Repurposing

I have been sucked into Pinterest this summer.  I've pinned recipes, craft ideas, health and beauty tips, and more.  One of the main kinds of pins I've enjoyed are the craft and DIY ideas that repurpose things.    It's inspired me to try to find some things to repurpose, and actually to repurpose something I've been meaning to do for a while.

I love Partylite candles.  A few years ago I bought a wall sconce for their Slim Hurricane jar candles.  I like jar candles because you can use them without special candle holders or you can put special decorations (shades, etc) on them.  This is what it looks like:

Anyway, I never considered that Partylite would discontinue the candle.  I knew they'd discontinue the sconce, because they do that kind of thing.  I was a Premier Designs jeweler for a while, and replacing things is just part of the business.  People want new things.

So last summer, I burned the last of my slim hurricane candles.  I don't burn candles a lot.  I think I had purchased a total of 2 of the candles.  I saved the glass jar because, well, it felt wasteful not to.  I was using the one as a coin jar.  But then I found out that my Partylite consultant used hers as drinking glasses, so when the 2nd burned away, I found a new coin receptacle and used the 2 slim hurricanes for  drinking glasses.  When I had my annual Partylite party, I thought I'd be able to order another slim hurricane, but NO!  I discovered they were discontinued.

I tried to fit a pillar candle in it, which it did, but I didn't like how it looked.  I didn't want to get rid of the sconce, so I sought the advice of my consultant.  She suggested that I could fill in the glass with something and then put a tea light or votive candle in it.

After pondering, I went to the dollar store.  Initially I thought I would use glass marbles or glass decorative pieces, but then I found some craft stones, river stones.  They were shades of brown, cream, and gray. The colors blended with what I have in my living room!  And they cost just $1.  I had a glass votive holder.  I filled the slim hurricane glass about halfway full with the stones, put in the votive holder, and then put stones around the votive holder.  Then I added the votive candle, and voila! My slim hurricane sconce is serviceable again!

Here's the final result!  I think it looks pretty attractive, and I was able to repurpose something economically!