Making these lighted blocks can be a very simple and fun project for any occasion. They cast a soft glow if used as ambient lighting and they can add a special touch to parties or weddings if used as centerpieces. You may even think about dressing them up by adding flowers or ribbon. Read More→
Craft lights sets come in such a large variety. I thought it might be a good idea to explain the differences. Craft lights are one of the most popular lights strings for year round use. These types of lights are sometimes are hard to find from January to September, but if you look hard you can find them.
C7 and C9 bulbs are probably the most easily recognized Christmas bulb in the country. You can see them just about anywhere around the holidays, on trees, homes and even businesses. These bulbs are also great for mood lighting at parties, restaurants and have so many other decorative purposes. C7 and C9 bulbs are a perfect alternative to using household size bulbs for decorating indoors because they use much less power. Since these will probably be used as accent lighting you have several options, these bulbs come in translucent colors with a steady burn or random twinkle and opaque or painted option.
Globe lights come in quite a variety of sizes but I will admit that the names they use, G30, G40 and G50 do not give the faintest idea to what size the bulbs actually are. Try to remember, the larger the number the larger the bulb. G50 is the size bulb that most people think of when talking about a traditional globe bulb. G50 bulbs are a large 2” diameter bulb. These styles of bulbs are available on both C7 (candelabra) base and C9 (intermediate) base. Read More→
There is a plethora of ways to affix your Christmas lights to your home these days. Generally in a residential situation you want to use a clip that is not permanent and will not leave evidence that you had Christmas lights up.
To the left, you can see an All in One clip in use; it slides right under the shingle on your roof. It can also be used on gutters or wherever else you can securely clip it. It can hold C7, C9, mini lights and even some LED lights. The brother to the All in One is the All in One Plus; it’s similar in appearance but has a couple more features that gives it that plus status. The clip that goes around a gutter or on top of a shingle has an extra hook for hanging wire. For example, if you were using the All in One Plus on your gutters for C7 bulbs and wanted to hang icicle lights as well, you could do that with this one clip. Read More→
Decorating with rope light is so simple and quick and it can add a wonderful glow to almost any area around the house. Rope light is versatile so the possibilities are endless. If you can imagine it, you can make it happen.
Try decorating your deck. Rope light is easy to install and light up a dark outdoor space. Wrap the rope light around handrails or deck posts and use it as a source of ambient lighting for you or your guest on a nice summer night. You could even light the stairs on your deck, simply line the bottom of each step with the rope light to give your steps definition and make them much safer at night. With the right lighting hardware you can install the rope light under the railing around your deck for indirect lighting. This addition of light really makes your deck an attractive, usable and safe area at night.
Most people have seen the videos of Christmas lights on a home that have been synced to music but most of us don’t have the time or money to create such an elaborate display of Christmas lights with these animated software programs. Although there are some simple and more affordable ways to animate the Christmas lights and displays on and around your home or business.
There is a musical Christmas light controller that is very popular. This easy to use controller features 6 outlets and 20 different Christmas/Holiday songs. Some of these self contained controllers have the option to use an external musical source like a MP3 player or an IPod. There are 3 modes for your musical light show; steady, your lights simply stay on, unison, your lights are in time with the music chosen and multiplex, every outlet is a different instrument so that every string of lights does its part for the song. It can handle a total of 12 amps, has a built in speaker and can be mounted in a variety of ways. No programming, no dip switches or jumpers, it’s a simple plug in and turn on operation.
Traditional Christmas mini lights have been and will continue to be one of the most popular light strings. They are simple, relatively hassle free and come in a huge variety of sizes and colors. Spacing choices include, 2.5 inch, 4 inch and 6 inch spacing is standard. There is also a very large selection of bulb counts. All spacings come in 50 or 100 bulbs per string but the 4 inch spaced sets come in 15, 20 and 35 bulbs.
Smaller mini light strings have been gaining an enormous following in the crafting world. They are used for lighting glass blocks or empty wine bottles. Most people use the 20 or 35 light sets for these types of projects. These smaller bulb count light strings generally do not have any sort of end plug, commonly called NEC (No End Connector) sets and they are probably the most popular mini light strings. Read More→
There are so many great products to use for every type of party or occasion, many of the lights that we are going to talk about can be used for proms, weddings, receptions, birthday parties, holiday parties and many other occasions. You just have to use a little imagination and creativity and the possibilities are endless! Click the link below to learn more about Globe lights, Rope Light, Mini lights and Curtain lights.
There are so many options when it comes to choosing the right light string for your craft project. Here we are going to go over just a few of the basics.
Some of the most popular light strings are the 20 count or 35 count mini light sets. These sets come in many of the standard mini light colors and have white or green wire options. The sets typically have a 3 to 4 inch bulb spacing and have a 24″ or 36″ lead (wire from plug to first bulb). These light strings are relatively short so you won’t have a mile of wire inside your project, also having up to a 3 foot lead option is great for craft projects so you that you don’t have to use an extension cord. This helps to make a cleaner looking end result and the fact that 20 and 35 light count strings do not have a end to end connector means you can drill a smaller hole in your glass block or bottle.
aachristmas.com - Light strings, Wire, Mounting hardware, Christmas light bulbs, & More
allamericanchristmas.com - Large Commercial Christmas Displays, Christmas Trees, Garland, Banners, & More.