Vase

vase |vās; vāz; väz|nouna decorative container, typically made of glass or china and used as an ornament or for displaying cut flowers.
Here is the latest project that I am quite proud of although, I have to admit I merely found the inspiration for it and shared a couple crazy ideas with Dan about how to install it.  After we wandered around Home Depot two separate times in one day we were finally able to recreate this hanging vase display I'd come across a few weeks ago.
Here is the picture I found-

And here is what we hung last weekend-

After I soaked my empty bottles in hot soapy water to remove the labels, they were ready to take on a new calling.  We bought Gun Metal light switch plates (around 5 dollars a piece) that were hung unbelievably straight thanks to Dan and his level.  We used plumbing clamps around the bottle necks, a package of 4 cost about 3 dollars (but fastening the bottles in place is the last step in this process).  On the back of the clamps there are screw holes so we bought 4 inch screws, threaded them through the clamps, and screwed them into the center of the light switch hole.  The screws we bought only had about an inch of thread on the end so once that part was into the wall, the rest could extend out and be used decoratively.  Lastly, we slipped the bottles into place and tightened the clamps.  

We hung them on a wall in a little downstairs sitting area that you come upon as you walk in from the garage.  All that's missing now are some dried flowers, coming soon...

New Use

use

noun |yoōs| |jus| |juːs|the action of using something or the state of being used for some purpose.
There is a section in Country Living titled "New uses for old things," a delightful way to describe what I often try to do with my projects.  And while this post is not about an "old thing" it is about a "new use"-

Once again, Kaelan's mom had a parting gift for me on one of my last visits to her house (I've told her on several occasions that every time I drop in for a visit it's like Christmas).  She offered me a set of 3 delicate, hand-blown glass oil lamps that are each a different height.  The idea is to fill the bulb with oil and light the wick.  As soon as I saw the little lamps and realized the wicks were removable, I envisioned them as cute, almost retro, bud vases.      

I took them up to Dan's house, filled each one with water and topped them off with a bright Gerbera Daisy.  They added a perfect homey-touch to the guest room that was occupied by out of town visitors that weekend.  
They temporarily stand vacant on the corner of a dresser, ready for their next task.