Angels For Christmas – DIY Bottle Doll

These angels for Christmas are easy to make and a beautiful gift for a friend. Display them during the holidays or year round, and use this tutorial as a guide to create your own style!

Do you recognize the style of doll below? If you’ve followed me for any length of time then you might recall me making these angel bottle dolls in the past. I used to sell them on my website for several years and you can Google “Shabbyfufu Bottle Dolls” if you are curious. You’ll see a bunch!

Since I don’t sell these days, I thought that it would be fun to teach you how to make your own. They are perfect to display for the holidays and so fun as a hostess gift for a vintage loving friend. Here is what you’ll need, and I’ll link similar items AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE…so definitely scroll all the way down!

*GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED & A WINNER CHOSEN*

angel doll for Christmas supplies

These angels for Christmas go pretty quickly once you get started and have created your first one. I made several in an afternoon of crafting! If you have doll heads that are hollow inside like my antique German doll heads, you’ll need a way to mount them to your bottle.

rolled newspaper

When using doll heads that are newer or plastic, then hot glue alone will likely work. To mount the doll head to the bottle I cut a strip of newspaper, rolled it and placed into the head opening first. Then use hot glue to ensure that the paper doesn’t fall out.

angels for Christmas with a vintage doll head

Place the bottom of the rolled paper into the bottle and use hot glue all the way around to adhere. As you can see, the doll head is not perfect and the bottle isn’t either. I love vintage and antiques, so that’s fine with me!

making of an angel bottle doll

You’ll then want to give more stability to the doll head, so will add a collar. I like to use a snippet of old lace (lace scrap) and make ruffles as I hot glue. Don’t burn your fingers and keep a cloth to press down the lace close by!

Once you’ve finished the lace collar you can embellish with either a strip of ribbon or some rhinestones. I have a bag of broken jewelry for crafting that I found at a flea market and dig in often! You can cut vintage jewelry with snippers, as needed. Once you’ve done these steps the rest is easy and creative!

angels for Christmas

Angels for Christmas – Remainder Of Directions

  • Add more lace to the bottle if desired. You could also use ruffled crepe paper like THIS. By the way, the same Etsy seller (one of my favorites) has these great sets of Bottle Brush Trees.
  • Dig around your craft supplies for feathers, craft flowers and leaves, broken jewelry bits.
  • You will need something to resemble wings and either feathers or craft leaves work best. In this doll I hot glued a white fabric craft leaf to each side of the bottle in the back. They weren’t quite large enough, so I hot glued some white maribou from the craft store to the back. This added some fluff and an ethereal look.
  • For the angel’s corona, I glued a vintage flower from an old church hat on the back of the head.

Adding Glitter

  • Last step is to add subtle touches of glitter. The glitter that I prefer for the holiday season is mica glitter. You can also use the home made glitter that I showed how to make IN THIS POPULAR POST!
  • Use Mod Podge and apply to several areas with a cotton swab or small brush and dust with glitter.

*TIP* Let some of the bottle show and don’t cover it all, so that people know it’s an altered art doll!

Step back and take a look. Do you need some extra touches? I added a broken vintage pin to the doll’s dress.

I hope that you enjoyed this tutorial and please let me know what you think in the comments!

angels for Christmas bottle doll Shabbyfufu

Here’s my list of supplies…simply click on any photo below to shop!

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35 Comments

  1. Your Angel is beautiful. All my belongings were stolen from my storage place. I have to start over. I made a fireplace from cardboard but need something to go on it. I can buy online but can not walk anymore.
    No stores. I have someone shop for me. I never get what I asked for.

  2. Susan Dickman says:

    How beautiful your angel is! I’m not sure I am deserving, but this year has been a hard one. It started with the death of my husband in Feb, and my dad-in-law in April. In June, I had to take two of my grandchildren.because their stepmother abused them. My sweet Golden Retriever just crossed the Rainbow Bridge this past Sat. I know we all go through trials and I am trying to keep the faith.
    I love your crafts and blogs and wish you a joyous Christmas!

  3. What a lovely idea! I’m always inspired by your ideas. I love repurposing and this is the perfect project. I have about ten blogs that I follow faithfully and you are absolutely on the list. I look forward to your posts. I’ve always wondered about the name, Shabbyfufu and the story behind it. Thanks for the always wonderful ideas!!

  4. Tracey Clark says:

    What a precious angel……she reminds me ofmy grandmother. She’s been gone 31 years now and I still miss her terribly. I look forward to reading your blog every morning before work. I’ve learned so much ! Mayyou and your family have a blessed Christmas.

    1. Kimberly Hentzen says:

      What a lovely angel doll! You are so clever, Janet! I believe this craft doll should go to Susan Dickman. I don’t know her, but she has been through so much lately. My heart goes out to her. Please consider her. Thank you and have a Lovely Day!

  5. Ronnie Lyle says:

    I can’t really say that I am deserving to receive one of your angels but I do believe that there are angels all around us.Being a Christian I believe that if we had angelic objects around us then we would remember that the Lord provides and permits those angels to be around us but we must remember that we are not to worship anything or anyone but the Lord. I am a new subscriber to your webpage and I enjoy seeing what you have made,you inspire me to make some of the crafts that you have on here.

  6. Miss Daisy says:

    Don’t want anything , just wanted to say your bottle angel is simply elegant. Have a Blessed week.

  7. Ellen Moore says:

    The bottle doll is so delicate and beautiful! I love old things, but things that look old will do just fine.. And I am sure that my granddaughter will kindly ask me if she can have the doll when I tire of it, or since I am 80 yo, when I leave this earth. Ashley recently married, so she is trustworthy of such a delicate example of art. Thank you for such a wonderful and generous give-away.

  8. Absolutely enchanting! I am quite taken with the little charmer! I would love to win and put one together – for my sister who is absolutely crackers for all things vintage and angelic (but is, unfortunately, without a crafting gene in her body!)
    Hope your Thanksgiving holiday was perfect and filled with anticipation for the upcoming ‘biggie!’

  9. Terry Bower says:

    Love this! It reminds me of my mom(lost her to colon cancer many years ago). Would be a great item to leave out all year as a reminder of her presence in my life each day!

  10. Rosemarie says:

    I have always loved angel figures and angel dolls. I collected many of them through the years and have started passing them down to my children and grandchildren. Recently I have been dealing with some health issues that have been a little hard for me to get past. This has definitely renewed and strengthened my faith. My sister gifted me a lovely angel bracelet for my birthday, which prompted me to add some of my old favorites to my Christmas decor this year. Your beautiful angel would fit right in with my treasured ones.
    Thank you and good luck to everyone! Merry Christmas!

  11. connie oberly says:

    Your dolls are precious. I love all things “vintagy” and old. And I love angels, so it’s a perfect combination. I’m laying here in the hospital with a fractured pelvis but I get to go home today . I feel extremely blessed. I do believe there was an angel by me when I fell. I’m amazed and in awe of how creative you are. I love your posts. I get your emails and love to read them every day: So elegant and charming. By the way, do you take groups to France? I’d love to know more about that. Merry Christmas. Have a lovely holiday. This time of year is so sweet. I try to thank my Father In Heaven for each day on this glorious earth.. Somehow, the lights of Christmas remind me even more of the great light and beauty He has given us.. Thank you, and have a wonderful Christmas.

  12. Dawn Rosinski says:

    Adorable upcycled unique gift. I like that you recycle items, as do I and don’t just trash leftovers. I also appreciate that your instructions besides supplies are flexible so that you don’t feel that you have to be exact. Thank you.

  13. Want….ABSOLUTELY!! Like….I ADORE these angel bottles 😉 Deserve….That’s up to YOU!! I would treasure it if I win. You are very talented and I appreciate your tutorial. Thanks for all you give and do!!

  14. Linda Shroyer says:

    So beautiful! I collect one angel every year for Christmas. One of my most treasured is a glass angel I gave to my Daddy to keep by his bedside when he was battling cancer that eventually took his life at age 63. Way too young. My mom gave t back to me after he passed away. When I left a very toxic relationship, I fear I left it behind. I no longer have it. The relationship ended badly and I will not even reach out to ask if he still has it in his home. This Angel is so beautifully vintage! I love it. Merry Christmas !

  15. Beautiful! I’d love to win this precious angel as I collect vintage and vintage- inspired ones and she’d be a perfect addition! Definitely going to try to make one!

  16. Your Angel Bottle Doll is so lovely. I’ve collected Angels my whole life, but never made one. Now, I’m inspired by your creation. I believe Angels are all around us and help us when we need it. Thanks for being our “Creative Angel!”

  17. Your angel is so beautiful! It reminds me of my mom, who I lost in 1990. Thanks for your tutorial!

  18. Deborah Bell says:

    Your little angel is adorable. She would be cherished and well taken care of in my home. I am a little girl at heart and would truly love the angel. Thank you for the post and Merry Christmas Janet to you and your family.

  19. I hope you will pick me. Not for any other reason than I love anything vintage and these are so-o-o-o vintage. Beautiful!

    1. Jan mcnicholas says:

      Pick me cause I love everything that you do and I really love angels. I saw all the sick and handicapped people that wrote and they deserve it move than I do.

  20. LAURETTA PERRY says:

    Adorable angel! My daughter collects angels, she would love it.

  21. Dana Sharbrough says:

    What a wonderful way to repurpose and marry the vintage pieces together! They are beautiful.

  22. Nancy Walden says:

    I love the bottle angels! Id love to have one for my living room. You are so imaginative!

  23. Hello Janet! Thank you sooo much for sharing this sweet little Angel craft with all of us! What a creative way to use and show those special heirlooms ( jewelery,lace, etc. ) from eras gone by! Going to try this, with some of my grandma’s broches, my mother’s earrings, and I’m also going to incorporate some lace and tulle from my mother in laws wedding veil. Hopefully, I can replicate her dress also, and use it on my memory Christmas tree, where I’ve also have family pictures in small decorated frames! Oh THANK YOU again ,for Sharing and the inspiration! Can’t wait to get started! Blessings to you, and a Merry Christmas too!

  24. LindaSonia says:

    I love this style, so nice to see you keeping it alive. I deserve to win this because I’ve been very, very good!! 😉 (Hee)

  25. Heddy N Frank says:

    The reason your little bottle lady should come to my house is that she’s far too pretty to live alone. I’ve made a little male opera doll who needs a date for New Year’s Eve. He’s round and chubby and the kind of guy who’ll love her forever. He’s not the handsomest guy, but he’s a good dresser and he’ll be faithful to her for all the days of their lives. And he’s an old fashioned fella. Just like your old fashioned girl.
    A match made in DYI Heaven! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

  26. Your angels are beautiful. I am a vintage soul. Most of my Christmas is vintage. Please continue to share your repurposing vintage goodies. Thanks again.

  27. Laurie Nelson says:

    Janet, your angel is lovely! This Christmas I am also re-purposing vintage items, and it’s going to be a very nostalgic holiday. For the first time in years my young adult “kids” will be home from far away in the States and from Norway for Christmas. I’m using my Mom’s beautiful china from the l940’s one last time before I pass it on to my son and new daughter in law. I’m hoping to set a lovely table to show them that you can take something treasured from the past and make it look wonderful for today.

    1. This angel is so lovely and would look wonderful with my other vintages holiday items. Thank you so much for sharing your tutorial with us! I collect angels and angel wings so this would be a perfect addition. Deepest thanks for this opportunity and Merry Christmas!

  28. Hi! I absolutely love this vintage angel! However, if I am chosen, I won’t keep it for myself. I would give it to my sister. She lost a daughter a couple of years ago – a painful thing that I hope to never experience. My brother-n-law recently purchased my sister a She-Shed. She has been channeling some of her grief by decorating her she-shed, while honoring her sweet daughter with decorative items in her she-shed that remind her of her. Don’t mean to be sappy but this piece would be a wonderful sentiment for my sister.
    PS – Being from Louisiana, Community Coffee is our go-to coffee as well!

  29. Such a lovely little angel, she is absolutely beautiful! I love angels and have several in heaven. This little one makes me smile every time I scroll down through this post. Thank you for sharing, its wonderful!
    Blessings, Candy

  30. Maxine Thomas says:

    I love anything vintage and would love to add your angel to my angel collection.

  31. This email brought tears to my eyes. My Mother passed away on Mother’s Day this year and she was like a sweet angel to so many. Almost all of her get well and sympathy cards were with an angel on them and fill a large canvas bag. I have not looked at them since the two services. She was always visiting someone that needed food, a cup of tea or encouragement. She was 87 and I have learned so many stories of things she had done that I did not know. Just like a humble angel. My Mother decorated with a Victorian style…doilies, dolls and tea sets. When I saw this blog it brought back so MANY beautiful memories including her “all angel” ornament tree. I inherited most of her things as my only brother was not interested in that style. I just remembered two of her bathrooms decorated in angel decor and towels. Even the funeral home blessed me with a crystal angel ornament. Not a coincidence. Also it is NOT a coincidence that I read this blog today as I have been struggling to get through the holidays and I feel like I received an ok wink from my Mother.through your website. Connie in Missouri

  32. Well Janet, I don’t envy you in trying to pick someone to give your angel to. So many of us with loved ones that have passed and stories that tug at your heart. A dilemma, I’m sure. Sounds like your angel will have a good home no matter whom you choose.
    Merry Christmas to you.