Visiting Tuscon’s 2022 Gem and Mineral Show, a cozy patio and a lovely pinot noir was the perfect way to end the day. Spring is a perfect time to visit Arizona and enjoy views like this. Materials Vintage-style Edison Bulbs, E26 bases Black commercial cord, E26 sockets Commercial 15-amp plug(s) The light cords were cut…
Author: Shellie Gardner
Aside from throwing dinner parties that feature at least two kinds of cheese dip, Shellie's passions include travel, Mid-Century Modern furnishings and finding the perfect street taco. Has been known to snort laugh champagne.
5-Minute Project: 4th of July Glass Block
Glass blocks aren’t just for 80’s decor. Available at local hobby and craft shops, they are now made with one side open so drilling is no longer required. If you have a glass block in your crafting stash, add a set of craft lights and patriotic gel clings for a project that looks great on…
Get This Look: Magical Backyard Pergola
Revive a pergola by lighting it up! In mid-May, our pergola was a sad sight. So faded and needing cleaning, we didn’t enjoy our backyard nearly as much as we should. We saved money by restoring our tired pergola and outdoor furniture with power washing and staining. Installing string and curtain lights made what was…
Lights for a backyard party
We love to see how folks use lights for parties and events. Karen decided to accent her outdoor spaces with LED curtains and personalized light strings. Here are the products or “build sheet” for this project. 2 sets of 8-foot LED Curtain Lights Warm White on White Wire 1 package of 100 C7 or C9…
Quick and easy backyard fence lighting project
Planning a party? Enjoying summer evenings in the backyard? This project doesn’t require a ladder or special materials. With about 40 minutes of time and under $125 for bulbs and a cord, a backyard can go from “You have a lovely backyard” to “Wow, what’s the special occasion?” or better yet, “Whoo whoo, this looks…
DIY: Lighting a Patio for Family Friday Nights with Round Bulbs and Magnetic Clips
Every season is a great time to hang out with family on the back patio. In Texas, we love bundling up during the winter months as much as we love relaxing with a margarita in the summer heat. The biggest benefit of winter is that there are no mosquitos! In summer we bring out the…
Christmas Lights Recycling and The Weather Channel!
Last Saturday, December 4th, a producer from the Weather Channel called to ask me to talk about recycling Christmas lights – so exciting. It was a wonderful opportunity to reach out to let people know that lights don’t have to end up in a landfill. Unexpected Circumstances! It just so happens that I was 5…
Get this Look: Beautiful Blue Christmas Lights
With so many choices, folks regularly ask us how LED strings compare to separate bulbs and cords. This customer photo does a lovely job of showing the look of our plug-and-play blue light strings. Materials List 15 sets of blue C9 LED light strings 400 All Application Clips (or your favorite clip that works with…
Can I use a gilbert plug on a set of mini lights?
Hi, great question. Unfortunately, the answer is no for a couple of reasons. Mini lights should really not be cut because they are wired in series and their bulbs are rated for a specific current draw. The better choice is to find a string of lights whose length most closely matches your project requirements, or…
Will your C7 or C9 bulbs work in my cords?
Short answer: Maybe. Longer answer: We used to be able to answer this question with a resounding yes when the question was about the style of bulbs that come as threaded bulbs and threaded sockets of the style that folks have been using to install lights around their rooflines for decades. Now, there are a…
Can a C7 25-foot cord be cut?
Short and Long answer: If your 25-foot cord is made from a stranded heavier duty “lamp cord” that is wired in parallel, then yes, you can cut the cord to fit your project. This type of cord is shown in the image below. Parallel means that if one bulb is unscrewed from its socket the…
Can you mix C7 and C9 bulbs together (in the same cord)?
Short answer: No, they won’t fit into the same cord because they have different-sized bases. Longer answer: This is a great question, especially since we’ve had a larger number of first-time Christmas lights customers this season. We have heard this question in this form several times over the last couple of months along with the…
How many light strings do I need to wrap my tree?
We’ve all seen tree trunks wrapped for Christmas, for weddings, and events. They are truly glorious. LED light strings with specifications allowing 100’s of feet of light to be run on a single outlet has revolutionized the density and number of lights that can be installed. But how many light strings will I really need?…
Do I need anything else?
A quick checklist for putting together a complete Christmas lights order. We hear this question all year. With an unlimited way to combine Christmas lights into a customized, personalized display – large or small – it helps to ask a few questions before completing an order. We’ve organized questions to ask by product lines. C7…
How well do salt and lights mix?
Short answer: Ocean saltwater breezes combined with sun and high temperatures are hard on Christmas lights and light strings. Installation on or near a beach will shorten their lifespan. Longer answer We love nothing better than beaches, warm evenings, and a string of lights. They make a perfect recipe for good times with friends and…
Get This Look: 12 Volt String Lights
We love to hear this kind of customer feedback. And we’ll think about expanding this product line! Used this lights on the outside of a company vehicle for a socially distanced Christmas event. They lit up great, and I’m very grateful to have found 12v accessory plug string lights. They’re hard to come by! One…
Spread the Love!
We all loved opening the email that contained this photo. Barbara was kind enough to send us a photo of her Valentine’s Day light display. There is no better time than the middle of winter with snow on the ground to spread a little love to the neighborhood. Materials The lights: 15 strings of pink…
Get This Look: A classic car and 12-volt light sets
This lovely vintage car is lit with warm white 12-volt light sets added to a 24-inch wreath on the grill, and a garland on the roof. Adding a couple of sets of lights on the front and back dashboards completes the project. Perfect for Christmas cruising or a parade. Read the owner’s review. I bought…
Customer Question: Can I mix incandescent and LED bulbs on my C7 and C9 stringer wire?
Here is a question I received today from John in Coloma, MI: Hello…. Yesterday, I received my shipment of various-colored traditional “old school” C9 and C7 bulbs from an on-line order that I placed on your website approx 1 week ago. I am very satisfied with my order. These bulbs are placed on a special…
Get This Look: Curtain lights add fun and romance to the backyard
Whether it’s a backyard sauna, a firepit, or a covered patio, we all want a backyard haven. With Valentines around the corner, don’t forget lighting to create a magical outdoor space for relaxing outside after a Valentine’s Day dinner-for-two or a “Gal”-entine party with friends. To get this look, 3 sets of curtain lights span…