I'll be the first to admit that the business I run isn't always the most eco-friendly. I mean, I deal with a TON of paper everyday and get shipments almost every other day for creating content here on the blog. But I will say, we're pretty conscious of it and do what we can to cut down anywhere possible. We reuse boxes for shipments, re-print on the unused sides of paper, use extra prints and samples and notecards and recycle... like EVERYTHING we can. The side of my house is basically full of cardboard waiting for it's turn in the recycling bin. I've even made an effort to put more thought into the things I purchase for life in general, and many times choose products that have packaging I love and will reuse. With Earth Day coming up, I partnered with Aveeno to share an easy way you can reduce your impact and upcycle your next Aveeno purchase into something useful. So, when you've finished up your latest lotion or body wash, give it a quick rinse, remove and toss the pump (the pumps aren't recyclable) and make these cute little trinket dishes instead of tossing the bottle! Here's how...

Supplies:

Empty Aveeno lotion or body wash bottle

X-acto knife and/or razor blade

Gold liquid leaf (or any color paint)

Brush

Felt/fabric

Step 1

Using your knife, insert about 1" up from the bottom of the Aveeno bottle and begin to cut around the perimeter to separate the bottom from the top. Be sure to pull the knife down an away from your body/fingers... it can be a bit tough and you don't want it slipping (I learned the hard way). And no need to be super precise on this step, you just want to separate your base. Recycle the top of your bottle.

Step 2

Give the base another quick rinse to get any extra product out. Remove the stickers from the bottle as well.

Step 3

Use the razor blade (or your knife if it is very sharp) and begin to slowly shade away the top of the dish that you have created (the base of the bottle). Do this to even out the level and remove any points that were created when you cut the base off. Go slow and again, pull away from fingers/body! This is the most time consuming part but is actually calming if you have the patience;)

Step 4

Time to paint! Have fun here and use colors that go with your decor. I painted the inside of one and left the other plain so they looked a little different, then just added dots and stripes to both in different thicknesses. Let dry.

Step 5 (optional)

If you'd like to create something for the inside, you can trace the bottom of your new dish onto felt or fabric (I wrapped my felt in peach fabric!) and then glue to the inside bottom of your dish to finish. I would recommend this if you are going to use for jewelry, but if you are going to fill with something like paper clips or push pins for your office, you can skip this step as you won't see the bottom anyway.

Add to your collection and fill with your favorite pieces! You can see why I went with gold and pink/peach... clearly there's a theme at our house.

You can get detailed with these dishes, or keep them simple with a single color or pattern, that's the fun! And if you get sick of one, just make another when you finish your next bottle ;) You can grab these products at any Walgreens (walgreens.com/aveeno) for just under seven dollars... healthier skin AND a little dish for less than a latte? Yes please.

Have you guys ever upcycled old bottles? This was my first go but would love to hear your projects if you've ever given it a try! 

This post was in partnership with Aveeno®