Mailing Tube Vase Fillers

I did some work on my mantel and I wanted to share a neat trick I used to fill vases - and tell you the mistake that I made that I can't fix now but hope that no one really notices. I had these two HUGE vases that I wanted to fill with beans/peas and a candle but...I didn't want to buy TONS of beans and peas.

 

I remember seeing somewhere - thought it was Pinterest but couldn't find it again - where someone used paper towel roles in the middle of their vase to help fill up the space. I did have some paper towel roles but they were still going to be too narrow.  So then I remembered that I had kept some of the mailing tubes that I get when I order vinyl from Expressions Vinyl - the ONLY place I get my vinyl if I can help it!!  It was in my stack of stuff I save because I know I'll need it at some point but have no clue what that might be at the time.  Do you have a stack like that?  It drives me (and my husband) crazy most of the time because it just looks like junk but then that magical day comes when you you think of something to do with it!!  Well, that magical day came for me! 

I dug out my container and cut it in half.  But...do you see below where I went wrong?  I see it now, but didn't then.  Notice the difference in the heights of the tubes!  Uh oh! I'll point that out more specifically in a minute.

What is cool is that each end has a cap so I didn't have to stuff anything down in the middle to keep the beans from going down in there.

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I filled each one with the white beans first and then the split peas.  I was oh so careful to get it all equal...but remember the difference in the tubes?  One is higher than the other. Didn't realize it until all the beans where in.  Now there is no way to fix it without having to pour out the beans which would mean separating all of the beans.  Um, no, thanks.  I'll wait until I refill it this fall and then cut the container to the right size.

In the overall scheme of things I don't think anyone would notice.  I don't think people are in the habit of staring at my mantel the way I was doing when I was just looking over the craft I had done.  All in all, I'm really happy with the way it looks!!  (Oh, I've since taken the red lantern off - it didn't look right.  But I'm too lazy to go take a new picture right now - haha).

Mantel with vases and vase fillers

I just love these vases and can't wait for fall and Christmas to change them up again!!

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