Light Up the Night.

Diane Forte Barfield
by Diane Forte Barfield
7 Materials
$35
4 Hours
Easy
I love lanterns and deck lights, but the PRICE of some. I looked at several stores and online, but a single lantern can cost from $59 to over $100! String lights can be expensive too. So...I hit the thrift stores.
This lantern cost $3.00. I filled it with a strand of Christmas lights.
I found this one at a tag sale for $5.00. It was rusty so I sprayed it black.
Here it is at night.
I couldn't stand to paint this one. It came from a yard sale and I just love it.
This is a punched tin lantern. I found it! It was rusty so I painted it.
I hung the lanterns on the deck. My husband put up little cast iron hooks. I also love globe lights. I found a set on sale for half price and we strung them. Yes, they are asymmetrical on purpose.
For even more warm glow we attached rope lights around the deck.
For the path I did another knock-off of more expensive lights. I got glass globes from Lowes for $3.00 each and filled them with white strand lights. The whole area glows now and welcomes our guests. Big results for very few dollars. Can't wait to sit down!
Suggested materials:
  • Lanterns   (Local thrift stores.)
  • Globe lights   (Big lots store.)
  • Rope light   (Lowes)
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2 of 6 comments
  • Jessie Jessie on Apr 10, 2018

    Beautiful !

  • John John on Apr 13, 2018

    You painted it black, just like the Rolling Stones song!

    But seriously, I love lighting up my backyard too. We have a Greenhouse that allows IT light thru the windows, so last fall, I cleaned out all my solar lights and put them in the greenhouse for the winter. At Christmas, I lit the whole thing up. Then, after Christmas, bought new solar color changing lights for 75% off on clearance! ;)

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