April 2020
Dolly woke up. It was a brand new day.
But she was not excited.
No.
She was scared and afraid.
No school today.
School is closed ‘til next year.
No teachers. No lessons. Not even her friends.
Dolly was at home, with her mom and her dad.
But they were too busy to see she was sad.
They had work on their computers and she had homework to do.
And in the evenings they ignored her then too.
They stared at their phones while watching the news.
Sometimes Dolly’s dad would shout.
And her mom would read something that made her cry out!
“Oh, Dolly, this world is too cruel, it’s too cruel.”
So Dolly would sit on the porch and sigh,
as she waved at the neighbors who passed carefully by.
They waved back and said muffled hellos.
Through masks that they wore and distance they kept.
These were the things Dolly saw as she slept.
She couldn’t see her cousins, family, or friends.
And though she was little, she feared for the end.
She called her grandmother to have a quick chat.
They laughed and they cried
at the screen as they sat.
Grandma told her about days that had passed
and how they kept in touch
with paper notes that the wrote and sent through the mail.
Dolly loved this idea.
Her thoughts began to swell as she made cards with rainbows and hearts.
Her mom got addresses.
Her dad had some stamps.
She sent postcards to everyone she knew.
In just a few days her own mailbox was full.
Thank you, thank you, thank you they all said.
Your artwork really helped.
I needed that smile I got from your card.
Dolly was so happy, she danced around her yard.
Her mom and dad saw something.
Something they couldn’t see in their screens.
The world is still made for us.
It is still kind and still cares.
It just needs us to be the ones who send love out into the air.
July 26th, 2017 (Originally published on spia.vt.edu but has since been taken down when they redid their website)
A spring morning in Hillsville, VA found a group gathered in the training room of Virginia's Southwestern Virginia Training Center (SWVTC), a state facility, serving people with developmental challenges. Nineteen employees and one private-sector attendee from Wall REsidences were selected to participate in the Virginia Public Sector Leader I (VPSL I) program.
This program was specifically designed for our facility and led by Leisha G. LaRiviere, Associate Director SPIA (Richmond Campus). LaRiviere partnered with Patricia Bullion, Staff Development Director, SWVTC and Dennis Shrewsberry, Director, SWVTC in various training elements of the program.
The majority of those attending the VPSL I program from SWVTC were there because of a shared uncertain future. All the training centers, except Southeastern Virginia Training Center in Chesapeake, will be closed by 2020. The closure of the Virginia Training Centers stems from an agreement entered into by the Department of Justice and the Commonwealth of Virginia. SWVTC's closure date is June 2018. Staff at SWVTC are not only preparing the individuals that reside at SWVTC for their move into the community due to this closure, but they are also preparing themselves for future unemployment in an area that is known for job scarcity.
Throughout the week, class attendees found themselves challenged on both a personal level and as a group. "Not knowing what to expect, I approached this class solely to find information and methods for leadership that I could use with my current position as a volunteer with the fries Community Center," said Denny Brooms, Direct Support Professional. "I learned through the class that leadership is not going to be found in a single volume...but is a conglomerate formed through experiences and time. The skills learned and management tools developed in the VPSL strengthen our leadership capacities. "
Tasks included self-assessments of personality types and preferences, discussing organizational vision and mission as drivers of the manager-leader continuum, developing personal statements, and learning the fundamentals of risk management and total quality management. Participants were introduced to several skills and tools related to fiscal management, project management, and strategic planning. One of the full-group projects during the week was to envision, design, and propose a hypothetical program. The group was also tasked to put their new environmental scanning tools to work, conduct a SWOC (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges) analysis and stakeholder analysis of the program. The team proposed a mentoring program intended to help their peers and coworkers face the inevitable job-loss in the coming year. Feeling hopeful, with renewed energy, someone exclaimed, "We could actually do this!" And thus, the G.R.I.T (Guiding Retrospect Into Tomorrow) Mentoring program was born.
Staff Development Director, Patricia Bullion, expressed her enthusiasm for the VPSL program, the G.R.I.T. Mentoring project, and mentoring in general: "Mentoring in the workplace has numerous benefits, as employees become more self-directed and develop stronger communication and problem-solving skills they are more engaged. This allows the organization to become more creative and focus its attention on the most effective method of quality service delivery. Mentored employees also value collaboration and sharing of information, leading to increased confidence, and a less stressful work environment."
Before the program's launch, approval from Dennis Shrewsberry, Director of SWVTC, as well as SWVTC's Quality Improvement Council (QIC) would be needed. On April 24, the members who were going to be actively involved in G.R.I.T. were made aware that their presentation to QIC would take place on the morning of May 17. The timeline was tight, but members were up for the challenge despite their personal workloads and varying schedule times.
During this time frame, Project Coordinators were selected to include: Tiffany Absher, Matt Miller, Katie Newman, Tom Smith, and Crystal Vaughan. Ten VPSL I graduates agreed to be mentors.
Newman and Vaughan presented the G.R.I.T. Mentoring proposal to the Quality Improvement Council on May 17. They were joined by Matt Miller, Rebecca Nester, Tom Smith, Danyale Lundy, Corey Williams, Kelly Williams, Charlene Guynn, and Tiffany Absher to help answer questions from the QIC members. After the presentation, approval was received from the council as well as from Dennis Shrewsberry, Director, SWVTC. Shrewsberry shared his approval of the proposal: "With the challenges we currently are facing, I can't imagine a better time and place for establishing a mentoring program. I am very grateful to the Project Team and the VPSL Program for having the vision to sense the need and take the initiative to capitalize on the opportunity it presents for our facility."
According to Leisha LaRiviere, the success of the group's mentoring initiative merges with efforts put forth during the course. "Whether analyzing budget shortfalls or conducting environmental scans, each person demonstrated high interest and a willingness to learn. The SWVTC group was motivated and engaged in the curriculum, quickly adapting newly-minted project management skills for their innovative mentoring program design. Virginia Tech is honored to work with the VPSL team as they move forward to implementation."
In the upcoming weeks and months, each SWVTC mentor will be taking on one interested mentee and helping them with the goal(s) they have chosen for themselves. The G.R.I.T. Mentoring Program will also be offering group classes and mentoring sessions in order to help a larger number of interested SWVTC staff. The mentoring team hopes for success at the facility campus, and growth into the region, and into the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Service facilities across the Commonwealth.
The idea launched during the Virginia Tech's School of Public Administration and Affairs Virginia Public Sector LEader I leadership development certificate program is now a fully-conceptualized program. The program's creators hope to see mentoring grow as a way to "pay it forward". Each VPSL attendee was grateful for the experience and the knowledge that they gained from participating in the VPSL I program. In the words of Rebecca Oakes, Administrative Specialist, SWVTC, "The VPSL I program was more than just a class. It had a way of making you search deep within yourself, enabling new skills to better help others."
The Virginia Public Sector Leader (VPSL) program is a leadership development certificate program of Virginia Tech's School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA). The VPSL is one of an array of leadership and professional programs in SPIA's learning portfolio. The VPSL is organized in three levels for the current manager (Level I), emerging leader (Level II), and organizational executive (Level III), and intended for public agencies and nonprofits. Each VPSL program features a specifically-designed curriculum developed by Virginia Tech School of Public and International Affairs faculty members in tandem with partnering agencies. Since 2015, more than 270 leaders in the Commonwealth have participated in the VPSL learning program. For more information on the VPSL program, please contact Leisha LaRiviere.
Byline: Crystal Vaugah, Community Integration Transition Project Leader, SWVTC
May 12, 2017 (LinkedIn Article)
Many things have lead to this moment of me deciding to be brave and put my dreams out for the world to see. It began in January of this year when I first learned about Book In A Box through a link of remote jobs that a friend sent to me. I went through the different companies and Book in a Box struck me as something beyond your basic business. I could go on gushing about all the things that they embody but you'd be better off checking out their website and seeing for yourself. http://BookinaBox.com
I applied to a few positions they had open, but failed to wow them enough to get to the next level. I know within my heart that if the right position at this company came along I could thrive in a way that would benefit them greatly. Because when I am passionate about something I do not hesitate to give 110% and they are a company that I am already passionate about.
The next thing that began my journey to stepping out of my comfort zone was taking a leadership class through my current workplace. The discussions in this class about leadership and the book we read (Turn the Ship Around - David Marquette) reminded me so much about what I'd read and learned about Book in a Box. This increased my respect for them, their tribe mentality, and their culture doc.
Then I decided I was going to slowly work my way through all the books that they had helped to put out into the world. The book I started with was Remarkable You: Build a Personal Brand and Take Charge of Your Career by Chris Dessi. In this book Dessi talked about his experience in creating the website FacebookShouldHireMe.com. After reading the book and reaching out to Dessi I began to create the website that would eventually become BookInABoxShouldHireMe.com
This was a nerve wracking task I had put before myself. How could I possibly actually publish this site? What if I failed miserably? Then earlier this week an older lady turned to me out of the blue and said, "You will blink and be my age one day."
I expected her to continue about how I need to appreciate each moment and not let memories pass me by, but that is not what she said. Instead she said,
"Don't ever quit on your dreams. If you do you will regret it every day of your life."
That was the moment I knew I needed to go ahead and purchase the url and upload the site. While I am putting myself at risk for failure, she was right, I would always wonder what would have happened if I went for it, reached high, and tried my best to accomplish the dream of working for a company that gets information from inside of people's minds and out into the hands of people who benefit so much from those words. Myself being an example of that and that is just after reading one book that they have published.
So while I'm nervous and a bit scared to put myself on the line in such a big way, there's no way that I couldn't take this risk. I wouldn't refer to myself as the typical risk taker, but when the risk is worth it, go big or go home.
Monday, April 29, 2013
We hear of more and more people becoming interested in raising their own chickens for fresh eggs. People are showing an interest in knowing where their food comes from, and part of that results in growing your own food. Even people in more urban areas are trying to find ways to have their own chicken coop.
So what are the main reasons that people want to keep chickens? Let's look at a few:
The first one is obvious, to be your own food producer. Raising your own chickens for eggs and food allow you to know first hand what the animal ate, what conditions it was living in, and how it was treated.
Eating fresh. Fresh eggs are amazing. And if you garden as well you can have an abundance of fresh food in your refrigerator.
Weed & Insect control. Chickens like to eat bugs, grasses, and other plants that may sprout up.
Make new friends. Team up with other people in your area who raise back yard chickens to trade tips and tricks.
Other than the reasons for keeping them, you should probably know a few things about keeping backyard chickens:
Legalities: This is going to be different for every town. So it is best if you check with your city council. If you live in an area with a Homeowner's Association, you will need to check with them also.
Roosters: Do you need a rooster? If you just want hens for eggs and do not want to breed your chickens then a rooster is unnecessary. The hens will lay so long as they are happy, comfortable, and getting the right nutrition.
Hen Quits Laying: Chickens have a lifespan of up to 12 years. However, they usually only produce large amounts of eggs between 6 months to 2 years of age, after 2 years the hen will not produce as many eggs. To keep the eggs coming you will need to invest in new hens and have a plan for the old ones. Some people use their hens that have quit laying as a food source. If this is not something you would be willing to do, you will need to find an alternative.
How Much Room is Needed: This will depend on local codes and on how many chickens you have. Keep in mind that the majority of towns and cities have ordinances that state how far a chicken coop has to be from other structures (this is usually somewhere around 20', but always check your local laws). Inside of the coop your hens will require about 2-3 square feet of space each. The outdoor run needs to offer 4-5 square feet of space per each hen.
Cleaning: Chicken manure can be quite potent. To keep your chickens healthy and happy, you will want to get rid of manure every 1-2 days. For deep cleaning 2 or more times a year. There are methods to helping keep a chicken coop clean on sites such as BackYardChickens.com
Amongst the farm animal supplies on our website you will find supplies to help you with your chickens. We have a variety of poultry feeders, waterers, heat lamps, and even a nesting box in our poultry supplies section.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Warm summer months are upon us and with that comes the much loved treat of ice cream. There is nothing better to enjoy on a hot summer day.
One of the most favorite methods of making ice cream at home is using a hand crank ice cream maker, these machines add to the nostalgia of having family together for a cookout on a hot summer day.
When using a hand crank ice cream maker you will first want to be sure that you have all the parts to it. Next make sure that everything is good and clean. If you still have the manual to your maker there should be some recipes in it. Pick out one of those or find one online that you want to try out.
It is recommended to make the custard for your ice cream a little ahead of time so that it has time to chill before you put it in the ice cream maker.
Have your ice prepared by having it broken into small coarse pieces.
Place your ice cream canister into the wooden bucket of your ice cream maker. It will need to rest easily on the metal guide that is in the bottom of the bucket. Place your dasher into the canister and be sure that its socket fits onto the protrusion on the bottom of the canister.
Pour the cooled ice cream mixture into your canister. Do not fill it more than halfway full. Place the canister cover and turn your dasher stem with your fingers until it easily turns.
Grasp the gear frame and work the dasher stem into the socket of it.
Slide the cranking end of the ice cream maker into the bucket ear. The opposite end of your gear frame will fit into the bucket latch.
Fill your wooden bucket with ice, to speed up the freezing of your ice cream, layer ice then rock salt. Crank for about 2 minutes so that the canister chills evenly. Add more ice and rock salt as the ice melts down (be sure not to plug the hole on the side of your ice cream maker it is used to drain excess brine out of the ice cream maker).
In about 20-25 minutes your ice cream mix should be sufficiently churned. But it does sometimes take longer than this with a hand crank ice cream maker. Your ice cream should be about as consistent as soft ice cream. To determine this pay attention to how difficult is to turn the crank. Further churning of your ice cream past this point will not improve the quality of it.
Hold your canister cover firmly. Remove the gear frame carefully. Take off the canister cover and remove the dasher. You will want to use a wooden spoon to scrape off any excess ice cream. Now your ice cream is ready to be eaten.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Ever brew up a large pot of coffee and then not have time to finish it all? Save that coffee for cleaning your grill.
A grill that has grease burned on can be difficult to clean, but coffee will make it easier. Since coffee is acidic it helps to break the grease down making it easier to remove.
Soak your grill grates, utensils, and/or burners in the coffee for about an hour then scrub off the grease and rinse it off. The grease should come off without as much scrubbing as usual.
Want some other ideas on using coffee this summer? Read up on our previous post about making a coffee rub for steak.
Need parts or accessories for your coffee maker? Visit Coffee Maker Outlet.
Does your coffee come in a metal can? Or even a plastic one? There are tons of ideas on how to re use those cans so that they aren't piling up at the garbage dump.
Here are some ideas for upcycling those coffee cans that we were able to come up with:
Paint them or Decoupage for giving gifts: Remove any labels and wash the outside so that the paint will adhere evenly.Then using spray paint made for either metal or plastic (depending on what type of coffee can you have) spray in a color that you like. You can use these spray painted cans to put gifts in to give to people for holidays or other special occasions.If decoupaging use a type of glue recommended for decoupage and use it to adhere the paper that you want to decorate your can with.
Use to absorb moisture: Take a coffee can, fill with charcoal briquets, punch holes in the lid and place in a closet that stays damp in order to absorb moisture.
Turn into a lantern: Using a drill or other tool punch holes in a pattern on your coffee can (this idea is only good for metal cans). Place a candle inside and light for a pretty candle lantern that you created yourself.
Yarn or Twine Storage: Punch a hole into the lid of a can and place the end of your yarn or twine through it. Then put your yarn into the can and put the lid back on. This will help keep your yarns from getting tangled and help you to always find the end of it.
Make a Kitchen Compost Bucket: Place an empty coffee can on your kitchen counter so that you have a place to toss kitchen scraps in between your trips out to the compost pile.
Emergency Traction Can: Keep a coffee can filled with clean litter so that if you ever find your car stuck without traction you have litter on hand. To regain traction take the can and litter and sprinkle it where you need to in order for your car to regain traction.
Use as a Planter: You can paint your can in any color that you want, then punch some holes in the bottom, put about 1" of gravel in order to keep the holes from becoming blocked, fill with potting soil and plant some pretty blooms in your new planter.
There are tons more ideas for using coffee cans. So fire up your coffee maker and get to using those coffee grounds so you have a free coffee can to reuse around your home. Have more ideas? Please share them with us in the comments!
Thursday, April 11, 2013
The weather is warm and the dirt is waiting to be planted and tended for your garden. Excitement is in the air as you dream about the harvest you will have this coming fall. Make sure your harvest is not hindered by plant diseases. Take these precautions to help prevent diseases from forming in your garden:
Using Cured Compost will help your plants to be stronger, a stronger plant will be able to resist diseases more easily. Don't know how to cure your compost? Follow these easy steps:
To begin the curing process stop adding organic material to your compost heap.
Turn your pile once a week to allow oxygen to permeate the materials in your compost.
Wet your compost until it is the consistency of a wet sponge.
After 3 months your compost should be ready. If there are still large particles in your pile it needs to go through the curing process again.
Keep your garden watered during droughts. A weak plant will succumb to diseases more easily.
Space your plants wide and use trellises for plants that like to spread out. This will allow air to get around the leaves and dry your plants well, a continually wet plant is a breeding ground for diseases.
Use mulch to keep any soil born diseases from splashing up onto the leaves of your plants.
If a fungal outbreak begins on your plants you can slow it by using garden shears to cut off affected leaves, branches, and/or fruits. Only cut the plant if the foliage is dry, a wet plant will cause the spores to spread more quickly. There are also sprays that you can create to help kill the fungus. There are several for each different variety of fungus, if you have plants with hairy leaves you can use a mixture of 1 tsp baking soda to a quart of water and some drops of liquid soap as a spray mix.
A great sprayer for applying necessary treatments to sick plants or to spray on preventative treatments are the Solo sprayers.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Pine cones make great firestarters, if you aren't up to making your own you can purchase firestarters at http://www.woodstove-outlet.com/fireplace/startmatch.htm.
Items you'll need:
Pine Cones
Fine Candle Wick
Paraffin, Candlewax, or beeswax
Newspaper or wax paper
Cheap pot that you won't use for food after this project, deep straight sided pot is the best.
The first thing you need to do is gather your pine cones. If the pine cones are too dry then they will be brittle and tend to break as you handle them. Pine cones that are too wet need to be allowed to dry for seven to ten days in a weather protected area.
Next wrap the wick around the pinecone tightly being sure to leave a "tail" at the tip of the pinecone so that you can use this as a handle for when you are dipping the cone.
Melt down your paraffin or wax in the pot. While it is melting set up your dipping and drying area. Line your drying area with newspaper or wax paper. This is the area that the pine cones are going to rest on while they are drying. If you want them to come up easier, we recommend going with the wax paper, the pine cones will stick to the newspaper some.
Be sure to keep your eye on your wax during the set up so that it doesn't burn. Your wax needs to be liquid, but not so fluid enough that it just drips right off of your pine cone. If it is that fluid you will want to let it cool a bit before you start dipping your pine cones in it.
After you've dipped your pine cone let it drip over the pot for a bit before putting it in the drying area, this just helps to keep from making a huge mess by having wax drip everywhere. You may need to dip some of your pine cones again after they've dried for a bit. The wax needs to lightly cover the pine cone all over:
While waiting for being used as firestarters these pinecones make a lovely decoration when displayed in a small basket.
There are other methods to creating pine cone fire starters. Some use cupcake tins for an interesting take on this project. A quick search will give you tons of various tutorials.
Friday, June 21, 2013
Sometimes knowing when to replace the gasket to your pressure cooker or canner can be a little confusing. We want you to be able to identify when you need a new gasket so that your pressure cooking and canning will be more efficient and safe.
The lifespan of your gasket is going to depend on how frequently you use your pressure cooker/canner, what types of food you cook in it, and how it is stored.
If there is steam escaping from between the body of the cooker/canner and the lid you will first want to make sure that the gasket, lid, and body rim are clean and properly installed, if you determine that they are then you can test your gasket.
To test the gasket, take it out of the lid, stretch it slightly and then retry sealing your cooker/canner. If the steam continues to escape then you need to replace your gasket with a new one.
It is a good idea to keep an extra gasket on hand so that if you are in the middle of a large canning session you won't be side tracked by having to go out and track down a new gasket. We carry pressure cooker parts for a large variety of pressure cookers and canners. For help finding the parts you need, contact our customer service at 1-800-251-8824.
How to Store your Pressure Cooker/Canner:
To extend the lifespan of your gasket you will need to properly store your pressure cooker/canner.
When you prepare your pressure cooker/canner for storage you will want to clean it well, make sure it is dry before placing it into storage. When you store your cooker/canner do not store it with the lid tightened on as this can cause a vacuum inside of the pot and the lid will not release when you try to open it. Many people will take the gasket out and store it inside of the cooker/canner pot and place the lid on upside down. Do not store your cooker/canner in a place where there is a lot of moisture or high temperature changes.
Keep your gasket clean, dry, and grease free. To install a new gasket, soapy water can make it easier to slip into the pressure cooker/canner lid.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Glass milk bottles are a great item to have around for everything from using for drinks to creating crafts. We have scoured our brains, the internet, and everything to come up with 101 ideas for using those glass milk bottles.
Use to hold milk in the fridge.
Use for Orange Juice or other fruit juices.
Store chocolate syrup.
Use small ones as drink glasses.
Use as vases.
Use as centerpieces.
Store buttons.
Store marbles.
Store beads.
Use as a paintbrush holder.
Store marshmallows.
Store dried beans.
Store dried fruits.
Put ingredients for a recipe in one as a gift.
Serve milk shakes in them.
Decorate with stickers and use as decor.
Use a short one as a pencil holder.
Use to hold push pins.
Use to hold paperclips.
Fill with bubble liquid and have a bubble blowing party.
Put a tea-light in them and use as candle holders.
Use as a bottle for homemade salad dressing.
Put candy in them for gifts.
Create a terrarium in one.
Use as a unique water bottle. (reusable also!)
Paint numbers on them and use to designate tables at a wedding or big dinner party.
Create a bird feeder with one.
Store nuts.
Store dried herbs & spices.
In the garage store nuts & bolts.
Store screws & nails.
If you have a lot of used milk bottles (or other glass bottles) they can be used to make a garden border, turn them upside down and stick into the dirt around the area you want surrounded.
Punch holes in the lids of small milk bottles and use as salt and pepper shakers.
Use as a candle holder.
Store legos in them.
Store game pieces in them.
Make into a glass bottle soap dispenser.
Use in the bathroom to hold toothbrushes.
Use in bathroom to hold hair bows.
Store seeds in them.
Fill with water to the top then set a bulb on top to get the bulb started growing (will only work with certain plants, know your plant before doing this)
Use to store sugar.
Use to store dry powder creamer.
Use to keep extra keys in.
Keep small fabric scraps of the same color in them to keep a craft area organized.
Use to keep knitting/crochet needles organized.
Create a chandelier using glass bottles.
Create your own snow globes (be sure you have a milk bottle with a GOOD sealing lid)
If you have a large milk bottle you can purchase a lamp kit and create a unique lamp.
Use as a makeshift rolling pin.
Message in a Bottle.
Use to store bulk items to make using them easier (oils, etc.)
Create a memory bottle. Fill with small things from a vacation, holiday, etc.
Use as a change jar.
Use to store homemade herbal oils.
Use to store homemade bath salts.
Use to store homemade vinegar.
Use to catch a creepy crawly insect to release outside.
Use to store safety pins.
Create a wall of hanging flower vases for single flowers.
If you have leftover pancake batter, pour into bottle and save for next day.
Store cotton balls in them.
Create a photo frame, carefully roll photo so that it will unfold in the right direction when placed into the jar, (especially cute if you put it in upside down) Then place a few of these in a grouping for a neat look.
Store homemade cleaners and detergents in them.
Store soaps, body washes, bath oils, etc. in them (very pretty with fancy labels added).
Use to store and display tiny pebbles or seashells from a walk at the beach.
Create faux porcelain pottery (see how to at P.S. - I made this...)
Create a job bottle, have pieces of paper with chores on them for the kids to shake out to see what their task for the day is.
Use to hold straws.
If you have tight fitting lids, you can create premade cocktails and allow them to chill in a washtub with ice for cookouts and parties.
Fill with colored light strings (like the ones that are out at Christmas) for outdoor patio summertime decor.
Fill with glitter (can even punch tiny holes in lid to use as a glitter shaker).
Decorate to use as wedding decor.
Use to store ribbon.
Use on a bottle tree.
Splatter some glow paint inside of a milk bottle for a glow in the dark starry creation.
Wrap in yarn for an interesting vase or decor piece.
Paint to make them look like candy corn to use as Halloween or fall decor.
Use to hold makeup brushes.
Throw a cupcake and milk bar party serving milk in glass milk bottles.
Brad and eyelet storage containers.
Store stickers.
Store pins.
Store small sewing machine parts.
Use to store soap slivers until you are ready to make new soap with them.
Create a beach in jar.
Create a jar garden.
Fill with a favorite snack or cereal for a take along that won't let the food get crushed the way a plastic bag will (plus the bottle is reusable the bags usually get thrown away).
Use to hold silverware on the picnic table.
Fill with colored water to make a pretty display on a windowsill.
Collect fireflies in the summer (be sure to let them back out or they will die overnight).
Fill with your favorite potpouri and set out where you can get a whiff every time you walk by.
Store broken jewelry in, then once it is full use all the old jewelry to make some new pieces.
Store vintage coins in it for a neat display.
Store small amounts of leftover paint (keep out of sunlight and be sure lid is on tightly) great way to know what color is in the bottle.
Use to store any liquids from another broken or leaky bottle.
Use to catch a small drip under a sink until you have time to repair it.
Build a ship in one.
Fill with something pretty and use as a paperweight.
Fill with candies and decorate outside to match wedding decor and give away as wedding favors.
Fill with tiny Christmas ornaments for a neat holiday decor item.