Camilla at Family Chic has some great ideas! I like this one: dressing up a strand of garden lights with pretty cupcake liners. I haven’t seen cupcake liners at the dollar store, but I have seen them in the dollar aisle at Michael’s! Paula Deen’s budget cooking line has several pretty styles of cupcake liners. In fact, I picked some up the other day, so I’ll give a pack away to one lucky commenter on this post (update: giveaway now over)! See details at the end of the post. Camilla found these cupcake liners at IKEA for $.99. [how to make cupcake liner garden lights]
Camilla thinks that because cupcake liners are used in baking, they are designed to withstand heat a bit more, and should be pretty safe for this project. Even so, use caution and common sense when you do this project, and don’t leave these lights plugged in for an extended period of time. A commenter on the original post mentioned that you can use LED lights for a low-heat alternative. I think that’s a great idea, but LED lights are a little more expensive.
Project Estimate:
- Strand of lights, $1 or on hand
- Cupcake liners, $1
Total cost: $1 and up
The Giveaway:
I made a poll just for fun. You don’t have to answer it to enter:
[poll id=”8″]
To enter to win the cupcake liners, comment and tell me what kinds of dollar store projects you would like to see more of. One comment per person, please. I’ll choose a winner tomorrow. I’ll give away another set of the liners at our Facebook page, so check over there to enter. (And just fyi, I give stuff away frequently and randomly on our FB page, so become a fan to get in on that sweet action!). Update: contest is now closed! Thanks for participating, and keep your eye out for more great giveaways. I have some big ones up my sleeve!
The winner is commenter #2:
I love this idea!! and you can swap the liners out for different ‘events’ like dinosaur ones for kid’s parties, heart ones for valentines, etc.!!
30 Comments
Kate
I am always looking for more ways to organize my home. More things to help me store/organize/display all my stuff would be great!
Kelly
I love this idea!! and you can swap the liners out for different ‘events’ like dinosaur ones for kid’s parties, heart ones for valentines, etc.!!
Linda
That is just too cute!! And I am thinking that would be adorable for a Christmas tree, also – so many different ways you go go with this idea!!!
Gina Sandoval
I love doing crafts (or art like my 3 yr old son says) at home with my little one, I’d love to see something thats not too messy but is educational and cute.
J. Hill
I love knock-off decor projects. Anything that looks like it cost ten times more than it actually did is okay in my book!
Peggy
Love the cupcake garden lights !! I’d love to see crafty decor projects…decorating with dollar store finds is fun and more fun since its so inexpensive….
Miranda
I love this idea! Now if I can just find the right lights (and win some cute cupcake liners too)!
Kim Vahle
Sooooooooooo Cute like that they can be switched out to suit the mood.
Bailey
I honestly like anything, but party decor is always fun!!!
Katie
More fashion/jewelry. I make a lot of apparel and always need more cheap material ideas!
Jenny B
I’d love to see more craft projects -my favorite are the quick and easy kind! My second choice is decor :)
Vanessa
so simple but soo cute! great idea.
Kelsea Yetton
These are too cute! I love them. I love crafts to do with lights and different ways to fancy up lighting.
Sarah
These are so cute! Thinking of more ways to use cupcake liners now…hmmm…. I love any kind of project, so it doesn’t make much of a difference to me, but I voted for decor :)
Susan Warren
I love the cupcake light covers! I’d like to see things I can use in my classroom!
nikki
id love to see more crafts to do with kids!!
Alison
how-to’s for expensive baby/kid stuff I can’t afford to buy!
Jodi
What a cute idea! I would love to see more ideas for kids & birthdays. Thanks for your blog!
Jodi
[email protected]
Amber Wills
I would love to see more decor crafts. I love the ones I’ve seen so far. I wouldn’t mind more kids stuff either!
Myrna
Hi,
I love holiday or party crafts . I love your blog !
Blessings,
~Myrna
Linda J
How cute! I’ve done similar projects to this, but never thought of using cupcake liners!!
Megan D
I love the home decor projects. I want to decorate my home but I have such a small budget that the items pretty much need to be homemade!
Kathy V.
We should try some construction equipment lights for a special birthday party.
Mimi
I think that comparing cupcakes in the oven with these is silly. Of course the ones in the oven don’t catch on fire – they are not in direct contact with the heat source and they are filled with a liquid (the batter). Even at the end of the baking cycle, there is plenty of moisture left in the cupcake. Have you ever overcooked cupcakes? Trust me, if you leave them in long enough they (and the wrappers) will blacken and burn.
Leaving these un-insulated papers on a bare bulb is just begging for a fire, and is nothing short of stupid. This irresponsible post is a really asinine idea that could leave you liable for the disasters of others.
heather
@Mimi, thanks for the input. Like I said, use caution and common sense when doing this project.
Kudzu
i think it’s a cute idea :D it would really dress up a party. of course the lights would be seen by you and everyone, so IF something happened to get too hot, it’s surely going to be noticed and quickly taken care of :D i just bought some cupcake papers for a baby shower i hope to give, and this will be adorable!
kudzu
Mimi
Ummm – Heather – If one were to “use caution and common sense” as you suggested, then they would not even think of trying this STUPID idea.
For Kudzu – I had to laugh at the way you wrote, “IF something happened to get too hot…” What a polite way to say “If your home catches on fire …”
Do you really think that having people around when things catch on fire (or “get too hot”), is some sort of guarantee that there won’t be damage to property – and more importantly, damage to people? Why on earth would anyone purposely put their home, their family, or their friends at risk like that?
Do you know anyone who has lost everything that they own in a fire? Do you know anyone who’s been seriously burned in a fire? Do you know anyone who has had a loved one killed by a “little” fire that got out of control? I do! If you don’t, then I suggest you take a tour of the burn unit at your nearest trauma center or major hospital. All it takes to start a huge fire is one tiny little flame or spark.
Trying to cutesy up something like fire by calling it “getting to hot” shows either tremendous stupidity or extreme immaturity. Your foolish naivety makes me sick!
Wendy
Wow, Mimi needs to take a chill pill! I suspect she is a fire victim the way she so strongly reacted.
I think this is a cute idea, especially with your disclaimer (which is common sense!)
Keep up the great work! :-)