Super cute and easy light shades made with baking cups, ribbons, lace, and trims

I Love vintage trims. It's pretty hard for me to pass them up at flea markets or yard sales or on ebay if the color or price is right. I've been collecting trims for years, without any real plans for them. I love having them in jars and boxes in the studio, keeping them on hand for when I may need a tiny bit for a project. I use them in collages, art journal pages, mixed media assemblages like our Fauxbulus Keepsake Cakes. Vintage trims just make the perfect finishing touch!

Back in 2010, I was asked by Romantic Homes Magazine to contribute a cute and easy holiday craft for their "Make it" column.  I was then, and remain to this day an absolute sucker for twinkle lights around our home. And not just for holidays, but year round. And as I said above, I am also a collector (or hoarder) of vintage trims and ribbons...which I'm sure you are too.

This is an easy, fast, and lets just say it...cheap...little afternoon craft. We've always got a strand of these decorative lights hanging in our home and I smile very time I see them. I've made them for Christmas, Autumn, and my favorite just might be the set I did for Valentine's Day. 

 We had them hanging here in our home in our kitchen, but when we started to paint and work on things here in the house I had put them away and forgot about them. Then just the other day while organizing I pulled them out. I decided to make a few more "shades" for the strand, and why not take some pics and share the simple little tutorial with you guys, being that we have a bunch of new readers since 2010.

These lights couldn't be more simple. And it's a way of having your prettiest trims on display. Plus, there is no sewing. I can't sew yet I still love trims for different mixed media projects. So this project is perfect! 

Here is what you will need: 

Small strand of Christmas lights (you can find these in the wedding aisle at Michael's)

Large size plain white baking/treat cups (found in the baking aisle at Michael's)

Bits of ribbons, lace, and trims

Glue Gun or All-purpose glue (like Aleene's)

Scissors

X-Acto knife

It's so easy. Just cut desired ribbon and trim to match the circumference of the treat cup. Then apply them to the cup, gluing about every inch or so and pressing down to adhere, securing well at the seam. You may want to use the end of a pencil to press down, hot glue is…hot! 

Be creative...for instance, first apply a lace layer, and maybe some pom pom or some rick rack on top of the lace...making sure that you line up all of your seams so that you can later twist the shade so that the seam line is in back. 

Once the shades are decorated use an X-Acto knife to cut a small X in the center of each cup bottom for the light bulb to fit through. 

Then pop shades over the bulbs, pushing through until the plastic base emerges through the X.

These are a great way to bring not only light, but also some fab color and texture to a vignette in your home. These short strands of lights are perfect for draping over a single window or doorway. All you need are some of your favorite trims, ribbons, bits of vintage lace and rick rack. And with a little glue you can make ordinary treat cups into fabulous little light shades!

I hope you give these a try...and if you do...I'd love to see yours!

xo, Jenny