10 Things Tuesday: Light Bulbs

Now that we've switched to those energy saving/flourescent bulbs, we have a few old incandescent bulbs lying around that I don't know what to do with.  So looking around for ideas was really fun!  Some of it was even jaw-dropping.  I may have to go buy MORE old bulbs so I can make a few of these.  :)

*NOTE* You should clean/strip out the bulb for almost all of these projects.  Look it up.  Be safe!  :)

10. Ornaments--these could be lots of fun for kids to do...and you don't have to clean them out at all!  You can paint, modpodge tissue paper, or just glue glitter on old bulbs and wrap wire around them to hang them on the tree! 

9. Light Bulb Birds--another craft for the kiddos...just paint and add feathers, and hang with fishing wire!

8. Storage--store old embroidery floss or pretty tinsel in bulbs without tops (you can use a fine-tooth metal blade to cut off the tip, and then sand it down).

7. Pretty Teapot Decor--I like tea sets, so I love this idea!  I think there's some clay or papier-mache involved, but I'm sure you could adapt it to what you have around. 

6. Mini Terrariums or (gasp!) aquariums--please don't lock a tiny fish in a tiny bulb!  I'm pretty sure these are old, large bulbs.  The terrarium, though, I could maybe see being smaller.  NOTE: for these or anything involving living organisms, or anything you may ingest, do NOT use the energy-saving bulbs...they have mercury and will kill or poison the fish/plants/YOU!

5. Beautiful clear(ish) vases!  Saw off the metal tip of the bulb, and add in some water and flowers!  I love how these look hanging in the sunlight!

4. Ship-in-a-bottle.  Pretty self-explanatory...and crazy!

3. Oil Lamp/Candle.  An artist sells these for HUNDREDS of dollars...but I'm thinking with a tray, some glue, and some clear parrafin wax you could make these for much cheaper!  :)

2. Salt and Pepper shakers!  It turns out that most caps for 16-oz bottles screw on perfectly to a lightbulb bottom.  So saw off the tip of the bulb, poke some holes in the cap, and fill 'er up...you're ready to go! 

1. Twine Pears!  SO chic and I love them lots!  I think they're pretty self-explanatory, too.  But how gorgeous are they?

BONUS IDEA: Maracas!  Not really for young hands, at least not without supervision, but still...you can paper mache around them and a cardboard tube, then smash the glass just hard enough for IT to break but not the maracas, as shown below...or you could paint the outside, saw off the tip, add a few small beads or something inside, and add a thick rod handle with some glue and paint it.  Fun, either way!

Well, hopefully this inspired you to reuse those old lightbulbs for something crazy and inventive and very YOU!