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Light Bulbs- How to Recycle With Style
by Laurie McClearn
Light bulb recycling is a growing hobby, limited only by your own creavity. This light bulb recycling project shows just how attractive that old, burned out bulb can be!
Further down the page, we have lots of recycled light bulb ideas for Christmas, Halloween, and other holidays.
Recycled light bulb - Faux Birdhouse Bulb:
- burned out light bulb
- flat primer spray paint for the base coat
- acrylic paints in hunter green, white, dusty rose and blueberry
- small sections of raffia
- very thin pieces of grapevine
- florist's wire
- acrylic sealer spray
You switch on the light and "poof" the bulb is a goner! Don't throw that burned out bulb away, let it "brighten-up" your room in a completely new way!
We are told it's wise to recycle but, aside from tossing light bulbs into the recycle bin, how can you re-use them? Create a unique ornament. The possibilities are virtually endless with this project. Use them to create Christmas or Halloween decorations (check out all the light bulb crafts shown below). Or make this faux birdhouse lightbulb.
General Directions:
For the birdhouse recycled bulb, I used a primer spray so that my craft paints would better adhere. After it dried I just painted on a design then sprayed on a sealer and added some "camouflage" to the metal part of the bulb. This is just one example of what you can do with an ordinary light bulb. Paint it, decoupage it, sponge or texture - it's up to you. One caution: I would NOT recommend you use a decorated light bulb in a light fixture. While there are high temperature paints on the market, I am not sure of the results one would achieve and ordinary craft paints should not be used on extreme heat. (At best it will bubble, worst yet it could catch on fire.)
Enjoy and have fun finding new uses for the ordinary light bulb!
Light Bulbs Recycled for Christmas
Since this article was first published, the list of recycled light bulbs on our site has grown extensively. They are a natural for Christmas decorating, but also look great painted and decorated for Halloween or other holidays (below right).
Each project includes free photos and instructions to help you complete the craft successfully.
 Snowman BulbEasy snowman bulb for kids to paint. |  Angel light bulb CraftTree topper angel is a recycled light bulb in disguise. |  Elf light bulb CraftFree elf painting pattern for a recycled Christmas light bulb. |  Frosty the Light bulbMake a Frosty the Snowman light bulb or a Light Bulb Snow Baby. |
 Rudolf the Light BulbLet rudolf light the way! |  Santa light bulbFollow our free pattern to make a painted Santa light bulb. |  Victorian Doily light bulbAdd an old-fashioned touch to your tree with this doily light bulb. |  Cardinal light bulbDecorate a used light bulb. |
Hi,
I love this site. I am so happy to have found it. I hope you and all of the other crafters put more ideas online. I don't really have much of an imagination, but this site is starting to get me more inspired. Thank you and keep it up.
I think that all these ideas are great! People (crafters) are trying to have better things done to objects then to have them thrown into the landfills, if the people who are complaining don't like the ideas well... don't knock it. At least crafters are trying to do something with things that would normally wind up in the dump, what is your excuse?
I have been looking for an inexpensive craft to earn money for my sorority. Recycled light bulbs is a marvelous idea. Got
to keep us seniors busy and productive. Thanks so much.
I'll be looking for more great ideas.
Hiya just a quick question...what about the fragility of the light bulbs? Has here been any feedback on their smashing capacity
Coralee - Whenever I make light bulb crafts for craft shows, I end up using three coats of paint and one of paint-on varnish. I tell people to handle and store them as they would any other glass ornament. I have dropped them from my clothesline onto a rug in the basement and normally the bulbs do not break. Guess it depends on just how it falls. Good luck.
Does anyone have ideas for decorating the low enery spiral bulbs? I don't have much imagination but I do have several of these bulbs as they do eventually burn out. I hate to pay a dollar to get rid of them at my recyle center so I could use some ideas. Thanks.
Judith - I have been using a variety of light bulbs for crafts the past few years. I was told by an EMT not to even try the spiral bulbs. If you break them, they emit some type of gas that can be harmful. I don't even want to take a chance.
I have painted them to look like a reindeer, stinging the tiny minature lights through the spirals to look like christmas lights.
i liked your idea very much .i've become a big fan of this craft.
Beware, the spiral bulbs (the new "GREEN" lightbulbs) are extremely dangerous if they break. They contain mercury and are extremely hazardous to your health. There are specific decontamination steps you have to take when you break one of these (I''m not joking). Look it up on the internet. All this in the name of green economy when they are more dangerous to humans than the regular bulbs. They stopped making glass thermometers with mercury because of the breakage problems and now they do it with light bulbs?!?!
Recycled Light Bulbs for Halloween
Light bulb Pumpkin
Recycled light bulb pumpkin decoration.
Light bulb Witches
Paint a witch face on a burned out light bulb.
Light bulb Witch
Recycled Halloween light bulb witch.
Recycled Light Bulbs for Easter and Other Occasions
Ducky Light Bulb
Dress a light bulb as a duck? Why not!
Decoupage Light Bulb
Pick a pretty paper and decoupage a light bulb.
