miniature lamp making

I stalled out a little on the house.  I got distracted by trying to design my own chandeliers.  Eventually, I was successful, although these still aren't the designs I had in my mind.  It's a start, though!

This one was made with a silver colored chain, a Blue Moon beadcap (found at JoAnn's), some multi-color and crystal/clear 6mm bicone beads I picked up at Walmart, some 2mm ball head pins, and some tiny decorative spacers.  The crystally teardrop beads I have had for a VERY long time.  I used thin wire to suspend the lowest teardrop bead from the center, and twisted an eye head pin so I could attach the chain to the bead cap.  Any style dollhouse bulb can be threaded through and up the chain, or it's just as pretty without.  It's a bit smaller than I expected, so I may put it in the bedroom.  

This one was made using pieces from a necklace type chain I found in the bead section of JoAnns, half of a ping pong ball, and some stickers by Starform.  They make these awesome border stickers in silver and gold.  I am going to be stocking up!  

Note that there are hard and soft ping pong balls and to try squishing them before you buy them.  You want the soft!  I had the wrong ones at first, and they were impossible to cut.   The soft ones can easily be cut in half with an Xacto knife or scissors, and I was able to drill the holes for the chain with a needle.  To keep the bulb in place in the center, I cut a long narrow piece of clear plastic from an empty container, drilled a hole in it with my Xacto (by drilling I mean just twirling the point of the knife in place until it goes through), and folded down the edges so they can be glued or otherwise attached to the edge.  I have not yet attempted to light it, so I don't really know if the plastic will be affected by the heat from the bulb in any way.  

This was a fun exercise in looking at material and asking 'what else can this be?'  I was looking at a lot of items and asking "can I use this to make a chandelier?"  I had success in unexpected places - the scrapbooking aisle, the bead aisle, the soda aisle (stop thinking you're funny with the ping pong ball placement, stockers!)  and the candy and cake aisle.  No, really!  While trying to find an alternative to ping pong balls for shades I found some round, clear plastic candy molds that work just as well!  I haven't posted a picture of that chandelier yet because I wanted to color it with stained glass paint, and it failed me terribly.  It wouldn't stick to the plastic and just puddled in the bottom of the bowl!  I don't know if it's the age of the paint or the way I applied it, but I have to try a few more things.