Use A Plastic Bottle To Create Colorful Animal-Inspired Garden Decor

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If you're considering a structural remodel or otherwise overhauling your outdoor living space, it's probably going to be expensive. Even simply adding more plants can strain some household budgets. If you're looking to add beauty to your yard without significantly impacting your finances or requiring lots of time, you could DIY some beautiful wind chimes from repurposed household items — in this case, a collection of colorful hanging fish. You'll get to exercise your creativity while making something to enjoy in your yard. Mother Earth will thank you, too!

If you have some empty plastic water bottles, you have the foundation for a fish-themed hanging outdoor decor. Make sure the bottles are completely dry; you don't want moisture to be trapped inside and possibly become a hotbed for mold. The other tools and supplies you need include an X-Acto knife (save money by sharpening your X-Acto knife instead of replacing it), clear-drying craft glue (like Fittdyhe B7000 Jewelry Glue), a waterproof Gotideal Acrylic Paint Set, spray-on outdoor sealant, small binder clips, a soldering tool, string, and optional stick-on-able embellishments.

The soldering tool is needed to poke holes into the plastic bottle. If you're struggling to find one, you could use the heated tip of a hot glue gun. Or you could heat up a pointed object — like a Phillips screwdriver or a nail — with a candle, lighter, or stovetop flame and quickly puncture the bottle with it. However you do it, make sure you're working outdoors or in a well-ventilated area indoors and wear oven mitts.

Using the X-Acto knife, carefully slice off the neck of the bottle and cut the bottle in half. Pinch the wide end of the bottle together and draw the shape of the fish's tail and fins. Staple the bottle flat before cutting along your drawn outline. Poke a hole at the top of the fish and another on the bottom using one of the techniques mentioned earlier, ensuring that the holes are wide enough for your string.

Next, glue all edges of the bottle together to seal the fish. Use small binder clips to hold the edges together as they dry — follow the manufacturer's drying and curing times, since they differ across brands. Before painting, lightly sand the plastic for better paint adherence. Then decorate the fish with your outdoor acrylic paint set or something like Rust-Oleum's Painter's Touch 2X Ultra Cover Spray Paint that's suitable for use on plastic. To make things easy, you could use TFIVE Waterproof Paint Markers to add details. If your fish will be exposed to weather, add some coats of Mod Podge Matte Sealer or a similar sealant. Glue a large googly eye to each side of the fish, right near the large, round mouth.

When stringing the fish, make sure one end of your length of string has a loop for hanging. Once you've threaded it through the hole, you can add beads, bells, or shells for extra pizzazz. Then dangle your completed fish from any tree, patio rafter, or fence post that's in need of color. You could also string multiple fish together to create a statement piece. That's it! You've finished this easy way to repurpose your plastic water bottle around the house.