A Bottle Lamp For A Mission Trip Student

Kicking around an idea to incorporate maps into a bottle lamp theme has been floating around in my mind for awhile. When an opportunity came for me to bring the idea to light, I simply couldn’t resist.

Our daughter, Tanya, has been attending the Honor Academy in Garden Valley Texas this last year. She’s nearing completion of her first year and in order to graduate she will need to go on a mission trip. Between volunteering at the call center and attending classes, she has had little time to raise money for the program. We wanted to help and joined in by creating a portal for people to donate money for the cause.

Mission Trip To Baja, Mexico
Mission Trip To Baja, Mexico

Once the donation page was set up and running I thought it would be kind of fun to put together something that would act as a kind of keepsake for this life changing event. Armed with a bottle of Mod Podge and some maps that we had collected over the years, I set upon trying to make the whole thing come to life.

Mapped Bottle Lamp
Mapped Bottle Lamp

I’m still putting this bottle lamp together and there is a lot of fine details that have yet to be added. The lamp shade will have to be something that has the appearance of luggage or maybe canvas. I will leave the other decorations up to Silke who has a better eye for not only those types of details but also Tanya’s own personal taste.

Mission Trip To Baja, Mexico Bottle Lamp
Mission Trip To Baja, Mexico Bottle Lamp

One of my concerns has been the heat that can build up in the bottle and what will happen to the Mod Podge. I’m going to leave the lights on for awhile before I go any further just to make sure that it doesn’t cause everything to start sliding down the sides. I’ll keep you posted!

It’s been an adventure for everyone and I guess we are all trying different experiences everyday. But isn’t that what keeps life interesting?

Four Little Penguin Lighted Bottles For A local Benefit

Bottle Craft Article About A Fundraiser

Gifting lighted wine bottles to a local benefit.

Nick’s sister Becky asked us to sell her one of our lighted bottles for an upcoming dinner and silent auction benefit. We decided we should do a little better than that and gave her four ‘The Little Penguin’ wine bottles with lights.

Each lighted wine bottle is decorated a little bit different. One bottle has a cluster of wine grapes, one has a big red heart with two white bows on either side, the blue labeled bottle has a string of white and blue beads and an orange ribbon, and the fourth bottle has a silver snowflake with silver ribbons around the neck.

Lighted wine bottles with decorations

Little Penguin Wine Bottles With Lights For A Local Benefit

The benefit is for a former classmate of Becky’s, Emilie Triebenbach Sonnenschein.

Emilie was seven months pregnant when she developed a case of preeclampsia, high blood pressure which is caused by pregnancy and affects major organs. On August 24, 2012 Doug and Emilie’s daughters Chalcedony (Kelly) Constance Sonnenschein was delivered by c-section eight weeks early. At first Emilie was stable, but shortly after birth she sustained a serious brain hemorrhage. On September 19, 2012 at the age of 29 years, Emilie passed away with Doug at her side.

Emilie was on a special assignment teaching as a licensed teacher at Abu Dhabi Education Council. Doug and Emilie were living in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates which is a long way from her family and friends. Baby Kelly is doing well despite all she has gone through. Funeral services are pending for Emilie in Nebraska. With the proceeds from this benefit, Doug and Kelly will hopefully be able to return to the States soon.

The dinner and silent auction will be held at the Thunder Lodge in Long Prairie, MN, on Saturday, November 17th from 1 – 8 pm.

If you would like to make a financial donation, please send it to:

Emilie Treibenbach Sonnenschein Benefit

Mid-Central Federal Savings Bank

610 Lake Street South, PO Box 180, Long Prairie, MN 56347

Thank you!

We will be attending this benefit and hope it will be a great turnout and successful fundraiser.

Visit our home page to learn how to make a bottle lamp & unique crafts with glass bottles.

Two Wine Bottles with Lights donated to a local fundraiser

We donated 2 of our Wine Bottles with Lights for the Tom Bernardy Fundraiser and Benefit Dinner.

The two items we choose to give away were a Gnarly Head and a Turning Leaf wine bottle.

Tom Bernardy is a young man that collapsed at school a few weeks ago. He was airlifted to HCMC and later transferred to Amplatz Children’s Hospital where he was diagnosed with Restrictive Cardiomyopathy. Tom was placed on the A1 Heart transplant list.

The Benefit and Spaghetti Dinner for Tom Bernardy was held on Monday, July 23, 2012 at the Holiday Inn in Alexandria, MN.

Turning Leaf and Gnarly Head lighted bottles
Wine Bottles with Lights for Local Fundraiser

We hope the benefit was a huge success and wish Tom a speedy and full recovery.

If you would like us to donate a recycled bottle with lights for your fundraising or charity event, please contact us at contact@jagerfoods.com.

Please include your name, details about the fundraising or charity event, and any other information that might help us pick the perfect bottle for you.

You will need to pay for shipping if you don’t live within easy driving distance of us. We are located in Alexandria, Minnesota.

Best wishes,

Nick and Silke

Bottles for Local Fundraisers

In the last year we have been giving numerous recycled Bottle Lamps away for local fundraiser and charity events.

It is sad to see so many people in need, yet it’s very rewarding for us to be able to help. At least a little bit.

Here are a couple of the fundraising and charity events we have been able to contribute to:

  • Annual Fallen Officer Fundraising event sponsored by the Alexandria Technical College on March 3rd, 2012. One of their former student was shot while on duty in Iraq. The event is organized by the students of the graduating law enforcement program.
  • Fundraiser for the Carlson Family Benefit sponsored by the Alexandria Eagles Club on March 30th, 2012. The mother and daughter got into an accident during one of our snow storms this spring. The daughter died of her injuries and the Mom sustained serious injuries.
  • Local event and fundraiser for the Alexandria Elks Lodge, Dec. 2013.
  • Fundraiser for Tanya Meland’s mission trip to Baja, Mexico in 2014.

Some of the Lighted Bottles given to Fundraisers and Charity events

Fun Fundraising Ideas

 

  • Hand crafted Chalk Board Bottle Lamps make a wonderful and unique gift for every fundraising event
  • Turn any recycled wine or glass bottle into a lighted bottle by adding your special touches
  • Use an upcycled liquor bottle and turn it into a fully functioning lamp with a light switch and lamp shade
  • Make a hanging pendant lamp using a cut recycled bottle
  • Cut beer or wine bottles and make fill the base with wax for a handmade candle

Can you think of any other fundraising ideas using recycled glass bottles? Leave us a comment below.

Best wishes and happy crafting,

Nick and Silke