DIY Light Bulb Projects



If you haven’t already guessed it, I’m very much a self-diagnosed, DIY addict. I am lucky. I get to express my love of creating through my hand-painted mood lights on a daily basis along with my other crafts.

Obviously, my favorite medium is re-purposed light bulbs. When I’m not painting them and dreaming up new designs, I’m searching for new ways to refurbish old lights. Breathing new life into what someone else discarded is both challenging and rewarding, and I think if more of us knew how easy it was to refurbish, we could eliminate how much we actually write-off as “broken”.

I already have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to DIY projects for the home; however, this time I wanted to focus solely on DIY projects using old, broken light bulbs. These would make awesome projects to do with the kids and are just in time for some spring redecorating.

1. Hot Air Balloons courtesy Jenn Erickson (pictured above)

This project seems perfect for a nursery or birthday party. I can just see these little hot air balloons floating from string in every color of the rainbow brightening up your home! The cost for this project as noted in this post was under $1 – that’s incredible! It’s a fairly easy to follow DIY tutorial from blogger Jenn Erickson.

2. Chic Bud Vase courtesy ApartmentTherapy.com

I have seen (and previously shared) the small planter / geranium idea for repurposing light bulbs, but I recently fell in love with this gorgeous bud vase idea. A great blog for DIY’ers, Apartment Therapy, shared this tutorial. For $5, you can create a really chic décor piece that you could put at your desk, on an end table, or in the kitchen.

3. Valentine Bulb courtesy of DesignSponge.com

Ah, it makes me so sad that Valentine’s Day has already passed this year and I’ve just found this project! Aren’t these “Light of My Life” bulbs adorable? Homemade gifts really are the best, and these only take about an hour from start to finish to complete. And even though Valentine’s Day was a few months ago, you can make these for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, etc.

4. DIY Spice Rack

Pretty much my favorite idea so far, this is especially cool since it can make for a conversation piece at the dinner table (salt & pepper). AND, since light bulbs are clear, your spice rack will radiate with an array of colors from red pepper, to green basil, to yellow curry. With just a few simple steps like removing the wiring inside the bulb and screwing on a lid, you’ve got yourself spice holders just waiting to hang out on your counter top.

I’m always looking for new ideas to use in my home and to post on social media, so if you have anything to add, feel free to share!

It's REally Easy To REduce & REuse

Recycled bottles

While browsing the web, I was grabbed by a headline, “Woman Fits Two Years of Trash in One Small Mason Jar.” I have to admit… I was skeptical. Yes, I am an active proponent of all the “Re’s” – ReClaiming, RePairing, ReUsing, ReCycling, RePurposing, ReFurbishing and ReFinishing – but two years is a long time!

Of course, I had to hear this woman’s story and boy, I was inspired! She begins by pointing out that the average person generates 4.3 pounds of waste per day. That’s over 1,500 pounds per year! Now, I’m sure I keep my waste average much lower – it’s just become my way of life. But I am always striving to do better, to continue working towards a cleaner, healthier world, so I started taking notes.

The idea is simple: trade common household items for more eco-friendly alternatives. Use DIY recipes for cleaners, toothpaste, etc. to become as close to self-sustaining as possible. This can be a BIG change for most, but the great news is you don’t have to do what she did to live cleaner and greener. Small steps can lead to a big contribution towards conservation.

I’ve been doing some things here at Mood-Lights to incorporate all of the “Re’s” into my work. I want to see a bright future for all beings here on Earth, so I make a conscious effort to ReClaim, RePair, ReUse, ReCycle, RePurpose, ReFurbish, and ReFinish everything I possibly can, from packing and shipping materials, office/art supplies, and booth constructing materials. My Solar Luminaries are solar lanterns that I create by RePairing/ReUsing/Refurbishing parts from old solar yard lights that people have thrown away that I find at the dump. These parts are used to illuminate found objects (mostly discarded glassware like flower vases, wine glasses, etc. found at the dump) that I then hand paint.
Solar Luminaries
If we are all dedicated to making even the smallest of changes in our daily routines to live cleaner, we can collectively make a huge difference. Spring is the time for new beginnings and growth. I challenge you to evaluate and figure out a way you can begin to integrate one of those “Re’s” into your life, and don’t forget to share your ideas with me on Facebook!


 

Lighting Up For Autism

 Ellen DeGeneres is one of those people that when you watch what they do, you can just tell – they’re genuinely committed to change. So it wasn’t surprising when I heard about Ellen’s recent guest, a dancing barista named Sam Forbes who just happens to be autistic. During the segment, Ellen discussed the journey of Sam’s life, and the impact that Sam has had on people all around him as he spreads joy through dancing. I was moved, and I immediately was reminded of how my passion, lights, plays such a big role with those who are part of the autism spectrum.
 
Every April, hundreds of thousands around the world illuminate their lives with a magnificent blue glow in an effort to raise awareness about autism on World Autism Awareness Day. Autism has become an increasingly large global issue in recent years. In a report published in March of 2014 the CDC stated that 1 in 68 children are identified as having ASD, or Autism Spectrum Disorder, and 1% of the population in the United States is or will be affected by ASD.
 
Lighting to the average person can seem slightly unimportant. Light bulb buzzing? Slight flicker? Most of us simply ignore it. This is not the case for those affected by autism. “Some researchers maintain that individuals with autism are more vulnerable to the sub-visible flicker that can cause headaches, eyestrain, and increased repetitive behavior,” wrote Charles N. Henry of the New Struan Centre for Autism in his article titled, “Designing for Autism: Lighting”.


 
When considering lighting your home or business to be autistic – friendly, keep these tips in mind:
 
  • Incandescent lights with a dimmer switch can be especially helpful. They can also help distinguish day from night; bright for day, and very dim for nighttime. However, these lights can have a short shelf life and can create a lot of heat, so use ones with long lasting, heavy duty tungsten filaments. 
  • LED lights create a bright light, ranging in frequency on the kelvin scale with 3000 K being close to incandescent lighting and 7000 K reaching more blue like fluorescence in hospitals. Flashlights, lamps, and ceiling fixtures all usually have an option with LED lighting and can be made to give off any frequency of light including 5500 K, which is closest to natural daylight. LED lighting is the popular choice amongst professionals today. 
  • Set-up work and play areas near windows with large amounts of natural light shining through. Natural light can help improve mood, attitude and concentration levels in children and adults. 
  • Rainbows are very balancing and healing, monochromatic color schemes much more calming. Blue is said to have a sedative effect on humans. For those who struggle with depression, they might be more calmed by warmer mono color schemes like red, orange, or purple.  Whereas, those who tend to be more on the hyperactive end of the spectrum usually benefit more from greens, blues, and purples. 
Our best sellers for autistic children and adults are:
 
- Clouds, Purple/Blue Moon & Stars, Dolphins, Nautical Scene, Blue Spirals, Purple Spirals, Green/Blue/Purple Spirals, Green/Blue/Purple Mosaics for settling down before bed, after a tough day or challenging experience, or even to leave on overnight for restless sleepers.

-  Rainbow and multicolored designs that customers have claimed to significantly help in balancing the moods of their loved ones suffering with autism: Rainbow Horizontal, Rainbow Vertical, Rainbow Spiral, Rainbow Mosaic, and Yin/Yangs!
 
- Red/Orange/Purple Mosaic, Happy Face Rainbow, Butterfly/Rainbow/Clouds, Fishies, Trains, Planes, Dinosaurs, and Rainbow Hearts have been testified to help customers stimulate autistic people and help them focus.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A Celebration of Light

 

A celebration of light. That’s my short version of what the March equinox is. As day and night are equal on March 20th and the sun sits directly above the equator, we truly begin our descent into spring and light begins to tip the scale towards becoming the dominant part of our days.

The long version, of course, would describe how the March equinox marks the time when the Northern Hemisphere of earth tilts towards the sun, allowing for longer, sunnier days and shorter periods of dark for some parts of the world, and the opposite for the rest. Sometimes referred to as the Vernal Equinox (vernal meaning fresh or new like spring), the equinox is marked by large and small scale celebrations depending on culture.

Light is so impactful to our health both mentally and physically that we absolutely should be celebrating it!

                - Easter eggs, also known as Paschal eggs, are symbolic for fertility and rebirth which directly aligns with the March equinox theme of new beginnings. Try hiding some Easter eggs in the traditional Easter egg hunt, or egg dancing, where eggs are laid down on the floor and participants dance around while not trying to damage them.

                - Balancing eggs on the day of the March equinox is supposed to bring good luck a prosperity according to ancient Chinese tradition. There’s a myth that claims that eggs can only be balanced on their end during the March equinox. Give it a try!

                - No-Ruz, the Iranian New Year, occurs during the March equinox. For 3000 years No-Ruz has been observed, with traditional activities including buying new clothes for family members and thoroughly cleaning homes (spring cleaning, anyone?). Wheat or lentil are grown on flat dishes just days before the New Year as a representation of new growth.

                - In Japan, Higan is a week of Buddhist services during both the March and September equinox. Higan means “other shore”. This is a celebration of the move made by spirits from the world of suffering to the world of enlightenment.

                - Lastly, March 20th (the original Earth Day) is a day for people from all different cultures to come together to promote clean and sustainable living. Some activities include planting trees, picking up trash, or starting up recycling programs at work.

How will you celebrate the coming March equinox?   

 

                 

 

What Is #ColorTherapy Really?

Maybe you’ve recently seen the hashtag #colortherapy popping up all over your Facebook and Twitter newsfeeds. Even Instagramers are taking to posting photos of their #colortherapy creations, and just about everyone who has tried is raving about this new type of stress-reliever, praised as being even more effective than yoga.

What is #colortherapy? In the land of social media, it’s the new adult coloring book craze. I was intrigued when I first heard about it. I definitely get it. I love to play with colors and am excited that more people are joining in on the fun. I wonder though, do color book enthusiasts really know the full story on color therapy and how big a favor they’re doing themselves by lighting up their life with color?

Color therapy is also known as chromotherapy, a method of treatment that uses the visible spectrum of electromagnetic radiation to promote a healthy mind and body, and helps balance our individual chakras (our body’s energy). Color is absorbed not just by our eyes but also our skin which means that light and color therapy affect us on all levels, physical, spiritual and emotional. In short, color is healing.

Incredibly, our bodies need the sun’s light to survive and that light can be broken down into a seven color spectrum as named / created by Newton himself. You know this spectrum, you see it after the storm clouds pass in the form of a beautiful rainbow. Each color of the rainbow when used correctly can address and alleviate specific wellness needs.

Here are some examples of how color can be used as an alternative treatment (for a full definition of what chakras are and how they affect you, check out this article):

Red

  • Red, of all the colors, has the slowest rate of vibration and the longest wavelength. It can be used to infuse energy and to fight anemia and cold feelings, or numbness. Red is associated with the Root Chakra.

  • It makes sense that orange is present in things associated with warmth like sunlight and fire, since the color orange can be a tool to combat depression. Use orange light if you’re suffering from gout or ulcers. Orange is connected to the Sacral Chakra.

  • Green, often found in nature, affects the Heart Chakra. Surround yourself with green when you’re seeking harmony, or to alleviate chest pain.

  • Yellow is best known for its ability to uplift, instill joy and help concentration. Yellow lighting is often used to help with jaundice, and controls the Solar Plexus Chakra.

  • As the Throat Chakra color, Blue light can be a remedy for laryngitis, the hiccups, or influenza. Try using blue to soothe stress and promote tranquility.

  • For a deeper connection to your spirituality, grab some Indigo. The Third Eye Chakra of Indigo is a combination of both Blue and Red, and has a stabilizing, freeing affect.

Purple

  • Lastly, if you’re fighting an earache, you may want to try basking in a Purple glow. Sometimes known as the color of royalty, Purple is the Crown Chakra, or a go to color for mental wellness.

The takeaway here is that no color is bad, and all colors are beneficial. I recommend using every color possible in your daily life, whether through #colortherapy or some adding some new Mood-Light additions to your home. Remember, there’s no wrong way to use color.