This is one of those ideas of mine that *almost* doesn’t warrant a blog post because it’s so dang simple. BUT, I’ve learned that even when I have a simple project idea, I should always publish it here on the blog. So, here we go with an Igloo cooler that I found at Habitat ReStore. And my plan was to upcycle it into a wine bottle cooler.
It was neither vintage (i.e., valuable) or perfectly clean (slight ick), and the broken handle had been tucked inside. But, I loved the teal color and the tall-ish, narrow-ish shape just screamed wine bucket to me.
If I upcycled it into a wine bottle cooler, then the “ick” factor didn’t matter. As a wine bucket, nothing I drank would come in direct contact with it. Plus, the broken handle was a moot point since I wouldn’t need it!
And believe it or not, but this wine bottle cooler isn’t the only upcycling project that I’ve one with a drink cooler! I transformed this one into a faux Skotch Kooler.
But we’re definitely in a summer mood right now, and a DIY Wine Bottle Cooler will be the perfect reuse!
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Decorating an Igloo Beverage Cooler for Happy Hour
So, here’s the thing- The beverage cooler didn’t need ANYTHING DONE TO IT, other than a good scrubbing in the sink. I could have just as easily done that, popped a bottle of rosé inside and surrounded it with ice.
But OF COURSE, I needed to embellish it ever so slightly.
And how would I embellish it? Well, the phrase “It’s 5:00 somewhere!” kept bouncing around in my mind, no matter how hard I tried to come up with something else.
So, I decided to embrace that phrase but in my own dry-humor kind of way. I purchased a clock stencil, fixed it to the outside of the Igloo cooler with painter’s tape, and grabbed basic white paint and my favorite stencil brushes (from this online shop).
I knew going into this that my stenciling might be subpar. The ridges on the Igloo beverage cooler prevented the clock stencil from laying flat across the surface.
But I went about my stenciling business anyway, hoping for the best, but prepared for the worst.
But, you know what? It wasn’t awful! Not perfectly crisp like I normally aim for, as the numerals had slightly fuzzy edges. But about as good as could be expected given the uneven surface.
Besides, it’s going to be a wine bottle cooler and wine makes me a little fuzzy, too. Fitting and appropriate!
Now to make my clock say 5:00 permanently!
The clock stencil didn’t come with hands, so I commandeered my arrows stencil, identified one of the smallest arrows, and carefully stippled paint until it read 5:00.
It worked like a charm! Now, I just needed to seal the stenciled paint with a couple of quick coats of a matte spray using my go-to trigger handle.
Wine Bottle Cooler from a Beverage Cooler for Happy Hour at Home
And that was it! Like I mentioned before, the stenciling was just a fun way to embellish it. But it’s certainly not a required step to repurpose an Igloo beverage cooler into a wine bottle cooler.
It’s perfect for those hot summer nights and hosting happy hour at home. And, because it’s a plastic beverage cooler, it’s not breakable, which is always a bonus on my book.
I’d love to hear how you’d personalize your own beverage-cooler-turned wine bottle cooler in the comments below.
And for even more ideas for summer DIYs, check out this HUGE collection here!
Craft on!
S
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Great idea as always. Perfect for outdoor get togethers. I love those old beverage holders.
Exactly- and thank you!!
Clever and cute!
Thank you, Lisa!
another clever, inexpensive idea with the usual amusing commentary from you ! always enjoy your imaginative, economical, artistic posts. :))
Awww, thank you so much!
Well now that’s adorable! I kind of wish I was a wine drinker now!
Tania
Aww, thank you! And I’m pretty sure any 1-liter sized bottle or carafe would fit just fine, no matter the contents!
Omg ! Brilliant!! I think mine will show 5o’clock all around !!?
LOL a clock face of all 5s!!!
Love it , I too would have made all the numbers “5”. When I was young my grandmother repainted a clock for her bar that had all 5’s and said “Drinks are served at 5”.
This is a great “leave behind” idea – make it part of the hostess gift for a cookout. Thanks!
What a PERFECT idea, Tracie- I love it!
I can hear Alan Jackson singing now! Great upcycle! As usual!
Thanks so much!
Wlove this!
Thanks, Vickie!!
This is beyond awesome. I love it. Great job as usual.
Thank you, Jeannie!
Sometimes you’ve just got to keep it simple! Wine makes me a little fuzzy round the edges too! Funny that!
Ha!! 😉 😉 😉
It’s perfect for summer, great idea!
Thank you!
Love this idea! We have an old cooler that is shaped like a “Harvestore” silo. It would look cuter with farm animals stenciled on it for our grandchildren’s drinks!