How to Make Recycled Shotgun Shell Lights

We recycle every day, yet some items we don't think twice about recycling. Here is an item that can easily be recycled into something fun, festive, and inexpensive. All you need is a couple items from around the house and some empty shotgun shells.

Materials 

1 100 Strand indoor/outdoor mini lights (multi or clear), 

1 pair hinged needle nose pliers,

100+ empty shotgun shell casings, multi-colored 

Instructions 

1. Gather empty shotgun shell casings from a local clay target shooting range in 12 and 20 gauge sizes. Most locations recycle or throw them away. Ask if you are not going out on the range if someone can assist you with gathering the casings. 
2. Rinse out the casings and let dry to make sure that all residue is free from the shell. 
3. If you choose to use a multi-color set and start with a red light use a red casing, a green light a green casing and so on. If you are using a string of clear lights then you can mix the colors any way you choose to mix them. 
4. Take the shotgun shell in one hand and with your thumb and index finger reform the open end so that it is a bit softer to manipulate for the next step. 
5. Take your pliers and begin crimping the folds back down into place. It will not be perfect and look exactly like a brand new shotgun shell, but it will be close enough for a light bulb to be placed through the opening. 
6. Once you have the shotgun shell crimped and a hole large enough for a light bulb, take the string of lights and try to push the light bulb through gently. If the light bulb does not go through the hole, take out the string of lights. Use the needle nose pliers and rework the area just enough to make the hole a little larger so that the light bulb fits snug. Try again. 
7. Grab your next shotgun shell and do the same process for each shotgun shell casing and light on your strand. 

Once your strand of lights has a shotgun shell casing on each bulb you are ready to plug them in and enjoy- any time of the year.