One of my friends transformed her back yard into a lovely sanctuary. On a previous visit, she showed me a beautiful mobile of mirrors hanging from under a canopy of trees. As the evening sun was setting and she lit candles, the mobile sparkled, reflecting beams of light all over her deck. It was amazing.
With or without mirrors, a light mobile beautifully reflects sun or candlelight in the garden.
Photo Credit: Mary Moore
Make sure you have all of the major supplies you need before you start: microfilament line, beads or crystals, mirrors, a top for the mobile and glue. (For this project, I used the top of an old wind chime because it had a loop for hanging and holes already drilled along the side.)
Photo Credit: Mary Moore
Rubber cement helps the beads stay in place on the line, but it won’t be visible on the beads. (After gluing, hang the light mobile to allow the rubber cement to dry before adding mirrors.)
Photo Credit: Mary Moore
Once the rubber cement has dried on the beads, use a ruler to measure where to place the mirrors.
Photo Credit: Mary Moore
Once the glue has dried and you’ve made sure that the mirrors are firmly glued, hang the light mobile in a window with bright light. You’ll be rewarded with a lovely light show when the sun shines in!
Photo Credit: Mary Moore
She taught me how to make my own, and while it took a few attempts to get it right, this mobile project turned out to be much easier than I had expected. If you’d like to add a little extra light to your life (and garden), just pick up a few items at your local craft store and try it yourself.
Materials
- Top for mobile
- 1 package 24 1-inch craft mirrors
- 18 beads or crystals
- Soft monofilament line
- Rubber cement
- Gorilla® Glue (all-purpose wood glue for indoor and outdoor use)
- Craft paper
- Packing tape (or other easily removable tape)
Instructions
Start by selecting a top for your mobile. What you use is up to you, just be sure it can support several lightweight strands of mirrors and beads. (For this design, your mobile top needs 6 holes to thread microfilament line through.) Some top ideas include a plate with holes along the edges and in the middle, the top of an old wind chime or a block of wood with holes drilled around the edges. Whatever type of top you choose, make sure it’s large enough that the beads or mirrors don’t knock into each other and that there’s a loop at the top so you can hang your mobile from a hook.
Gather the rest of your materials and spread craft paper over your working surface. (This will protect your table or counter from the Gorilla Glue.) Place smaller items in cups to keep from losing them. Examine mirrors and beads/crystals for chips and replace any damaged ones.
Place the top for your mobile near the top of your working space. Mark the paper under the bottom edge of the mobile with a marker. This will be your starting mark. You can use a measuring tape to measure out where each bead should go, or mark out distances on your workspace paper. From your starting mark, measure straight down the paper toward you, marking 3 inches, 5 inches, 7 inches, 9 inches and 11 inches. This will help you place your beads and mirrors evenly on your line.
Measure out 5 feet of monofilament line and cut it. Thread the line through one of the holes on the edge of the top of your mobile, then thread it though the next hole. Pull enough line though the holes so that an equal amount of line extends from both holes. Place packaging tape over the monofilament line on the inside of the top to keep the line in place while you’re beading. Place the top piece at the “starting mark” on your paper, then place the two strands of line on either side of the inch markings (3 inches, 5 inches, etc.).
Thread your first bead onto one of the monofilament lines. Stop the bead at the 3-inch mark. Thread the line through the bead two more times, pulling the line tightly each time. After threading three or four times, the bead shouldn’t move. Thread a second bead, and place it at the 7-inch mark, threading it three or four times. Thread a third bead and place it at the 11-inch mark, threading it three or four times. Knot the line under the last bead. Repeat these steps with the other monofilament line, placing three beads on the 3-, 7- and 11-inch marks.
Then cut two more 5-foot lengths of monofilament line, and repeat these steps, placing one thread through the next two remaining holes and beading it at the 3-, 7- and 11-inch marks, then placing the other thread through the last two remaining holes and beading it. When you’re finished, you should have six strands of line hanging from the 6 holes in your mobile top, each with three beads on them. Dab around the beads with a little rubber cement to help keep them in place, and hang to dry before going to the next step.
Once the beads are dry, you’ll be ready to add the mirrors. Place the mobile top at the starting mark again, and place two of the beaded strands on either side of your inch markings. (Just spread the other strands out of your way.) On your first strand, place one mirror facedown at the 5-inch mark (halfway between the first two beads) and the 9-inch mark (halfway between the last two beads). Place a very small amount of Gorilla Glue on the back of the two mirrors, making sure the monofilament line goes into the Gorilla Glue to secure the line. Place a third mirror faceup on the first mirror that’s glued to the line, securing the two together. Then take a fourth mirror and place it faceup on the second mirror. Press the mirrors together firmly. Repeat these steps with the second line.
Carefully move the remaining beaded strands onto the paper, and repeat the steps to attach the mirrors to them. When you’re finished, each strand should have three beads and two pairs of glued mirrors.
Hang your mobile in a cool, dry place until it’s set, then remove the tape on the line under the mobile top. Adjust the lines so the beads hang evenly, or pull every other line down ½ inch so the beads line up diagonally. When the lines are where you like them, dab rubber cement on both sides of the holes on the top, and hang the mobile until it’s dry. Then all that’s left is to display your light mobile outside, where it can reflect and sparkle the beautiful light that comes from your garden, be it the sun during the day or an evening of candlelight on the patio. It’s a whole new way to light up your life – and garden!
