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From: DragonLady
Date: 03-06-2005, 01:49 AM (1 of 12)
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I live in a very tiny rural community over 30 miles from town. It's one of those little places where all the roads are dirt, there are few stop signs, the sheriff drives through once a day, and everyone that lives here very long knows everyone else. But, because we are sandwiched between a bunch of large working ranches and farms, we also have a seasonal transient population of migrant workers who perform odd jobs, help with the harvests and act like 'guests' to the extent of making a real mess of the place. Every year, when the weather starts warming up and the fields are being planted and calves are being birthed, beer bottles start blooming on the sides of every road. In fact, they throw beer bottles (and other trash) out of the car windows along the road even as they drive past the trash cans that line up on both sides on the night before the garbage collectors come. The bottles are a real nuisance. They break and children and animals get injured and tires are ruined. They get buried in the sand by the road & stay there for months or years until someone finally collects them up & gets rid of them. Many of them still have beer in them, and they attract wasps and bees that build nests in the trees and shrubs along side the roads and have to be removed. Last year, I collected several huge garbage bags full of beer bottles just on my block. I thought I might build a short wall out of them around my parking lot to help seperate it visually from my front moon garden, so I put them into big buckets of bleach to clean them. But, my husband nixed the idea -he doesn't like the look of bottle walls, and doesn't want to keep the front drive/parking area the way it's currently arranged, anyway. So I tossed the bottles. I noticed while I was weeding this morning that the darn things are coming back again...there were half a dozen on the ground outside my front fence. So, can anyone think of a good use for them? I like to recycle things if at all possible, and don't mind soaking them in tubs of bleach long enough to make them safe for some kind of crafty project. I thought about painting them & making them into oil lamps, but there's no way to get rid of the embossed labels. And breaking them to make glass mosaics would be okay, but the color choice of brown, brown, green, brown, brown, and clear leaves much to be desired.  Any suggestions would be appreciated! Even if something isn't practical for this year, I might try it in the future. "No more twist! No more twist!"
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User: DragonLady
Member since: 11-10-2004 Total posts: 152 
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From: Sailorliz
Date: 03-06-2005, 08:28 AM (2 of 12)
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My dh just purchased a bottle cutter. He is playing around with turning bottles into oil lamps and candle holders. Do you have a recycling place nearby? I also live in a rural community and we do have a small location that we can take our papers, glass and plastic. In MI we have a bottle returnable law. I've lived in MI all of my life and I can say that when they instituted that law, it really helped with the bottles being thrown alongside of the roads. I can't believe the people that are so inconsiderate and just toss things out the window as they are driving. One time we were on the highway and the van in front of us through out the window a dirty disposable diaper! It of course flew back and hit our vehicle. 
Happy sewing/quilting/crafting
Liz Visit my photo page http://new.photos.yahoo.com/sailorlizmi/albums |
User: Sailorliz
Member since: 07-20-2004 Total posts: 386 
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From: DragonLady
Date: 03-06-2005, 09:09 AM (3 of 12)
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Do you have a recycling place nearby? I also live in a rural community and we do have a small location that we can take our papers, glass and plastic. In MI we have a bottle returnable law. I've lived in MI all of my life and I can say that when they instituted that law, it really helped with the bottles being thrown alongside of the roads. No, there's no recycling place. Nearest one is 50 + miles from here. I don't think we have a bottle returnable law, or even any place that takes them. We do have a law against littering, but out here there's no one to enforce it. A glass cutter might be a good idea.... Although I'm hoping I can find something that doesn't require new equipment. I'm kinda swamped already.
"No more twist! No more twist!"
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User: DragonLady
Member since: 11-10-2004 Total posts: 152
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From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 03-07-2005, 01:46 PM (4 of 12)
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I used the cute curved budweiser bottles from about 25 years ago and made lamps out of them for our beach cottage.. they were so cute..Bought the electric works ant the hardware store.. The kind that a cork fits in the neck of the bottle with the bulb holder attached..and the cord also comes out from there.. (no drilling holes in glass, that way)..
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
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From: DorothyL
Date: 03-07-2005, 02:41 PM (5 of 12)
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You could fill them up with home made beer. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: MaryW
Date: 03-10-2005, 08:36 AM (6 of 12)
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: DorothyL
Date: 03-10-2005, 08:37 AM (7 of 12)
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Great minds, Mary. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: DragonLady
Date: 03-10-2005, 09:25 AM (8 of 12)
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I draw the line far short of drinking out of them! Lamps are a good idea, although I'd really like to find ways to disguise the fact they are beer bottles. Unfortunatly, most are embossed with unmistakable logos.
"No more twist! No more twist!"
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User: DragonLady
Member since: 11-10-2004 Total posts: 152
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From: sewingrandma
Date: 04-17-2005, 07:52 AM (9 of 12)
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DragonLady, this isn't a craft but gardening. Recently I toured a garden in California that used bottles, bottom side up as a border. It really looked nice, none were broken, they were placed at different heights, and all were either or green and brown.
Brockie
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User: sewingrandma
Member since: 03-06-2003 Total posts: 432 |
From: DragonLady
Date: 04-17-2005, 11:51 AM (10 of 12)
That's a good suggestion, sewingrandma. I'll keep that in mind. 
"No more twist! No more twist!"
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User: DragonLady
Member since: 11-10-2004 Total posts: 152
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From: natred2
Date: 04-21-2005, 09:06 PM (11 of 12)
DragonLady- You could break them and use the pieces for a mosaic designs, say on flower pots, stepping stones, mirrors, tables. That kind of thing. You really don't need any new tools for that, you probably already have every thing you need in your shed. 
Don't be so open minded your brains fall out.
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User: natred2
Member since: 04-09-2005 Total posts: 81 
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From: SummersEchos
Date: 04-22-2005, 12:31 AM (12 of 12)
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Use them as candle holders for the nights outside. One way is to put wire and beads around them add water then oil insert wicks. You can hang them from trees. Another way is to buy the tapers and insert and light. We have the annual 4th of July party at my house. It starts in the early afternoon and by the evening we have a collection of beer bottles. We do have a recycling program here, but we let the children make hanging candles for the evening before the fireworks. Of course the parents are there to supervise them. They seem to enjoy it and it helps to wind them down. If you don't pay attention to the fact they are beer bottles it looks pretty in the dark. Summer Summer
FREE FALLIN |
User: SummersEchos
Member since: 09-29-2004 Total posts: 884 |
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