These DIY color dipped bottles from last week’s cocktail party picnic are such a fun way to add a dose of color to any party – and the DIY tutorial couldn’t be easier! I chose a few bright summery colors for our little picnic, but you could easily choose just two colors to distinguish cocktails from non-alcoholic drinks or fit in with your own party. I hope you enjoy making these as much as I did!

Supplies and Tools

Glass swing bottles – Ikea has large 34 oz ones, or you can find a smaller 17 oz size here

Craft paint – I chose paints from the Martha Stewart Crafts collection since I liked the colors best (I used metallic rose copper, wild salmon, pool, and pollen) and it works on glass, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand

Paintbrushes

Painter’s tape

Rubbing alcohol (not pictured)

Start by prepping your bottles by quickly wiping them down with rubbing alcohol. Then wrap the painter’s tape around the bottle at a slight angle to get a nice dipped look. Don’t worry if the tape bunches up as you wrap it, but make sure you press down and smooth out the bottom edge to ensure a nice clean line. Squeeze a small amount of paint (you really only need a quarter-size dollop) onto a paint palette or other surface.

Apply your first coat of paint. You’ll get the best results by applying several light coats – and I found that each color needed around 3 coats to get to my desired level of opaqueness. You could also do this with spray paint (I’d wrap a plastic bag over the unpainted top of the bottle, under the painter’s tape), but I chose to use craft paint so I’d have more control and ability to avoid drips. Turn bottle over and allow to dry for 1-2 hours, then repeat for coats 2-3.

After the desired number of coats, remove the painter’s tape – and voila! If necessary, use the blade of an exacto knife to gently scrape away any errant paint along the dipped line.

Fill with your favorite cocktail or beverage – and enjoy!

A quick note: I recommend making these bottles about a week ahead to allow time for the paint to cure, otherwise condensation from ice or cold liquids could cause air bubbles to appear beneath the paint or for some of the paint to peel away from the glass. So just plan a head if you think this is something you’d like to use for your own party!

Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper