A Woodland Chandelier {With a Twist}

Hi friends!  I am thrilled to be here today.  I have so much to say (don't I always say that?), and so much fun-ness (is that a word?) on the Horizon.  So, I say that we simply jump into some easy fantastical making of pretty things, don't you?

 

For about 2 months, I have been collecting old dry branches that were cut from my apricot tree.  All along, knowing just what I wanted to do with them...

I wanted to make a woodland chandelier.  Something with ribbons and color and fairy lights.  Something you would find in an enchanted tiny village in the forest.

So....

While you are choosing your branches, decide what shape you would like to make.  I was going to use 4 branches and make a square.  But 3 branches called my name, and they formed a triangle. 

So, I formed my triangle and then tied the corners together securely, with twine...

Side-note:  A super important thing I want to share is that, while making this, I remembered that I had made something similar in college.  What I did back then is that, I basically made a canopy over my bed, using bamboo pieces I purchased at Cost Plus World Market. 

I formed a rectangle with the bamboo, bound the corners like we are doing here, and suspended it from 4 hooks using fishing line.  It seemingly floated over my bed, and then I draped tulle and pretty things around it.  It was super magical, inexpensive and easy.

So, keep in mind that, you can make a canopy for your bed as well, using this same technique.  Just make sure you use the correct ceiling hooks, in case you don't have studs in your ceiling, and you only have drywall to work with.

Now, back to our chandelier...

After you securely tie your corners together, cover the corner ties with some pretty ribbon...

I chose ribbon and lace for my corners.  The next step, is to choose pieces of a long length of ribbon for each corner, to suspend the chandelier from (I chose a sea foam green vintage satin). 

Tie these ribbons at all corners, and then gather them in the center, and tie a knot, making it hangable...

Once your ribbons are balanced, and it hangs uniformly & beautifully...

The decorating fun begins! 

I am going to have to make several of these chandeliers, based on all the things I thought of hanging from them.  A smaller one could house earrings and other jewelry, or if you were having a tea party....

 

You could tie thread around your branches, and using a small piece of tape...

 

Attach tea bags to the thread...

Using oodles of tea bags, you could hang them all around, and let your guests gently pluck their tea of choice from the chandelier.  Lovely, don't you think?

 

Oh, the items you could hang from these woodland chandeliers are endless.  I am going to make another as soon as I am done here, with antique photos and cabinet cards dangling from it...

 

Then, I would like one to hang herbs from, in my tiny kitchen in the office.  Yes, that would be lovely.

Or, you could go positively whimsical and colorful mad, and tie all sorts of bits of lace, ribbon and fabric strips to yours...

 

Oh yes, a woodland chandelier fit for a party deep in the forest, with all the fairies....

Test some fairy lights in the evening, as well as your ceiling hook...

 

Then, add some butterflies and dried flowers, oh and, anything else lovely that you desire...

Voila...

Your very own, easy & virtually cost free, piece of woodland enchantment...

 

I can see myself getting even more carried away with these...

I must go make some more now, I feel an obsession coming on.  Oh but, before I go, I must share a beauty with you...

 

I brought a young sister to our garden.  A sister to our 40 year old rose bushes, in the form of a tea stained, apricot glowing, Tea Rose bush.  It has gifted us two blooms thus far, and even dried, the roses are beautiful. 

Nature = Bliss Sigh...

  

Don't forget to invite the fairies to dance under the glow of your woodland chandelier.

I have been living in my garden, and am garden entranced.  Oh, the things I have seen in the garden, in the wee full moon hours of the night, could send magical shivers down your spine.  I even spotted a tiny fairy appear in the right hand side of an insect photo I was taking.  Mister and I were speechless. 

We believe, of course ;)

 

Fairy or other flying creature?  You be the judge ;)

Now, I am itching to make more woodland chandeliers for my garden, so off I skip, whilst whistling.  I whistle so much, I am getting (or have gotten) a tiny little whistle wrinkle on the left side of my upper lip.  Oops ;) 

Or should I call it, a whistle mark?   

When I was a kid, my Dad always used to holler 

"Vanaaaa, your whistliiinnng...." 

 

♥

 

Love, V

ps: Furry family update- As some of you know, A few months ago Baby was diagnosed with a tumor in her head, and we were told to take her home and wait for the saddest day of our lives to arrive.  But, that was too sad and too heavy for us.

So, we took her to a new vet, just to be sure (whom we adore).  A super nice and caring gal vet, who makes funny noises and talks in furry love talk tones, like me, to my pups (and probably all pups and meowsers).  She is awesome.  Anyhow, she ran all her own tests.  Baby had a biopsy this past week (hence me missing in action).  Her blood shows that she is fighting something.  Maybe the C word and tumor (gag gag), but maybe not...  We will know in a couple of weeks or less.  Because of the new vet, and getting a second opinion, no matter what happens, I have found peace, and the heaviness feels different, in a good way.

Then, Matty had a pre-neuter visit.  Matty hates the car.  He is also trying to get leash trained (he equates this with world disaster).  He is still beyond beautifully mannered and lovable only to Mommy and Daddy, and mean and vicious to the rest of the world.  We are working on him, and he is getting good training and love and treats, and he just needs time and patience.  He is stubborn.  He has personal space issues.  It has been a huge journey with him.  I have never told the tales have I?  But the love he gives to me is just gorgeous and mind blowing.  Maybe one day I shall tell some Matty tales...

Cousin Douglas came over this past week too.  Matty thought he was lunch.  Baby saved his life.  Douggie and His Mom (my sis Kristen) and myself did crafts.  Kristen made Douggie a majorly appropriate super hero/carnival leader cape and hat.  She's extra crafty.

   

 

Isn't it amazing, what a proper cape and hat can do for the demeanor? ;)

We must make capes next ;)  I could sure use one.  Couldn't you?

Comments

[Lone]

I´m very inspired by this chandelier, and has the branches, ribbons, some of my boyfriends old ties I thouhgt I also could use, and much more, so now I´m soon getting started, and looking forward to it.

I hope the best for your little doggie........ !!!!

[Never]

I'm coming rather late (two years) to this blog entry, but I'm curious what you used to make the "fairy lights" of the chandelier, and how you handled any wires involved therein. Thanks!

[Sue]

Kind of a kindred soul I feel towards you. As I read 2nd opinion... The grief and joy we so experience are from the same wells in life... if we didn't have such utter grief felt - we would never feel the utter joy or appreciate as we appreciate even the smallest of things! You are a love, a joy to read and even visually - a pick me upper! I could be in the darkest well of grief now (just sayin) and look at your woodland chandelier with tea bags and old photos and ribbons - and somehow the photos can place me on a path to joy.
Thank you.