For those who know me, or have read my postings on Facebook and Twitter, you know I love to recycle, upcycle, and reuse items in a way the reduces waste and helps the environment. I work hard to ensure any product I make fulfills that same requirement.
Although I have worked with everything from ceramics to plastics, I have developed a love for glass in its many forms, and in its many ways to be used and reused.
This holiday season I am focused on three types of products that reflect my passion for recycling and upcycling. They are solar lights, slumped bottles, and liquid soap dispensers.
The solar lights began when I got a call from a friend who had approximately 10 dozen mason jars that were being thrown away. I couldn't let that happen, so, I drove an hour to pick them up. Then I pondered what I could do with them, other than the obvious, canning. About 3am one morning the idea hit me. Solar lights! I then started working on the top, which I ended up designing a solar light assembly for. The first lights I had were all freestanding. Then my husband was throwing away some line that had served its purpose on the boat. I took it up by my studio and looked at it, and then I thought; I could break it down and make a netting style hanger for the solar lights. I am very pleased with these items. They are great in the yard, patio, porch, or the boat.
The solar top takes direct sunlight during the day and charges a rechargeable AA battery hidden inside the lid. When the sun sets it puts out a soft light for six or more hours depending on the charge it got during the day. I am offering these in a few styles. These include hanging nets made from reclaimed anchor line from boats in Annapolis, and free standing lights filled with a variety of sands, sea glass, shells and other color coordinated pieces to give them stability for an outside table top or deck. All are weatherproof and will last for years.
Bottle slumping has offered me an incredible satisfaction in so many ways. I get to recycle bottles, which I collect from local bars and restaurants that don't recycle here in town. I clean them and slump them in my kiln. I have quite a variety of bottle types. The most common are wine bottles, but some of the most exotic are made from liquor bottles. I created a variety of molds that allow me to slump the bottles into the bowls, cheese boards, and serving trays. I think you will find the variety and combinations I offer will suit a variety of your serving needs. One suggestion for a holiday gift is to use a slumped bottle as the base for an appetizer you bring to a party - making the slumped bottle the gift.
When I am at friends' homes and use their bathrooms, I notice that everyone typically has small, plastic, liquid soap dispensers by the sink. Occasionally I'll see a metal or ceramic one from a local Bed and Bath store instead. As I was collecting various liquor bottles for slumping, I realized that some of the designs would lend them to make great soap dispensers. An idea was born! Here is you opportunity to have a liquid soap dispenser that will catch your guests attention when they visit. As liquor bottles, such as Crown Royal, are larger than most traditional soap dispensers, they hold more and go a lot longer between refills. How about washing up the dinner dishes with a Patron bottle filled with dish soap?
If you are looking for a unique gift, that your friends or family wont already own, I think any of these three will do the job for you.
I hand make all the craft items myself. I offer them on Amazon.com and show the exact quantities available. If you don't see any in stock, or have a bottle from a special occasion you'd like slumped, just email me. Remember that each one is unique and slightly different from the rest.
You will also see on the site that I also offer some select high end kitchen items such as sinks. These are some of the best of their kind on the market. I am a dealer for them, and can offer them at the lowest prices possible.
Thank you so much for your support of my enthusiasm and passion for the environment. May the Holiday season and new year bring you much joy.
Happy Holidays,
Bonnie
Feel free to check out my virtual store front on Amazon.
Although I have worked with everything from ceramics to plastics, I have developed a love for glass in its many forms, and in its many ways to be used and reused.
This holiday season I am focused on three types of products that reflect my passion for recycling and upcycling. They are solar lights, slumped bottles, and liquid soap dispensers.
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| Hanging Solar Light |
The solar lights began when I got a call from a friend who had approximately 10 dozen mason jars that were being thrown away. I couldn't let that happen, so, I drove an hour to pick them up. Then I pondered what I could do with them, other than the obvious, canning. About 3am one morning the idea hit me. Solar lights! I then started working on the top, which I ended up designing a solar light assembly for. The first lights I had were all freestanding. Then my husband was throwing away some line that had served its purpose on the boat. I took it up by my studio and looked at it, and then I thought; I could break it down and make a netting style hanger for the solar lights. I am very pleased with these items. They are great in the yard, patio, porch, or the boat.
The solar top takes direct sunlight during the day and charges a rechargeable AA battery hidden inside the lid. When the sun sets it puts out a soft light for six or more hours depending on the charge it got during the day. I am offering these in a few styles. These include hanging nets made from reclaimed anchor line from boats in Annapolis, and free standing lights filled with a variety of sands, sea glass, shells and other color coordinated pieces to give them stability for an outside table top or deck. All are weatherproof and will last for years. 
Bottle slumping has offered me an incredible satisfaction in so many ways. I get to recycle bottles, which I collect from local bars and restaurants that don't recycle here in town. I clean them and slump them in my kiln. I have quite a variety of bottle types. The most common are wine bottles, but some of the most exotic are made from liquor bottles. I created a variety of molds that allow me to slump the bottles into the bowls, cheese boards, and serving trays. I think you will find the variety and combinations I offer will suit a variety of your serving needs. One suggestion for a holiday gift is to use a slumped bottle as the base for an appetizer you bring to a party - making the slumped bottle the gift.
 |
| Crown Royal soap dispenser for kitchen or bath |
When I am at friends' homes and use their bathrooms, I notice that everyone typically has small, plastic, liquid soap dispensers by the sink. Occasionally I'll see a metal or ceramic one from a local Bed and Bath store instead. As I was collecting various liquor bottles for slumping, I realized that some of the designs would lend them to make great soap dispensers. An idea was born! Here is you opportunity to have a liquid soap dispenser that will catch your guests attention when they visit. As liquor bottles, such as Crown Royal, are larger than most traditional soap dispensers, they hold more and go a lot longer between refills. How about washing up the dinner dishes with a Patron bottle filled with dish soap?If you are looking for a unique gift, that your friends or family wont already own, I think any of these three will do the job for you.
I hand make all the craft items myself. I offer them on Amazon.com and show the exact quantities available. If you don't see any in stock, or have a bottle from a special occasion you'd like slumped, just email me. Remember that each one is unique and slightly different from the rest.
You will also see on the site that I also offer some select high end kitchen items such as sinks. These are some of the best of their kind on the market. I am a dealer for them, and can offer them at the lowest prices possible.
Thank you so much for your support of my enthusiasm and passion for the environment. May the Holiday season and new year bring you much joy.
Happy Holidays,
Bonnie
Feel free to check out my virtual store front on Amazon.
