T h e - S p a r k l e b a l l - World - N e w s

Summer 2009

As seen in: Apartment Therapy

I forgive Apartment Therapy style corre-spondent Heather Blaha for refering to them as "plastic cup hanging lamps" when she reported on these sparkleballs she found in Texas-- because I absolutely love this summer-time application.

   Sparkleballs adorn West Texas campsight - Apartment Therapy

   After all I am a Texan, and what I wouldn't give to be right there this very minute with my boots propped on the table with a cold Real ale or glass of bubbly Gruet in my hand.
    Blaha spotted the sparkleballs at a West Texas campsight and writes: "This would be a fun project and addition to any outdoor space -- yards, decks, patios, communal gardens, etc."
     Ms. Blaha may be wrong about what they're called but she's absolutely right that sparkleballs are the perfect addition to any summertime outdoor space.
     I was so inspired by her photos and Beverly's that I ran out to build a mini-sparkleball with some pink lights I'd bought ages ago. It looks very pretty nestled into my lime tree at night, as you can see below. A sparkleball's glow makes a sweet spot for a summer apertif.

Lakeland FL: Nothing suits a screen porch like cold beverages and a few 4th o'July sparkleballs. Beverly's mom Mary and dad David
celebrating at friend Ron's house

Sparkleball Profile - Beverly Farley

       Florida Artist Beverly Farley started doing craft sales as a fun thing to do with her mom. "We are always looking for the next great craft idea, and I had seen these sparkleballs and always thought they were neat."
       Beverly figured out her own pattern and started sparkleballing. A year and a half later, she's made sparkleballs for friends, craft shows, and to sell on Craigslist and here on sparkleball.com. (Our To Hire page!)
       She stocks up on lights at Walmart during Christmas and Halloween, prefering strings of 50 so she can create her own color combinations like the red, white, and blue July 4th sparkleballs above (photo taken at Beverly's friend Frank's house in Lakeland FL) and her 'Gator sparkleballs in blue-and-orange and Seminole sparkleballs in red-and-gold.
       Recently Beverly got serious and bought plastic cups by the case at an auction. She had started her sparkleball career using Solo cups and the staple method. But the auction cups were hard plastic, so these days Beverly's working with a woodburner (soldering iron). " I have it down to a science. I use the clothespin method, and it really helps," Beverly says. See more of Beverly's July 4th sparkleballs on Photos and Intro pages.

Beverly is our first sparkballer profile.( Thanks, Bev!) If you'd like to be featured here, email me with photos!

(our best friend)

Beverly's right. I can't believe I ever made sparkleballs without using clothespins. I learned the trick from Don and Jeff, the Master Sparkleballers of North Yale Avenue ("Sparkleball Street," Fullerton CA) - except that they use manlier, more expensive workshop clips from the hardware store. This past week I made two sparkleballs for my mother-in-law Bev's birthday, and they went so fast because I used a zillion clothespins as I worked. That's why I love learning from you. Keep those emails coming.

San Diego CA garden at dusk: A pretty little sparkleball peeking from a lime tree at cocktail time. Especially lovely since we've entered mandatory water rationing and our lawns are crispy brown. (I used tiny 5 oz tumblers from Party City.)

F r o m - t h e - I n b o x

Rob emails:
"I've just remade our snowman and I found that a 8mm speed bore bit did the job fine [ for holes in cup bottoms] and stacking 3 cups at a time made work easy. His head is made of shot cups which are brittle. They tend to crack slightly so you have to go steady, stack 4 at a time."
-Tingalpa, Brisbane AU

Tom emails:
"Cut a cross in the bottom of each cup with a razor-blade style craft knife. Then use a soldering iron to melt a small hole in the center of the cross.True, it takes some extra time, but you make up a lot of that time when inserting the lights, because the flaps that are created bend and make it easy and speedy—a
real pleasure. And the flaps simply won’t let the lights fall back through—it’s kind of like a one-way valve.
-Park Ridge ILLINOIS

Ed. note: Tom's also figured out a way to build a better, stronger sparkleball which uses only 48 cups not 50. Check out his method. I plan to test it and report back.

What is a Sparkleball?

According to Wikipedia, a sparkleball is an ornament handmade out of Christmas lights and plastic cups, using soldering, staples or cable ties to join the cups. It is a modern American folkcraft whose origins are unknown.

"A light ball made out of plastic cups won't change your life, but it will make everything a little sparklier. The instructions here are free and easy enough for children of all ages. " - Sparkleball Lady

These craft and style sites have featured sparkleballs. Please visit them and say howdy. babies_online all things baby notcot -ideas + aesthetics + amusement sotto.org cut out + keep - hip, zesty craft tutorials a few pretty things -beautiful, innovative ideas to admire or make for you and your home. cribcandy Thrifty Fun -who in the world doesn't need thrifty fun these days? Free People -"a caravan of curiosities;" art,style, wonder SuperForest -good news website about places, things, and people; happenings from around the world.
Thomas Cave's Tattoo -We're in a Depression all right, but don't despair. A few cheery suggestions from Hobo Willie. Apartment Therapy -probably the coolest (hottest) design and DIY site on the web. zoomdoggle -nothing but fun stuff and fun.
i green spot -green products and innovations Belardo Lights - legendary San Diego holiday light display by father and son Randy and Brandon Schimka. lighted Christmas balls -Anne and Jonathon's famous light balls of Greensboro NC and how they raise money for charity.
Manola del Grande - Christmas blog