DIY - Hurricane Bottle w/Candle

Here is a picture of one of the gifts that I have made this past year.  It is quite gallant and relatively easy to make. A bottle that I had found while I was doing some spring cleaning.  I know that I wouldn't have put an empty bottle in the back of the cabinet without some sort of intent, however for the life of me I can't remember what it was.  So, I came up with a new purpose!  A hurricane bottle with a candle.


This I must say took about 2 weeks. 1 day for research and the other 13 days to work up the courage to work with glass.  Having done it before, someone always ends up getting cut or it doesn't cut straight.  At either expense it's just not worth the effort.  But I could just envision a beautiful hurricane cover for a candle that would create a dynamic centerpiece.  So off on my next adventure I went.  Mustering all the courage I could, I plugged in the dremel and started in cutting the bottom off of this beautiful Bailey's bottle.


I started to cut into it, then realized I had already missed a step in the process.  To remove the label(s).  So I soaked the bottle in hot water for an hour.  When I came back it was ready and the labels were easily removed without leaving any of the adhesive for me to deal with, I felt it was ready for me to dremel.


I again plugged in the dremel and realized I needed a line to guide me.  Ok, now I'm really starting to question my over zealous determination to cut into this bottle as I seem to be throwing caution to the wind just to play with the dremel. lol


So I quickly soap stoned a line on the bottom of the bottle then set the dremel to task.  I don't know what I was thinking but approximately an hour later I had made it completely thru the thickest part of the entire bottle - the bottom.


With the bottom portion cut off I sanded the edges of the bottle using my handy dandy new dremel and it made short order of any rough edge that might have been there.  Feeling that I had sufficiently rounded the edges as well.  I set it upon one of the candles that I had premeasured and made 2 weeks prior.


Yes, I have been preparing for this for a while.  But at the last minute, well I kinda chickened out.  Then as it turned out, my new dremel almost got the best of me and my well thought out plan. lol


From start to finish it took approximately 2 hours from soaking off the label to completion of a magnificent hurricane style bottle to cover one pillar candle.


I of course was so feverishly working that I forgot to take a single picture of the process.  That is apparently how excited I was to use my dremel!!


I did manage to contain my excitement in the end, to finally realize that I had forgotten and with great determination managed to take a few pictures of the project upon completion.


Here's what I ended up with.  I gave it to my Gramma that loves the dynamics of presentation.  She loved it and hope you will too.


In the midst of all my excitement, this is what I was able to capture.

This one was taken in my kitchen with my phone and it was a bit darker than at my

Gramma's house.  I tried a tea light candle first, but it didn't put off enough light.  So I opted to use the candles I made 2 weeks prior.  So you could see the flicker of the candle a bit better.

Now as you probably notice, I forgot to take off the label around the neck of the bottle.  That's ok, it's perfectly unique for me and that's what makes it personalized. haha


Finally, I kept the very bottom of the bottle just in case my Gramma decided to use the pillar candle instead of a self contained candle.  And the lid makes a perfect candle snuffer too.


Quick, simple, easy and perfectly unique!  If I do say so myself, that makes for another great gift idea.

Anytime is Family Time

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season it makes it a bit harder to stop and smell the roses.  In my case it's ok - I don't have any roses.

But for some the holiday season means that family will converge in one place and share some holiday cheer and give many thanks to have each other in their lives.  As there is nothing I love more than FAMILY, I too have the same sense of meaning as the holidays grow near.  Though I only have one little one remaining at home, I have grandchildren now too. 

Yes, that means I'm getting old.  Apparently my oldest believes I'm old too, because he has teased me about being "old and slow" forever!  However, I think I will call it reaching my prime. As old, well... just sounds old.  And I'm not quite ready to be old just yet.

Since I am a fond lover of FAMILY and the adventures that go with having children, I try to make time and treat each and every event, trip, social, get-together or just a moment in time, like it's a holiday.  Course that means alot of work, alot of planning and of course a strong commitment to make and take the time.  Oh and how could I forget, money. haha

In keeping with traditions, I home school the youngest and it was time for a well deserved Field Trip.  Well my husband works on the pit fire rescue for Nascar and there was an event coming up soon and close to home..  Now what that actually translates into, is 4 days of adventure with the family.  So, seeing opportunity .... I took it!

I talked with all my children, young and old (haha).  We made a plan to all get together the weekend of the Nascar event at PIR and truly enjoy life as a family.  With life always adding it's own sense of adventure, like jobs and bills!  I knew time would be short (2 days with all the kids), but it would be well spent.

With the help of my daughter in law, Angie (the google queen who is married to the google king) we were able to keep things on the inexpensive side and still enjoy the time we had together and not feel broke afterwards.  Some portions of the adventure were expensive, no getting around it.  But other parts were cheap or free, so it averaged itself out nicely.

My oldest (haha oldest) children (Mark and Angie), gave me a wonderful surprise a day or two before we were all to meet up.  They were planning on staying longer than 2 days making it 4 days total! WHOOOOO HOOOO!  Ok, now I'm not good at gambling but that was like hitting the jackpot! 

With the 2 extra days we were able to fit in even more into our already packed itinerary.  Here's a short list of all the adventures we were able to incorporate into our weekend.  Nascar, Sea Life Aquarium (field trip), Cabella's, Bass Pro, Johnny Rockets, RainForest Cafe, many other restaurants and last but not least, Toby's Keiths I Love This Bar! (hey, ya gotta eat right!) 
Now I truly appreciate the Thanksgiving dinner and all the family getting together for the holidays.  But this was truly an adventure that would have been missed sitting around the table for dinner!

My husband hates it when I act like a tourist in a place I lived for 30 years...... so I was SURE to take LOTS of pictures! hehe 

Here's some photos of our weekend..

This was just too cute to pass up.  Blake (grandson) was just enamored with Waylon (son).

Or was it just the hat! haha

Fish at the Sealife Aquarium

Fish at Cabella's

And more fish at Bass Pro!

Hmm.  I can see where Grandpa is going with this!

The moose was just too big to pass up the photo opp!

More fish at the SeaLife Aquarium.

As you can tell they are in no particular order.  But that's ok, I'm not particularly perfect either.

All our time will be taken up now by the preparations for the holidays.  But as well as my family multi-tasks, it won't be long before we start planning for another adventure.

Joane