While we don’t encourage drinking and then immediately engaging in DIY projects, we do have a love of up-cycle projects and empty bottles. So what to do with those lovely, colorful, glassy and classy empties?

1. Create a neat candlestick. Load the bottle with that collection of sea glass you have, or other material that will be colorful and sturdy. Place the candle in the bottle and adjust the level of material as the candle burns. This looks great in a collection of different bottles.

2. Snazz up your soap dispenser. This one’s simple and just requires an olive oil topper found at most supermarkets. Way cooler than another plastic bottle on the counter.

3. Bright Bottle Lamp. This one’s also ridiculously easy and really cool. First, use a bottle that already has an interesting glass color--one that will really illuminate nicely. Then get a string of LED lights and push them into the bottle. There are some neat light strings that are battery-operated and don't need an outlet--so you can put these Bottle Lights in unusual places.

4. Bottled Up Emotions. The bottle and cork are a natural fit for creating a cool photo display. This works especially well for vintage shots or Polaroids. Just cut a slit in the cork with a razor, insert the photos and line them up!

There are countless ways to refill an empty bottle. And if wine isn’t your thing, there are plenty of craft beer bottles that also work. Or comb the yard sales for vintage bottles and take your upcycling to a new level! Use your imagination!