Are there any of you out there that don’t occasionally get drawn into wanting your home to look like the magazines or catalogs you’re perusing?

One of my personal weaknesses is lighting.

A well-placed fixture can transform a neglected area into a favorite focal point.

Most of the unique treasures I’ve found to add sparkle to my home and the homes of my design clients are found at local thrift and junk shops. Specifically, Goodwill has been an exceptional goldmine.

Being the fire-phobe that I am, I usually take my discoveries to a local lighting shop to be rewired, just to make sure that they are super safe.

However, I recently saw an amazing alternative that knocked my socks off…

It was a Moroccan candle lantern filled with a strand of rolled up mini white lights. The sparkly glow was placed in a dormant fireplace and really set an amazing ambiance

No fire, no smoke and no heat… great for year round use.

I recently expanded on this idea when I discovered in storage a few abandoned candle lanterns of my own.

I cleaned ‘em up, filled ‘em up with the mini-lights and hung ‘em up on my patio. I then set them on a timer turning on at dusk and off around midnight.

Even when we’re not out on the patio, the glow beams in the windows amping up our joy factor.

I’ve put together a few photos and brief description together to help make this project a snap. I hope this will inspire you and that you’ll spread the good word… check it out HERE.

Sometimes, re-purposing and re-using some cherished pieces that are underused can double the joy that going out and buying something new can.

So check out your storage, clean out the back of your closet, add some white mini lights and let me know what you discover….

And remember, I am most definitely in your corner,

Love,
Thais

p.s. If you missed last week’s article about buying American and the USA Love List Review and Giveaway, you can check it out HERE. They are giving away three of our tees with all sorts of ways to win HERE! You can also use the VIP promo code: DUCKLOVESUSA for 20% off of any order at LuckyDuckLiving​.com through July 7th, 2013. We love you America!