I am a girl who likes her drink. And thus I end up with lots and lots of empty bottles in the recycling bin every week. I have often thought there must be something I can do all these but what?
Candlestick holder? Vase for a measly rose? Join a jug band?
Kinda lame (jug band excluded). If only I could just get rid of that stupid, narrow neck, I would be able to put it to such good use. After trying to smash the neck off a couple times (yeah, don’t do that), I started to explore my glass cutting options. After some poking around, I was delighted to find out that I wouldn’t have to invest in pricey glass cutting equipment after all! I didn’t even have to go to the store to pick up any supplies. String? Nail polish remover? Fire? In spades at Casa del Sandra. And whole process is so quick and easy I don’t know why I didn’t know about this a lot sooner.
Now before I go on any further you have to promise me you’re going to be super careful. K? SUPER DUPER CAREFUL. Sharp glass, highly inflammable liquids, very hot fire? There are only about eleventy billion things that could go wrong. Do this on the kitchen or bathroom with a sink or fire extinguisher nearby. Pay close attention, don’t be lazy and you should be good and still have a roof over your head at the end.
Now let’s get to it. First, you will need:
- An empty liquor bottle you have washed out thoroughly.
- A bucket full of cold water
- Butcher’s twine
- Nail polish remover WITH acetone (please make sure you don’t get non-acetone polish remover meant for fake nails)
- Sand paper
- Lighter or match
STEP ONE: Wind the butcher’s twine around the bottle where you want the cut twice. Tie off and cut excess string.
STEP TWO: Take the string off of the bottle and place in a little bowl or cup full of the acetone nail polish remover. Make sure it gets nice and saturated with the stuff. Then fasten the string back on the bottle just like you had it before.
—->ACHTUNG<— Get a paper towel or dishcloth and wipe off any nail polish remover that might have dripped down the bottle. THEN wash and dry your hands thoroughly. I mean it, Mister.
STEP THREE: Now. Here comes the fun/scary part. Hold the bottom of the bottle with one hand and light the string with other.
STEP FOUR: Turn the bottle on its side and slowly rotate it around to make sure you distribute the heat evenly. Once you see the fire is about to burn out (about 10-15 seconds), quickly dunk it (top first) into the bucket full of cold water. The fire should be completely extinguished and you will hear a pop! When you pull the bottle out of the bucket, the top half should be gone! Tada!
(If it’s not that probably means you didn’t let the string burn long enough. Just try again.)
WAAAAAAIT! You’re not done just yet. Those newly formed edges are really, really sharp. You don’t want to end up in the ER and get stitches after all that.
STEP FIVE: Gotta sand those babies down.
Ahh, much better.
OK. NOW YOU ARE DONE. So easy and gratifying, no? Look at that spiffy new vase, planter, cup, thingy holder you made.
Makes a great last-minute gift. People will think you are magic. And don’t you go throwing another glass bottle away again or Captain Planet will cry a thousand tears.
How does my garden grow?
One of the best ways to stave off SAD and stir-craziness this time of year is to get some greenery growing around you. Something, anything. Anything you can tend to, watch grow and will remind you that spring is just around the corner (Oh God, it is, isn’t it??).
I dived into gardening for the first time last year (indoor container plants + veggie garden out back) and I found that 1) It’s a super easy hobby to partake in. Don’t let Martha Stewart and all those pretty, pretty home making blogs intimidate you. Seriously. 2) It’s a cheap hobby to partake in.
And so if you are feeling a little Jack Torrance-y these days, perhaps I can offer you …
1) There is no reason to pay full price for plants. Ever. I will never pay more than $3 for one (and then I have to be completely in love with it). If you go to most stores that have a gardening center you will almost always find a shelve or two dedicated in the back to clearance plants.
The Land of Forgotten Plants
Take these plants in this pic. They are all perfectly fine. They have just gotten a little dried up. It’s nothing water (and a little plant food if you’re feeling fancy) can’t fix 95% of the time. And clearance plants are usually marked drastically in order to move them ASAP before they are completely unsellable. We’re talking 50 cents - $2.
2) There is never any reason to buy a new pot or planter. Ever. Grow your plants in coffee mugs, mason jars, milk crates, empty cans of beans, empty yogurt cartons, suitcases, plastic 5 gallon buckets, trash cans, anything you have laying around your house. Using things that aren’t planters as planters makes for a more interesting indoor garden, imho.
Coffee and tea tin planters
(I punched holes on the bottom of these tins with a hammer and nail. Make sure you don’t overwater your plants if you can’t allow your planters to drain. Also, Perlite is your friend.)
3) Getting a watering can you are smitten with will significantly help you stay on top of watering. I am both lazy and scattered-brained and have found in the past that I have let my plants go a day or two or thirty (oops) without water. Getting a watering apparatus that is cute and fun will make you want to use it more.
Baw.
4) Think succulents and cacti. A good stepping stone plant. Low-maintenance, hardy, drought (extended bouts of neglect)-resistant. I’m pretty crazy about them. I saw that Lowes got their first batch in for the season a couple of days ago and had to resist piling them all into my cart.
Must wait. For them to. GO. ON. SAAALE. (You really don’t have to be a cheapskate about these. They’re $3 a pop retail.)
If you want to support an indie business, may I recommend The Succulent Garden over on Etsy?
5) Thinking seeds? Think herbs. Growing plants from seeds is awesome and really rewarding. If you thinking about making the leap for the first time, I would try an herb or two. They’re the perfect plants to grow indoors on your kitchen windowsill. They sprout quickly and aren’t nearly as finicky as flowers. If you go to any major supermarket or hardware store, you will see a whole variety of herb “kits” that’ll set you up with some seeds, potting mix, and a little cheapo container to grow them out of. They make the whole process simple and straightforward but they are really pricey for what they are.
- All you really need to do is get a packet of seeds, sow, like, 3 or 4 (or however many the packet recommends) into a paper cup (or something you can punch a hole in the bottom so it can drain properly) full of potting mix.
- Sprinkle some water on top, wrap the top VERY LIGHTLY with some plastic wrap, enough so it help keep the seeds moist but doesn’t cut off air circulation. Poke a few holes on top if you want.
- Place them somewhere warm (I like putting them on top of the refrigerator) for a few days until you start to see the seeds sprout.
- Move them over to a window and make sure they get plenty of light.
- Keep on top of watering and give them some plant food once in a while and you should have an honest to god plant you grew from practically nothing. You will marvel at the wonder that is life. All of your friends will be unspeakably jealous of you. A small price to pay.
Basil is the easiest of easy herb to go. My personal favorite, though, is orange thyme.
Aaaand I think that’s all I got for now. Hope this was helpful and inspires you to start growing. xo.
