Christmas Chandelier

I like to decorate any hanging lights / chandeliers at Christmas time too, & this year I wanted to replace the usual globes with red ones for a more festive look.

This is what the chandelier normally looks like...... I searched for red globes on the internet & couldn't find any that weren't outrageously priced, & out of my budget... Sighhhhhhhhhhhh.......... What to do?!!! I had a light bulb moment when I opened my cabinet to grab a glass, & remembered that Target has RED bubble glasses available online, I could make my own globes!

I ordered my red tumblers & impatiently awaited their arrival...... Once they arrived, I got out my diamond coated hole bit, & went to work drilling holes in the bottom of the glasses. Make sure you keep water flowing over the bottom of the bit & glass so it doesn't get too hot if you try this.

One down 4 more to go!

Yay! All five tumblers drilled & fitted to the chandelier with no accidents! That leaves me one left over for drinking out of! =)

I usually only put garland around the outer rim of a chandelier but I'd seen one on pinterest that went all the way up & decided to try it. I used a cheap single 9ft garland from Walmart to wrap the chandelier starting at the top & winding my way down. Because I planned to also add ornaments to the bottom of the chandelier I needed the inner circle to be filled with greenery as well. For that I used a standard size cheap wreath from Walmart, & cut the wire in one place so I could slip it around the middle of the chandelier. The lights in the globes are flicker flame bulbs, & do not get hot at all, so no chance of fire from the heat of the bulbs.

I picked up 3 packages of the battery operated timed LED lights at Walmart to wind through the greenery. I LOVE these things, battery operated & timed, what more could you ask for?!!!! No climbing on the table to turn them on & off daily!

Looks pretty good just like that...... & it stayed that way for a while, until I decided what else to do with it......

Sadly my inspiration for direction came from the sudden unexpected passing of a dear friend Jackie. Jackie loved blingy jewelry & in honor of her memory, I looked for the blingiest Mark Roberts elf I could find.... Once I got the elf home I decided the "Jackie" elf would be the centerpiece of my chandelier, now known as the "Jackielier" & went to work accessorizing..........

There is a giant candy cane striped ornament on the back side of the chandelier to counter balance the weight of the elf in front.

Looks rather like a mini tree hanging from the ceiling doesn't it? I could have stopped there, but I wanted ornaments to hang from the bottom as well.....

Since the chandelier is in the dining area, I wanted to go with a candy theme for the ornaments. It doesn't really look like it in the photo, but there are over 30 red, white, green, candy cane, & chocolate themed ornaments hanging below.

The finished "Jackielier" you will be remembered my friend......

Original article and pictures take http://www.hometalk.com/11659441/christmas-chandelier site