| home | make
a sparkleball |
the sparkleball story | contact us |
|
|
|
What is a sparkleball? According to Wikipedia, it's an ornament handmade out of Christmas lights and plastic cups, using soldering, staples or cable ties to join the cups. It is a mid-century American folkcraft whose origins are unknown. |
| These folks like sparkleballs: cut
out + keep
|
photos:
home - 16 - 15 - 14 - 13 - 12 - 11 - 10 - 9 - 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1
January 4, 2010
Palo Alto CA
Jason and Garrett (macetech.com) used "six Satellite Modules (high power RGB LED arrays), six ShiftBars (three channel LED controllers), a Seeeduino, and a ShiftBrite Shield"-- and 120 16oz cups hotglued together to build their New Year's sparkleball (above; in four different incarnations) for a mini-Times Square event. GREAT video !
December 29, 2009
New York NY
Sent by iphone from a fan in Chelsea Market. Not officially a sparkleball, but the best New Yorkers can do, so we'll count it. UPDATE: I was wrong! Apologies to Bill. Click here for a closeup of this beautiful sparkleball commissioned by Chelsea Market and made by a Rhode Island artist.
December 29, 2009
Fullerton CA
North Yale Avenue (the famous "Sparkleball Street") now on youtube! And 78 glorious new photos from professional photographer Dave Welch!
December 26, 2009
Oxnard CA
Eileen DeLorey left the zipties long (untrimmed) on this captivating sparkleball. [rollover image]
December 26, 2009
Oxnard CA
A sparkleballer for 25 years, Eileen makes and hangs sparkleballs in honor of Chanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights. (See same tree above on youtube.)
December 26, 2009
Oxnard CA
The "snow-frosted" look is achieved by sponge-dabbing white primer on the cups before Eileen assembles the sparkleball. To see it lit up, move mouse across photo. See it in action on youtube. [rollover image]
December 26, 2009
Oxnard CA
Two of Eileen's half-sparkleballs adorn a wall and sit atop a bush. Great youtube video of Eileen's festival of sparkleballs.
December 25, 2009
Chicago IL
There are sparkleballs all over Manola's neighborhood now, thanks to her and her sparkleball parties. She switched this year to zipties from stapling, because "they look nicer and are more durable." See more Manola here. And even more Manola Christmas ideas on her website. [rollover image]
December 25, 2009
Tingalpa, Brisbane AUSTRALIA
From Annette and Rob Cox's award-winning display, as photographed by their son-in-law. More Rob here, here, and here.
December 25, 2009
December 25, 2009
Tingalpa, Brisbane AUSTRALIA
Great photo of Rob Cox's snow-sparkleballman. See more on Rob's snowman here. [rollover image]
pages:
home - 16 - 15 - 14 - 13 - 12 - 11 - 10 - 9 - 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1