Paper + Fairy Lights Lamp

I was challenged to create a lamp using $1 or less. This fun lamp is made completely out of materials found in the recycling and trash!

You can place this pyramid lamp on an of it surfaces and enjoy the textured light it casts. The lightness of the lamp and it size makes it easy to place it anywhere and even to carry it around.

Materials and tools you need:

-paper (the thicker the better)

-cans from soda (wash them before doing anything with them)

-boxcutter knife and/or exacto knife

-hot glue gun

-fairy lights (any color works, but colors other than yellow and white are fun!)

-wooden dowels, chopsticks, or sticks

let's get to the making!

I found paper that had a design laser cut. I have attached the downloadable Illustrator file so you could use it to get the same design, but if you do not have a laser cutter, you can cut out the same or a different pattern using an exacto knife or scissors.

Using a box cutter knife, cut the cans into thin strips to fit the lines in-between the cutout 1's.

Cut the wooden dowels with a box cutter knife. I made a 9 inch pyramid so all the dowels are cut to 9 inch. To make a triangular pyramid, cut 6 dowels. These are the frames for the lamp. Use three of the dowels to create a triangle base and leave the other 3 for later.

To create a more reflective surface inside the lamp, hot glue the thin strips of the metal from the can to the paper. using an exacto knife or box cutter, clean the glue strings and excess glue by carefully cutting them off.

Now, cut the paper into four triangles. Make sure they are all 9 inch equilateral triangles. I traced the wooden dowel base onto the paper to make sure the paper will fit definitely over it. Using the last three of the dowels left, glue one on a side of each of the triangles.

I used three fairy lights for this lamp. When putting these around the inside of the lamp, it is important that all three of the fairy lights originate from the same place and that they cover the space evenly. I made all three of the lights originate from on of the corners of the pyramid.

I recommend laying out the triangles in the shape that they would fold in to create the pyramid so you can easily mix the wire of the lights with the different triangles

Starting with one, glue the wiring on a path. I started out with the origin point and then made a path with the wires that do not have any lights across the base onto another triangle. I covered half og that triangle with the lights and went over to another triangle and made a path of wiring throughout the whole triangle.

Repeat the same thing with the second fairy lights. Follow the non-lighted wire path and then cover the second half of the triangle and move onto the other triangle that does not have any wiring yet.

With the third and last fairy light, I lined the base with them. This one also originated from the same corner. Now all side of the pyramid have lights.

With all the lights set up, it is now to finally put it all together into a pyramid.

Using hot glue, carefully glue the paper triangles to the wooden dowels and the dowels together at the top and to the base already made. Be carefully to bend the wire that goes between two triangles.

Finally, glue the three switch boxes together so they are easier to turn on together.

Enjoy this lamp!