Milk Bottle Owl

This is my little upcycled owl, made entirely out of plastic items that would otherwise have ended up in the recycling bin. He is super cute and easy to make, and can be used as a handy desk tidy.

To make one, you will need:

• a one pint plastic milk bottle
• a two pint plastic milk bottle
• 2 plastic milk bottle lids
• 2 smaller plastic lids (e.g. from a drinks carton)
• 2 small bendy plastic drinking straws
• Mod Podge or PVA glue
• acrylic paint and soft paintbrush
• hot glue gun or super glue
• permanent marker pen (e.g. Sharpie)

To begin, cut 2 wing shapes out of the 2 pint milk bottle (one from either side), then cut the ridged section from the front of the bottle and a small diamond shape from one of the sides. Fold the diamond shape in half to form a beak before the next step.

Cover the cut out pieces, the 1 pint milk bottle, the milk bottle lids and the straws with a thick layer of Mod Podge or PVA glue using a soft paintbrush. This helps the paint to stick.

Once dry, fold the straws at the bend and cut one side as shown. Then, using a hot glue gun or super glue, attach the cut off piece to the centre of the bend and cut this to the same size. Finally, cover the straws with a thick layer of brown acrylic paint.

   

    

Cover the 1 pint milk bottle and the three cut out pieces with several thick layers of white acrylic paint. The two larger plastic lids and the plastic diamond (beak) need to be covered with brown acrylic paint.

        

        

Attach the smaller plastic lids to the larger lids using a hot glue gun or superglue.

Then glue all of the pieces in place.

        

    

To make the owl stand up straight, glue the pieces of cut off straw to the base of the bottle at the back.

Next, using a permanent pen, draw the centres of the eyes, leaving a small highlight if you wish, and a few v-shaped feathers on the owl's chest.

Trim each of the straws at an angle, then cover the whole owl with Mod Podge or PVA glue to seal it.

    

Once dry, your little upcycled owl is complete. It can be used to hold paintbrushes, pencils, dried flowers, fresh flowers, or smaller items such as paper clips.