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So, Christmas may be over for the year, but this is an awesome idea for next year’s holiday decor, and frankly, it’d actually look pretty cool hanging or sitting around any time of the year (I don’t know about you, but I love Christmas lights for ambiance year-round). All you need is 50 clear plastic cups, a drill, some staples, and a string of 50 LED Christmas lights (they need to be LED lights since these burn cool and will not create a fire/melting hazard).
This video will teach you in an easy-to-follow four and a half minute tutorial how you can transform these everyday supplies into a beautiful Christmas light ball. The plastic cups reflect the light so that the ball really shimmers. It’s an eye-catching item of décor, and will really be a hit at next year’s Christmas party. You can do it in any color combination of lights that you want, and achieve a beautiful effect.
Video Instructions
Personally, I can’t wait to try this one! Have fun!
LaVanda
Does it matter whether you use LED? Because it doesn't look like the lights used in the video are LED.
Linds
When Itryed yo drill into the cup it ctavkef it
Shelly mccarthy
what was the brand and size cups and where did u buy them thanks!
janetbiel@howardhanna.com
Please tell me the size of cups used.
tim
They are 9 ounce cups.
Ms. Dee
Have you used the shot glasses & how many did you use? I know that with the drinking glasses the solo cups work the best and it takes 50. Please help me. Thank you soo much.
sgt mark
it takes 104 plastic shot glasses. I use the clear ones with frosted edge. I do not drill any holes. I bent a soldering iron tip to join them and another one for the regular light holes in the bottoms.
Mama Lu
You can do something similar with the bottoms of drink bottles, the 'petal' or 'star' pattern on the bottoms make pretty lights as well. And the different colors of the bottles can make clear lights look so pretty!! You can interchange the colors to make different designs as well. There's no end to how you can recycle these plastics with lights to make something really beautiful and useful!!
Sparkleball Lady
Many of your questions are answered on sparkleball.com, which has a lot more photos. Love the idea of using empty drink bottles, Mama Lu. Have to try that!
DEBBIE
How do you hang it
Jl
Husband drilled a hole in tow of the cups and hung wire from the ball
SONIA VARGAS
Buen dia, excelente trabajo. Me puedes explicar como se hacen los que estan en el ultimo recuadro
Jl
I made this with small solo cups that I bought at the grocery store. They are probably 8 oz. An online video I saw said to us LED lights because regular lights would melt the cups. So easy and turned out amazing.
Amy
I am trying to make it but my cups keep busting
Linda
Please how do I make the cups from cracking while drilling
Lori
How do i keep from cracking the cups when i staple them together?
Teresa Campbell
I used a wood-burning tool. It works much easier. It's just getting the hole the correct size.
sherida schaus
Hi Gaspar!
Love this idea & you make it look so easy!
Well I bought everything you said & the first 8 cups I drilled, they cracked!
I even tried smaller drill bits just to start the hole..... even though I knew they were too small! (Ha!)
I watched how you drilled a few times & it just didn't work for me! C~R~A~C~K!
Is it a certain type of plastic cup?
The ones I bought look just like yours & I got them at a dollar store!
Is there a trick or tip to drilling the cups?
If you could reply, I would appreciate it, as I would love to make a few of these sparkle balls!
Thank you for your time!
Sherida 🙂
Joy
I use a soldering iron or a empty glue gun and melt the holes in.
Beatrice Wilson
wonder if putting a piece of tape on the bottom before drilling would help?
piyush raj
i used a motor to rotate it and make it more attractive
Penny
I made a small one and my nephew lowered it from the upstairs window of our garage at midnight on New Years. It's become a tradition my family looks forward to each year.
frances
If you are having trouble with your cups cracking using the drill, try what I did because I had the same problem. I used a rod I use for etching or burning wood, plug it in and it makes the perfect hole..Hope this works better for you.
Cheryl Estes
The type of plastic cup is important.... some bend when squeezed, some crack when you squeeze them.... use the bending plastic cups!
Cassee
I made these years ago and we used a wood burning tool to make the holes and to join the cups.
Olga Molina
Absolutely beautiful! I'm going to try this out !🤩