tuesday, April 13, 2010 , *The Beautiful Life* said...: I adore that pic of the "bottle tree" outside with all those colorful bottles packed in on it!

I sell reproduction bottle racks in my store, and I have a few customers who have turned theirs into chandeliers and sent me pics of the finished product and they were awesome!

I now would love to try and make a bottle tree for outside! Thanks for the neat ideas!!

Ruth
At Tuesday, April 13, 2010 , Kathysue said...: Hi Susan I have a fascination with bottles in fact I did a post on nothing but bottles. You can get a gorgeous cobalt blue and red at Cost plus and it has my favorite water Tynant. The blue is sparkling and the red is still. I love to have the red in my frige at Christmas, You know me and Frige scaping. here is the post and I show the bottles: http://goodlifeofdesign.blogspot.com/2010/03/bottles-bottles-bottles.html Hugs kathysue
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , Unknown said...: i love a bottle tree, especially the blue ones. i remember asking about them as a child and being told they were to "keep away the haints". i just read your other post about them and saw the reference to haint blue. i know there is a cheap riesling that tastes great and comes in a blue bottle, but i can't remember the name. have fun with your project!
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , Morgan//Nuts and Bows said...: Can't wait to see what you come up with!!!

Check out my new
GIVEAWAY!!!

~Morgan

Meet Virginia!
Meet Virginia!
Meet Virginia!
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , jacqm said...: hi-i make all sorts of things-especially jewelry-from recycled liquor bottles...i get them free from restaurants and bars. cobalt blue bottles are skyy vodka. there are amber, brown, dark and light green, and cobalt wine bottles, and there's a water that comes in a beautiful turquoise bottle-not to mention perrier in green.
the only one i havent found is red-i'll have to look for the water bottles you've mentioned!
I have so many wine bottles i'm planning on doing a bottle tree this year as well as windchimes
and other things for the yard.
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , deb said...: Bombay Sapphire - great blue bottle!
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , Debbie (Meadowcrest Cottage) said...: Hi Susan! Since you last posted the beautiful bottle tree pictures, I too have been thinking about creating one. I was thinking that if you found an interesting shaped bottle and it was clear, why couldn't you paint it with transparent glass paint? You can buy the paint at Michaels. They come in several different colors. You could pour some paint inside the bottle, swirl it around, tip it upside down, let the excess drain out, and let it dry. I think I'll try it!
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , Cynthia@ITLLDO said...: Silver Palm is a lovely cab in a beautiful green bottle with palm tree etching.
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , Unknown said...: I usually go to World Market and view not only the wines but also the water section. Years ago, my mother-in-law gave me a great bottle of wine in a sitting kitty shape from World Market. Also friends have told me sometimes you can find colorful bottles and vases (with skinny necks at the thrift stores.
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , Deb said...: Love this post. I am planning to do one too in my yard or perhaps on our country property that we have yet to put a house on. There is a small garden there and I think one of these trees would look beautiful. I'll let you know if I have any luck finding bottles and what kind they are. Deb
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , "Blossom" said...: Susan my girlfriend has a bottle tree in her back patio; her husband took an old tree and put it in a container on her patio. He than drilled holes in the tree and screwed rods into the trunk.
She has been helping me save bottle to duplicate her bottle tree; we have gotten bottles from different cafe's, restaurant like Olive Garden (they have beautiful wine glasses and some are large). We always ask if we can have the bottle when we finish a family. You can not take any half empty bottles but they can pour out what's left. I'm going to visit her in August and I will remember to take a photo of her bottle tree.
I just love her's and your idea here too. Good luck with finding the bottles.
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , Nancy's Notes said...: What a fabulous bottle tree,I have never seen one! What a clever idea! May have to try it too!

Love your blog!

Nancy
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , Zipdinger said...: You've inspired me! Actually, I saw your idea book on Houzz, and that's when I decided to make a bottle tree. I already have the aged log for the "tree" stump! I'll link you to a picture when it's done!!!
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , Kelly said...: Hi Susan,
I just received a book a few days ago that talked about bottle trees being so popular in the South. So last night I was researching images of them. Imagine my surprise when I receied your e-mail this morning talking about bottle trees. What a small world this is. They are beautiful trees. As a side note, Pottery Barn has green bottles in their catalog right now, that are made up as chandeliers.
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , Jennifer said...: These are a dream - terrif! I would love one and the vino with friends over too! Thanks for the feature, Jennifer jennsthreegraces
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , Richella said...: San Pellegrino sparking water comes in beautiful green bottles--not the dark green of wine bottles, but a brighter green. I love to use the bottles to hold flowers, like in this post: http://impartinggrace-richella.blogspot.com/2009/08/fresh-start.html

Pellegrino is delicious to drink and not very expensive, so you could get some of these pretty bottles very easily! :)
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , Kathleen said...: I have never seen a bottle tree here, Susan. Maybe it is a southern thing? I have seen pics of them on the net. Green is easy, Heineken..I don't drink, so I am not much help! I can just see you hanging around the dump looking for colored bottles, LOL..Don't get dressed up!
I tried again to link a pic to the HG contest. it didn't work?
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , Pinky said...: WOW, do I love that bottle tree CHANDY!!! That is so neat! YOu have ma all jazzed now to make a bottle tree for our yard! I think all the suggestions you are getting have just about covered it...the recycling places is a GREAT suggestion! Never would have thought of that! XO, Pinky
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , PC said...: I made my first bottle tree this past summer. It is between the play yard and the fairy garden. I picked up my bottles from garage sales. IT only took a copule of weeks to find what I need. We dont' drink alcohol so it had to be my resouce. I do have a picture of it on my gardening blog. I just took it last week. It still has snow around it. I haven't cleaned it up for spring, but it weathered our Idaho winter just great - not one bottle lost!
WHen I can get it cleaned all up out there I will take a better pis.
Thanks for letting me share! Paula in Idaho (it is about the third or fourth picture down on this post. http://bucketideasforgardening.blogspot.com/2010/04/fertilizer-friday.html
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , amariaf2000 said...: Oh man, I think I need a Bottle Tree now!! I consume plenty of red wine, but now I will start keeping my eyes open for beautifully colored bottles! Skyy Vodka comes in a gorgeous blue bottle. Other than that, I don't know, but I will start looking now!!

~angela @ peonypatch
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , Jane said...: Hi Susan
I LOVe bottle trees and have been looking for bottles for over a year...it's a BIG tree. I put the word out to neighbors, friends, etc., that I wanted blue, red or yellow bottles. So far, I have received several blue ones. Red and Yellow have been difficult. But I have found a couple of online sources for these. My husband and son (a sommelier) have gotten in on the act and have provided me with enough green wine bottles to use as edging around my back yard garden. (I saw this many years ago in an article in Southern Living...the bottles from years of celebrations lined the drive. It was beautiful!)

There is a sparkling water sold at Fresh Market that comes in a blue bottle. Also, many Reislings are "blue". Good luck...can't wait to see your tree.
Jane (Artfully graced)
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , Sherry @ No Minimalist Here said...: I am kicking myself right now! A couple of weeks ago GW had one of the small bottle stands for $3.99. I looked and it and even carried it around for a bit. Eventually I put it back since I really wasn't sure what it was used for. I would love to do one in just blue and clear bottles.
At Wednesday, April 14, 2010 , Terri Steffes said...: Hello! Long time no see! I am happy to say that my blog is no longer private! Woo Hoo!

I got a bottle tree from my dear friends who gave it to me after my breast cancer surgery. We are working on it now! We found a wine bottle in red and pink. I am at school right now so I can't tell you the brand names at the moment.

Good to see you again!
At Sunday, January 22, 2012 , Anonymous said...: standing bottle trees, hanging bottle trees, bottles on up-ended hay forks and bottles on metal fences....all trap the spirits inside. When a breeze wafts across the bottles you can hear the spirits inside and when the sun comes out and plays on the bottles 'poof' the spirits are no more. Blue is the most spiritual color and therefore the one used most to keep spitits at bay. That is why in the deep south many doors and entry ways are painted bright blue, so no bad spirits can enter. TyNant water comes in cobalt blue bottles in three sizes and is sold at T J Maxx and Saratoga comes in two sizes in cobalt and is sold at Fresh Foods Market. Both is sparkling and still. We used to get a lovely blue bottle of Italian water but the bottle has been discontinued. Good luck keeping the bad spirits from your house and garden.

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Apr 13, 2010

Bottle Tree Dreams

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