This little light of mine...

I knew when I wrote the last blog that it would be a part one of two... there is an abundance of ideas on decorating with vintage glass.  The last blog I focused on garden decor... this one will focus on interior and lighting.  Again, all of these photos were ideas found on pinterest... it really is a great site to get inspiration to decorate outside of the box...

Small bottles can be used everywhere in vignettes in your home... singular or in a grouping,,,  I love this setting with votive candles on a mirror... it's romantic and down home country... and it's easy for anyone to do.  Put a few on your windowsill in your bathroom or kitchen... the light catches the colors of the bottles and the flowers just say "this place is loved"...

If you have one of those weird built in small openings in your home... in some homes these are in kitchens or bathrooms... in other, much older homes you'll find them where we used to have phone alcoves in our houses... when you had to run to a wall to answer your phone and couldn't go any further than the length of the handset cord...  virtually no one other than me now a days has one of these phones hanging in their homes... so what do you do if you have that wall space?  Find a grouping of similar colored small bottles and brighten the area up.

If you're a candle lover and the first idea above wasn't eclectic enough for you, what about this transformation of insulators.  What a cool idea is that?  Place them upside down on a piece of stained reclaimed wood and instant candelabra.  Add to the base pine in the winter and fresh greens in the spring...  I could see Easter eggs among the greenery too...  Or if you just want a splash of color in a room you can take a vintage board, paint it your favorite color, and then attach an insulator to it upside down.  Instant votive or tea light (less mess) holder!

If you're looking for electric ideas, check out these ball jars converted into pendant lights.  Love this idea!!!  Or even more out of the box... the pendant light insulators!!!  Would look fabulous over a bar or pool table.  If you're looking for just the right single light sconces for your head board how about using a vintage insulator in your favorite color?  It's all about having something in your home that the rest of the world doesn't.  Use a vintage door for a head board... or ship-lap.... add two of these beauties and you'll have a space that is warm and charming.

I'm going to point out one more cool idea I found when I was searching for up-cycle ideas...  A coat rack made out of vintage wood and insulators.  If I had a mud room I'd TOTALLY do this!  Or maybe in a childs room with the colorful insulators...

For now, it's late.  I wish you all a lovely work week.  Come see us soon at the Queen of Hearts in Alpharetta!

All Life is an Experiment - the More Experiments You Make the Better

It's been a wee bit since we've written or updated our booth... Both of us have been out of the country more than we've been in the country... Bill had a gig in Panama that I took the kids to join him on during Spring Break... and then I followed that rapidly with a trip to Cyprus to visit a friends sister for Easter.  While I love my day job it's time to get back to our love of junking and up-cycling...

Today's blog is going to combine two of my passions... gardening and junking... I went searching on pinterest (a dangerous thing to do) for ideas to use insulators, vintage bottles and mason jars in vignettes and found a TON of cute ideas for the garden that I want to share with y'all.

The first idea that I absolutely love, and would have fun searching within the Queen of Hearts for all the cute bottles and crystals to make these cute garden mobiles and charms... what a perfect way to dress up a pergola, a garden arch or above a table on your sun porch!!!  For the piece with the drift wood... I'd totally find small jars that had large enough openings for all the sea glass I collect when I travel.  All of these would also look good in a bathroom in your beach-side condo or lakefront property...

When I searched for ideas for ball jars... I have an obsession with blue mason/ball jars....  I just love the colors... fill them with misc everyday items... your change in your pocket (and bring to the bank when full)... put dried roses and make a display (thanks Peti)... or use for garden parties as vases...  I did find a mobile to make out of these beautiful jars... and I'll share it with you because it's share worthy... however it hurts my heart to see one cut... so... if you find one with a chip on the bottom that you want to up-cycle maybe???  :)

My last bit of garden finds for vintage glass was with vintage insulators...  check out the brilliant ways these beauties were re-purposed!!!  Some as simple as putting on sticks to add height and color to your garden... or tie a ribbon around an insulator to hang it upside down to make a makeshift vase to welcome guests into your garden party... a simply sweet way to dress up your gate...  and for those more crafty... who want a bit more light in their gardens for parties... you can make chandeliers or single pendant candle holders (if you're worried about flames or wind, you can pop in the battery operated candles)... I love these ideas and totally would have used them for our outdoor wedding a year ago.

We have all of these items in our booth (there's a large box of insulators under the display in this picture) on Broad Street in Queen of Hearts Alpharetta... and I know there are a few other vendors who have additional supplies... come explore and find other items to add a little sparkle to your garden this spring...

I'll end this lil inspirational blog with a happy anniversary to my partner in crime, in life, in junking... who gets me like no one else... and who goes above and beyond for me and my children every day.  I love you baby...

Heather & Bill Crowell 4/23/16