DIY Chandelier

Hi my name is Rachelle and I have a Chandelier addiction. Can you be addicted if you've never had one?

This was what used to hang in my living room:

Oh sweetness. That is hideous. 

Something had to be done. I had seen chandeliers online and in antique stores going for $150+...way over my teeny budget. What is a DIYer to do? I think you know. I knew that I wanted one with a fairly classic shape. It has been my mission every time I go to the B (thrift store) or the ReStore to find a chandelier with potential minus the hefty price tag. This is what I came up with:

Don't be alarmed. There is a happy ending to this story.

One of the best things about this beauty? $5. That's right. Now one thing that I would recommend before you put a bunch of time and effort into making over your ugly duckling of a chandy--make SURE it works. I'm not quite speaking from experience (I was lucky) but I will tell you I almost had a heart attack from the anticipation as it was being hung. Like oh-goodness-what-if-i-just-spent-all-that-time-and-valuable-spray-paint-on-this-POS-and-now-the-darn-thing-won't-work type of heart attack. The kind where you hold your breath. But TA-DA!

Joy of all joys, it worked. Now here's what I did-

:: Gather supplies
             :: Chandy,
             :: spray paint
             :: wire (whatever gauge you prefer)
             :: cheap-o pearls ($.50 @the B)
             :: crystal looking beads (Hobby Lobby $5 (except they were 50% off God bless HL) so $2.50)
:: Wipe the thing down.
:: Put tin foil in the sockets to avoid getting paint on them...don't know if this matters, but I didn't want to chance it.
:: Spray Paint!! I used Krylon's Coral Isle. Perfection.
:: Prep your little dangle-y things (that's what she said...excuse me, I have been watching quite a bit of The Office lately). I threaded 4-ish beads on a wire and curled both ends of the wire into a circle to hold them on. You'll need as many of these as there are arms + 1 for the center. I made the center one with more beads.
:: Cut your pearl strands (mine were about 12" each)
:: Wire the pearls to the arms, and then to the middle (each Chandy is different, so it's hard to tell you how to do this part. Use your best judgement. I just made it up as I went along)
:: Add your little dangle-y crystals, and Voila! Cake easy.

And there you have it, folks.

P.s. Has anyone ever told you how hard it is to take a picture of lighting? I had about 80 pictures that turned out like this before I got a good one:

Have any of you done something fun with lighting lately?

Linking up to:

Fall Centerpiece

I have never had a dining room table to decorate before.  I have never had a dining room table to eat at before. I have never had a dining room before. Before our house remodel that is.

So you can imagine my excitement at the thought of having a place to put a centerpiece! I realize this is sad. Don't judge me.

Anyway.

This is my pretty fall centerpiece.

I had all of this in my house (with the exception of the cute fruit basket--Alco $3, 50% off-- aka dirt cheap. Like me.) 

The little kerr canning jar was from a dear friend's wedding. She used them to hold cookies as favors for the guests. I will proudly ashamedly admit that I hoarded them.  Yes. I went around to all the tables when the reception was over and collected the ones that people left sad and neglected. (do they not realize the decorative value of such an object?)

The runner is just a couple of napkins with some fabric on top. I didn't want to sew it so that I could use the material for something else later:) Also, I tend to take the easy way out.

The wheat was leftover from a flower arrangement I did.

The fruit basket looked like this when I bought it:

Sweet, I know. (ew)

And became this with a little fabric:

Side note: Are peaches not the best thing about fall? I think so.

My favorite part of the centerpiece is the sweet candleholder. I found it at the Habitat Restore for $4. It was originally an old light fixture ;) I love it when something repurposes so easily. You should see the wiring on this baby. Talk about vintage.

This makes me smile. 

And there you have it. Sweet festivity.