What to do with empty wine bottles?

[ObviouslyNotAGolfer]

We drink wine regularly and I almost feel bad throwing the bottles away--even if they do go to recycling. What clever things can I make out of them? I wonder whether they would work as chimes or mobiles? Would like to perhaps make something I could sell on Etsy or somewhere cool...any ideas?

Selling with labels attached could possibly get my azz in hot water--derivative works!!! Copyright infringement!

[PizzaSteve]

Clean, make wine, refill.  Cheaper, lots of fun.

[marty998]

If I ever get to live in a house instead of an apartment I'd like to do a garden walk with trellis walls / tunnel sort of set up, which would use hundreds of bottles to hold the soil and roots of the plants twisted around it.

Probably looks a lot better conceptually in my head but there's an idea.

[Frankies Girl]

Offer them up on Nextdoor or Craigslist. I have a woman on my Nextdoor that has a standing offer of wanting any and all wine bottles as she uses them in crafting art/lighting fixtures. She asks for a dozen and gives a pretty light fixture in return.

If you're at all interested in crafting things, you can make all sorts of cool things: cut the tops off to make vases, a really interesting bird feeder, fairy light bottle, light fixtures/lamps, decor items (painted or wrapped with yarn/twine/fabric)... I've even seen a really pretty garden border made with wine bottles planted upside-down along the edge like a stone border (last link below).

https://craft.ideas2live4.com/2015/03/16/glass-bottle-torch/
http://www.containerwatergardens.net/make-wine-bottle-hummingbird-feeder/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Ten-Green---modular-shelving/
http://www.hometalk.com/4890008/bottle-wall-build-upcycle
http://www.countryliving.com/diy-crafts/g2534/repurpose-wine-bottles/?slide=18
http://savedbylovecreations.com/2014/09/reclaimed-wood-wine-bottle-vase-trio.html
http://www.guidepatterns.com/wine-bottle-chandelier-13-unique-diys.php
http://www.containerwatergardens.net/7-ways-use-old-wine-bottles-landscape/

[Polish_Hammer]

Get a bottle cutte and make drinking glasses or candle glasses

[PennySaved75]

some folks sell used clean wine bottles on Ebay.

[Cranky]

I've seen them repurposed as candle holders and as glasses. I've seen them reused as part of a bottle tree. I've seen them melted into spoon rests. I've seem them made into part of a fence (which was very, very cool looking.)

We reuse most of ours for wine, but dh only likes a certain kind for that. I've got some with neat labels that I use to water plants with. Otherwise, into the recycling they go.

[PizzaSteve]

https://www.google.com/search?q=wine+bottle%3Ahouse&oq=wine+bottle%3Ahouse&aqs=chrome..69i57.4345j0j4&client=tablet-android-samsung&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=syLZgsgJzXBu2M:
https://www.google.com/search?q=wine+bottle%3Ahouse&oq=wine+bottle%3Ahouse&aqs=chrome..69i57.4345j0j4&client=tablet-android-samsung&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=RhDJt_X110-sHM:
https://www.google.com/search?q=wine+bottle%3Ahouse&oq=wine+bottle%3Ahouse&aqs=chrome..69i57.4345j0j4&client=tablet-android-samsung&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=hntjnzcKZ2G0jM:

[Prairie Stash]

I sold 60 bottles for $30 on Kijiji (CDN Craigslist). I washed them and removed labels, the original plan was to make wine and use them, I had too many so I sold the excess.

It was a lot of work for very little money. On the upside they were all repurposed which is better than recycled. It'll be a job for my kids one day to earn a few bucks, when you're 10 that's a decent amount of cash.

[Digital Dogma]

My SO has a glass cutting kit that utilizes candle heat to break the glass evenly across a scored line (I think there may be a step that involves water to break the scored line), and then the bottom of the wine bottles get sanded at the break till its smooth. I use them as rum/bourbon/whiskey glasses cause they're shallow and fat, great for sipping. We try and save the fancy colored bottles for this.

[Dicey]

Or you could get really ambitious. This was a commissioned work. I believe the artist was paid 20k. Not a bad side gig, if you're creatively inclined.

It's large and somewhat hard to photograph. More photos in the link below:

http://captivewildwoman.blogspot.com/2011/06/marta-thoma-journey-of-bottle-at-walnut.html

[ObviouslyNotAGolfer]

Thanks folks. A lot of interesting ideas here. I will cook something up and report back (may be a few months!)

[runewell]

You could stop drinking wine so that you don't have empty bottles lying around.

[SJS]

I put small holes in lower back, then put lights in them & put some decor on them.  People love them!  They look so pretty on your counter as a nightlight!  Dark bottles work best, BTW.  (you have to buy a special "bit" for your drill to do this, but not hard!). 

[pudding]

Clean, make wine, refill.  Cheaper, lots of fun.

I do that to.

I'm in Canada and wine and beer is expensive here. There are these places where you pay to make your own, you don't actually brew it though, the shop does that and you go in with your bottles and bottle it.

It's OK wine, definitely drinkable and not unpleasant and about a fifth of the price because you don't have to pay the taxes.

[StarBright]

I've seen them repurposed as candle holders and as glasses. I've seen them reused as part of a bottle tree. I've seen them melted into spoon rests. I've seem them made into part of a fence (which was very, very cool looking.)

We reuse most of ours for wine, but dh only likes a certain kind for that. I've got some with neat labels that I use to water plants with. Otherwise, into the recycling they go.

I second the bottle tree! They keep away haints and bad juju.

[mm1970]

You could stop drinking wine so that you don't have empty bottles lying around.

I think about this sometimes.  I've cut back so much that - well, I get 20 bottles a year at my wine club, and I usually take them to parties.

My favorite winery has the option of filling a growler.  Of course, they only have 2-3 on tap at any given time.  And again, I mostly only drink when I go to parties.

[Simple1_2_3]

I have one with  a long string of Xmas light squeezed  inside the bottle sitting on the counter in my kitchen.   I turn the light on, just this one as the only light source  in the kitchen; very pretty especially if your bottle is brown color, when my kitchen is not tidy and I have company coming.   I can see a row of them all with Xmas light inside as a decoration on the porch or garden walk way, provided I know how to  link all the Xmas light to work together!

[hoping2retire35]

Cheap wine kits are about $3. A bottle and are decent. High end stuff is 5-6 a bottle I assume is really good. Also try mead, chaeper and I think better.

[pbkmaine]

We drink wine regularly and I almost feel bad throwing the bottles away--even if they do go to recycling. What clever things can I make out of them? I wonder whether they would work as chimes or mobiles? Would like to perhaps make something I could sell on Etsy or somewhere cool...any ideas?

Selling with labels attached could possibly get my azz in hot water--derivative works!!! Copyright infringement!

I have an herb garden, so I combine different herbs with various vinegars, put them in clean empty wine bottles with new corks, make fancy tags, and give as gifts.