Easy Crafts: Wrap Your Gift Inside a Plastic Bottle!
by Leslie Sausage, leslie@frugalhomemaker.com 

Perfect gift-wrapping for children's gifts!  This is a great way to recycle some clear plastic soda or water bottles instead of a using gift bag. For a fun idea, mail the bottle with a gift or party invitations inside.

For each gift bottle you will need:

. A clean 2-liter clear soda bottle

. Craft knife (or a box knife)

. Acrylic paint, permanent markers or stickers

. Curly ribbon or raffia

. 1 1/2-inch wide ribbon or torn fabric, optional


Use the knife to cut a slit in the bottle that is large enough to squeeze
your gifts inside. You may need a bit of patience to get your gifts inside
the bottle. It's going to be a tight fit!

Decorate the bottle!

For a baby shower gift, you might paint hearts, lambs, baby bottles, or any
other baby items. For little boys, you might add cars, trucks, blocks or
some sports related pictures.

If you need it quick, just add some stickers and use permanent markers to
decorate.

Attach curly ribbon to the top. You can use the ribbon for a bow on top to
hide the cap or just cover the cap with the wide ribbon and tie the curly
ribbon around it.

Use your imagination!

These bottles can also be mailed:

. Slip an envelope or index card inside with the mailing address and tape it
to the inside of the bottle. Pack the bottle with the gift, plus brightly
colored confetti or crumpled tissue paper. Use clear postage tape to seal up
the slit.

. Another fun idea! Use empty plastic water bottles to mail a gift or party
invitations.

A very cute gift presentation!