Most of my life I have lived in a house, but recently I moved to an apartment. I soon noticed that recycling would be different. What happened to the blue bin? I walked around my development and learned that they did have a recycling dumpster, but it was not within close walking distance to my apartment. I realized recycling had just gotten a lot less convenient for me. But it did get me thinking…
I am very motivated, when it comes to crafts and I am always looking for something new to create. I wondered how I could use my gift and help the environment. I asked myself what is one item in my trash, that I could make beautiful. I decided to make a lamp out of a bottle.
My sister makes beautiful stained glass. After she makes her original piece she has scraps of glass. I took her scarps of glass and arranged them on the bottle. Once it dried I grouted, sealed, glossed, attached the base, hooked up the electric, attached the harp and top. Once I made the first bottle lamp I went to work and asked the employees to bring me their bottles. Before I knew it I created 23 beautiful lamps out of trash.
I read that the United States throws away enough bottles in one week to fill a 1,350 foot building and glass never wears out. When recycling isn’t convenient, sometimes we have to get creative.
The funny thing is I don’t need 23 lamps. So I started a project on kickstarter.com. If you would like to learn more about my project, please visit my Kickstarter project page.
In closing I ask, “What do you have in your trash that you can make beautiful”?
This guest blog submitted by Adele Langkil- Crafter, local artist and upcycling professional. She can be reached at [email protected].