Today I’m sharing how I upcycled some patio lanterns -- from ones that use candles into ones that glow warmly with Dollar Tree LED hanging lamps filled with fairy lights. 

 

On a recent trip to Dollar Tree I spied some plastic, battery-operated LED hanging lamps that I knew would come in handy on the patio this summer. There were both gold and silver lamps -- I chose the gold.

I went through them, one by one, and pulled out that little piece of plastic (you know the one) to check if the lights actually worked. While doing this I noticed a woman standing nearby watching me intently, waiting to pounce on whatever lamps I didn't end up taking with me. I took all the working gold lamps, 10 in all.

 

Initially, I hung them from the patio gazebo frame using, ironically, "S" hooks I had purchased from Dollar Tree's garden section a few years ago. Each lamp comes with an attached wire hanger which makes hanging them a breeze, especially if you have something like an "S" hook to hang them with. And while I loved how they looked hanging from the gazebo frame by themselves, I had an epiphany.

Years ago I bought these large, wire lanterns that are supposed to be used with candles. It has a glass candle holder in the middle of it. I tried using candles, but I hated having to bring them inside each night since our patio is not covered and the candles would not be protected from the elements.  

I can always put the glass candle holder insert back into the lantern if I decide to use candles again instead of fairy lights.

So my idea was to place the Dollar Tree LED lamps inside the wire lantern. My hunch that it would fit, placed upside down, into the lantern's candle holder was spot on. It fit perfectly. And while I liked how it looked, I realized I could hang the lamp inside the lantern with one small accommodation.    

That accommodation was some picture hanging wire and my (jewelry making) wire cutting tool. Any wire cutters would have worked.

I cut a small piece of wire and strung it into the metal loops on either side of the top of the lantern, adjacent to the rope, after stringing the lamp onto the wire so that it hung directly in the middle of the lantern. 

here's the Dollar Tree LED lamp, hanging mid-way between the lantern's two sides.

 

 

 

After hanging a Dollar Tree lamp inside each of my two wire lanterns, I hung both lanterns on the gazebo frame looking out over the garden.  

I will also hang the other 8 Dollar Tree LED lamps all around the gazebo frame on "S" hooks, surrounding us with a warm glow we can enjoy in the evenings.

The lanterns also look nice sitting on the patio side tables.

While I'll still have to bring the lanterns in each night since the lamps are technically for indoor use only, I'm okay with that. That's how much I love the new look!

If you don't have a gazebo frame to hang the lamps on, you could also hang the Dollar Tree LED lamps directly onto shepherd hooks placed in strategic places around your patio or throughout your yard, and/or lining any outdoor pathways that need illumination.  

 

Resource List

Wire Patio Lanterns

S hooks

Shepherd Hooks

Solar Light Bulbs for hanging

Picture Hanging Wire

Well, that's it for today, friends!

I hope you've enjoyed reading about my

Dollar Tree LED Hanging Lamp

With Fairy Lights Lantern Upcycle

and that I've inspired you in some way.