I’ve been wanting to make a floral chandelier every since I saw several versions in magazines last fall.  I even went so far as to go onto the Michael’s Crafts site and print out their how-to directions for their project design.

Alas, if you’re anything like me, you tear out pages of magazines and print out tons of cool stuff from the internet and either have a stack of paper that grows like the weeds in the corner of your yard, or maybe you have a filing system like me.  Either way, these pages seem to get buried and don’t see the light of day until you stumble across them or something you see triggers the memory of the long forgotten idea, recipe or project.

This summer I decided to throw a Fairies in the Forest Twilight Soiree  to celebrate the waning days of summer in late August with some of our friends.  Since the theme is one that evokes the forest and nature, I naturally wanted to somehow incorporate flowers without having to make them the main thrust of the theme’s decor.  After all, this wasn’t a ladies luncheon.

I opted to have the party on our lower outdoor deck, so the low height of the “ceiling” would be perfect to hang a chandelier that is more decorative rather than an actual light source.  This party is a bit “dark” and moody, but the floral chandelier will provide a punch of color that pulls the whole party’s color palette together.  

PROJECT MATERIALS & GUIDELINES

The materials list for this project is a bit loose, as your color scheme and personal taste will largely dictate what flower choices you ultimately make for your own chandelier.

Here are a few basic guidelines I used when choosing my flowers in order to achieve the finished look I desired.

• Use 2-3 main colors; utilizing the various shades of each color to give variety to the arrangement
• Make sure to choose one or 2 types of flowers that are longer and can “dangle” below the chandelier, you’ll need a total of 12 pieces. (i.e., lilacs)
• Choose a floral/greenery garland to wind around wreath as the underpinning for the flowers. You’ll probably need two, depending on their length. If you’re using a wire form, choose a more substantial garland that can cover the entire frame.
• I chose to include some “fairy lights” by using 2 miniature rose garlands with battery powered LED string lights. As you see in the picture, I rubber banded the two battery packs together and then secured them to the inside of the wreath form. Make sure both switches are on the same side and they’re still accessible after the wreath is finished.  
• Vary the sizes and shapes of your floral selections to provide a variety of textures and visual interest.  Think large soft buds, smaller spiky or bushy ones, maybe a few that are multi-hued…
• Choose 2-3 types of large flowers that can form the primary structure.
• Include at least 3-5 different smaller flowers that will be used to “fill-in” the gaps between the large buds.
• As you cut the stems from your flowers to add to your chandelier, save the leaves to use as additional 
  “filler”, and then pop the leftovers into a plastic storage bag to use in another project.

When it comes to what kind of a wreath form to use, I had both types here at the house so I did a little experiment to see which was easier to work with for this particular project.  I personally had a much harder time working with the wire frame, as I felt like I wasn’t able to get enough “bulk” to give the chandelier the amount of fullness I wanted for the final project.  For that reason I opted for the grapevine version.  It’s totally up to you, because I will confess to you now, I do tend to have “two-left-hands” and am a bit clumsy when attempting these kinds of tasks. 

Now, how do you work on a 3-D project, making sure you are able to evenly distribute your flowers while covering the bottom, top and sides? You hang it!  I rigged up my broom handle with one end on a decorative ladder against one wall and the other on a limb of a standing lamp designed like an abstract tree. (Don’t judge, we live on top of a mountain)  I sat in a chair with all my supplies surrounding me on the floor and had a blast playing “florist” for a few hours. 

PRINTABLE SHOPPING LIST & GUIDELINES PDF

I don’t want you to be daunted by the list of supplies you’ll need to set loose your creativity on this fabulous project, so I put together a printable shopping list with fill-in-the-blanks to help you keep track of what items you’ve chosen and how many of each you’re putting in your shopping cart.

Make sure you use the note the totals so you get enough of each type of flower.  There’s nothing worse than when you’re in the groove, and you have to stop because you didn’t get enough peonies!

I added the Fairy Lite Blossom Chandelier Shopping List & Guide to the IFAFL Resource Library as a special thank you to my readers who are on the IFAFL Email Subscriber List.  I send the password for the IFAFL Resource Library in all the emails to my subscribers.  I’ve also included a “How-To” Craft Card at the end of this post to help you make your own floral chandelier.

So, now you’ve got no excuses left, do you? Your finished chandelier will be a “one-of-a-kind” creation, a product of your creativity and a reflection of your personal style.  As Martha S. used to say (maybe she still does), it’s a good thing.

I would love to see some of your finished chandeliers.  How about posting your designs in The Fab Life Facebook Group so we can all see your creativity in action!   AND, I’m dying to hear how the heck you managed to suspend your wreath above the ground to assemble it… it can take a little ingenuity!

Join the IFAFL Email Subscriber List to get instant access to the IFAFL Resource Library. Just fill out the form on the right of this page to start receiving our newsletters and start printing out our FREE DIGITAL DOWNLOADS.

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Fairy Lite Blossom Chandelier

Yield: 18 inch chandelier

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Active Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Difficulty: Medium

Estimated Cost: variable

This is a great floral project that really makes a big impact on any party decor or can make a fabulous seasonal decoration in your outside living area.

Print

Materials

• 18 inch wreath form (wire/grapevine/foam)
• Variety of flowers in desired color scheme (See Notes)
• 2 Battery operated floral string lights sets (See Notes)
• Twine/Leaf Garland/Chain/Bead Strands (choose one)
• Heavy duty cup hook or similar hanger

Tools

• Wire cutters/stainless steel floral snips
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Scissors
• Floral wire

Instructions

1. Decide where you'll hang your chandelier and measure the distance from the "ceiling" to figure out how long your hanging lines should be. Add 12 inches to that measurement to allow for tying the twine to the wreath and making the knot which ties the lines together at the top.
2. You can use either 3 or 4 lines as hangers, it's really up to you. I personally used 3 because I think it gives a more elegant look. (one gal's opinion!)
3. You'll want to hang the wreath by it's twine hangers so that it is suspended above the ground for ease of assembling the project. (read my related post to see how I did it)
4. The garland is your base layer, so start by attaching one end to the wreath with floral wire and start winding it around. (NOTE: if you are using a metal wreath frame, DO cover the entire frame with your garland. If you're using a grapevine wreath, spread the garland out a bit so it DOES NOT cover the entire frame.)
5. The second layer are the flowers that dangle from the wreath frame. Evenly space your hanging flowers/bushes so that they hang from both the outside and inside of the wreath,
6. The next layer is the large individual blooms. Intersperse them around the wreath, taking care to make sure some are on the top, bottom and the sides.
7. Attach the remaining flowers around the wreath to fill in all the gaps between the large blooms. Use some of the leaves to add dimension and fullness to your chandelier. Take care to work with your colors so that they are in a pleasing arrangement throughout the chandelier.
8. If you are using a garland with lights, take care when placing the surrounding flowers so that the lights can still shine through. You also need to keep the "on-off" switches accessible.
9. Take a final look at your chandelier, spinning it around to find any "holes" that need to be filled. Add some leaves and whatever flowers you have left and take one last look to make sure the chandelier is full and balanced.
10. Hang your Fairy Lite Blossom Chandelier somewhere that will give you a "little thrill" every time you see it! Enjoy, you did a fabulous job!

Notes

I include a printable PDF with the supply shopping list and the floral guidlines in my related post. Be sure to download it, print it out and take it with you when you do your project shopping!