[CraftyLdy]

Hi Cyn,
You brought up a cute questioon and thanks Amanda for that site also I also found out what to do with them hope this helps too interesting.
Light Bulbs- How to Recycle With Style


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 time and again, how wise it is to recycle. But aside from tossing a light bulb into the recycle bin how can you re-use an old bulb? Create a unique ornament. The possibilities are virtually endless with this project. Use them to create Christmas tree decorations, or create a faux birdhouse. Heck, you could even use a light bulb for a doll's head! (Obviously you wouldn't allow a child to play with that doll, but how cute a rag doll made from recycled odds and ends would look up on your shelf.)

Here's my own version of the recycled and reinvented 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 tiny example of the possibilities you could create with an ordinary light bulb. Paint it, decoupage it, sponge or texture it's entirely up to you. I would NOT recommend you do this to a bulb you plan to use 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.)

Depending on how you plan to approach this project your materials will vary, but here's what I used for the Faux Birdhouse Bulb:


Burned out bulb

Flat primer spray for the base coat

Acrylic paints (Hunter green, white, dusty rose and blueberry)

Small sections of raffia

Very thin pieces of grapevine

Florist's Wire

Acrylic Sealer Spray



Enjoy and have fun finding new uses for the ordinary lightbulb!

http://www.allfreecrafts.com/lightbulb.htm

And here are a couple of crafts to go along

Lightbulb Witch

http://www.geocities.com/kraftprojec...ulb-witch.html


Lightbulb Santa

Use these free directions and pattern to create a Santa Christmas tree ornament using an old light bulb.

Materials Needed:

Light Bulb
Thin Ribbon
Red Child's Sock
Paint
White, Curly Chenille Stem
1-Inch, White Pom-pom
White Chenille Stem
Small, Pink Pom-pom
Glue

Instructions:
I put 3 layers of paper mache on my light bulb first. Although this is optional, I highly recommend it because this helps make the light bulb less fragile. (You can find out how to paper mache here.)
Paint the light bulb with flesh-colored paint. You don't need to paint the neck (the part that goes into the light socket). Let the paint dry completely. I set the neck of the lightbulb into an empty film container. This worked great while the paint dried!

Tie a piece of thin ribbon, about 10 - 12 inches long, securely around the neck of the light bulb. Add a few drops of glue to secure the ribbon. This will be the hanger for your ornament.

Now you will make santa's hat. Cut off the top of the red sock, you will want about 6 inches to work with. Slide it over the neck of the light bulb; and make sure the ribbon comes out through the top. Pull the edge of the sock down the lightbulbed to the desired spot.

Tie a piece of ribbon around the top edge of the sock just above the end of the light bulb. Tie it into a knot and trim off any long ends. Glue the pom-pom on the top edge of the hat to hide the ribbon you tied it with. Secure the bottom edge of the sock onto the light bulb with a few drops of glue.

Make Santa's beard using the curly, white chenille stem. Glue it in place; start from one edge of the hat, go around the bulb, and end at the other edge of the hat. Cover the tips of the beard by gluing on the white chenille stem around the bottom edge of the hat.

To complete your Santa ornament, paint on some eyes, and glue on the pink pom-pom to be his nose.

- See a larger photo of this craft completed by Your Family Crafts Guide.


http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/san...ornlbsanta.htm