Make Your Own Mini Chandelier

If you have a small room in your house that needs a conversation piece or some additional style and flair, consider using a mini chandelier to light the room. Better still, instead of buying a chandelier, make your own mini chandelier out of recycled glass or heavy plastic. You will be helping the environment and also be able to create something that is totally unique. Building your own mini chandelier is a lot easier than you think, and can usually be completed in an afternoon. So, here is a handy step-by-step guide on how to make your own mini chandelier out of recycled glass or plastic.

What You'll Need:

• An adequate number of transparent or translucent items made of heavy plastic or glass. You may have them at home, or you can find them at junk or garage sales. You can use heavy plastic, glass bottles, vases, bowls or almost anything at all.
• Dremmel tool or electric drill with bit
• Fishing wire or heavy-duty craft wire (depends on the weight of the glass or plastic)
• Scissors or wire cutters
• Needle nose pliers
• A pendant lamp kit
• A cheap lampshade that fits your lamp kit
• Ceiling hook

Step 1 – Strip the Lampshade

Remove all the paper or fabric covering from the lampshade so that only the frame remains.

Step 2 - Choose a Work Area

Choose a large flat surface to work on so that your project does not become cluttered or tangled.

Step 3 - Drill Holes

Use a Dremmel tool or power drill to drill holes in the heavy-duty plastic or glass items.

Step 4 – Cut  Line or Wire

• Cut lengths of fishing line or craft wire into various links with your scissors or wire cutters.
• Group your lines or wires together so that the lengths are even or staggered depending on the type of arrangement you want to create.
• Create a loop in the center of the group and tie a large overhand knot or you can twist the grouping together and wrap it with some sort of craft wire or thin metal hanging wire. This loop will be used to hang your cluster later on.

Step 5 - Attach Your Plastic or Glass

• At the end of the lines or wires, attach the items you will be hanging for your chandelier.
• Either tie them around the end of a vase or bottle or thread the line or wire through a hole that you have drilled.
• Tie strong knots for the fishing line or crimp and twist the craft wire when attaching your items.
• Repeat this process until you have all the items attached to the loop.

Step 6 - Install the Lamp Kit

Follow the manufacturer instructions to install the pendant lamp.

Step 7 - Attach the Lampshade Frame to the Lamp Kit

Using craft wire or other metal hanging wires, attach the lampshade to the pendant lamp fixture.

Step 8 - Hang the Loop

Hang the loop that contains all of plastic or glass objects on a ceiling hook and arrange the objects around the hanging light fixture and lampshade frame.