When my good pal, Arthur, sent me this project, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of it for my own bar! Like him, I also hate looking at ugly food labels on things exposed in my kitchen (which is why I’ve transferred all of my flour and grains into matching glass containers). Aesthetics aside, his bar-bottle-makeover-project is brilliant for another reason too. No one will ever have to know how cheap your alcohol is! Here are his instructions, with my own side bars (hee hee) in red.
Arthur cleaned off the labels from Trader Joe’s brand vodka bottles and washed and dried them throughly. The square bottles nestle better on a bar and also won’t roll around in your freezer when laying down. You can also buy bulk square bottles here.
He ordered vinyl stencils from a local sign shop, but you can also order them online. Arthur says they shouldn’t be more than a buck or so a label, so go local if the online quote is too high. You could also buy vinyl letters from an art store and mask off a rectangle with electrical tape around it, creating the opposite of what Arthur did: clear letters within an etched rectangle.
Position and stick on the label and rub out any bubbles, making sure it’s on there really good.
Apply a thick coat of Armor Etch and leave for at least 10 minutes. Wash it off and let it dry!
Decant all of your booze into your stunning new bottles!
If you’re really too lazy for this project, buy the matching bottles, mask off a rectangle with painter’s tape and paint the inside of the rectangle with two to three coats of chalkboard paint. After 24 hours, peel off the tape and you’ll be able to scroll your own labels with chalk!
delia-hauser.com 
I made the page?! woot!!
I got the little clear caps (barely visible in first photo) at General Bottle Supply: http://www.bottlesetc.com/ (When I asked if they had square bottles in regular stock, they stared with shock and awe, like I was saying “you should put octagonal tires on this race car…”) (anyway, using existing vodka bottles is kind of like recycling, plus it appealed to my new England cheapness I mean frugality.)
I love the idea of reversing the image using off-the-shelf vinyl. That is exponentially more practical. Should’ve thought that before I locked myself to a custom typeface… (ALL THINGS MUST MATCH.)
Subsequent bottles got a etched square on the back to write notes, like date of purchase or brand if it was something unique. I just scribble something in pencil (similar to the chalkboard idea!)
Yep! You made the page!
Thanks for the follow up info- I was wondering about those clear caps! The Tj’s bottles are definitely perfect and way more eco, but in some states Trader Joe’s can’t sell alcohol (which I found out upon moving from CA to NY) so I found those swing-top square bottles for all the sorry sacs that have to buy booze full price (er…ME..).
DUDE. These are TIGHT. I need to repost this shit.
And they would look so much better than regular bottles at a party bar! The guests would never have to know how cheap the alcohol was. 😉
Expensive Alcohol is mostly a ripoff. Get whatever you like best. Often, one distillery will make like three different labels: expensive brand name, cheaper fake-local brand, and store-brand. (*this does not apply for scotch.) (though it does for some whiskey.) (even two buck chuck is mostly wine “remainders” from bigger batches!)
And always remember, “only a jackass mixes a name.” (ie., dont call when making a cocktail!)