Old Pill Bottles

$5 - $10 (based on 2018 prices)

Makes ten bottles

In 2018, I arranged to do a Frankenstein theme; however, plans for my parents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary postposed the idea and, in 2019, the venue’s decision to go with a creepy carnival delayed the concept even further. These pill bottles were part of my first efforts in 2018 to build the haunt (and a way to do something with all of the medication containers from my cholescystechtomy). For visual interest, use a collection of bottles in various sizes and, if you want to utilize them as food vessels for an asylum or hospital display, employ the aging technique found in the instructions for the worm jar rather than the wood stain method in step two.

• Ten plastic prescription bottles
• One 8 oz. can of oil-based interior wood stain in Jacobean*
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in metallic silver*
• One 10 oz. can of interior/exterior, fast-drying spray paint in flat black*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat black*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat brown*
• One 2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in flat maroon*
• One piece of 8” x 11.5” copy paper with prescription labels printed on it
• At least four tablespoons of black tea (e.g. Darjeeling, Earl Gary, English Breakfast, etc.)
• One pan large enough to soak the copy paper
• One 4 oz. bottle of all-purpose tacky glue*
  

1. Thoroughly wash and dry the bottles. If there is any sticker residue, use rubbing alcohol to remove it (soak a paper towel in the solution, let it sit over the area for a few minutes, and wipe away the remaining glue). After cleaning the bottles, roughen their surfaces with coarse sandpaper to help the stain adhere.

2. On a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, paint the bottles with the stain. I discovered that applying a thin coat and patting it with paper towels produces a hazed appearance. Likewise, brushing the rim and base with a swift downward motion creates the illusion of grime buildup.

3. On a newspaper-lined surface in a well-ventilated area, give the caps two even coats of metallic spray paint on their exterior surfaces and a coat of black spray paint on their interior surfaces. To achieve a nice coverage, select a paint which adheres to plastic.

4. After the paint has dried, dab maroon paint onto the caps. I used an old paintbrush with splayed bristles; however, a sponge or paper towels will work well. Concentrate your application on areas where rust would naturally form, particularly along the edges.

5. Once the maroon paint has dried, repeat the process with brown paint. During this application, be careful not to cover too much of the maroon paint.

6. Complete the rusted patina by applying a slight flecking of black paint. You can do this by either quickly flicking a paintbrush or using an old toothbrush and strumming your finger across the bristles. Since this process flings paint everywhere, it’s best to perform it outside.

7. Boil enough water to completely submerge the paper and pour it into the pan. Add the tea. The longer you allow the tea to brew, the darker the stain will become. Likewise, greater amounts of tea will produce a richer stain. I found that a combination of English and Irish Breakfast brewed for over ten minutes produces a nice, deep brown. Submerge the paper into the tea mixture and soak it until it reaches the color you desire. I soaked mine for eight hours and scattered the loose-leaf tea over the top of the paper to add spots. Remove the paper from the water and allow it to dry.

8. After the paper dries, cut out the labels, leave a small boarder around their edges, and roughen their surfaces with sandpaper. You can also crumple the paper to produce creases.

9. Once you have achieved your desired level of distress, glue the labels to the sides of the bottles. You can use olive or vegetable oil to add further stains. I discovered that applying a small amount of oil to your index finger and patting it on the paper works well.

10. Reattach the caps to the bottles and, if you chose to do so, embellish them further by filling the containers with swarms of insects or covering their surfaces with bloody handprints.

*You will not use the entire bottle’s content for this project.