Bright Idea: New Use For An Old Bulb

We've been slowly phasing out our regular lightbulbs and replacing them with compact fluorescents. This has rendered the regular bulb a little redundant. But we just found a great alternative use for them:

Featured on inhabitat recently, the lightbulb vase, sold by minimahuella in Argentina, gives the classic bulb a new purpose as a modern bud vase. We're into it and wonder how hard it would be to DIY our own.

Comments (13)

Have you read this blog?

posted by K T G on September 5th 2008 at 11:33am
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I can't get to it right now, but Craftster has a tutorial for hollowing a lightbulb if you search "lightbulb vase". That's how I made mine:

http://s165.photobucket.com/albums/u63/Creative_Cat/crafty%20stuff/?action=view&current=Mar08014.jpg

http://s165.photobucket.com/albums/u63/Creative_Cat/Attempts%20to%20decorate/?action=view&current=Mar08075.jpg

http://s165.photobucket.com/albums/u63/Creative_Cat/Attempts%20to%20decorate/?action=view&current=Mar08089.jpg

This photo from Mexico is what made me want one:

http://s165.photobucket.com/albums/u63/Creative_Cat/crafty%20stuff/?action=view&current=20061114220716_bombilla.jpg

posted by whytephoenix on September 5th 2008 at 11:49am
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When in Buenos Aires check out the Buenos Aires Desgn Center. There was so much I wanted to buy there, but had limited luggage space. Great prices with the dollar still relatively strong against the Argentine peso.

posted by Porcupine on September 5th 2008 at 12:07pm
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Here's the Buenos Aires Desgn Center website http://www.designrecoleta.com.ar/index.asp#

posted by Porcupine on September 5th 2008 at 12:08pm
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Regarding making this DIY style: Hmm, perhaps I am mistaken, but don't light bulbs have mercury in them? While it would be great to re-use something as ubiquitous as spent bulbs, it might not be safe.

posted by skwiddie on September 5th 2008 at 12:08pm
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Thanks WhytePhoenix! those pictures are great. I realize it's probably hard to keep the inside clean, unless you can use some kind of really narrow scrubber. Have you reused yours a lot? Has it been a problem?

posted by laure on September 5th 2008 at 12:09pm
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skwiddie - no. Only fluorescents have mercury in them. You do have to be careful with the broken glass though.

I haven't really had mine long enough to have a problem cleaning them... I imagine a small bottle brush or a pipe cleaner would do the trick.

posted by whytephoenix on September 5th 2008 at 12:17pm
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Ooo, good. I'm glad I was wrong! :D

posted by skwiddie on September 5th 2008 at 12:22pm
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Well that is one bulb down. I have maybe 39 more to go.

posted by poptart on September 5th 2008 at 5:46pm
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here is one version from a while back on craftster.org-
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=37319.0

It explains the basics and can easily be altered.

posted by kerikeri on September 5th 2008 at 8:50pm
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cute idea, but also a re-post.

diy-ing this is tough, though, not everyone has the tools laying around.

posted by indiasoup on September 6th 2008 at 9:04am
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What's with all the repeat posts?

posted by suzy8track on September 6th 2008 at 1:20pm
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I like the look of it too and found instructions to DIY:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Light-Bulb-Vase/

posted by Marial on September 7th 2008 at 10:51pm
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