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Crafting Cupboard: Glowing With Creativity

By Marci Watterson
Whether decorating your home, adding a festive party glow or helping small children get over the fear of the dark, this craft may provide just the right heart felt warmth you want.

There is an added bonus to this craft experience, a treasure hunt! Many household items have great potential for illumination and the entire family can help select what to use.

Several items were used in creating this article/craft, but only your imagination can create the ultimate outcome you’re looking for and there is no lack of glow for your show.

Key Materials: batteries; pen/or rat tail file; battery operated lights; an item to illuminate; and of coarse your imagination.

Optional Materials: a three pack of Stick N Click; a packet of 4 ROD-N-BOBB’S BEACON REFILLS; SYLVANIA DOT-it Checker,(these are waterproof; Baskets; Crystal Prisms; glass stones/or beads, (all of the before named products were found at Wal-Mart); Scotch Re-closable Fasteners, or Velcro squares; Nicole Wedding Garden mini lights, (both found at A.C. Moore); 2 pack of Flameless tea light Candles (battery operated); plastic fruit; cheese shakers, (all three items found at the Dollar Tree Store); a clothes hanger; wire snips; needle nose pliers; any old or odd globes from outdated lighting fixtures.

Cheese Shaker Lantern: Small or large the shaker will need a wire hanger. Using wire snips cut the straight portion of the clothes hanger off and cut to a size which is double the height of the shaker. Once you have done this bend the wire into a U shape and insert through the lid holes on opposite sides, close to the rim. Remove the lid and on the inside use the needle nose to bend the tips, so the hanger stays in place when carried or hung up. Choose whether you wish to place the battery tea light upside-down with Velcro on the lid filled with glass beads or stones inside the shaker as reflectors or place the tea light at the bottom of the shaker with a few crystal prisms hanging from the lid openings to catch any movement of light.

Basket of Intrigue: Baskets come in a wide range of sizes, colors and weaves. A wine basket is fun by merely placing a Stick N Click light at the bottom to allow the light to dance through the weave design and don’t forget other styles of baskets or chests that may be made from wicker, the ideas are endless.

Decorative Centerpieces at the Table: Hold off on the traditional candles and have the table glow with fruit. Plastic fruit can really brighten up the atmosphere while dining. Both the mini light string set and the light sticks, (Beacon Refills) can be used. If you find some plastic grapes, simply remove the amount of grapes to glow and insert one of the lights from the eight stands per battery pack, then replace the grapes as you go to their stem area. Other battery packs can be added for more grapes. Now if you happened to pick up a few small plastic pumpkins or any other fruit but they don’t have holes at the bottom, you can punch a hole through with a pen or use a rat tail file and create a deep enough hole to insert a glow stick. Any battery packs can be hidden underneath the fruit in a bowl or basket and place on the table.

The Mystic Globe: With Halloween coming up soon this could also perk up a table of treats. Ok, you’ve found a glass or plastic globe from an old fixture you’ve taken down, well it’s time to be Frankenstein and breath a little life into that hollow shell of a light fixture. The Sylvania Dot-it checker comes in four colors to play with, and after selecting the color try placing it on a plant stand with a garland of autumn leaves around the glowing sphere.

Note from Marci: I am sorry to say this will be my last column for now and I thank all of my loyal followers. If current circumstances change, I hope to return in the future. Above all try to view everything around you as a potential treasure!

Photos by Marci Watterson

Past Articles
Crafting Cupboard: Place ‘n Peel Detailing
Crafting Cupboard: Toting A Review
Crafting Cupboard: Designing on a Budget