Today I would like to share with you a fun, easy and inexpensive gift that is a great teacher gift, or for neighbors, new moms and friends…Monogrammed Hand Soap and/or Sanitizers.
Materials needed:
A bottle of hand soap or hand sanitizer
A sheet of overhead transparency
Goo Gone (to remove labels)
I usually buy my bottles of soap and hand sanitizer from the Dollar Store. {Or you can buy empty bottles and fill with soap and sanitizer}. Then I remove all the stickers and labels from the bottles. I got my paper labels wet and they easily scraped off. To clean off any glue residue, I used Goo Gone which I purchased at Home Depot.
If you would like to download a copy of these printables, simply click on the link(s) below:
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Instructions:
1. You will have to save it to your computer by right clicking on the image and selecting save as. Open it up with your Word program, photo program or insert it into a blank Word document. Then you should be able to send the image to the background and then type over the image to add the letter you need.
2. Measure the width of your bottle. In your word program edit the monogram and size it to the proper size for your bottles. Add the letter you need in the center. Then print out the monogram. If your printer is a laser printer, you can print the monogram right onto your overhead transparency paper. If you don’t have a laser printer, print the monogram onto a regular piece of paper. Then copy the monogram onto the overhead transparency with a copy machine. Most Copy Centers will be able to do this for you.
3. **The above step is very important. If you don’t print it with laser printer or copier, the lettering will fall off your vinyl and float in the sanitizer or soap…which doesn’t make for a pretty present!
**You can always forgo the above step and just cut out some vinyl in the monogram and place it on the front of your bottle too.
4. Cut around your printed label as straight and as close as you can get to the writing so that it fits properly into your bottle. Check before you cut the bottom of the label to be sure that it will sit as high in the bottle as you would like it to.
5. Roll up the label so that the writing is in front. I roll mine backwards. Stuff it into the top of the bottle carefully.
6. Use the soap dispenser to push the label to the front wall of the bottle and to straighten it in the right position.
The best part of these is that they are so afforable and practical. They are also completely customizable. You could really put anything on the transparency and they could be used for so many things…birthdays, home decor, for new parents and their frequent guests, etc. Here is a version I made two years ago for one of my child’s teachers.
If you are new here, you might want to check out some of the other Hand Sanitizer Bottles I have shared:
Christmas Chalkboard Hand Sanitizer
Happy gift-giving!
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What a cute idea! I love how personal AND simple it is!
I cannot wait to make these for the teachers. You have amazing creativity!! Thanks for sharing.
Ack! I linked up but now am having difficulty grabbing your button code! I will put a link on my posts, I promise! I'm just having technical issues at the moment!
Thanks for hosting!
Ashley
Vinyl! Duh! I cannot believe I didn't think of that. Thanks, off to create!
I LOVE this idea! Since I've never worked with vinyl/transparencies like this, I must ask: do these monogrammed labels simply cling to the inside of the bottle?
(I was thinking of making it for a foam dispenser that I need to shake to mix when I refill, and want to make sure the label wouldn't fall off or move.)
Hi there! I have a scrub that I want to give as a gift, but the scrub will have to be stirred. I know you say that the transparency just doesn’t move, but with someone stirring a thick mixture, would that move the transparency around?
love these! great gift idea
Love this idea! Where do you get the transparency paper?
If I buy a bottle with sanatizer already in it, do I need to dump it into another container and completely clean the container before inserting the monogram? How does it stick to the side without moving? I'd love to create these.
I love this idea and want to do it for my kids teachers. Does the lettering on the transparency last? The alcohol in the sanitizer doesn't eat it off?
That is soooo awesome! IT is nice to be able to make something like that when you don't have vinyl or a cutter. So can you still do this if you have hand sanitizer in the bottle, or do they have to be empty first?
Love this Amy! I think seeing simple gift ideas like this is one of my favorite craft things. That sentence made no sense, but you get my point. Hope you are doing well!
wow!!!! what a great idea. I love it! I love how you can personalize these with someone's name or a personal message…so great!
What a fantastic idea!!! I am so excited! This is exactly the kind of thing I was looking for to give my son's teacher as well as some hostess gifts for a few parties I am going to this holiday!
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU!
I featured you today over at Today's Top 20! You did an awesome job!!!
Amanda
todaystoptwenty.blogspot.com
what a clever idea! and thanks for the link-up. i just added your link to my page. cheers!
What a great idea! I love your instructions and photos. Now since we don't use a lot of hand sanitizer maybe I could either do some all natural soap or even a bottle of our Belly Boost!! LOL :D That's a joke bc it is actually good bacteria to help fight off the bad stuff in our gut. Anyway – very cute!
I am trying to do these because I love them…but when I put my text box in the monogram to insert the letter, I can't get it the right size with it being centered. HELP! I think I need a little bit more help on how you inserted the letter.
I loved this idea! I have a lot of teachers to buy for this Christmas and this was so much cheaper than gift cards. I think it averaged out to $2.75 per bottle! I made four of them – here's my take on it: http://thecreativejunkie.com/2010/12/15/if-were-going-to-kill-germs-for-christmas-lets-at-least-do-it-in-an-attractive-manner-shall-we/
I made more of these…thanks to you! http://mamasamess.blogspot.com/2010/12/more-personalized-bottles.html
These were a HUGE hit with coworkers and family. They look really nice and it's even nicer that it was so quick and easy – thanks!
I was really excited to find hand sanitizer bottles with labels that came off without leaving gunk. They were $1.50 but totally worth me not having to buy goo-off or take the extra step! They were the stgore-brand ones from a local grocery chain (Kroger). Also, Dollar Tree carries soaps with a shrink-wrapped plastic lable, and those worked really well, too! Just an FYI for anyone out there who doesn't have the gunk-ridding stuff and, like me, didn't have the time/inclination to go out and find it.
@ Bart's Clan – I put my monogram in a Word doc and then inserted a text box on top. Worked really well!
I totally hacked your idea to suck up to the teachers! Oh, and I linked to you over at I Burned the Brownies Thanks for sharing this great tut and making all us mom's look good in the classroom! Heehee
FYI – I just wanted to let you know I featured this project in my 10 Great Monogram Projects post!! Fantastic idea!
http://frugalflourish.blogspot.com/2011/01/ten-monogram-craft-ideas.html
What a cute idea. I'm adding that to my inspired ideas page so I can find it later when I want to make it.
I LOVE this idea and can’t wait to make it for my kid’s teachers. I cannot get either one to download though. I am cursing my computer! ;) HELP!!
Thanks!
Robyn
I LOVE this idea, so glad I followed the link the The Southern Stamper had on her blog :)
I am a teacher and this is by far, the best idea I have seen in a long time! Can’t wait to check out the rest of your site! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!
Hi Amy! Hope you are well. Did you know that we can’t or at least I couldn’t download the label unless we upload our own project to Scribd? I hate that they are making people do this now. Didn’t know if you knew that. I just tried to download it cause I was gonna use it. Thanks for the great ideas!
Just wanted to share the one I made here http://capcreations.blogspot.com/2011/05/teacher-sanitizer-gift-with-printable.html THanks Amy for the ideas!
I’ve always wanted to know how to do this, thank you! just an FYI I get goo gone at the Dollar store! much cheaper than anywhere else if yours has it of course.
Love, love, love this idea! Now to get my hands in some transparencies…
Love the design for the monogram. Trying to download it but it’s asking me to sign up and pay. Can anyone help so I can download? I would love to try my hand at this one! Thanks
I just wanted to let you know I included this in my 2011 Ultimate DIY Gift Guide (101 tutorials/recipes)! :) http://danimariedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/10/2011-ultimate-diy-gift-guide.html
This is beautiful and would love to make for my co-workers. I paid and downloaded into word but cannot get a letter in the middle.. can anyone help?
Hi Amy, I love this idea and really want to recreate the bottle you made for your child’s teacher (bottom photo/Mrs. Cook). I can’t quite read all the text you have printed on the label. Do you have a download for it? If not, would you be able to send me a message with all the text? Thanks so much!
Hi Amy! I just love this idea! I want to recreate the bottle you made for your child’s teacher (bottom photo/Mrs. Cook) but I can’t quite see all the words. Do you happen to have a a download or template for it? If not, would you be able to tell me what the text says? Thanks so much!
Oops, sorry to post twice. My original comment didn’t show up right away so I wrote you again. Then, of course, they both showed up!
I too would love the “hand in hand” verse download, but when I click the link I get the blank monogram jpg.
The “hand in hand” download is not working correctly. It is linked to the “blank monogram”. Looking forward to trying this project!
I too would like the Hand in Hand download. Thanks!!
Really would like the hand in hand download for our group of volunteers. Anyone ever figure out how to get it??
I LOVED this idea…but when I went to print on the laser printer (which happened to by my husbands VERY expensive professional one, yikes) it completely melted the paper inside the printer and totally ruined the printer. I would recommend researching which laser printers can handle this kind of paper before printing. Argh!
Is beautifull what you do, and also your projects.
Can you tell me if this paper is adhesive, and if I can found it online.I write form Italy, and here I cannot found it.Thank you so much
Marilena
I love the one that you did for a teacher, I think this is the perfect gift idea. The link is not working correctly, it opens the blank monogram. Is there anyway you could email me a copy?
For those of you trying to the get “hand in hand” document…I will work on getting that fixed so it goes to the right link. Sorry about that!
SO cute!! but everytime i go to download the hand in hand image, it takes me to the blank monogram…..how can i get the hand in hand poem?? thank you!
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B7Znj6SR0-deNzUzZGYyZjMtMDFhNS00ZDllLWI2ZmYtOThjYTRjMTA5NTE0
I have fixed the link to the “hand In Hand” document! Here is the new link and you can find it in the original post! https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B7Znj6SR0-deNzUzZGYyZjMtMDFhNS00ZDllLWI2ZmYtOThjYTRjMTA5NTE0
Is it possible to use something other than hand sanitizer in these bottles? Lotion? Or does it have to be clear and jelly-like?
I found this on Pinterest, and I would love to make some of these for Christmas. However, the downloads aren’t working on my computer. Do you have a version you can e-mail?
Thanks!
I love this!! Genius idea! I want to use the same idea but instead of in a bottle for a candle holder. Could I go about this the same way or will it fall off because the vinyl isn’t sticky material? Thanks for your input/ ideas! :)
Thanks for the great idea!!! I made a bunch of these for loved ones for Christmas! (I used the hands one instead of the monogrammed—I also used soap instead of sanitizer.) They loved them!! It gave me the idea to do things with the colored pumps as well. I have a red one at home….and Valentines day is coming up! :) Thank you for the inspiration!!! (PS…I pinned my on pinterest! <3 that site!!!)
Where do you get the monograms? I have been searching for some like or similar to these to work with.
LOVE this idea!!! Can you also print this on some sort of transparent sticker paper and place the label on the outside of the bottle?
I have a laser printer (2 in fact, one is only black & white). Being a laser printer they use heat to transfer the toner (not ink) to the paper (or other media). I have always been afraid to use regular overhead transparency paper. Are you using a special overhead transparency paper for yours? Will it not melt going thru the laser printer?
This really makes me nervous!
Do you use a laser printer, or a laser jet? Is there a difference in these printers. (you may not know the answer that that one.)
Thanks!
Billie
My machine is a laser copy machine so I am not sure if that makes a difference. If I were worried about it I would just take it to a copy center and for fairly inexpensive they can run it through for you. Everyone’s machines are different and are made to handle things differently so make sure you know your machine and what it can and can’t do.
The google download doc is a jpg. Is there a link to get it as a word doc for editing? Can you email it to me?
The link is not working correctly, it opens the blank page.
Hmmm…I just checked both links and they worked for me. Can you send me your email and I can send them to you that way? Here is my email address: [email protected]
Thanks for doing this you are great.
Another one!! Lovely!!
Wow, I just found your blog and love your ideas. I want to make the monogramed soap bottles but cannot get the template to download. Can you give me some tips as to how to get it to? Thanks for all of your wonderful ideas!!
I cannot seem to get the hand in hand link to work. Can it be sent to me?
LOVE this idea!!! I changed the wording some on the teacher themed one and am making them for Grandma gifts for Mother’s day…Mimi/Granny/Memaw Has – happy hands, serving hands, praying hands, etc. Thanks for the idea and tips!!! Headed to Office Max now… Blessings~
I bought the $1 bottles of soft soap and used goof off, but my bottles were still all cloudy looking. I also tried soaking in hot water, scrubbing with Brillo pad and winded. Nothing helped. Any thoughts?
Thanks for suggesting the wd-40, but it did not work. I did however discover the culprit. You definitely need to use Goo Gone, NOT goof off (apparently something in goof off reacts with the plastic bottles and makes them cloudy!). So after much experimenting, I have figured it out! I think they look great, but I’d anyone knows how/where to buy empty bottles, I would totally do that just for the easiness of it! Thanks for Shari g your great idea!
i’m probably late to this idea party, but couldn’t the same process be done for a bottle of hand sanitizer? great for doctors’ offices/gifts + teachers? just a thought.
*derp* sorry, just noticed the pics when i opened this post, NOT the title. talk about late to the party! when i first saw the images i figured handsoap only. sorry for being a world-class dork! :)
I loved this project so much I included it in my blog today. http://puddledockway.weebly.com/blog.html
Hope you can visit. Cheers Anjanette
How does the transperancy stick to the bottle? Do you use adhesive?
Brilliant idea – this will make a great chrismtas gift!!
Thanks Kate! I like to give them as gifts at Christmas time too!
Love this and will be doing this project for all of my kids teachers and bus drivers! What font in word did you use and what size font did you use? Thanks!
I made these at the end of the school year last year for teachers and had a couple left over. When I used them, the transparency inside the bottle would constantly come off and sliding down to the bottom. Is there a way to keep it glued to the front? I understand that as the soap gets less, there will be no soap to hold the transparency into place but anything I can do to avoid this?
I have had a couple of others tell me that their letters slid off too. I have not had that happen so I am not sure what it is. Just be sure you use a laser printer or copier. As far as the transparency moving around inside that is usually not a problem if you cut it larger and it should stick to the front of the inside bottle.
I just saw this on Pinterest and love it but am not able to download the monogram template. Is it something you can email?
The download isn’t working? Thanks for letting me know. I will look into it. I will also email it to you.
I jammed my printer until I realized that there was a transparency setting in the printer properties. Success once I figured that one out! I used the Wal-Mart brand of soap that was about a dollar and then tied a pretty ribbon around them. From somewhere on Pinterest, I saw a cute tag that said: Peace, Love, and Hope but then the hope was crossed out and the word “soap” was written. Perfect for this! Thank you for sharing your idea!
What a great gift idea! I am featuring this, along with 9 other great DIY gift ideas, today on my blog. Thanks for sharing!
http://www.alwayssomethinghome.com/2012/12/diy-christmas-gifts.html
I love this idea. I thought I was almost complete with my Co-worker’s Christmas gifts, until I tried to pour the lotioninto the bottle. I made one for myself as a “tester”. When I poured the lotion into the bottle, some of it got between the transperancy and the inside of the bottle. This is not pretty. Amy, please help! What’s wrong?
Sumer in Louisiana
Amy, please help! I followed the instructions to a tee, but the lotion ended up getting between the label and the bottle. What happened? Please advise. Thanks!
Hi Amy,
Would you be able to send the download for the monogram for the soap dispenser right to my email. I am able to download and save, but am having difficulty inserting the initial. Thanks for your generosity in sharing your ideas with everyone. You are truly creative! Blessings to you!
I’ve been a huge fan of this project since pinning it months ago. Now that I got a Silhouette Cameo for Christmas from my hubby, I am thrilled to be able to possibly make my own! I made an inspiration board on my blog with a few Silhouette projects that have me head over heels, and your monogrammed hand sani / soap bottles is one of them! You can check it out here: https://thethinkingcloset.wordpress.com/2013/01/06/the-silhouette-challenge-a-new-series/
They’re gorgeous! Thanks for sharing with us. -Lauren
This is such a cute idea. I want to use glass bottles. Does the shape matter? I’m only finding round ones and I don’t know if the transparency will stick to the inside very well.
Shape will not matter! Just cut your transparency material to fit the shape and size of your bottle! Round ones will be cute!! The transparency should sit nicely and not float around. If it does, you can stick it to the inside of the wall of the bottle and that should help!
I ended up getting a square bottle thinking the transparency wouldn’t move around but it is. I’ve tried pushing it back into place but it doesn’t stay against the inside wall of the container. Any ideas on how to fix that? What adhesive would you use?
I love this idea, and would like to make some of these, but the Google docs image for the monogram is not working. (Blank.) Can you help me?
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Thank you for sharing this. I never know what to give my co-workers and this is perfect. Love it.
I bought the hand soap in plastic bottles, soaked them for awhile and peeled off the labels. I’m using Goo-Gone to get the sticky stuff off but it still leaves some haze and marks. Any suggestions?
If you use just a little bit more goo gone it will wipe away the haze mostly. Then just rinse with hot water and a little soap and it seemed to do the trick for me.
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I just wanted to say that instead of Goo Gone, I simply use peanut butter. It gets rid of the excess glue, plus it gets gum out of your child’s hair!
Thanks again!!
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I was SO excited to make these as gifts for several family members this Christmas, and they were received ecstatically! BUT I’ve heard that 2 of 3 bottles that I made had the words disappear! I’m soooo bummed. I’ll print it out again and attach to the back, I think. So wish it would’ve worked to have it inside-it’s ups the cool factor. I may try and attach it inside sealed w/modge podge but I’m not sure about how tricky that will be to make work… I used empty bottles from walmart filled w/natural unscented dish soap that I scented w/high grade essential oils. Wondering if it was the oils that ate the words…
Hmmm…I am sorry they didn’t work out. I have used them in hand sanitizer which is pretty strong though… Were they printed on a laser jet printer? That is usually the problem. An ink jet printer will not work for these.
Love these! Where can I find the download for the monogram? Thanks!
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Hello,
I recently made some of these using foaming hand soap as well as traditional softsoap style soap. In both instances, the printed image simply melts off the transparency after a few days. I’ve tried spraying the transparency with clear coat to “seal” it, but that doesn’t work either. Any ideas? My next try will be too laminate the transparency 🤷
Erin- Did you print with an inkjet printer? Laminating it might work too!