back fat blues
more by MissRojoOso
Free labor
Help with Bridesmaids Shoes
more in Beehive
what to do with people who invite themselves
Help with Bridesmaids Shoes
more in Boards
what to do with people who invite themselves

Lighting Paper Lanterns with Throwies

posted 1 year ago in Beehive
  • 1 Member(s) Subscribed To Topic
  •  
    1.
    Member Icon
    Member
    255 posts
    Helper bee
    MissRojoOso   Sept 1, 2008  San Diego

    In Miss Penguin's post about paper lanterns ambinsb gave the great idea of making little battery operated LED lights called Throwies.  I ran out to radio shack after work to do a little R&D.  Sorry for the grainy pictures.  I loaned my camera to my mom.  Here is a 14" white lantern with 2 throwies.  I'll probably use 3 or 4.  I accidentally grabbed red LED lights instead of white.  Now I know it works and will buy the supplies in bulk.  

    It will probably end up being $1ish per lantern!  I'm a happy girl.  I suspended the throwies inside with a rubber band ghetto style because I just wanted to try it.  I made the throwies with an on off switch with scraps of paper. ambinsb I owe you an adult beverage!
    Throwies
    Throwies with on off switch

     
    2.
    Hostess
    2,694 posts
    Sugar bee
    suzanno   7/12/08  Richland, WA

    Wow - great instructions!  I am wondering though - what is the magnet for?  Do I need the little magnet if I'm going to suspend them inside a  lantern using a thread or something like that?

     
    3.
    Member Icon
    Member
    255 posts
    Helper bee
    MissRojoOso   Sept 1, 2008  San Diego

    I didn't use the magnet.  The magnet is so you can throw it at a building and have it stick

     
    4.
    Member
    207 posts
    Helper bee
    reilabird   August 9, 2008  Orange County

    these are so fun.  it made me think of my days when i was in college (electrical engineering major), i went to radio shack all the time for lab materials!  what a great idea!  

     
    5.
    Admin
    2,148 posts
    Buzzing bee
    penguin   6/7/08  Berkeley, Ca

    WOW FACE!!!!!!!  I gotta try this too!!!

     
    6.
    Member Icon
    Member
    244 posts
    Helper bee
    katiethelady   8/2/08  San Francisco

    very cool.  you can also buy them (premade) from lunabazaar.com

    Attachments

    1. Dress.jpg (87.4 KB, 148 downloads) 5 months old
     
    7.
    Member Icon
    Member
    134 posts
    Blushing bee
    bethgraced   06/14/2008  Chicago

    Cool! 

    and I looked at lunabazaar, and didn't see any... I mean, there were led lights, but I didn't see throwies.

     
    8.
    Member Icon
    Member
    255 posts
    Helper bee
    MissRojoOso   Sept 1, 2008  San Diego

    Better picture

     
    9.
    Hostess
    2,694 posts
    Sugar bee
    suzanno   7/12/08  Richland, WA

    This is with just one LED?  Just wondering, because I notice some of the websites that sell pre-assembled lighting use three.  I have a headlamp with three and it seems to be that would be really bright.

     
    10.
    Member Icon
    Member
    255 posts
    Helper bee
    MissRojoOso   Sept 1, 2008  San Diego

    This is with 2.  One fell because my dog thought it was his ball and enjoyed throwing it.  It was about 50 cents to light this.  I have a few bigger lanterns and will probably use 3 or 4.  I'll have about 50 to light and I couldn't swallow $4 ea for the premade ones. 

    The last picture was after being on for 12 hours.  Still very bright.

     
    11.
    Member Icon
    Member
    234 posts
    Helper bee
    knudsonwedding   May 10, 2008  Ottawa, Canada

    Thank you soooo much for this great post. I have been trying to figure out how to cheaply light 100 chinese lanterns for my wedding in 2 months. I had given up, but thanks to this post, I just ordered LEDs and batteries from ebay. Yay!

     
    12.
    Hostess
    2,694 posts
    Sugar bee
    suzanno   7/12/08  Richland, WA

    The premade ones are cool but spendy.  I can see springing for premade if I wanted a dozen lanterns for a garden party, but not for a whole reception hall!  Thanks so much for the tip!

     
    13.
    Member Icon
    Member
    10 posts
    Newbee
    harmoniyous     

    Thanks so much for sharing this. I too had totally given up on lighting up my lanterns. One question though, how did you attach the throwies to the lantern? Since these will be hanging from the ceilings of my reception hall, I don't want throwies falling down on my guests!

     
    14.
    Member Icon
    Member
    4 posts
    Wannabee
    ambinsb   8/30/08  San Francisco

    It looks great!  I've been meaning to post my throwie lantern experiment, but haven't gotten around to it.  One thing to keep in mind is that you'll probably need (at least in my experience) one battery per LED. Everytime you add an LED to a battery, they all get less bright, and my the time I had added three LED's to one battery, they were pretty much useless.  I used fishing line to suspend my throwies, and it worked really well.  Also, try to order LED's online if you can.  RadioShack has them, but they are way more expensive than online or my small local parts place.

    Good luck! 

     
    15.
    Member Icon
    Member
    255 posts
    Helper bee
    MissRojoOso   Sept 1, 2008  San Diego

    I ordered my leds and batteries from ebay.  Try to get the diffused ones, they have a better glow instead of a spot.  I used one battery per led.  I just followed the instructions and it was great.  I put paper in between each throwie to keep them from shorting out.  Then I taped them into bundles of 3. 

    Definitely go to radio shack and make a few.  I bought several different sized batteries to test as well.  Once you make your test, it will make sense.

    Attachments

    1. White_Chair_cover_with_black_sash.jpg (7.8 KB, 168 downloads) 4 months old
    2. Black_Chair_cover_with_attached_sash.jpg (9.4 KB, 96 downloads) 4 months old
     
    16.
    Member Icon
    Member
    41 posts
    Newbee
    hroper22   August 8th 2008  

    so far where have you guys found is the best price to buy these LED bulbs in bulk? I will probably have about 20 lanterns...so with 3-4 LED's in each one I will need to buy about 60-80 bulbs. Do you guys have any suggestions of which site to buy them from. Same with the batteries, where is best? Another thing...what size is good, 10mm???

    thanks girls!

     
    17.
    Member Icon
    Member
    1 posts
    Wannabee
    jenandnels     

    I just found little LED lights at IKEA - $3.99 for 4, each has a battery & on/off switch.  A little less work than throwies!  http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10155044

     
    18.
    Member Icon
    Member
    9 posts
    Newbee
    May B   yet to be determined (thinking May 8, 2010)  The upper Florida Keys (yet to be determined)

    @MissRojoOso This is a wonderful idea!! SUpe cheap too! Can you post a how to with how you got them to hang inside the lantern?

     
    19.
    Member Icon
    Member
    22 posts
    Newbee
    melanielynn311     

    We did these for our wedding and just taped them to the wire expander. We did on on each side, one facing up and one facing down. 

     
    20.
    Member
    24 posts
    Newbee
    ocam_caro   09/11/09  Houston, TX

    I’ve been reading almost all the stuff posted about paper lanterns and how to illuminate them. . .
    In a photojojo blog about How to Light With LEDs,http://www.diyphotography.net/studio-at-home-introduction-to-led-lightingthey mentioned LED keychains and gave a this link where you can get them by 2, 10 or 50 pack.The 22000mcd (Ref. SKU 1100) is as low as $0.447,http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1253and something they call Ultra-Value Bright (Ref. SKU 20241) is as low as $0.398,http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.20243but a customer says the SKU 1100 is brighter than the SKU 20241.
    I love the idea of the keychains, because it will save me the hassle of making a ton of throwies. . .but has anyone tried this before? and if you did. . .can you share your experience?
    thanks so much!

     
    21.
    Member Icon
    Member
    62 posts
    Worker bee
    backyardwed   March 27, 2010  Austin, TX

    Thanks for the links ocam_caro.  Were you able to try the key chains in the lanterns yet??  Let me know how it goes! :)

     
    22.
    Member
    24 posts
    Newbee
    ocam_caro   09/11/09  Houston, TX

    @backyardwed : Not really :( . We are still deciding our venue and just after that we will go into the decoration detals. . .And you are getting married before me, so if you go for it let me know! ;)

     
    23.
    Member
    1,044 posts
    Bumble bee
    AnnieAAA   October 25, 2009  Dallas, TX

    OH Wow! I would love to know if those keychains have worked too, that would save some hassel! I would do a trial but since I waited I have to make my throwies now!

     
    24.
    Member Icon
    Member
    2 posts
    Wannabee
    beachybee   November 7, 2009  Florida

    I would also like to know what became of the keychain idea.  My wedding is November 7th (Yes, this is totally last minute...gah!).  I have read every LED/Throwie/Paper Lantern tutorial on the internet and still haven't found a definitive answer to where can I get a throwie that doesn't produce a bluish light.  If someone has used the keychain idea, please please please share a photo or words of wisdom.  I've got this project, plus tissue paper pomanders, plus a wishing tree (maybe), plus votive candle place cards...well you all know how it is.  \(>_

     
    25.
    Hostess
    4,605 posts
    Honey bee
    bellenga   Next Summer..2010! Can't wait!  North of Atlanta, Georgia

    Thanks Miss RojoOso and Pengy for the how-to's!!! I heart this so much!  Def going to have some of these at our reception!

    Now one question.  How long does it take to create the throwie? 

       

     
    26.
    Member
    4,512 posts
    Honey bee
    crebre80     Baton Rouge, LA

    You rock!! I actually think you can go to the Dollar Tree and get the Led tealights (1.00 for two) and use fishing wire to tie them to the top frame... They have an on-off switch, but ti is definitely the same principal!

     
    27.
    Hostess
    4,605 posts
    Honey bee
    bellenga   Next Summer..2010! Can't wait!  North of Atlanta, Georgia

    Q:  How long does the led stay lit?

     
    28.
    Member
    1,044 posts
    Bumble bee
    AnnieAAA   October 25, 2009  Dallas, TX

    I just bought my LED lights from http://buy-leds-online.com/ and received them, I'm waiting on the batteries that I should get on Tuesday and them I'm off to work.

    Apparently on buyleds they have introduced 10MM diffused warm white lights that are supposed to give a warm glow vs. the blue tint, these just became available a month of two back, so none of the previous posters on this thread used these specific lights.

    I will be sure to let ya'll know how the lights actually work, I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

     
    29.
    Member
    4,512 posts
    Honey bee
    crebre80     Baton Rouge, LA

    hey belle: they supposedly stay lit around 100 hours or so... so more than long enough for any event... i am actually going to test light some to see how long they stay.

     
    30.
    Member Icon
    Member
    2 posts
    Wannabee
    beachybee   November 7, 2009  Florida

    So I decided to just be done with it and buy the LED's from buy-leds-online.com.  I called them first to double check which ones were good for lighting paper lanterns and they said that they carry 105XWWD Warm White LEDs specifically for that purpose.  They cost 22 cents per LED, a bit more than the others, but whatever, I'm tired of researching and am happy to have a definitive answer to what will actually give off a true white glow.  (I'll post a photo once I get the chance to test it out.)

    I ordered my lanterns from www.paperlanternstore.com.  50 lanterns in various sizes ranging from 6" to 20."  Colors: White and Natural  Cost: $115.40 with the free shipping coupon "fship"

    Now I need to order the batteries.  I'm going to drive over to the Dollar Tree and look for the CR2032 3V Lithium Batteries there.  I'll also check out Wal-Mart.  Otherwise I'll be ordering from ebay.  I'll let you know what I come up with.

    What sort of fishing line did you use to hang them?

     
    31.
    Bee
    1,347 posts
    Bumble bee
    bearcub   September 2009  Portland / La Serena, Chile

    don't use fishing line, use dental floss!

     
    32.
    Member Icon
    Member
    2 posts
    Wannabee
    soontobeadube   1/23/10  GA

    Has anyone ordered batteries from the website (cheapbatteries.com) given in the LED throwies instructions (on the Instrucbales website)?

    I ordered them from that website, assuming it was legit because it was suggested by people who seemed to have ordered from there before (from the weddingbee website). The site looked a bit sketch and it was not very smart of me to order them from there.

    If anyone has ordered from there and recieved a confirmation email and the batteries they ordered, could you please let me know to put my mind at ease.

    (I ordered them this morning and I am used to recieving an email of order confirmation pretty much immediately)

     

    Reply

    You must log in to post.





    Visit our sister sites Project Wedding
    Wedding Songs
    eHarmony Advice
    Dating Advice
    JustMommies
    Pregnancy Calendar
    Fertile Thoughts
    Infertility Support
    Copyright 2004-2009, eHarmony, Inc.
     


    Sponsors
    Local Boards


    Find RegistryFind RegistryFind Registry

    More
    User Posts Today
    offbeat bride 22
    mouse 15
    Lillindy 11
    LittlestBirds 11
    marci_607 11
    mrbee 7
    lilyfaith 7
    elliemae 7
    cinemaparadiso 6
    crebre80 6

    Beehive

    User Posts Today
    LittlestBirds 2
    marci_607 2
    lilyfaith 2
    waitingbee 2
    offbeat bride 2
    LorennaL 1
    peanutlovespumpkin 1
    mouse 1
    million 1
    crebre80 1

    More