white christmas lights

If I could, I would light every room in my house with white christmas lights. For some reason, I absolutely LOVE the glow they give off. Anyway, I was looking for some ideas of how to use 'em (besides just stringing them up around the ceiling)

I was thinking of taking glass jars (plain? or maybe colored?) and stuffing a bunch in there, and then lining them up on a window sill or shelf...kind of like laterns.

any other ideas?

 

I love white christmas lights! I have some up at my house at the moment, lol.

That latern idea is pretty cool....

 

you could take several sets of them and string them up on the ceiling like stars
or make spider web lights on the walls

 

I've got a few strings wrapped around trees in my back yard.... looks kinda cool at night when having a bbq party.

 

I used to put them under the edge of my bed. When the main lights were off, they were mood lighting or nightlights. Plus, I never lost my lights between holidays.

I read once about using glass bricks as night lights- use a drill with a tile cutting bit just big enough to jam the bulbs in and decoupage something on the front. I want to try this, but my local hardware stores don't have glass bricks, they are not fashionable anymore. and something about mail ordering glass bricks is too wierd-

 

Here's some directions to make patio lanterns...

http://www.tvo.org/stuff/stuff/makes/makes65bg.html

 

My mom has one of those. It does look pretty cool, but it gets hot when you leave it on for too long. I guess it's just too many lights too close together.

 

my grandma sells crafts to help make ends meet. for the christmas show she goes to, she takes glass globes and fills them with cinnamon potpourri. she puts a short strand of white bulbs in and shakes it all together. then she ties sparkly green and red ribbons around the kneck of the globe. plug in the lights, and it looks and smells beautiful. the potpourri makes the lights dim and the globe gives it a glowing effect. the heat from the bulbs releases the scent of the potpourri. she usually sells a lot of these b/c people don't realize they can make them themselves so easily and cheaply.

 

Saw some lighting yesterday & I sooo want to give it a try! The globes (could use jars/vases/etc) were painted with glass paints in different colors, just swirled around about one inch each color, and then when the lights shined thru them, they cast a beautiful multicolor glow on the walls!! It was breath taking!!...I was wondering how I was going to light MY creations, now I know...Christmas lights!!!!

Thank you for the idea!!

 

I used to make these and sell them like crazy! I don't set up at craft shows anymore, but I still make them now and again. They are a great gift that is easy on the wallet.

 

^^^^i know, they are SOO pretty too!

 

This may be obvious, but how would you plug them in?
I considered maybe drilling a hole in the jar, but I don't have a bit to do the job.
I've recently discovered this forum, and I must say that I LOVE it. You all have so many wonderful ideas!
I'm tired of my lights just hanging on the wall. I don't even use them anymore because of that reason but I love offbeat lighting and this sounds fantastic!
But I'm going to skip out on the potpourri, mainly because I've never found a smell I like and secondly, I don't think my lights give off enough heat. I can touch them after they have been on for hours.
And on second thought, anyone have any suggestions on homemade potpourri?

 

I light my house with these all year round because other lights are just too harsh. I'm very sensitive. Those are some interesting ideas, but I really like just having them on the wall behind me.

 

In our sun room, we have a shelf with crystal pieces on it. We put white Christmas lights around them and at night it looks fantastic!

 

the jar idea is good. you can also put some potpourri or herbs or something in there with the lights and as they heat up they smell good.

 

i have a couple "icicle" like strands (smaller strands of lights that hang down from the main strand) around and intertwined with the ivory canopy that hangs over my bed. they give a nice soft light accented the canopy without needed the full on overhead lights all the time. gives kind of a dreamy feel

 

How do you plug them in?

 

into the electric socket...

i just got a bunch of lights and im still trying to decide on what to do with them. i love to use christmas lights in the house as long as it doesnt look tacky. i love the canopy idea... that sounds like it really looks beautiful.

 

no, no, I mean how do you run the plug from the jar to the wall...out the top of the jar??? And wouldn't that destroy the aesthetics of it all?

 

yeah, usually from the top of the jar, but some ppl get more creative