Hanging Beauties

Happy Wednesday!

Bottles & jars are fun to recycle.

Today, I found another idea to turn these:

From blah to...

TADA! - decorative jars!

These are sold at Anthropologie,

but can be easily re-created at home using

a little bit of wire & some beads, all

twisted together.

Here are some ideas to spruce them up:

(1) Add votive candles

(2) Pour in some water & add some flowers or leaves

(3) Water + food coloring = tinted water

(4) Put in some sand & some shells for a beach-y feel

Then hang these up from the branches in your backyard

for a springtime or summer party!

Isn't it awesome to find ideas while you're shopping?

See you tomorrow!

Light & Bright

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

It's all about bottles on my blog this week.

If you love wine, I know you've got a

lot of these blah empty bottles!

Look at what the geniuses at Anthropologie did:

TADA! The bottles found second life as

garden lights.

The bottom of the bottles were taken out,

bulbs were added & then attached to

a string of electric current.

Fabulous!

Here's another cool one found at

Pottery Barn:

A wine bottle chandelier!

(last two photos courtesy of Pottery Barn)

Beautifully constructed and makes for

a great conversation piece in any

dining room.

On my mind right now:

(1) I wish I had thought of these ideas, and

(2) I want one of each!

Have a great day!

Bottle Mania

Happy Monday Everyone!

This week, bottles get a make-over.

You know how practical these water bottles are

but they're very hazardous to the environment.

I was thinking of how to re-use them when

the answers came to me as I did

a little window shopping.

This is Anthropologie's Spring 2010 window display.

Notice that all the flowers are out.

Look closer and you'll be surprised to see

that the flowers are made from plastic

water bottles!

Definitely a blah to TADA! transformation!

Here's another cool idea I found at the Terracycle pop-up store

in New York City (West 42nd St. & 8th Ave.):

The bottoms of blah plastic bottles were

turned into TADA! plant pots!

They make a gorgeous hanging garden,

don't you think?

Did You Say Christmas?

I know, it's only April and I'm already thinking of Christmas.

It all started with a shopping trip at the Salvation Army.

I found this voluptuous Martha Stewart vase

for only $1.99! I filled it with flowers for

a dear friend.

Now, even if the flowers wilt away,

she can use the vase during

spring, summer, autumn and...

...even during winter!

She can fill it with Christmas balls

to liven up a mantle or credenza.

A candle in a festive color can also

nest here.

I'm hoping I've given you a neat idea for

a hostess gift or inspired you to use those

vases you have all year round.

Happy Weekend!

When Autumn Comes

I'm taking these flowers to a dinner party.

The flowers are really the gift, I just included the vase to spare my host the trouble of doing an impromptu arrangement when she, obviously, is busy cooking & entertaining.

I found the vase at the Salvation Army thrift store. I thought it was really pretty, it has the "Martha Stewart" sticker at the bottom and it was so inexpensive!

But when all the flowers are gone, it doesn't mean you have to put it away or throw it away.

When Autumn comes, fill it with a handful of pine cones

or colorful leaves to bring the outdoors in!

It can also be a hang-out for pears

& apples as you wait for them to ripen.

So many ideas for a single vase!

More to come tomorrow.

Have a nice day!

Summer Colors

The star of the show on my blog this week is this vase:

I got it for $1.99 at the Salvation Army Thrift Shop.

I bought a friend a bunch of white carnations and thought that putting them in this vase would be a thoughtful gesture. When the flowers are no longer looking perky, she can use the vase for other things.

In the summer, she can use it as a fruit bowl --

pile on the citrus while creating a colorful display.

Or she can add some river rocks & a floating candle!

Won't this be a nice centerpiece for dinner on the patio?

Please stop by tomorrow.

I've got a few more ideas to make this vase

even more TADA!

A Floral Arrangement

So yesterday, I took you shopping at the Salvation Army Thrift Store. I needed a vase because I've been invited by a friend for dinner at her house. A home cooked meal is always TADA!, don't you think? As a grateful guest, I've decided to get my host some flowers:

White carnations are her absolute favorite!

Instead of presenting her with a bouquet, I thought I'd help her out by placing the flowers in a vase. That way, all she has to do is set the flowers down on the foyer or coffee table when I arrive. No need to scurry into the kitchen, look for a vase, cut the stems...that entire ceremony amidst preparing dinner, pouring wine, and entertaining guests.

Here's what I picked up at the thrift store. It's a Martha Stewart vase that I got for $1.99 plus tax. After a little cleaning & polishing, it has turned from blah to TADA!

And what a statement it makes when the flowers are added!

Whether or not I admit that the vase is a thrift store find, I think it's a thoughtful gesture. My friend can reuse it even when the carnations have wilted. For example:

In springtime, it can hold these blossoming branches.

More ideas tomorrow. See you then!