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. 

DIY Origami Light Garland

From: Wit & Whistle

Are you looking for a fun and unique lighting idea for a wedding or special event? We have found one that might be just right.A fun little project we call Origami Light Garland. What could be more fun than a string of glowing paper cubes? These are simple, inexpensive and really fun to create. The possibilities for color combinations and paper patterns are endless.

You will need to get your supplies together first. You need paper in your choice of pattern, just make sure it is thin enough to let light glow through it.A string of lights, either traditional mini lights or LED lights, if you are concerned about a fire hazard.

Now, you will need to cut your paper into squares, about 8.5" x 8.5". You will need enough squares that you have a cube for each bulb on your string. Then you are going to fold your paper as follows:

From: Wit & Whistle

After you have folded all of your paper cubes, all you have to do is poke your lights through the holes. No glue or tape needed. There you have it, it i that simple. Just be sure to let your creativity flow and you will can have a blast doing this little project.

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Hannah

All American Christmas Co. 

25 count LED Craft Lights lower price!

We are blowing out our price on our LED Craft lights with 25 bulbs. We dropped the prices and soon will be offering them by cases as well. These sets offer the same functionality as incandescent craft lights, 25 lights, only one plug, and have all the great LED benefits!

We have had great success with our 20 count LED Craft lights and wanted to offer the 25 count sets at a lower price, they are now $7.49 which is same price per bulb as the 20 count! So if you're lighting wine bottles or blocks or are just wanting to try our LED in your craft nows the time! We think the advantages out weight the difference in price and if you are making them to sell your customers will ultimately will be happier because the lights will last 10 times longer!

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Zach

LED Battery Lights

There has been some great improvement in the last few years when it comes to battery powered lights. Now, All American Christmas Company is proud to offer a 3 different types of battery operated led lights. All three types of LED battery lights have all the benefits of other LED lights strings, no heat, low power usage and bright, true colors. You are going to get so much from these little light strings, especially if you are planning to use them in crafts.

M5 LED

Concave LED

20 count Concave and M5 style LED battery lights come in several color options, all bright and true to name. Concave battery lights use 3 'AA' batteries and you will get approximately 25 hours before the brightness changes. There is a 4 inch bulb spacing and 12 inch lead from battery pack to the first bulb. Concave and M5 LED light strings are great for crafts, such as Lighted Canvases. 

Ultra Thin LED

18 count ultra thin LED battery lights are similar to other LED battery lights but the bulb and wire styles are much different, being much smaller and thinner than regular LED light strings. These also come in several color and are ultra bright. Ultra thin LEDs use 3 'AA' batteries and have a 4 inch bulb spacing and 12 inch lead. Ultra Thin LED lights are great for costumes. 

If you are considering doing some lighted crafts or fun costumes, these little lights might be perfect. Easy to use and no extension cords to worry about. 

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Hannah

All American Christmas Co. 

DIY LED Light Canvases

Most people are becoming more and more fond of little DIY projects. Why not find some of those extras LED Christmas light strings you have left over and try to do something fun and creative with them. Making the LED light canvases are easy, fun and can be used for so many occasions.

First, you will want to make a template. You can draw this on paper or draw directly on the back of the canvas. the design options are endless, you can even customize them for any occasion. You will also want to make sure you have close to the same number of holes that you have lights. Second, you will need to have something to poke holes in your canvas, a screwdriver (with a smaller tip) is the easiest tool to use. And we all have one on hand. Third, if you want to paint your canvas you will have to find the paint that you like. Next, a string of LED Christmas lights. You can use craft LED lights, standard LED light string or battery operated LEDs. You make the choice of what would be best for your application, if you do use the ones with a plug make sure you have an outlet near by the place it will be displayed  Last, duct tape, just to make sure the lights are secured to the back of the canvas.

Now, if you are going to paint your canvas, that will be the first step. You should paint it with two coats, just to make sure you have really good coverage. You don't want spots showing up, that aren't covered, after you inserted your lights. You might even try chalkboard paint. Then you can change the text for different occasions, like holidays or weddings.

Next, you will use  your template and screwdriver to start making the design. Make sure you use a smaller screwdriver so that you have small holes, you only want them large enough to get the end of the light through.  Follow your pattern until all holes are punched. Or if you like, you can make a random pattern to look like a night sky. The possibilities are endless, if it is going in a child's room you could try constellations or a floral pattern. If it is going in a kitchen, you could make copy a design from your favorite dishes. If it's going in a living room, try using inspirational words. Let your imagination get carried away.

Then,start putting the lights in. Push them in bulb first through the hole, you might have to push a little harder to make the bulb fit if the hole was a little to small. But you do want the bulbs to fit tight, that way they won't fall out. Also, be sure to secure the lights to  the back of canvas with duct tape. You don't want extra wire dangling around on the back of your new project.

All that is left is to plug it in or turn on the battery pack and admire your DIY talents. These lighted canvases are great for your home, weddings, gifts and even as night lights for the kids. Try it out and see what you think. You might surprise yourself with all that DIY creativity!

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Hannah
All American Christmas Co.