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| Use the X-acto knife to carefully cut a small "x" on the top of each cup |
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| Gently push through each light bulb through the "x" but be very careful not to punch the top out of the cup. By the way, Autumn's nails look quite lovely, don't you say? |
I can't believe that something this easy to create could be so darn cute, I really love this garland! I have finished two sets of them so far with this design using turquoise and red raspberry doilies and a few pieces of leftover fabric. and the third strand that I am working on is just a little bit different. (I will post that design soon.) The possibilities are endless with this project and it's so basic that even the kids can help. I saw this project at Good Housekeeping, but it was with double-sided tape and paper dixie cups. I thought if I made it with a few more durable materials, that I would more likely be able to use them over and over again.
I used thin printed paper, leftover fabric, and doilies for this strand. My goal with this project was to use as much as I could that I already have in my closet. You could decoupage scraps of leftover papers or fabric in strips or small pieces also, and it would look great.
List of supplies:
50-pack of 3oz. flexible plastic solo cups (dixie cups will not work because of the wax finish)
Mod Podge
Printed paper, fabric, or tissue paper
Small paint brush & scissors
X-acto knife
Set of LED strand lights or bridal lights (LED so they don't get too hot & melt the cups)
1. Make a template. Use a scrap piece of paper to fully wrap around one of the cups to draw a template from it. Leave about 1/8"in material at the bottom edge of the cup in order to be able to tuck this part under the rim of the cup for a more finished look. I made a few of these paper patterns to use at once so I could work and cut out more quickly.
2. Cut material. You will need to cut pieces using this pattern or template according to how many lights are on the strand.
3. Glue down material. Now brush a generous layer of mod podge on the cups surface, and lay the paper or fabric down smoothing over it gently. Smooth out as many wrinkles and bubbles as you can, then brush another thin coat of Mod Podge over the top. As soon as you complete a few, you will get a feel for exactly how much Mod Podge to use. I found that fabric lays down much better and without wrinkles. I didn't mind the wrinkles and even left the holes from the doilies so that the light could shine through. Paper will rip easily once it is saturated, so be careful when smoothing it out. Now remember that you should have a little excess fabric hanging over the bottom rim. Cut slits all along the bottom circle or rim so that when you tuck the material under, it lays properly.
4. Let dry. Lay the finished cups out on wax paper until they are completely dry.
5. Mark cup tops. Prepare the cups by marking a small "x" in the center of the top of each cup. Then use the X-acto knife to very carefully cut out the "x". Gently push the light plug through this hole. You want the "x" and hole to be a small cut; big enough to push the plug through with a just a tiny bit of pressure, but not so big that the cup will slide off or not stay securely once you hang the strand. Be gentle so that you don't pop the entire bottom off by using too much force.
Note: If that does happen, and the bottom comes out, don't panic. Just use an embroidery needle and poke a small hole on each side walls of the cup and use embroidery thread to sew each side directly to the light strand. Once it's hanging, you won't even notice. Problem solved.
Enjoy,
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