Recycling Craft Projects

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 Bulb Easy snowman bulb for kids to paint.	Angel light bulb Craft Tree topper angel is a recycled light bulb in disguise.	Elf light bulb Craft Free elf painting pattern for a recycled Christmas light bulb.	Frosty the Light bulb Make a Frosty the Snowman light bulb or a Light Bulb Snow Baby.
Rudolf the Light Bulb Let rudolf light the way!	Santa light bulb Follow our free pattern to make a painted Santa light bulb.	Victorian Doily light bulb Add an old-fashioned touch to your tree with this doily light bulb.	Cardinal light bulb Decorate a used light bulb.