Lately I’ve been working with wire and wire mesh. First I made jewelry holders, then a jingle bell ornament, and now this decorative light fixture. I have two more wire projects planned, but not until later this year. Next week I’m switching back to paint.

When I tell you what it took to make this Snowball light, you’ll think I’m crazy. So I’m not going to tell you right away. Just know that its basic components are basket-style coffee filters, a sheet of hardware cloth, and a string of LED lights.

I call it the Snowball light because its size reminds me of those giant cartoon snowballs that terrorize characters such as Scrat, the acorn-obsessed saber-toothed squirrel in Ice Age. But if you look closer, the delicate ruffles of the coffee filters look like carnations. I thought it would be fun to dye the coffee filters or dip the tips in paint to mimic red-tipped carnations. Maybe silver paint? In the end, I kept it simple.

Tutorial and photos after the jump! Read more »

When I blogged about my wire mesh jewelry holders with beads, I mentioned that I planned to make a Christmas ornament out of wire. Here it is. But instead of 1/4-inch hardware cloth, I went with chicken wire. Apparently, it’s called poultry netting these days, but my family raised chickens when I was growing up, and we called it chicken wire. We also raised pigeons, doves, and ducks—including a Mallard named Donald until a neighborhood cat killed him. This is one reason I don’t like cats. But I digress.

I got the idea for this ornament from an old issue of Marie Claire Idées, my favorite French magazine. As best I can tell in my limited French, they hung their diamond- and heart-shaped chimes in a cherry tree to keep birds away. I thought they would also make excellent Christmas ornaments or jingly door bells, hence the bell shape. This is my first one, so it’s a little lopsided. I show you how to not repeat my mistake.

Tutorial and photos after the jump! Read more »

These jewelry holders were the one original camp craft idea I had this year. When I discovered the different types of hardware cloth and chicken wire stacked in the back of The Home Depot, my mind started churning out all kinds of projects I could make with them. Baskets and suncatchers were my first notions, but jewelry holders were more economical, practical, and fun for teenage girls.

I tried to make the project as easy as I could for the girls by pre-cutting the hardware cloth into squares and providing templates for the heart shape, but it was still a challenging craft. They stuck with it, though. And I’m happy to report that although working with wire has the potential for injury, no one got hurt. Except for me.

FYI: I’m planning four more projects using hardware mesh: a decorative light fixture (excited about this one!), a Christmas ornament, a basket, and a dispenser.

Tutorial and photos after the jump! Read more »