So There's No Light. So what?

I always wondered why it is that people either electrify their mini houses or they don't. There is no in between. I have decided that the Clockwork Cottage is going to be the in between kind. That is, there is going to be electricity, but there are also going to be some lights that aren't electrified, just for show. After all, nobody lights every light in the house at the same time.

Remember the candelabra from yesterday's pile of junque? That's what I tackled today. It took a little longer than I thought it would. I used #14 beads. They are about half the size of seed beads(#11). I also used #32 gage wire. Sometimes that can get irritating. It wants to zig when I want to zag.

This method can be used on any chandelier or candelabra, be they electrified or not. It can fancy up a plain old brass chandelier into a crystal creation in a couple of hours.

I started out with a length of wire that was about 3 times as long as the circumference of the arms. I know that sounds like a lot, but you need something to hang on to when you are working and you need extra length to thread the beads. Wire is cheap!

The first thing I did was straighten the wire(It was on a paddle.) I used the handy dandy jeweler's pliers that are made specifically for that purpose. You can get them at any good bead shop. They are also handy when you need a good grip on the thin wire. You just run the wire through the jaws of the pliers and you have instant straight wire. It is much easier to work with a straight piece of wire than it is to work with one that is curling this way and that.

I wrapped the wire a couple of times around one of the arms. I cut off the tail. Again, that is easier than trying to wrap the very end around the arm.

I bent the end of the wire slightly so that it would be easier to pick up the beads. Using a scooping motion, I picked up as many beads as I needed to make a graceful drape between the arms. In this case, I settled for 25 beads. Each lamp will be different. Just put them on the wire and try out the look.

I bent the wire sideways to keep the beads from sliding back down the wire. Then I turned a loop right next to the beads. Depending on the lamp you are using and the location of the drape, you will have to either work with the lamp in your hand or not. The first row that I did on this lamp was done right on the lamp. The outer row was done by slipping the loops over the arms later. I tried the outer loops on and decided on 45 beads for that one.

I decided that it still needed something. I made drops for each arm by making a loop with 5 beads and then threading 15 beads and making a loop to go over the end of the arm. Those went on last and were glued to keep everything from slipping off.

To make it a little more glitzy, I glued beads in a circle around the base of each outer candle and two circles around the middle one. I also glued a circle of beads around the base. I still need to give the candles another coat of paint and blacken the tip or put a piece of white thread on them.

After putting on all of the beads, I went away to let the glue dry. Oops! Mistake........ Remember yesterday when Tessie was eyeing the candle tree? It disappeared off of the paper plate.

I took a very poor photo of Tessie high tailing it into her cottage from the motorcycle. Yup. She has custody of the candelabra. For the time being, I will let her have it. No matches though. I don't trust her. She can look at the sparkly light for now. She will be on to something else in a day or two and I will snatch it back and install it in Balthazar's bedroom where it belongs.

I had better leave now and make sure that she doesn't pilfer anything else.

See you tomorrow.