How to Make a Solar Candelabra for Your Campsite

Our family has several camping lanterns for our campsite. Recently, while scrolling through Pinterest I saw some of these great solar chandeliers that people are making for garden and outdoor spaces. I'm still considering this as a craft project for our home.

I'm also a big fan of a quick craft or afternoon project. This is the perfect project for the reluctant crafter. It can be done in less than an hour and looks great when done.

You will need candlesticks, solar lights and spray paint for this project.

First, begin with some old candle sticks. If you are looking for something blingy, search for ones that have little chandelier drops on them. I found my candle sticks on Ebay and won them for $6.99 for the pair.

I removed the chandelier drops first. Then I spray painted with several coats of Satin Sea Glass Krylon Spray Paint. I picked this up at Walmart for less than $4. Be patient with the paint and apply in thin even coats. Krylon ColorMaster Paint & Primer Satin Sea Glass, 15 oz - Walmart.com

Remove the chandelier drops before spray painting the candle sticks.

Apply several thin coats of spray paint.

Next, add solar garden lights. These are easily found in most garden and dollar stores. Fred's Dollar Store had these for $4 each. I removed the long stem that would normally be in the ground. This part just disconnects easily with a twist. Attach to the candle stick with a little hot glue. It is easy to use something like a gorilla glue. But, I wanted to be able to replace the solar lights if they died. I'll update later if the hot glue doesn't hold up great.

Remove the stick so that the tops of the solar tops can be attached to the candlesticks. I used hot glue for this.

Reattach the chandelier drops, and presto! Done! That's it. The total cost for this project was $18.99. For less than $20, I have two solar candles that I can enjoy either camping or at home on my deck.

I really like the finished product and how easy this is. I can't wait to use these on our camping table the next time we camp. The will look nice in the evening and at night without sending out a blinding light. Our lanterns are really bright!

This same method could be used with an old chandelier. Just replace the existing lights with solar garden lights. Depending on the size, you could hang this from a shepherds hook or other hook outdoors for a nice evening glow. The candles could also be perfect on a patio or deck at home. So, this doesn't just have to be a camping project. It just happens to be for me.

Camping season is here. Fun camping gear like unique lights and outdoor decorations make your home on the road more exciting. Get out there and create something fun to have at your campsite or any outdoor space you enjoy!