DIY: Ping Pong Lights
I love a good DIY. But ever come across those projects that seem like a good idea until you realize they either cost you a fortune, took forever, ended up looking like shit…or worse, all the above?
Thankfully, this is not one of those projects.
The whole thing costs around $10 and can be done in just as many minutes. Similar products out there cost at least double that. Not to mention, you get only a fraction of the lights and zero of the satisfaction that comes with telling everyone you made them yourself.
What You’ll Need:
-Scalpel or X-ACTO Knife
String Lights
While you can get these lights pretty much anywhere around Christmas time, I found the big box hardware stores like Lowes and Home Depot have them for cheapest. I got mine at Lowes- they have a string of 100 lights for just under $2. They have a choice of green or white wire, depending on how you plan to string your lights. (Green will blend into your Christmas tree.)
Ping Pong Balls
The beauty of this project is the cheaper the quality of the ping pong balls, the better. Thinner plastic just means more light shining through. You can’t beat Amazon who has 144 of them for $8.
Scalpel or X-acto Knife
I happened to have a surgical scalpel laying around that worked perfectly, but any sharp knife will really do. Keep in mind, the smaller and sharper the blade, the easier the project will be. An X-ACTO knife would be ideal. With the 40% off coupon on the Michaels app, you can get yourself one for around $3. Worth it.
How To:
The process of making these lights couldn’t be easier. Just use the knife to score a small “x“ into the ping pong ball, then slide the light bulb right in. I suggest for the sake of efficiency, making all your X’s in the balls first before stringing them. If you make your X too small the bulb won’t fit, too big and the ping pong balls will slide off. Once you get the hang of it, the whole string shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.
inspiration:
Try these lights on your tree- either by themselves or add some contrast by stringing them up with smaller traditional lights.
While these lights beg to be used as Christmas decorations, don’t stop there. The possibilities are endless and can add character to any space year round.
They even act as a great prop for impromptu photoshoots.
My lights, but not my child.
Give it a go, leave me a comment or send me pictures of how you they turned out!