DIY Twine Ball Light Garland

It's the time of year that people are getting ready for summer and wanting to get creative with outdoor decorations. We have a simple little DIY project that will help you spice up your patio, party or even your wedding. Let's try to make twine-ball light garlands. It is one of those projects that can get messy and take a little more time but it is something that you can make yourself or even get the kids involved in. You can make them any color you wish, match your decor or make them an accent color. Once you light them, all you will notice is the stunning pattern of fairy lights everywhere.

You are going to have to gather a few supplies.

• Twine - Colored or Plain
• PVA Glue - Can be found in any craft store. 
• Corn Flour
• Warm Water
• Balloons
• Marker
• Vaseline
• Old Tray for Glue Mixture
• A broom or something else to hang the balloons from.
• Light Strings - These can be either traditional mini lights or LED lights.
• Fishing Line
• Spray Paint - If you choose to paint the balls to make them more vibrant. 

First, blow up all of your balloons. Make sure you have one for the number of twine balls you want to make. After you have blown them up, draw a circle around the top of the balloon with your marker so you know where to stop your twine. Last, smear your balloons with a thin coat of Vaseline, so that the twine does not adhere to your balloons. 

Now, tie a piece of string to the knotted end of each balloon, then tie them to the broom or other stand. This will allow you to work more easily with the balloons, but be sure to have a drop cloth or some thing to catch the excess glue mixture.

Next, it is time to finally make your glue mixture. Mix up PVA glue, a few tablespoons of cornstarch and warm water. You want this mixture to be smooth and not too runny, and make sure you have plenty of this mixture, twine is quite absorbent.

Then, take the twine and dip it into the glue mixture, run it through so it is soaked. Begin wrapping it around the balloons, both vertically and horizontally until you  get the desired effect. When you finish wrapping them, snip off the end of the twine and tuck it under another piece so it does not stick out. Repeat this step for all the balloons.

Now, you need to let these dry overnight.After they are totally dry, you might notice they have gotten hard. If they aren't hard they are not dry yet,  let them sit and dry the rest of the way. In the drying process, balloons will begin to pop, if they don;t go ahead and pop them yourself. then pull the remaining pieces out from the twine balls. 

Last, you are ready to spray paint! Give your twine balls a nice coat of paint just to boost the vibrancy of the colors. When that is dry, you are ready to attach them to lights. All you need to do it, push the light down in a hole through the twine and make sure they are secure.

And there you have it, a fun and easy project to add a little extra pizzazz to any outdoor party or space!

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Hannah

All American Christmas Co.