Making Things Out of Trash 101 : DIY String Light Pillar Lamp

The first part of this title comes courtesy of Nick, after he saw what I had made with an empty bottle of Club Soda, that I rescued from the recycling bin. He said it like he was like he was advertising a k-tel product and lest you think he was being mean, he wasn’t …I laughed a good 5 minutes after he said it. I actually don’t mind being known as someone who makes things out of trash! lol

So last Christmas as we and my parents attempted to eat dinner by candlelight, it became quite clear that you really can’t do that. No matter how many candles you light, it is still a challenge to eat in the light cast by them alone. So we had to turn on the lamp we have in the dining area, which has one setting … bright. (The fact that we’ve been meaning to have an overhead lamp attached to a dimmer installed in this area since the day we moved in is a whole other story.)

So I decided to make a little extra lighting to add to the party this year, using some white string lights (aka Twinkle lights).

I know I didn’t invent this idea and I have seen them made with glass bottles, but that involved actually taking a drill to the glass to make a hole for the cord of the lights to pass through. And that was not happening here, as there is no way I could handle a drill well enough to do that without any major accident occurring.

So instead I cut a large plastic soda bottle using a blade to make the initial cut and then finishing with regular scissors. Leave the label on to give you a straight guide for cutting and remove it after you have the top part cut off.

Then stuff you string lights through the hole, leaving the cord out. Add some fireproof tinsel, and you are done.

You could use coloured lights for a more Christmassy decoration or stick with the white lights and also use this to light a dark corner or the powder room at a New Year’s Eve Party.

It might not be the prettiest thing to look at up close, but I was quite pleased with how it turned out. It will be just right at adding some mood lighting without the risk of burning the place down with too many candles.

Here it is in a blue and silver setting …

And let’s get a little more moody by further dimming the room lights …