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susiewantsroses

Homemade Bottle Tree

17 years ago

My neighbor cut down his crepe myrtles. I asked for a branch. I told him I wanted to make an art project. He said "I fi-gurd that" (I'm getting a reputation around here.).

I stained it Cherry Wood and Poly Sealed it twice. Hubs mixed a bucket of cement to stand it in. He dug out a flower bed and planted dozens of 6 1/2' Red Cannas and he burried the bucket in the front of the bed (Now it needs mulch). We hung the bottles in the position that catches the wind for the ghostly whistle effect. Different levels of rain water will make a different sound. So far I only hear the sound when I am up close to it. All it needs is a volume control. No idea how long the branch will last before rotting. Anyhoo I got a Spirit Catcher. My sister up in MI asked me if it works??? Duh-h-h-h, Of Course.

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I choose brown and red bottles and hope to collect more. I stuck some candle cups on there as well.

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Comments (25)

  • 17 years ago

    Great idea Susie. I see you have a quite a few of the red bottles that you've been looking for. Looks great!
    kathy

  • 17 years ago

    susieroses...Oh, this is quite beautiful! I hope you find more "red" bottles...maybe there will be some clearance after Feb. with Valentines' and all. Like that you're catching the "spirits"... You did a great job on the tree branch and that bottle tree will look great when the cannas get up there & bloomin'! Nice work. Jeanne S.

  • 17 years ago

    Very nice Susie! Love the red! I'm sure it will be awesome in front of all of the cannas this summer!

  • 17 years ago

    This is all going to look great when cannas blossom out.

  • 17 years ago

    Susie'sgotbottles! Things are looking good, great color ofr the branch, it should be lovely when cannas are up even before they bloom the green will look great! Jan

  • 17 years ago

    That's a bottle tree after my own heart! I love the red bottles and the cherry stain on the branch. I hope you post more photos later on with the red cannas in bloom.

  • 17 years ago

    Sung to the tune of Peter-Cottontail:

    Here comes Susie Texastail,
    hoppin down the Junkin Trail,
    Junkinty Junk Junk, a knockin on your door.

    She's takin your junk from your hand,
    and puttin right into her land
    and makin another pretty to adore!!

    So pretty, Miss Susie!!! Love your red and brown bottles. Can't wait to see it this summer with the Cannas, it'll be the bomb!!
    blessings-sherri

  • 17 years ago

    Now that I'm looking at the picture I think I should change it's name to "CHARLIE BROWN BOTTLE TREE". Susie

  • 17 years ago

    I LOVE IT!!!! Come plant a tree for us! I LOVE THE RED!!! (I hear Bud Light is coming out with blue bottles...but they have those labels painted on. Bummer...) Thank you for inspiring! Can't wait to see a summer picture! Bear Hugs! Kirk

  • 17 years ago

    Great job Susie! I love the bark on Crepe Myrtles. My ODS made a walking stick from a CM branch & stained it with cherry/poly. I wanted it but he wouldn't give it up.
    I love the browns & reds & the added bling of candle holders on your CBT. Charlie would be amazed! It's gonna look great with the big leaves of the Cannas.
    Vickie

  • 17 years ago

    I NEVER see red bottles here, those are sure pretty! I hope you find many more for your collection. I can't wait to see your tree when the flowers bloom!

    {{gwi:77274}}

  • 17 years ago

    Love the red! And they look great with the amber colored bottles too. It is nice to see a bottle tree with hanging bottles. If memory serves me right, that is actually what a bottle tree is supposed to look like. Did I say I love the red bottles? he-he

  • 17 years ago

    "Charlie Brown Bottle Tree''..... ROFLMHO!!!!

    Looks great but must ask... why would anyone chop down a crepe myrtle? I LOVE those trees, have three myself and my neighbor just planted I think it's 10 in her garden. Had it died?

    Maybe you can also string Christmas lights all over it. The light bouncing of those pretty red bottles at night will look fantastic.

  • 17 years ago

    Love the Christmas Light idea!!! My neighbor chopped down two Crepe Myrtle Trees. C M's have to be sprayed around here for aphids and black powder mildew in the summer. The trees were not at all dead. He may not feel able to care for them properly due to his age. If I would have caught him a little earlier I would have asked for more.

    My pitiful red bottles are not high quality. The brown ones are Shiner beer. I will collect more red as they appear at resales.

    Thankyou for all of the sweet comments about my bottle tree project in progress!!! Susie

  • 17 years ago

    What a neat way to recycle a crape myrtle branch. Those red bottles are pretty and I look forward to seeing all those cannas in bloom around your ' bottle tree'.

    FlowerLady

  • 17 years ago

    enjoying the photos of your tree, I have to ask are the red bottles old? I am a glass collector and red is really valuable if they are old. I have a bottle tree with about every common color but red, lots of greens blues browns and clear but I think they all are beautiful
    James

  • 17 years ago

    Okay, I came back for another look! I want to make one! I love the bottles hanging, just like in the book and movie Because of Winn Dixie! Since we border wetlands, we have awful mosquitoes (like Marlene's Hector LOL) in the spring. Do you think there is something environmentally safe I could put in the bottles if water builds up inside? I usually walk around our property constantly changing our birdbaths and draining any standing water. I do so want a tree like this!!! I LOVE IT! Bear Hugs! Kirk

  • 17 years ago

    Kirk, Yes there is a product called MOSQUITO DUNKS. They float around in bird baths and water features and do not hurt birds. They keep larva from hatching or something like that. (?????) I could cut one up and put a bit in each bottle if the sun does not evaporate the water (while it is evaporating the Spirits dont cha know).

    James, No the bottles are unfortunatly not old. Ebay had some red bottles that were listed around $30. which is too rich for my Charlie Brown Tree. My house trim color is a brick red. So red bottles plus amber bottles equals brick red when you look at them together. That is all of the math I know and that made me dizzy. (You see who your dealing with now.) I live life on the happy side of the brain.

    flowerlady- If I could do it over again I would have asked for more of those branches. They make great indoor decor like curtain hangers, outdoor trelises, twinkle lite trees for entertaining, ect. The secret is in the staining and poly treatment. They become richer. Susie

  • 17 years ago

    Heavy wind will flow into the bottle and make it fly or sway a bit. Make sure you hang your your bottles stategically to avoid smashing into each other. Susie

  • 17 years ago

    You can also buy 'shaker containers' with mosquito bits like the mosquito dunks. At first I cut them up, and then found the other stuff at Lowe's or Home Depot. I use it in the summertime, and it helps.

  • 17 years ago

    OK susie. How about wrappin some of the branches with copper wire that have been strung with beads.. Or make some danglers to fill in what you think is bare. Use the red half gems like we use for BBs. Didn't someone wrap the branches with mardi gras beads? I do not think Charlie Brown at all. I know 'work in progress'. June

  • 17 years ago

    I like it just the way it is.. simple and pretty. I don't think it needs another thing.

  • 17 years ago

    June!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes copper wire curls!!!!!!! I can see that. I can see the red glass blobs even on clear bottles. I'm SPARKED!!!! Thank you.

    Spedigrees- I was totally serious about it being a Charlie Brown Tree. But then you practically quoted the movie, "It's not such a bad little tree..". How purely precious you are. Susie

  • 17 years ago

    I haven't seen the movie, so don't know the context. I just think that simplicity is one of this tree's finer attributes. It shows off the wood of the branch, like polished driftwood.

  • 17 years ago

    ~~~~~~~~~~~ C * ~ O * ~ O ~ * L ! ! !

    Love It to pieces !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    L@@Ks just like you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREAT ! ! ! Job...
    you & Hubs are quite the GJ'ers !!!!!!!!!!!

    Thanks for the pics and the instructions !
    and Grand IDEAS ! ! ! !
    God Bless Your Little Pea Pick'n Hearts ! ! ! !
    SusieSunshine
    (

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