Many people associate LED lights with Christmas or other festive occasions, but you can place them in a bottle and use them for any occasion where you need some shining light. They are a winner next to a pathway or a staircase. I made a note in my diary once: ‘In my empty bottle I was constructing a lighthouse.’

Recycled items:
empty brown Demi Johns (as many as you need)
battery-operated fairy lights that will fit through a 6-mm hole (10 small white LEDs with a clear cable)

You will also need:
permanent marker
assistant or workbench
hand-held drill fitted with 6 mm tile bit
safety goggles

1. Wash the bottles and remove any labels. Dry thoroughly.
2. Mark an area in the side but near the base of each bottle with a permanent marker. Ask your assistant to hold the bottle firmly in a horizontal position, or secure the bottle in a vice on a workbench.
3. Carefully drill a hole through the marked spot; this should take about 10 minutes. Do not force the bit through the glass — allow the drill to do the work. Thereafter, rinse the bottle again and leave it to dry completely
4. Make sure that the lights can go through the hole; if not, you need a bigger hole or smaller lights. Feed the lights one by one into the bottle through the hole, leaving only the battery outside the bottle.
5. Two AA batteries should give you enough power for between 30 to 50 hours of illumination.
Caution: Always wear safety goggles while drilling through glass or ceramic tile.