Transform a wine bottle into a tiki torch

by Debra Anchors

Decorative Tiki - Eric Anderson

Whether filled with lamp oil to light up the night, or citronella oil to ban mosquitoes from your party, these DIY oil lamps are a great way to re-purpose a wine bottle.

Erik Anderson’s hanging lantern, featured on Design Sponge, is a bit  involved to create but not difficult. The table lanterns, over at When The Pigs Fly, are less involved, and are also less expensive to make.

Table Lanterns - When The Pigs Fly

Basically, this is what you will need to create the table lanterns:

 - Empty, clean wine bottles
 - Tiki torch replacement wicks
 - Citronella lamp oil (or general lamp oil)
 - A metal washer to fit the opening of your wine bottle
   (most, 1 3/8-inch)
 - Decorative GLASS beads (small enough to fit
   inside the wine bottle)
- A funnel









Basic instructions for creating the tabletop lanterns:

• Fill your wine bottles ½- full with glass beads in the color of your choice
• Insert the wick through the opening of the washer; leaving enough of the wick to light it 
• Using the funnel, pour enough of the lamp oil into the wine bottle to cover half of the wick – do not over-fill the bottle

I have linked to each of the original projects so you can find complete instructions at each location.

Note:  For convenience, I have embedded links into the materials list & instructions that will take you to the products used in these projects.

Recycle, upcycle and do it yourself? Absolutely! Have you upcycled something unique for your garden from recycled materials? Please share it with me so I can feature your creation here.


If you enjoy this website, you might like my magazine, Gardening Life. AND, don’t miss my more traditional gardening website, Gardens Inspired.

I hope you found inspiration today. Remember to subscribe, so you won't miss a thing!

Until next time -
Debra

Create a solar chandelier for your garden

by Debra Anchors

Using a chandelier found in the attic of a local antique store, I created this charming feature for my cottage-inspired garden.









Materials needed:

• A chandelier to upcycle.  I found mine in the attic of a resale shop on our historic Main Street, but I often see them at yard sales and flea markets.
• Canning jars of appropriate size and number for the base of your fixture  – those in my picture are pint size.
• Spray paint that will adhere to metal and be weatherproof.
• Inexpensive outdoor solar lights (you will be taking these apart and re-purposing them).
• A rubber-based, waterproof, permanent bonding agent that will adhere to glass and metal.

Instructions:

1. Strip the wiring and any other unwanted attachments from your fixture.
2. Clean the chandelier well and allow it time to dry completely.
3. Hang the chandelier and apply the paint; I applied more than one coat to enhance durability. 
4. Take the solar lights apart; you will use only the top containing the solar cell, battery and pin light.
5. Glue the solar tops to the glass jars using a rubber-based, permanent bonding agent, and allow the glue to dry thoroughly per package instructions.
6. Glue the canning jars to the chandelier base. 

Note:  For convenience, I have embedded links into the materials list & instructions that will take you to the products used in this project.

Recycle, upcycle and do it yourself? Absolutely! Have you upcycled something unique for your garden from recycled materials? Please share it with me so I can feature your creation here.

If you enjoy this website, you might like my magazine, Gardening Life. AND, don’t miss my more traditional gardening website, Gardens Inspired.

I hope you found inspiration today. Remember to subscribe, so you won't miss a thing!

Until next time -

Debra