A few of you actually called us on something that we said a while back for our BHG & Home Depot sponsored porch makeover project. In the early stages we mentioned that we were planning to whip up some twine mobiles among a slew of other projects but there was nothing of the sort in the big reveal. Of course we were allowed to change gears mid stream, but you can imagine how thrown we were when our little twine mobile project was a total bust and were back to the drawing board for a way to add a bit of ambiance to the corner of the porch. Sure things worked out in the end, but here’s the long circuitous route that we took to create those hanging candle holders that we used to gussy up our front porch:
A while back John and I had seen a really cool idea in ReadyMade magazine about using string, a balloon and fabric stiffener to create a one of a kind hanging light fixture. So when we were trolling Home Depot for something that we could hang to create interest on our porch, as soon as we laid eyes on some jute twine we decided there had to be a way to make some great woven mobiles using the same basic method. Sure twine is heavier than string and Home Depot didn’t happen to sell fabric stiffener (all of our tools, materials, and furnishings had to come directly from Home Depot so we couldn’t hit up a craft store for any supplies), but we were certain there was a way that we could make those twine mobiles work.
We decided to switch out the suggested “fabric stiffener” for indoor/outdoor urethane (in clear gloss) which we reasoned would stiffen the twine after we wrapped it around a balloon to create a nice round shape. We figured that it would harden to create a pretty strong shell around our mobiles so they would keep their globe-like shape and could happily live outdoors through rain or snow. First John blew up a balloon and tied the end of the twine to the end of it. Then we submerged the twine in urethane and wrapped it around the balloon to create an awesome woven orb.
It was definitely a messy job, but doing it outside over a huge piece of cardboard made it go pretty quickly and before we knew it we had a good thing going on.
Within about thirty minutes, we had three different sized twine mobiles hanging to dry in the garage. All we would have to do is pop those balloons after the twine stiffened up for a foolproof trio of textural mobiles to add interest and fun to our little porch project.
Or so we thought…
Yes, that’s me holding our beloved twine creations. And yes, they look like something a giant cat might cough up. Before we left town to celebrate Easter with the fam they were hanging happily in the garage, but somehow in the time that we were gone they experienced technical difficulties that caused them to collapse prematurely. We have a few theories about why this happened (#1: the urethane was so corrosive that it actually ate through the balloons causing them to pop before the twine had adequately dried therefore resulting in the demise of the orb shape, #2: the twine is just too heavy for the urethane to support in that globe-like shape, #3: light cover lanterns were our destiny so the universe intervened to sabotage our first project). Whichever was the case we were sure sorry when we came home to this sad state of affairs.
So it was back to Home Depot to totally redeem ourselves. Or fail miserably under pressure.
Our first thought was that we could save our twine mobiles (first stage of grief: denial) by sticking something round inside of them to stretch ’em back out into their old globe-like shape. So when we happened across these cheap-o bulb covers in the lighting department (just $4.99 a pop) we decided to snag three of them and give ’em a whirl. We intentionally went with the thickest ribbed glass we could find so they wouldn’t be too delicate for the great outdoors, and as soon as we loaded them into the car our conversation shifted from trying to save the hairballs, er twine mobiles, to making little hanging candle holders with our new discoveries. So we stormed back into Home Depot to grab some thin wire for stringing up our light covers.
But how did we get our bulb covers to hang? A little trial and error taught us that securing a ring of wire tightly around the neck of the glass cover was step one. We used our needle nosed pliers to cut the wire with about an inch of extra wire on each side. Then we twisted both ends around each other to create a strong, tight bond, so there was now a ring of wire that rested firmly beneath the lip of the glass (using our needle nosed pliers to tighten things certainly came in handy). Then we cut a super long piece of wire to create the “handle” that we’d use to hang our candle holders from the cup hooks that we installed in the ceiling. We secured this extra long piece of wire by looping it under the existing wire ring around the neck and twisting about an inch of wire on each side around the ring and itself to secure it in place. We had about a half inch of extra wire on each side so you can see how we tucked it tightly around the lip of the glass cover at a right angle, which seemed to help the handle from sliding around the ring (each side stayed more securely in place across from the other after we added this modification).
In short: a ring of wire around the neck of the glass bulb cover was the foundation that the loop of wire for hanging could be twisted around so the whole shebang could be strung up with a cute pillar candle inside. Each lantern took about five minutes to make and ours have been hanging happily on the front porch through rain and even a tornado warning for the past month.
In the end of course we love the added ambiance that our trio of candle-lit accents bring to the front porch project (all for just $20!), so although we’re sad that our little twine mobiles were a bust, we’re happy to say that the second time really was the charm for this project.
So how about you guys? Have you used anything unexpected (from the hardware store or even the grocery store) to amp up your home decor? Do tell.
Teesha says
Hey Sherry,
I actually have this glass globe as part of my light fixture that soon will be replaced, so this is a perfect project. How did you secure the top of the wire to hang on the cup hook? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
It’s all one length of wire, so it just slips over the cup hook (think of it like an upside down V) and is very sturdy. Over a year later they’re all still hanging in there!
xo,
s
Jennifer says
I am so glad you posted a link to this–what a cute (and inexpensive) idea!!! Our outdoor area definitely needs some ambiance and I think this project is just the thing! :)
Kristy says
I love this… I was wondering how you made them.. they are perfect… thank you for sharing. I kept trying to find this on your house tour. Happy Easter,
Kristy says
Ok. I just had a great idea. Since the ballon twine thing did not work out. Maybe try getting those those garden glaze balls in a solid color and put twine around them. Just a thought…I’m redoing my outdoor porch and trying to think of unquie ideas to dress it up and take the indoors outside. I leave in PA. So weather is a problem.:(
YoungHouseLove says
Great idea! We actually found a lot of new ways to make them so maybe we’ll tackle them again soon…
xo,
s
Star Design says
Great idea with inexpensive globes! Another great idea for your garden: fill a few more of the 4.99 globes with cement, wait to dry, then break the glass around it. Voila, you have stone globes to add interest and architecture to your garden!
Laura Durrer says
Thanks for the advice. I linked to your blog in my Pottery Barn Edison Chandelier inspired creation I’m contemplating in my blog OliveandLove http://www.oliveandlove.com/2010/04/sisal-shade-chandelier-inspired-by.html
Chantel says
Hi YHL!
I did this! However, since Home Depot and Lowes were both out of the glass globes you used, I used plastic ones from Home Depot instead. They were about the same price and safer if they fall as I have a pool about two feet away. I don’t want to drain the pool on account of glass! Anyway, I used a 1/16″ drill bit and drilled two holes opposite of each other. I threaded some really thin wire through, used my jewelry making tools to put a knot in the top, and hung them from my patio with an eye hook. I’m using the flameless, battery operated tealights instead of regular tealight candles. I love them! Thanks for the easy and fun project!
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds awesome! Thanks so much for sharing your method. So smart.
xo,
s
Candle Holders Gal says
First off, your site is so cute! I have no idea how I found your blog but I love it. I hope the best for you two and keep on loving life!
I also thought this post was great. I don’t know why but the “Wrap a balloon with anything and then pop it” never worked for me :) But the little votive holders are a great idea. Just very tasteful. You could even swap them out for red white and blue votive holders when its a patriotic holiday!
Anyway thatnks for the laugh and the great info
-Jen
Kimberly says
I just saw this, and it made me think of your attempt to make something similar for your BHG.com porch makeover. Maybe this method would yield the results you were looking for! If only you had it back when you were looking for those results…oh well, here it is for reference anyway :)
http://www.meetvirginiadesign.com/2010/09/raffia-pendant-light.html
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much for the link!
xo,
s
Janice says
I just moved into a new place with a huge balcony crying out for some cute lighting. I’m going to Home Depot this weekend to give this a shot. Thanks for sharing!
Melissa says
In case you feel daring, and want to try this again for the new house, here is another way to get your globes:
http://wednesdaycustomdesign.com/blog/messiest-merriest-and-whirliest-diy-balls
I bet since you spray after you make them, you could even use urethene afterward, therefor making them outside friendly…
John Christmas says
How cute! I like the lanterns and gee how good would they look with different colored globes. Fantastic.
Joe Black says
Great work with the lanterns, they look amazing in the dark! It seems like your Plan B turn out much better. See how easy it can be making something beautiful from just some things from the local hardware store or grocery store.
Laura Bellamy says
Very cute lanterns. Have you made luminaries out of ice at Christmas? They are super easy and we line our sidewalk with them. It gets cold enough here.
YoungHouseLove says
Love that idea! Haven’t done it yet, but someday I’d love to!
xo,
s
Rebecca says
I love these, and want to add to my deck – did you have any trouble with them collecting rain and shmutz from the trees?
Thanks for the great ideas!
YoungHouseLove says
I think since ours are hanging from the top beam of the porch (and not the gutter if that makes sense) they’re covered enough not to get much debris inside (and since there’s a gutter that juts out above them and catches the rain and stuff it doesn’t fall into the lanterns. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Susan says
THANK YOU!!! Finally someone else it proving that the people on pinterest that got this to work are from another world. I have tried it with yarn too- and it’s just a hot mess, everytime. Glad I’m not the only one. Pinterest needs a button that says, tried it and failed.
how2home says
Hey Sherry!
I know the string lantern didn’t turn out so well for you last time you tried it, you should definitely give it another go! We made some and it was a lot of fun to make, VERY messy and having a good company doing it together makes it go by a lot faster. Drop us a comment and let us know what you think!
http://www.how2home.wordpress.com/2012/06/29/yarn-lantern/
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the link! Will have to give it another go!
xo,
s
how2home says
Don’t forget to show us :) Can’t wait to see! Perhaps you can add these into your backyard as cute decor.
Rebecca says
I made a ton of these for my wedding.. but I didn’t use fabric stiffner.. I used a glove and spread globs of glue on it.. as I was passing the string through, it would pass through the glue and then around the balloon ( I actually used an inflatable ball that later I disinflated)When it was all done, I put glue mixed with water all over it, then left it dripping over an ice cream pot. They had to dry for about a day, then I disinflated the ball and it was left full…They can be seen in the last pic in this post :http://brazilmeetsamerica.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/were-married-and-back/
YoungHouseLove says
So charming!
xo
s