Decorative Solar Light

I would never say that I'm a pack rat. When I think of "pack rat" I think of someone that has to hang onto EVERYTHING because there is emotional value. I'm not one of them.

But I do believe that I'm part of a new breed of "pack rat" that I'll term as "store-for-the-future squirrel."

What's the difference, you ask? I will find something at a garage sale or auction that I MUST have, but I have no use for. So I buy it and tuck it away into any nook or cranny in my house, just as a squirrel prepares for the winter.

But I know, just like Mr. Squirrel, that I will use these found objects some day, whatever I may use them for.

Why the story? Because today's project cost me only 59 cents! That's just for the vines. Everything else, even the light, I had. The rope, though it was no longer usable, had a charm to it (and I have no idea where it came from), and I never throw away usable wood. I stored things that I love and turned it into something cute years down the road. Now that's thrifty!

Decorative Solar Light

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3" Landscaping Timber, treated

Rope

Wood Glue

4" screws

Spade bit

Solar Light

Decorations

Staple gun

1. Cut your landscape timber into lengths of 21" 17" 13" and 9"

2.Glue and clamp all the timbers together in decending order (reference picture). Let that dry for a day.

3. Reinforce the wood by screwing the 4" screws through the wood. Plan this ahead so that the rope will cover the screws!

4. Check the pole of your solar light. Use a spade bit the same size as the pole. Drill down into the longest timber.

5. If you matched up the sizes correctly, then push your solar light on the top. It should fit snuggly. If you made the hole too large, just put some glue in the hole, put your light in, and let dry.

6. Staple one end of your rope to the back and wrap the rope around 3-4 times. Secure the end in the back with another staple.

7. Embellish as you please! I used some vines and the end of my rope had a cool clasp on it, so I used that. Wala!

Thank you Uncle Bart and Aunt Rita for coaching me through this one!