Assorted Novelty Lights for Parties and Decorating

Parties spell food, laughs, music and fun. That's not all, though. Parties conjure images of decorations and colorful lights as well. Don't rush out and purchase expensive lighting systems! Make your own cheap sets that will impress all your guests.

Whoever thought a tin can would make a great light? They do! After cleaning and drying the can use a strand of Christmas lights to fill the can. The lights can be white or colored, can have large bulbs or small. Tape the light strands inside the can and allow the plug in to hang out from the can opening. Poke a hole in the one remaining lid of the can, form a loop with cord, and push the ends through the hole. Tie a knot inside the can and you have a hanger for your new light.

You can decorate the cans in any number of ways. Spray the cans gold or silver before installing the lights or wrap the cans in fabric or fancy paper. Wrapping paper, scrapbook papers and even shelf lining are all suitable ways to decorate the tin can lights.

Make each strand of lights go further by creating a hole in the one remaining can lid. Use an entire strand, placing one bulb in each can, and stretching the ensemble across a particular area. To make it even brighter take another strand and stretch it over the tops of all the cans. Now you'll have light shining downward from inside the cans, and light shining outward from across the top of the cans.

The Christmas light bulbs don't heat up like regular light bulbs making it easy to create lights from all sorts of items around the house. Cut a hole in the bottom of some plastic bowls and place one bulb, from the strand, into each bowl. The bowls look like small light fixtures when hanging.

To give the bowls more glitz, and to create an even different look, wrap each bowl in tin foil. Leave the bowls hanging with silver tin foil or easily create an antique look. Paint the foil with black paint, then while it's still wet, wipe some of it off with a paper towel. The look is that of painted black metal which is fading.