DIY Bead Chandeliers

Cut down the front of a large cardboard box so it is open and easily accessible. This will help provide more room when painting the wire basket. Use a cardboard box large enough for the wire basket to fit easily inside while allowing you to reach all sides. Flatten out additional cardboard boxes and place on the ground.

Place the wire basket inside the box and arrange all the additional pieces -- including floral wire, embroidery hoops, metal chain, light fixture mounting kit and light fixture ceiling cap -- on the cardboard surfaces. Spray paint all surfaces using thin, even coats of spray paint. Allow the paint to dry completely before adding an additional coat.

Place all of the necklaces on a flat work surface. Use wire cutters or a sharp pair of scissors to clip each necklace to form a single beaded strand. If necessary, use hot glue to attach beaded strands together so each strand is long enough to wrap around the wire basket. Spray paint the beaded strands if you want. Allow the painted strands to dry.

Fill the bottom of the wire basket with battery-operated light strands. Secure the lights by twisting floral wire around the wires of the basket. Twist the wires around the basket strands to secure. Ensure the battery pack and switch is easily accessible from the side of the basket.

Cut a pile of floral wire, with each piece measuring about 4 to 6 inches long. Cut another pile of wires about 2 inches long. Start with about 30 to 40 pieces of wire and cut more as necessary. Loop a short wire between the first and second beads on a necklace strand and twist the wire together two to three times. Attach the necklace to the top link on one of the garden basket’s chains. Allow the strand to fall naturally to the top of the basket.

Twist another piece of wire between the beads where the necklace strand meets the top of the basket. Use the longer pieces of wire to attach the necklace at the place where the necklace naturally hits the top of the basket. This helps keep the flow of the beads natural. Twist the wire around the top of the basket to secure the necklace, creating a swag effect. Move the necklace strand to the bottom of the basket. Wrap a piece of wire around the last bead in the strand. Twist the wire around the bottom of the basket.

Continue adding bead strands until the chandelier is lush and full. Attach each new strand to the same link as the first strand. When necessary, move to the top link in the adjacent chain. All necklace strands should be attached to the top links of the wire basket's chain, but spread out over the rim and bottom of the basket. The finished product should be full with beads virtually covering the entire basket. Use wire cutters to clip off any noticeable tails of floral wire. Survey the completed chandelier and repaint any areas where a touch-up is needed.

Screw an eye bolt into the ceiling where the chandelier will hang. Attach the hook from the garden basket to the eye bolt. Switch on the battery-operated lights.