If you're like me and have a collection of empty wine and beer bottles on your counter by the end of the week (don't judge), here's an even better alternative to sending them to be recycled: upcycle them into a unique and attractive chandelier! I've been seeing wine and beer bottle lighting fixtures and lamps online and in home stores going for thousands of dollars. But with a few tools and a little time, you could make your own for a fraction of the cost.
Shannon Quimby of Portland, Oregon, utilized old wine bottles to create unique lighting fixtures on her dining room ceiling and shared her method on OregonLive.com's Home & Garden blog.
This article appears in Oct 21-27, 2010.