For the first two images we have an instructions below.The rest of the photos are just an amazing ideas how to create your own light.
What you’ll need:
One stretched canvas – I used a 22×28 and found it at Michael’s for $14 (on sale)
Acrylic paint (Your choice of color) – I fell in love with Martha Stewart’s “Poodle Skirt Pink” at Michael’s for $2 each. I bought two and used a bottle and a half. I was very excited when I had some left over to use for a future project.
Paint roller – to apply paint on the canvas. I didn’t have one handy so I bought a small one that came with a plastic, reusable, paint tray at Home Depot for $2.
One 100-bulb Christmas light strand – I went to get mine at Michael’s a few days after Christmas for $2.70.
An awl – to poke holes in the canvas for the lights to go through. I didn’t have one nor wanted to pay the money, so I used a small, very sharp knife. It worked just as well.
Super glue – this holds the light bulbs in place. (Otherwise, they poke in different directions and fall out very easily.) I used some that I already had.
My total cost of this project = $22.70
Step One:
Using a pencil, sketch out the design you want on the back of your canvas. The original design asks for each dot to be a half an inch apart – but it’s fine to do a full inch.
I wasn’t super happy with any of my sketches – I redid this about 7 times before I decided to leave it and see what happens.
I also drew a line between each dot to connect them. That way, when I went back through with the lights, I could remember where to go next. After a bundle of dots I also wrote the number of how many I used – this helped me keep track of how many I had left.
Step Two:
Paint the front of your canvas. And don’t forget to paint the sides of it, as well. I did two full coats of paint with a thin layer on top to smooth things out. (And to use the remaining paint I had poured into the tray.)
Step Three:
Start making the holes for the Christmas lights. (Glue them along the way so you don’t have to go back and redo the whole process)
Step Four:
Repeat the hole – glue – poke process of each light until you’re finished! Then, you can plug it in and hang it up!
The Finished Product:
It didn’t turn out how I wanted it. It’s surprising how different it looks from the sketch to when the lights are in it and turned on. I wished I went back to re-sketch my design for the 8th time, but it’s okay. Once I put it up and placed my previously owned butterfly lights around it, I love it. I put it on the top of my bookshelf and I love the glow it creates in my room.
If I were to make this again, I would buy three small square canvases and use 50-bulb lights (maybe battery powered?) and hang them in a row. Three clusters of lights!