May 29, 2021

 Slowly but surely I am doing a few projects.  sometimes I wonder why I do some of the projects.  Take for instance the recent desire to repair my fake pussywillow that had lights in the white buds.  Mine you this particular fake item died probably 10 years ago.  I packed and moved a nonfunctioning lighted (but not working) fake plant.  700 miles we move the lovely plant.

Hubby had researched the problem and figured out the lights were like the old fashioned Christmas tree lights.  If one light burned out the entire shooting match would quit working.  Bet most of folks that read this will have at some point bought that set of 5 lights and replaced bulbs till the one bad light was found.  One would rue the day if more than one light was out.   Hubby has a different approach, a magnifying glass.  

Hubby will look through an eyeloop magnifying glass until he identifies a light with broken wires of the glowy part.  No switching innumerable lights until the bad light is found.  Replace the one culprit or culprits as the case may be. Voila, lights.  Only one little problem with the pussywillow project.  No replacement lights available.  I did the next best thing, Michaels, Amazon and Google.  The fake willow buds, which were basically white balls, were measured.  A string of lights of a slightly smaller diameter were ordered.  

At least I thought they were a smaller size.  Of course not.  Close but not small enough to fit inside. Hubby suggested drilling the hole a bit bigger in the little pussywillow balls.  One attempt and it was obvious that would not work.  Well, I was not going to waste a perfectly good set of lights!  After all they had cost $7.95.  So I went again to the internet.  I was shopping for balls to fit my pussywillow stems.  Well, really to fit over the led lights.  Found the balls in the form of plastic beads.  Only $6.99.

Of course there was still a matter of fitting over the led lights.  So Hubby 'volunteered' to drill the hole bigger.  Forty little beads held by hand and drilled bigger for the all important pussywillow bush.  Hubby spent more than a few minutes drilling holes.  He did not charge so there was zero cost.

In the mean time I disassembled the original unusable lighted willow.  All that was left were stiff floral stem wires.  Okay, I will use these and attach the new lights to the wires.  Oh, did I mention I could not find lights i the right amount and length that were not battery operated?  Battery operated would not do for this process.  Hubby purchased some sort of capacitor or diode or something like that to use to convert the wall power to the proper voltage for the light string.  Have I mentioned my Hubby should be nominated for sainthood?

Lights were strung to the wires.  The wires were tied together and I began wrapping with the brown florist tape which I had in stock.  No additional cost.  Once part of the balls were ready to be attached it soon became clear the balls would easily fall off.  Out came the Elmer's clear glue.  Again a stock item in the crafting closet/shelf.  As of this evening the forty little balls have been glued to the lights.  Next to put the brown tape on the stems.   

Stems available on Amazon..

It appears we now have about 10 hours of retire persons' time.  That has no value.  About $15.50 in lights, balls and electronic gizmo.  I just check Amazon.  I can purchase assembled stems for $11.59.  The adapter gizmo costs about 50 cents.  I don't think I'll even mention that to my sainted Hubby.  After all even saints have their limits.

Take care out there.  

Janice

PS:  I have 39 left over balls from the original bush.   A partially full bag of pearls for crafting and left over florist wire should anyone need these items just to kill some time.