Carnival is the single most recognisable celebration in Brazilian culture and one that we’ve loved learning about this month, inspired by the roots of July 2020’s Gin of the Month, Amazzoni Gin! For five days before Ash Wednesday the whole country bursts forth in a whirling festival of music, colour and life.
Why not bring a bit of carnival culture to your drinks at home by crafting a gin bottle decoration inspired by the radiant, sequin-and-feather encrusted costumes that rule the streets of Rio during this iconic celebration?! Follow these easy instructions to create something truly spectacular to wow your gin pals this summer!
Upload your beautiful creations to social media (Facebook, Twitter or Instagram) using #CraftGinClub and #GinCarnival and be in with a chance of winning free gin!
How to… make a carnival-inspired gin bottle
What you need:
The most glamorous empty gin bottle in your collection
700g of glitter (we like vibrant colours and exciting combinations - think purple and green or orange and gold)
Faux feathers, flowers, pampas grass or other decorative elements
Paint pens
Sequins
A hot glue gun
What you do:
Once you’ve chosen your gin bottle, give it a thorough wash. Does the label take up a big proportion of the bottle? If so, you might want to soak it off, but if you think it adds to the beauty then feel free to keep it intact!
Using a funnel (or just a very steady hand!) fill your gin bottle with glitter. If you’re using two or more colours, try alternating them for a rainbow or multi-coloured effect!
Pick up your paint pens and get decorating your cork or stopper! You can paint the whole thing one colour (we’e pretty fond of gold!), go for swirls or patterns or just freestyle it with whatever style you fancy!
Using a hot glue gun, carefully apply sequins to your bottle - a beautiful pattern is recommended or just a few here and there depending on your preference. We suggest starting with the cork and the label, then experimenting with what you think looks amazing.
Last, but not least, use your hot glue gun to attach the feathers, flowers, pampass grass and other decorative elements to your bottle, holding them securely until the glue has a chance to dry a little bit.
Once your bottle is finished, make it the centrepiece of your Brazilian BBQ or tropical drinks party accompanied by a Copacabana Cooler cocktail - and don’t forget to snap a picture of it and send it in to us - you never know, you might just win some free gin!
🌺 COMPETITION ALERT! 🌺
Do you think your gin bottle could be King or Queen of Carnival?
Snap a photo of your gin bottle creation in all its carnival finery and post it to social media using #CraftGinClub and #GinCarnival to be in with a chance of winning free gin!
Fancy some more tropical cocktail ideas for your summer carnival? Try out these!
We’re quite passionate about this Passionfruit Highball as a fruity welcome drink to kick off the celebrations!
A tropical gin spritz will surely cool down all your guests after a dance or two in the garden!
Who needs dessert when you can indulge in a beautifully creamy Banana Colada?! A Brazilian twist on a classic that has us feeling very Carmen Miranda - somebody pass us the fruit!
plus all of your
plus all of your
plus all of your