Our Blog

Season’s Greetings

Season’s Greeting from Nick and Silke at Bottle-Lamp.com!

This day marks the end of our first year as official bottle lamp bloggers! Can you believe it? We’ve had so much fun creating new bottle projects and sharing our crafts ideas, video, pictures and know how with you.

We are always amazed at the creativity of our readers. You have definitely inspired us with your submissions to our DIY Show Off page this past year.

Lighted Holiday Decorations
Lighted Holiday Decorations

One of the best parts of all of this has been meeting you the readers. Whether it’s new ideas or showcasing your own creations it has been a pleasure finding like minded people that enjoy what they do and want to help others be successful as well.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Nick and Silke

Illuminati Bottiglie di Francesco

Nick has been corresponding with Francesco from Italy via email for the past several weeks.

Thankfully we have access to online translation sites like Babylon. :) Here is what Francesco sent us along with his awesome Italian made lighted bottles and glass block.
Salve
grazie per avermi inviato l’email non ho perso nessun Vostro contatto

le invio la foto di alcune bottiglie da me preparate spero che siano di Vos gradimento

colgo l’occasione per augurarvi un Buon Natale ed un prospero Anno 2013

Saluti

Francesco”

English translation:
Hello, thank you for sending me the email i have not lost your contact. I’m sending you a photo of some bottles which i prepared, i hope that it will be of your liking. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous year 2013. Greetings, Francesco.

Baci LightedBottle
Italian Lighted Bottles
Lighted Glass Block

Francesco, we are delighted by your submission to our DIY Show Off page.

You have done a wonderful job! We especially love the unique looking bottle in the middle, not something you could easily find here.

We wish you and your family a very, merry Christmas celebration and a wonderful New Year.

Italian translation:
Francesco, siamo molto contenti della nostra pagina mostra FAI DA TE. Avete fatto un ottimo lavoro. Abbiamo, in particolare l’unico amore che bottiglia in mezzo, non qualcosa che si potrebbe facilmente trovare qui.

Auguriamo a lei e alla sua famiglia un buon Natale e un fantastico Anno Nuovo.

Nick and Silke

Rex-Goliath Bottle Lamp by Patty

We are excited to have received another email with a finished bottle project from Patty.

Thank you, we love to hear from you.
Patty says the following in her message; “The 1.5 liter Rex-Goliath is finished. This time, we added a lamp kit in addition to the fill lights. Between the socket switch, and the in-line rocker switch, one can turn on both or just the fill lights.

Wine bottle lamp
1.5 liter Rex-Goliath Wine Bottle Lamp

Is it a coincidence that Patty used our favorite wine bottle for her crafty creation? I think not :). As you can see the Rex-Goliath wine bottles make wonderful lamps. Well done Patty!

Take a look at Patty’s lighted blue bottles here. They look awesome!


Do you have a DIY project you would like to show off?
Send an email to contact@jagerfoods.com with your picture(s), your name and a description or any tips you would like to share with us and our readers. If you have a blog you can also include the web address, we will link back to you.

Bottles with lights project by Rachel

We got this DIY project in from Rachel recently and wanted to share it with all of you. Adding her talent of engraving glass to the mix she has created some truly unique bottle crafts.

The following text came from Rachel’s e-mail:

I engraved a wine bottle with the “GreenMan” and added lights.

The other one is a Halloween lamp I engraved and made from a Jagermeister bottle.

Senebty,
In good health,
Rachel

"Green Man"
“Green Man”

 

Jagermeister_by_Rachel

We would like to thank Rachel for her submissions. If you would like to learn more about her glass engraving you can find her at her blog page: Madame Apothecary.


Do you have a DIY project you would like to show off?
Send an email to contact@jagerfoods.com with your picture(s), your name and a description or any tips you would like to share with us and our readers. If you have a blog you can also include the web address, we will link back to you.

What’s In Your Bottle Lamp?

Glass marbles make great bottle fillers

Tips For Using Different Fillers For Your Bottle Lamp.

Most fillers for bottle lamps are used to hide the electrical cord that runs up the bottle from the base to the neck, where the mechanics of the lamp kit are set. The reality of this is that almost anything (within reason) can be used to give your lamp stability or it’s own unique look.

For example, if your bottle is a bit top-heavy then you will want to add a heavy filler like lava rocks or glass marbles. If your bottle lamp is stable on the other hand, with a nice wide base, then you can use a lightweight filler like confetti or strips of foil.

Caribou lamp with coffee bean filler

We’ve experimented with everything from marbles in a Mason Jar to coffee beans in a Caribou growler, as you can see in the picture above.

How about a lamp filled with different corks that give it a style all it’s own?

Fill a bottle lamp with odds and ends like screws left lying around the garage floor to give your work bench in the basement it’s own personalized work light. Using strips of tinfoil can give your bottle lights more pizzazz and allows a more reflective glow to come from within.

The crystal fill that we’ve used in our wine bottles have given stability as well as a cooler feel to the lights inside. Vase filler used for floral arrangements have worked great to give a few of our liquor bottles a more ‘realistic’ look.

Remember to keep an open mind when looking for fillers for your bottle lamps.

Whether you’re personalizing a lamp to make a connection to it’s end user or you’re simply experimenting with different items that you think will make the ordinary extraordinary.

What items have you used as bottle filler for your bottle lamp projects? Feel free to leave us a comment below.

Bottle light project by Patty

Patty sent us some pictures of her creations that we had to share. This is what she had to say:

With my hubby’s help, here are our first 2 projects.  The Skyy bottle is for a Christmas gift exchange party, and the Pinot Grigio is for our house.  As soon as it is emptied, we will be transforming a 1.5 Liter Rex Goliath bottle, adding a lamp kit and shade to it. (I’m making mulled wine for 2 Christmas parties, so it won’t take long!)

Skyy Vodka bottle lights by Patty


 

Pinot Grigio bottle lights by Patty

Thanks so much for all of your guidance and inspiration.

Thank you for sharing your pictures with us.

Nick and Silke

How to Turn Your Garage into a DIY Haven

Imagine an enormous, uninterrupted workspace where you are free to saw, sand, paint and nail to your heart’s content without having to worry about making a mess or being in the way.

For a DIYer, the garage is potential waiting to be tapped. Move the Christmas decorations out of the way and clear yourself a little bit of room; it doesn’t take much to turn a garage into a DIY haven.

Turn your Garage into a DIY HavenHave you ever started a project outside, gotten interrupted and had to spend your time tarping the incomplete project and carrying all your supplies inside? Your garage can put a roof over projects you can’t complete indoors but cannot be left out in the elements. You can even work when it’s raining, and many of the power tools and other supplies you need for your projects might already be stored out there. You can even construct, sand, prime and paint or stain projects all in your garage with the door open to provide proper ventilation. No more lugging your pieces elsewhere to stain!

The key to making your garage a DIY paradise is organized storage. An unorganized workspace is a one-way ticket to unnecessary stress and frustration, and time spent digging for lost supplies is wasted. The beauty of using your garage for DIY projects is having space to spread out not only your projects but your storage.

Investing in a shelving system, work bench and peg board, whether you purchase them or make them yourself, is a gift that keeps on giving. Buy or construct containers for supplies, label them and stay true to your labels. If your garage is too small to comfortably fit a permanent workbench, you can easily construct a fold-out one using 2×4, heavy-duty hinges and piping.

Many people also neglect the potential for ceiling storage in their garage. Cabinets mounted near the ceiling are not the best for anything you use frequently, but rarely-needed tools can rest comfortably up high. You can also install mounts for ladders and saw horses up high as long as they are out of your garage door’s range.

Turning your garage into a DIY space keeps messy projects out of your home while protecting them from the elements, keeping your supplies organized and easily accessible and giving yourself some breathing room. Your garage isn’t just for storage anymore.

This is a sponsored post from Mid-Atlantic Door Group, an industry leading garage door repair company proudly serving businesses and residents throughout the Mid-Atlantic.

New Lighted Bottles from Becky

Becky has been busy making more lighted bottles and we are delighted to be able to share them with you.

Here is what Becky said in her email:
“I have done some more bottles!! I added some little star covers to one of them and thought it would be neat to put not a message in a bottle but a message on a bottle!! I thought it would add a cool way for people to purchase a bottle for someone based on the saying. I used phrases like INSPIRE YOURSELF, IMAGINATION IS A WONDERFUL THING, IMAGINE and WE ARE ALL KNEADED FROM THE SAME DOUGH BUT NOT ALL BAKED IN THE SAME OVEN. I will add new phrases to more bottles in the future.

I am planning on painting scenes on some more bottles in the future like I did on the first bottle that I did.”

blue lighted bottle

wine bottle with led lights

lighted blue bottle

wine bottle lamp

three lighted bottles

unique bottles with lights

When Becky told us that she couldn’t wait to make more lighted bottles after sending in her painted bottle picture, she wasn’t kidding. LOL! If you look closely you will be able to see the sayings on the wine bottles. Very neat!

Becky’s bottles are available for purchase, so be sure to leave a comment if you’re interested.


Do you have a DIY project you would like to show off?
Send an email to contact@jagerfoods.com with your picture(s), your name and a description or any tips you would like to share with us and our readers. If you have a blog you can also include the web address, we will link back to you.

Glow in the Dark Bottle Night Light

It’s amazing how many different craft projects you can make from an empty glass bottle, a few lights and some imagination.

This is a Glow in the Dark Night Light Nick made a little while ago. It is super easy to make and I bet kids of all ages would love to have one of these night lights in their bedrooms.

All you will need to get started is an empty glass bottle. We used a light blue wine bottle and removed all of the labels, but you could also use an old glass milk bottle, mason jar or any other glass bottle.

Drill a hole in the back of the bottle with your diamond drill bit and insert the light string. Nick also attached a cord with a switch to the light string so the bottle doesn’t need to be unplugged at night. Click here for wiring instructions.

Now all that is left to do is attach glow in the dark stickers.

We used Duck Brand glow in the dark Stars and Moons on our bottle. As you can imagine there are lots of other glow in the dark stickers available. For instance, Dark Star Dinosaur Fluorescent Stickers, Butterfly and Dragonfly or Celestial Glow in the Dark wall decals are all great for small children’s rooms. For bigger kids there are Peace Sign symbols, The Clone Wars, Psychedelic Flowers, Glow in the Dark Rhinestone stickers, and many more.

Get Glow in the Dark stickers here.

Bottle with glow in the dark stickers
Glow in the Dark Bottle Lamp

Our Stars and Moon Glow in the Dark Night Light was a gift for our little nephew Kayden, he was born on September 13, 2012. This night light will keep Kayden’s room illuminated at night so he will always feel safe and loved.

Bottle lamp by Meghan

Meghan contacted me a little while ago with questions regarding the wiring process for the bottles with lights.

“I am attempting to make a bottle lamp with both the lights inside and a lamp kit on top. How do you splice the Christmas lights into the switch for the bottle kit?”

I referred her to our videos and gave her this brief description on how it all lays out:

“The light string will run off your power cord and a separate cord will run the lamp. You’re making a “Y” at this point. The stem being the electrical source. One arm being the Christmas lights and the second arm being the lamp.”

She figured it out and sent us a picture of her finished bottle lamp.

We’re glad that this worked out for you Meghan. Thank you for sharing your project with us.

Nick and Silke