Family drama? Turn old prescription bottles into my "Dysfunctional Family Holiday Lights."

First, let me say that I come to you, hanging my head in shame, for not blogging for so long. No excuses, just apologies. To honor your faith and understanding, I'm not going to blather on today, I'm just going to take you step by step through a fun and easy project. These "Dysfunctional Family Christmas Lights" will make a great gift for a fellow victim of holiday family drama or your favorite pharmaceutical person!

 What you need:

• Amber prescription bottles of different sizes
• Strand of standard white mini-lights
• Drill with 5/16 bit
• Printable labels (I like Avery because of their easy to use templates)

Step 1: Gather your prescription bottles. Unlike me, you may have trouble amassing a vast array of shapes and sizes. So ask people. Your parents are a good place to start. Then try your crazy neighbor (we all have one, except for me, because I AM the crazy neighbor. Chances are, people are happy to share them once they know the labels will be discarded (some may even offer to remove the labels themselves, which saves you a step.)

 Step 2: Remove the labels from your bottles.You've basically got a 50/50 chance here. The labels will either peel off easily or they will stick like they have been glued, taped and covered in some sort of anti-removal coating NASA invented for the space program. For the stubborn ones, try a little dish soap soak and a scrubby sponge. I STRONGLY urge you to wash the bottles and caps in the dishwasher. While you are not going to be drinking shots out of them (okay most of you aren't and the rest of you know who you are) these bottles have contained drugs. Better safe than hopped up on your grandma's blood pressure medication.

Step 3: Dry and recap your clean bottles. This and the next step will be much easier to accomplish with the lids on the bottles! Using your drill with 5/16 bit, drill through the center of the lid of the first bottle. Then, when your husband tells you that you did it wrong, let him finish it while you kick it on the sofa.

 Step 4: Firmly push the light bulb and socket through the hole. It should be tight but you should be able to push it through. If not, tell your husband HE did it wrong and insist the he drill the holes just a wee bit bigger. If the holes are too large, break out the trusty glue gun and cement the lights in by applying glue on the INSIDE of the cap. Chances are though, they will fit perfectly.




 Step 5: Make up something funny to put on your spoof labels. Mine say "Take up to 10 tablets daily by mouth before attending any family holiday. For best results, do drink alcoholic beverages while taking this medication." You can personalize them for a friend, a business, even for those family members that are partially, if not completely, responsible for the dysfunction in family. Print out your labels, apply them and (if you want) coat with spray sealant.

Step 6: Plug in and enjoy!