Solar Chandelier Project

Thrift store chandelier + solar pathway lights =

Summer Ambiance.

I couldn't be happier with the way my latest craft project turned out. I have had many Pinterest fails, but this one I can actually say "nailed it"!!

Here's the step by step process on how I made this awesome solar chandelier for my backyard.

First Stop: The Thrift Store

I love thrift stores for projects like these. One woman's outdated trash can always turn into a treasure. My friend Marty happened to run across this 1990s chandelier for $10 and asked me if I wanted it. Duh....SOLD!

I removed all the glass shades and cleaned it with a damp cloth. Then I got a pair of wire cutters and removed all of the electrical wires from the sockets. I also removed the chain from the top since I wasn't going to be needing it.

Add Some Color

Next, I covered the entire chandelier with this awesome bright blue spray paint. I LOVE THIS COLOR. It reminds me of the ocean. It's just such a positive fun color. This really only took two coats to cover.

Here's the thing with spray paint. Paint lightly, let it dry completely and then spray it lightly again. You don't want giant drips and that's exactly what happens if you spray it on too heavy. I prefer to spray paint outside so check the weather and make sure you can apply several coats and have great coverage. It only took about 45 minutes between coats to dry. Because this chandelier was metal, I didn't sand it before painting. The paint adhered perfectly.

Let There Be Light

Next step was adding the solar lights. I bought these lights from Amazon. They are just run of the mill pathway solar lights. I'm sure you can find some that are less expensive, however I loved the look of these. They come with the stake for the pathway detached so I tossed out the stick and just used the solar light part. Don't forget to read through the instructions and pull the tab out before you attach them to the chandelier.

The process of adhering the lights to the chandelier was a bit of trial and error. I first used gorilla glue which adhered the plastic to the metal, but because the base of the light was smaller than the little cup that was left on the chandelier after I removed the light socket it made the light a little "tippy" and not solid. (here's a picture of my first attempt at gluing in the lights. You can see that the light in the back is a little crooked.)

So instead I went to my local craft store and got an acrylic resin that they use for floral arrangements. When it hardens, it looks like water. The one I purchased at Michael's is similar to this one. It's a two part resin + hardening agent and it worked great.

I placed the lights into the chandelier and carefully poured in the resin. I used blue painter's tape as a temporary "clamp" to hold the lights in place and let it dry for a solid 48 hours.

I couldn't leave this on my kitchen table so I had to put it out in the garage to dry. It was a little humid so it took a bit of time to set. Here's a close up of the light/tape/resin set up:

After the resin was completely dry, I bought a shepherds hook at the local hardware store and set it in the back yard. Voila!

I plan on taking this camping for some light at the campground. The solar lights produce enough light to see and have a little ambiance without attracting bugs. Pinterest win!!