Craft Gossip

Independent craft blog since 2007

Beam N Read Review and Giveaway

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This Beam N Read Reading Light from ASF Lightware solutions is a personal portable LED light.

The lights are worn around the neck and illuminate the workspace in front resulting in much greater versatility than other lights. They are particularly well suited for reading, quilting, knitting, crochet, crafts, travel, camping, power outages, and childcare.  However, the range of uses is almost limitless. They deliver a wider light than clip lights, easily work with newspapers as well as books, and provide anywhere, anytime lighting for tasks like knitting without disturbing others.  Battery life is a lot longer so the ongoing cost to use them is less. Depending on the model, accessories include clip-on magnifiers and color filters.  The result is a product that is one of the most versatile and economical, personal, portable, hands free LED lights available

Thanks to ASF Lightware Solutions we have 2 of these lights to giveaway.

For your chance to win simply leave a comment on this post telling us what you need to “Light Up” in your life.

Competition Open Worldwide.

Competition ends April 1st.

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Comments

  1. Oh this is sooooooooo cool!!! I took a trip this past weekend, and was holding a small LED light which was sooo bright i had to place my thumb over the top to dim it…This beam n read would be sooo awesome!! I would love it!

  2. Right now – I just need to light up late night/early morning reading. But, I’m hoping to get back into cross-stitching at the end of the day . . . I haven’t done it since my son was born, and he’s 3-1/2! Yikes.

  3. This would help a lot in my sewing room. It is so darn dark in there, I can hardly see anything! I would love to use these when sorting through my buttons!!

  4. This would be perfect for cross stitch. I like to work on it at night when we are watching tv, but my dh prefers the lights off.

  5. I would love to have this for my evening embroidery! The family is always complaining that my light shows up on the tv so this would keep a lot of peace in the family!!!

  6. It would be perfect light source for crafts on a sailboat. We have lights but they are so dim that any crafting beyond knitting stockinette stitch (or well, garter) is out of question. Books can be held up to see better but crafts usually can’t..

  8. It would be perfect for doing stitching while watching tv. No light sources in my living room. Reading late in bed would be great too!

  9. This would certainly be great for reading, but my quilting and cross stitch details would love me for having this!!

  10. I tat, often with fine threads, and this would be perfect for helping me see my work, esp. when finishing ends. This would be easily taken when working away from home, too!

  13. Wow! What a super product, and not just for crafters. I’m nearing age 50 and my eyes are just not what they used to be. I don’t have vision insurance so I get by with reading glasses for crafting and reading for the time being. I love the idea of the Beam N Read having a light, that helps tremendously with tiny print and delicate crafting. It also comes in handy when crafting while watching T.V., with reading glasses I’m constantly fidgeting with adjusting my glasses when ever I glance up at the T.V. screen. I really could use the Beam N Read to “light up my life”!

  14. I neede one for knitting and reading, my hubby likes to save energy with very low lighting in our home.

  15. This product looks like it would be great for just about everything I like to do, from creating w/polymer clay to reading. The only problem I foresee is that my dh would end up ‘appropriating’ it for himself!

  16. Hello,
    Love the idea of being able to see my knitting and or patterns w/o turning on the lamp !

  17. This is perfect for when you want to do work at night and don’t want the whole room lit. Embroidery, hand sewing, reading small print on patterns……AWESOME!
    Thanks for the chance…

  18. I am an avid reader & crafter who wears glasses in order to do any of the above. Therefore, I need to “Light Up” all things crafty in my life!

  19. I would like to give this to my Father. He is having trouble seeing and I think the extra light would help when he reads. He will soon be 88 years old and I think this would be perfect for him to use.

  20. It would be perfect for reading in the middle of the night when I can’t sleep. It would be oh so handy at our Mountain cabin where the electricty frequently goes out.

    Darla

  21. I need to light up my crocheting when I’m using a steel hook in order to see those tiny stitches!

  24. As I have AGED GRACEFULLY,my eyesight isn’t what it used to be.These would be wonderful to use when doing ANY craft project.My eyes would be so happy!!

  25. I need to light up my counted cross-stitch. This little light would be great because I would not have to light up the whole room to see what’s in front of me. Great idea. Thank you.

  26. I love to quilt and read but often find the lighting not the best… especially when my dh tells me to turn off the light because it is getting late!!

  27. This would be so nice to give my mom when she’s working on her puzzle books.

  28. I work better with good light, and especially if working with dark colours. Also, this would be neat for early mornings when it is still not bright enough, but only I need a light for some reading or handiworks. I light up when I am working on my crafts and tatting!

  29. I love to cross stitch, but here in Seattle it is very hard to do in the fall and winter with all the gray cloudy days. This light would be a great help.

  30. I would love to give this to my aging grandmother who loves to knit, but whose eyes aren’t quite as good as they once were. Having the extra light or some magnifying would help her alot!

  32. I would love to have one of these lights! When I saw the picture of the lady reading with the light around her neck, I thought, “That light would be perfect to use when I am quilting with my longarm quiting machine!” Being able to aim the light straight at the needle would really help me to see the quilting much better.

  33. This light would help me in many ways. My husband is almost blind and very light sensitive. This would help me focus the light where it needs to go for reading or knitting and then I would not have to hear him complain that I have too many lights on. Would also be good to read in bed with and not disturb him with the big light.

  34. This would be great for reading at night. My husband hates the bedside lamp I use so normally I forego reading.

  35. I love to applique. This light would be just perfect for these old eyes of mine. Please add me to your drawing. Thanks so much!

  36. I would use this when I’m paper crafting. The light in the craft room is ok for general use, but when I need to color or cut small areas, I really struggle to see, this light would be my new best friend, indeed!

  37. I would love to have this for travel. It would allow me to read or crochet without disturbing anyone else.

  38. I wish I could find something to brighten up my life. I have picked up sewing as a hobby to deal with the loss of my unborn 4 mth old baby…And it gets too dark in my bedroom where I sew so I have to limit myself to daytimes only. Sewing rocks…I love being able to create something new with my own hands for my daughter and neightbours…

  39. This is too cool! I live on my patio pretty much all summer and hate to have to go inside after dark to continue my knitting or reading. I could stay outside all night with a fabulous light like this!

  40. Bright lights really bother my eyes at nightime……but I do need to see to knit…..This concentrated light would be perfect for at home or in the car…..

  41. I am always looking for better lighting! I sew, draw, paint, bead, knit, etc. and my eyes aren’t what they used to be!

  42. This would be so wonderful for my beading. I have an OTT light but when I bead in the living room, it is too much hassle to drag it out of my studio.

  43. A cure for cancer would light me up like a Christmas tree! In the meantime, it’s pretty much impossible for a beader like me to have too much light. Shiny good wishes to all.

  44. oooohhh….luv this light! I would totally use this sitting in the backyard, crafting, while my 3-yr old catches fireflies this summer!

  47. All I need to light up my life is waking up to my great husband and daughter every morning. Couldn’t ask for more.

  48. Well… I could light up my book in my daughter’s darkened room as she goes to sleep (she likes me to stay with her)… or I could light up some crafts in my studio, which doesn’t get enough natural light… or I can light up my hangnail as I try to trim it… or I can sneak a peek at hubby’s toenails under the covers at night… really, possibilities are endless.

Have you read?

How to Make a Dried Flower Bouquet with Mini Alcohol Bottles

This dried flower bouquet is a fun twist on a traditional gift bouquet, combining preserved flowers, fragrant lavender, and mini alcohol bottles into one eye-catching arrangement. It has that lovely handmade look, but it is also surprisingly easy to put together.

The dried flowers give it a soft, rustic feel, while the miniature bottles turn it into more of a gift bouquet than a floral one. It works well for birthdays, celebrations, thank-you gifts, party table displays, or as a creative handmade present when you want something a little different from the usual bottle-in-a-bag approach.

Supplies You Will Need

Choosing Flowers for This Style of Bouquet

Because the mini bottles are the stars of this arrangement, the flowers work best when they look soft and airy rather than too bulky.

A good mix might include:

  • lavender for scent and color
  • baby’s breath for fullness
  • eucalyptus for shape and movement
  • dried daisies or tiny filler flowers
  • wispy grasses for texture

Try not to use flowers that are too stiff or heavy, otherwise the bouquet can start to feel crowded.

Step 1: Prepare the Mini Bottles

Start by attaching each mini bottle to a skewer or thin dowel so it can sit inside the bouquet like a stem. You can also uses these ready made stickers and the skewer just slips inside the tip. A faster and neater way to prepare your bouquets.

Use floral wire to wrap firmly around the neck of the bottle, then twist the wire around the skewer to hold it in place. Once secure, wrap floral tape around the wire and skewer to tidy it up and help everything blend in with the flower stems.

Make sure each bottle feels stable before adding it to the bouquet. You do not want one suddenly dropping out halfway through wrapping everything, because that changes the mood of the craft project very quickly.

Step 2: Create the Center of the Bouquet

Choose one or two mini bottles to form the center of the arrangement. Hold them in your hand and start adding dried flower stems around them.

Cross the stems naturally as you build, turning the bouquet slightly as you go. This helps create a rounded, balanced shape rather than a flat bunch.

Add a little baby’s breath or lavender between the bottles so they do not sit too tightly together.

Step 3: Add More Bottles One at a Time

Once the center is established, add the remaining mini bottles around the bouquet. Spread them out so they feel balanced and visible from the front.

It usually looks best to angle the bottles slightly outward instead of standing them perfectly upright. That makes the bouquet feel fuller and allows the labels or bottle shapes to show.

Keep the heavier bottles closer to the center where they are better supported by the stems.

Step 4: Fill in with Dried Flowers and Lavender

Now tuck in more flowers between the bottles to soften the arrangement. Use lavender, baby’s breath, grasses, and small dried blooms to fill gaps and hide any visible wires or skewers.

This is the stage where the bouquet starts looking more polished. The flowers help blend the gift elements into the arrangement so it feels intentional rather than like a bunch of bottles with a few random stems shoved in.

Step 5: Frame with Greenery

Add eucalyptus or other dried greenery around the outside edge of the bouquet. Longer stems work well here because they create that loose, abundant shape and help everything look more layered.

Greenery is also very useful for disguising the mechanics of the bouquet, especially around the bottle stems.

Step 6: Secure the Bouquet

When you are happy with the overall shape, wrap the stems tightly with floral tape near the base. Make sure the bottle skewers are fully included and secure.

Once taped, tie the bouquet with twine, ribbon, or jute string. Trim the bottoms of the stems and skewers so they are a similar length and sit neatly inside the wrapping.

Step 7: Wrap the Bouquet

Lay out wrapping paper or florist paper on a flat surface. Place the bouquet on top at an angle and fold the paper around the stems.

Kraft paper gives it a rustic feel, while white paper creates a cleaner modern look. Soft tissue paper underneath can make the bouquet feel fuller and more gift-like.

Secure the wrap with clear tape, then tie with ribbon or twine.

Step 8: Add a Finishing Touch

Finish the bouquet with a tag, a little handwritten note, or an extra sprig of lavender tucked into the ribbon.

That final detail makes it feel complete and gift-ready.

Tips for Making It Look Better

  • Keep the bottles evenly spaced so one side does not feel too heavy
  • Use filler flowers generously to soften the hard edges of the bottles
  • Attach each bottle very securely before you begin arranging
  • Let some greenery extend beyond the flowers for a looser, more natural shape
  • Check the bouquet from the front and sides as you build

Easy Variations

You can easily change the look of this bouquet depending on the style you want.

Try:

  • an all-lavender version with purple wrap
  • a rustic neutral bouquet with dried grasses and kraft paper
  • a celebration bouquet with brighter preserved flowers
  • a more elegant version using white filler flowers and silver ribbon

Why This Bouquet Works So Well

This type of bouquet has all the charm of dried flowers, but with a fun gift-bouquet twist. The flowers keep it feeling soft and handmade, while the mini bottles make it feel special and a bit unexpected.

It is one of those projects that looks much more complicated than it really is, which is always a nice bonus. And because dried flowers last so well, the bouquet can be enjoyed long after the celebration is over.