INSIDE: DIY hanging solar lights in orb shape to hang in tree or for outdoor entertaining. DIY garden decor from hardware store supplies.
Got a tree that needs to see the light? Our front yard has several large and looming trees but only one is green. Yes, a green tree. (Hey, I live in Arizona with its own set of quirks like green trees called Palo Verdes!) So this tree is nothing short of a focal point.
A while back, I created a hanging orb plant basket to dress up this same tree. Call me biased but I think it looks pretty cool. Using the same hardware store materials, I created a series of hanging solar light orbs. And this is how I show off this green tree the light…
How to Make Your Own Solar Lights to Hang in a Tree
I was originally inspired to create my hanging orb hanging plant basket following our annual summer escape to the California coast. There, I saw your typical planter basket (check out what I did with one of those planter baskets) hanging from a large tree and just loved how it looked.
Creative story later, I concocted my own hanging planter. And now with the miniature solar light hanging orbs to match.
Supplies:
– 3/4″ galvanized steel hanging tape
– 3/4″ steel screw and nut
– wire snips or heavy duty scissors
– Miniature solar lights (I used this brand and type of solar lights)
– Saw
– Drill with small drill bit (here’s a great brand name electric drill)
– Screwdriver
– 3/16″ eye bolts with nuts
– Spray paint (optional)
– Twine or jute string
make solar lights for affordable garden decor
Based on the size of the solar lights you’re using, cut two strips of steel tape.
Form two circles and secure them together (temporarily) with a screw and nut.
If desired, give your orbs a spray of paint. *Hello! Frazzled Moment* Let dry.
Caution: Sharp tools ahead.
Using a regular ole saw, cut off the small post at the end of the mini solar light. You are cutting off the small tip that fits into the post that you stick in the ground.
Take the solar part of the mini solar light apart.
Using a small drill bit, create a hole in the flat bottom part of the solar light tube — making the hole in its middle.
Turn the part of the mini solar light you just drilled a hole through upright.
Using a screwdriver, insert the screw through this hole and into the steel tape.
Remember the screw holding the orb together temporarily? Yeah, take that screw out in place for the screw in the mini solar light. Secure with a nut.
Flip over and put the top of the solar light back on the tube.
Insert the eye bolt through the top of the orb and secure with the nut.
Insert jute string or twine and hang over a branch.
Bring on the nighttime twinkle!
Other DIY Garden-Outdoor Ideas:
- How to “fake the age” of plastic terra cotta flower pots with paint
- Turn (clean) tin cans into cute DIY fairy garden houses
- Re-purpose an old candelabra into a garden stand
- $10 hanging planter using metal strapping from the hardware store
- Turn a shower caddy into an easy vertical wall planter
You May Also Like:
DIY Hanging Orb Planter For $10
How to Make an Easy Vintage Candlestick Plant Stand
How To Turn a Tin Can Into a Fairy Garden House
How to Make a 5-Minute Garden Shovel Halloween Ghost
How to Use a Shower Caddy as a Vertical Planter
How to Make Patio Side Table from Old Umbrella Stand
How To Make Flower Front Door Decor Using Plastic Nursery Pots
How to Make Easy DIY Umbrella Table Flower Planter
DIY Fabric Canopy Cover for Backyard Kids Sandbox
How To Make an Astro Turf Outdoor Pillow
Fabulous light – love it, and love how it was created. I think we might have some of that ‘tape’ in the shed – you have definitely inspired me to go and look for it!
Thanks Sarah! Amazing the crafty things found at the hardware store.
These lights look great, I like the colour of them.
Hi, Victoria! This looks awesome – i love the extra volume you get with the cage!
What a great idea! Thanks for the nice instructions, too! Would love to see how the lights look at night. Blessings, Janet
looks great, thanks so much for sharing on craft schooling Sunday!
This is such an awesome idea!! I love how they look! Especially with that cage!
Wow, these are so cool! What a great idea! Love how you decorated them. Thanks for sharing with the Wednesday Showcase!
What a cool project idea! Our link party at Grandma’s House just opened today, we would love to have you there!
Thanks so much!
Very cool idea!! These are awesome looking!!
Nice idea, I like how your solar light came out.
Cheers,
Emese
Wow, you are SO creative! Love these!
Thank you for your kind words. All these random ideas I get!
These are awesome! Such a nice way to light up the yard!
Thanks Kim!
I love this idea! I am going to try and do this for my trees for Christmas. Thanks so much for joining us at the DI & DI Link party.
Wow, great project!
I found your blog via Inspiration Mondays.
Sarah https://www.enrichmentality.com
Thanks so much, Sarah!
What a fabulous and clever idea!! They must look so pretty at night lighting up your tree!
These are amazing and would look wonderful hung in the trees during Christmas. Thank you so much for joining us at Vintage Charm.
This is such a fun idea! Thanks for sharing on Pleasures of the NW’s DIY party!
Love, love, love this idea! For step 1, can you advise the length of your strips?
Thanks Karla! I believe my strips were around 18″ long. But it all depends on the size of the solar lights you are using. Mine were mini size.
This is so fun!!! I just love how rustic this looks and how practical they are — GREAT job!
Visiting from the Creatively Crafty party! Come see us sometime at MammaTech — we’re always looking for guest bloggers (and we pay)!
Annie
Thanks so much Annie! I love how they look in our tree and have plans (on the long To Do list) to make some more.
These hanging solar light orbs are really cool. I have always been intrigued by solar lights and I tried using some in my landscape years ago but found that they did not give off much light. I was wondering if the technology has improved. Thanks for the great idea.
Thanks Lisa! These particular mini lights give a nice twinkle.
Hello! Love this. Pinned and featuring tonight at the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party.
I love this idea! I really like how open it is… and what an interesting shape. Thank you for the instructions. 🙂
Thank you! My goal is to make more for other trees we have. Just need the time, right?!
These are awesome! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much!
Wow! These are so fun and look easy to put together. Could really have some fun with color too – I’m loving the navy blue and oranges lately in my backyard. Thanks for the great tutorial and sharing on The SITS Saturday Sharefest.
Great project to spruce and light up the outdoors.
WOW! This looks like something that would cost a fortune. LOVE. Featuring when my link party opens up tonight.
Have a bunch of solar lights from the dollar store that are stuck in the ground around my landscape. But, I don’t have any up at eye level. I bet your hanging solar light looks great hanging from the tree at night. I like the circular frame makes an attractive piece of yard art.
Carol (“Mimi”) from Home with Mimi
They look great! Thanks for sharing your tutorial at Sew It Cook It Craft.
WOW I love that! Found this through the vintage charm party! My neighbor has lovely hanging lights in her trees and it is my favorite part of her backyard at night. I would love to make these. Thanks so much! Definitely pinning this one.
Thanks so much Kathleen! Nothing like twinkly lights, right?!
Fabulous idea.Love the planter, too! Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm! Pinned!
xo Kathleen
Such a cute idea! 🙂
I would love for you to share this with my Facebook Group for recipes, crafts, tips, and tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
Love, love, love how awesome this is! Such a great idea! Thank you for sharing at Celebrate it!
How did you keep yours in a circle?? Mine is not a perfect circle!
Since the metal tape is pliable, you just need to shape it as best you can. It probably won’t be perfect, LOL.