Plastic Bottle Mailgrams
Originally posted on March 10, 2004.
Revised on August 20, 2008.
In many online groups, mailings to test the post office are quite popular. People will mail all manner of unwrapped items to each other, just to see if the post office will send them through. In my first naked mail experience, I sent these plastic bottle mailgrams filled with altered art goodies to some folks on Alterations. I’m sorry to say that the clerk at my post office didn’t even blink when I started placing these bottles on the counter—a week earlier, a lady had come in with an armload of baby bottles she was mailing out as birth announcements. However, the guy in line next to me liked them so much, he flagged me down in the parking lot to ask what kind of bottles I used so he could go home and assemble some himself.
Here’s how I put them together:
Start with a clean, dry plastic bottle. I used individual size water bottles that are clear, but any plastic drink bottle in any color will do. Lay the bottle on its side, and use a utility knife to make a lengthwise slit down the side of the bottle. Try to cut about as long as your address labels will be, or maybe a little shorter.
Since I was mailing to other artsy types, I filled mine with collage goodies. I started by gathering up a small pile of pretty papers and text pages. I rolled them up in a tube small enough to slide into the top of the bottle, making sure there was something pretty on the outside of the roll, since it will show through the bottle and create sort of a lining.
The roll expanded inside the bottle. I persuaded the papers around so the start of the roll lined up with the slit in the bottle, using a popsicle stick.
I wanted to include one piece of finished artwork—in this case, a domino pendant on a cord. I packaged the pendant in a small plastic bag, then slipped it through the slit, and inside the roll of papers, pushing as far as I could with my fingers.
I used the stick to move the plastic bag around to the center of the bottle. I continued adding items this way: a small envelope of cigar bands, some miniature playing cards, even an ATC. The ATC did have to bend just a little to fit inside the bottle.
For a more recent project, I had to add things like notes and address labels to the inside of the bottle. I just added these through the top, rolling them up and angling them into empty spaces inside the bottle.
Small items like beads, sequins, rhinestones, brads and clips can go in last. It’s nice to add smaller items that are loose, so the bottle rattles.
When the bottle was full, I glued the top shut with a little EcoGlue, which is pretty much a permanent sort of closure. I’ve done these in the past without glue, and just applied a strip of metal tape around the cap to hold it in transit, and they always stayed on just fine.
To seal the slit in the bottle, I started by covering it with a strip of clear tape.
I covered up the taped slit with an address label, and another strip of packing tape.
I applied a small return address label with a strip of tape wrapping all the way around the bottle.
The nice lady at the post office really wanted to stamp my first set of bottles First Class, but the tape resisted the ink. I went ahead and wrote First Class in red Sharpie, and taped it onto the bottle. Maybe it’s time for me to just get a First Class rubber stamp…
Jul 7th, 2008 at 10:43 am
This sounds like so much fun. Just curious, how much postage was required on these?
Jul 7th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
@anna: It depends on where you are in the world, where the bottle is going, and how your local post office deals with these items. Mine had just mailed a whole set of baby announcements done in baby bottles the week before, so they just slapped first class postage on them without blinking an eye.
Jul 26th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
I just ADORE this idea, and as a big, but BIG snail mail letter writer… I’ll use this wonderful Plastic Bottle Mailgrams with a lot of my cherished pen-pals!
Jul 29th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
i had heard of people doing this! but i wasn’t sure if it was really something that would be allowed! i want to use this idea to send little fun surprises to my neices and my grandchildren. how fun to get something like this in the mail! your tutorial was very imformative, i appreciate that. i hate having to guess how something was done!
Jul 30th, 2008 at 1:56 am
Great idea! I just participated in a “naked mail” swap where all the items had to be either completeley “naked” (unpackaged) or in a see-through package. I used a flimsy, clear plastic box for mine, and it actually made it to its destination, despite my initial wories, but next time I’ll try a bottle… much sturdier, and a lot more fun!
Jul 30th, 2008 at 4:03 am
I have read this tutorial before but had forgotten about it…spent some time onthe list tonight rereading them. I have friends who are getting married soon and have asked me to do their announcements. I would love to come up with some sort of idea on that… I will be working on the water bottle idea if they are willing to spring for the postage when they get ready to mail them out! GREAT IDEAS!
Jul 30th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
@Martha: It would be really cute if you could find some small plastic champagne bottles
Jul 31st, 2008 at 7:53 pm
This is so much fun! I will have to try this. Great idea to decorate them by putting in the joss paper.
Aug 21st, 2008 at 11:15 pm
I love this idea. I cant wait to use if to get well cards and birthday cards for kids. Thanks so much.
Aug 22nd, 2008 at 5:16 pm
You’re a genius Lisa!
Aug 23rd, 2008 at 12:02 pm
These look great! How did your friends get into them with the caps glued on?
Aug 23rd, 2008 at 12:09 pm
@Katie: the reality of these bottles is that even if you can get the cap off, you can’t get the goodies out easily. The easiest way to liberate the goods is to open the slice in the side—or cut the top section of the bottle off.
Aug 23rd, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Fun idea! Has anyone that you know of tried using a larger clear plastic container? Maybe a gallon size or 2 liter? Just wondered if the post office would allow this or if they would insure it or any of the other usual services.
Aug 23rd, 2008 at 4:26 pm
@J. Henry: via various mail-art projects, I’ve received all matter of naked mail items, including a pink plastic pig that’s larger than a two-liter bottle. As long as the item conforms to the post office size and weight restrictions, and you can get a mailing label and postage on it, they’ll deliver it.
Aug 23rd, 2008 at 5:39 pm
This project brought a smile to my face. My husband and I had a pirate wedding and sent out treasure map invitations out in bottles. I printed the announcements on parchment paper and I burned the edges, then I rolled them up, tied them with a bow and put them in the bottles. Our guests came in costume to see us walk the plank down the aisle where we said our vows next to the river. Our wedding cake was a treasure chest with gold coin chocolates and “jewels” spilling out. A belly dancer performed at the reception. It was a great deal of fun!
Aug 23rd, 2008 at 7:09 pm
A wonderful idea but I’m wondering if Aussie post offices would allow it. Might be worth checking out. Thanks, Lisa ~
Aug 23rd, 2008 at 10:24 pm
What a fun idea! This would be especially fun and unusual for little holiday gifts! TFS! You are so clever!
Aug 23rd, 2008 at 11:01 pm
I made these using 2 liter bottles for Valentines Day one year and put all sorts of goodies in them, even stuffed animals. Actually put curly ribbon around the cap and it went thru. Maybe they are fussier in the po now, but it can’t go thru the machine anyway, must be hand stamped, so ribbon might still be OK.
Aug 24th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
I was wondering why you put the slit in the side anyway. Maybe I missed the purpose of it?
I can’t wait to play too!
Aug 24th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
@Barbara: Try re-reading the article. I talk about what I did with the slit—something you can’t do through the top.
Aug 24th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
I too have done this…I have mailed large items in 2 liter bottles. You can actually cut a door out of the whole side of the bottle…cutting along three sides, leaving one intact, then you can fold it back to get big things inside. Just tape the side closed first, then tape around the bottle at the top and bottom of the opening to reclose and put your address label over that. The most fun naked mail I have ever mailed was a small toilet plunger (the handle was about 15 inches long). I wrote on the rubber part with a Sharpie marker: “Rubber on the bottom, wooden handle on the top - Yep, it must be a rubber stamp!” Then I put a self-adhesive address label on the handle. The PO put the stamps in a row going up the handle. It arrived just fine and my friend LOVED it!
Aug 26th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
LOL….
Oh my gosh….that is so funny Connie….love it!
Sep 9th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
this was fun reading all your posts.
Reminds me of when my husband and I were dating and he was stationed at Wright Patterson AFB in the 60’s and I mailed a huge pepperoni
to him. It smelled up the mail room and he really got teased.
His friends all shared and finished it in no time.
Oct 9th, 2008 at 11:56 am
This sounds exciting both in giving and receiving. Just the way life should be. Please sign me up.
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Oct 27th, 2008 at 10:27 am
Please sign me up. This looks like a lot of fun and I want to play!
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Nov 1st, 2008 at 9:04 am
I wonder how many bottles are in the postal system now because of you Lisa!!
Nov 18th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
This is so neat. Thanks for sharing the great instructions!