3. Sweet String of Lights
Next up, sweet strings of lights. Our inspiration for these came from casasugar.com. These are an absolutely adorable addition to a play area; they look just as lovely strung along a banister. Only two items (and an office staple) are needed for this project. While it sounds simple – and is – it’s just slightly tedious. Grab a glass of wine, turn on your favorite holiday movie (White Christmas, anyone?) and give yourself about 30-45 minutes.
We picked up some super cute holiday-themed standard size cupcake liners from Michaels Arts and Crafts. Start by putting a hole reinforcer (those little sticky, donut-shaped things) on the bottom, outside of each cupcake liner. We like the clear kind since they are easier to conceal, especially if your finished product will be at eye-level, like on a banister. Remember to check your string of lights before beginning – just because they’re new doesn’t mean they’ll work!
Gently push a bulb through the middle of the reinforcer, which helps keep the cupcake liner from tearing. We suggest you use the old-school string of lights with the pointy tipped bulb; the bulbs stay cool enough that you don’t need to worry about a cupcake-liner inferno erupting in your house. Energy efficient LED bulbs tend to be round, making this project both impossible and less cost-conscious. Save those for your tree or outdoor decorating projects.
Continue until all of the bulbs are adorned with a cupcake liner. When you’re finished, carefully transport and hang them wherever you choose. Don’t fret if some of your liners fall off when putting the string in place. Simply and gently pop them back on.
Shopping list: String lights ($2.49) from Target; cupcake liners ($1.99) from Michaels.
