Don’t Lose Your Marbles

I have to confess when my older daughter told me about Pinterest more than a year ago, I stayed away from it. When it comes to collecting patterns, books and ideas I have more than enough stuff already. More than I can make in a lifetime. Besides, I’m just as likely to make something that’s been bumping around my noggin.

Then I started this blog. Some of my blog photos are now on a Pinterest board. While on the site I got curious. The container you see in the above photo is a result of that curiosity. Technically, I suppose it’s a candle holder. I bought it several years ago for my older daughter’s bedroom when it was decorated with a Chinese theme. We poured a few bags of red, decorator marbles in it and added some LED tea lights to it. She could have the ambience of candles, and I wouldn’t have to worry about the house burning down.

Last fall, she moved out. The container migrated downstairs and did some time with the Christmas decorations. Then it remained parked on a table whose sole purpose seemed to be the collection of clutter. At the beginning of Thanksgiving break I needed to clear that table so I could use it as a work surface for my Roman blind. After everything else was put away or added to the donation pile, I found myself staring at the candle holder/vase with its ruby red marbles. What to do with it? There was nothing wrong with it; no cracks or chips. It just didn’t seem very exciting anymore. Then I recalled projects I saw on Pinterest, projects involving glass decorator marbles affixed to other glass items. I studied the quantity of marbles in the container and concluded I had enough to cover the outside. Thanks to the presence of 2 fish tanks in my house I also had the appropriate adhesive.

This newly revised candle holder/vase was the project I worked on when I got tired of my Roman blind or didn’t feel like cooking. After I finished putting the marbles on the outside, I put a strand of LED lights in the container and filled it with the roses. Right now it’s sitting on my desk at work. I may eventually give it to someone but haven’t quite decided yet. I do know there are some other glass items in my house that will probably get the marble treatment.

The Project Queen