DIY Bottle Piggy Bank

Piggy banks are the classic way to teach kids the value of a dollar, so instead of wasting those dollars on a store bought piggy bank, why not make a customized one from recycled materials: the DIY Bottle Piggy Bank. You remember papier-mâché, don’t you? If not, here’s a recipe for it. Sure it’s a little messy but it’s incredibly easy to do and you likely have all of the materials sitting around.

You’ll Need

2-liter plastic bottle
Egg carton
Masking tape
Flour
Water
Bowl
Whisk
Newspaper torn into strips
Electric fan (optional)
Sanding block or sandpaper
Craft glue
Acrylic paint (use your imagination, pigs don’t have to be pink!)
Construction paper (optional)
Craft knife

Directions

Wash and dry a 2-liter bottle. Once completely dry, place cap back on.
Crumple a piece of newspaper, and use multiple pieces of masking tape to attach the newspaper to the bottom of the bottle. Round out the crumpled newspaper as you tape to create the pig’s bottom.
Cut out four cups from an egg carton, and shape them into a curve to fit the bottle. Attach cups to bottle with masking tape to create the legs. Check the balance of the pig, and re-tape if necessary.
Trace ear shapes onto the top part of an egg carton, and cut out. Tape ears to top of bottle.
For the tail, twist a strip of newspaper and wrap with tape. Tape the tail to the back end of the pig.
Whisk to combine one part flour with one part water until all the lumps have disappeared. Dip a strip of newspaper into the mixture. Squeeze excess paste off with fingers to minimize dripping. Lay the strip on the bottle, and smooth with fingers. Repeat to cover the entire pig at least twice. Let dry overnight. (A fan will speed the drying process.)
For a super strong pig, add two to three more layers of paper strips, and let dry overnight again.
Sand pig with a sanding block to smooth out any bumps, ridges, or excess paste.
Cut an opening in the top of the pig
Paint the pig and let dry.
Start saving!