Another Starry Night Light

Donna L. Woods-Clements
by Donna L. Woods-Clements
Robin, over at Redo it Yourself, posted a great project one day of a large glass jug painted & set on a wrought iron plant stand. She named it "Starry Night Light," and the bulb went off in my head! I LOVE Vincent's "Starry Night!" It's my all-time favorite painting, even though I am a huge Monet fan. Well . . .
I had this domed pendulum clock with plastic works & a glass dome.
This is the base which contained the battery compartment for the pendulum part of the clock. I spray painted the outside flat black, & my handy hubby drilled the center hole to 3/8" so I could run the lights (string of 20 Christmas lights) up into it. He also notched (with a file) a groove in the bottom edge to allow the plug end of the cord to lie flat, & not cause the whole shebang to wobble.
I wasn't confident of my ability to free-style the painting, so printed a coloring book outline of Starry Night, and taped it inside the dome to use as a guide. I'm sorry I didn't take pictures as I was painting, but I was having so much fun doing it that I didn't even THINK to take photos! I used Plaid's FolkArt brand acrylics for glass, and painted on the outside of the dome, simply adding more sky at the top & back.
Used a piece of chicken wire rolled into a tube shape, and starting at the bottom where the line of lights came through the base, simply poked them through from the inside. Squeezed the wire tighter on the recalcitrant bulbs that wanted to go back inside. (Showed them who was boss of this project!)
Here it is all painted. When it was good & dry, I went over everything but the village & tree with FolkArt "Extreme Glitter," which dries clear & really sparkly! (More "stars!")
Here it is in it's spot on my bathroom counter, doing it's job being a night light. Thanks again to Robin for the inspiration!
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
  1 question
  • Anne jocelyn C Anne jocelyn C on Mar 27, 2016
    Indeed beautiful art!!! may I know how you release the heat generated by the little lightsss? Thank you.
Comments
Join the conversation
3 of 44 comments
  • Joline Cosman Joline Cosman on Jun 26, 2016
    I bet I could do something like these on a large, straight vase from Michael's, or somewhere !!! Looks like so much fun !!! Pat Whitmus-- maybe writing on it ??? How fun for a child's room ?!?!
  • Alia Coleman Alia Coleman on May 28, 2020

    I live in a rv and the only lighting in the bedroom is right above your pillow, blinding. Thank you this gives me an idea for defusing the light.

Next