Happy Mardi Gras!

Repurposed chandelier
Originally uploaded by sassycrafter

For all of you who lugged home piles of beads from Mardi Gras and don't know what to do with them, here's the project you've been waiting for. This project also appears in the February issue of The Satellite Magazine, hot off the presses and available in North Central Florida.

1. Pick up an old chandelier from a thrift store, remove the electrical parts, and dust it with a few coats of matte silver spray paint.
2. Wrap four of the eight chandelier arms with pearls, securing the loose ends with wire and a dab of glue.
3. On the remaining four arms, use jump rings to swag pearls underneath the arms.
4. Finally, add tea lights to the cups where the lights used to be.

Now all you have to do is light the candles, pour yourself a mint julep, and start enjoying the warmer evenings on the porch.