Cassette Tape Chandelier (Upcycling Inspiration)

Cassette tapes went the way of vinyl records and rotary phones, but designer Alicia Beck is giving them a second life by upcycling the cartridges into attention-grabbing chandeliers. If this sounds good to you, read on for the full how-to.

We're a huge fan of Alicia Beck's work (you just have to see her balloon rugs), not only for her eye but also because she specializes in upcycling overlooked odds-and-ends. Her cassette chandeliers would be perfect for an untraditional media room, rec room or even a teen's bedroom. Each one can be made on a rainy afternoon.

Materials:

-work gloves
-translucent epoxy for plastics
-cassette tapes
-an egg carton (or something for holding epoxy as you work)
-cotton swabs
-fishing line
-ruler
-light bulb
-light socket
-wire (Ikea has them)
-scissors and tweezers
-white duct tape

Source: Reprinted with permission from Brie Dyas at http://www.diylife.com/2011/05/17/upcycling-inspiration-cassette-tape-chandelier/ and Alicia Beck at http://www.aliciabeck.com

Step 1

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For each cassette chandelier, you'll need gloves, translucent epoxy for plastics, cassette tapes, an egg carton (or something for holding epoxy as you work), cotton swabs, fishing line, ruler, light bulb, light socket and wire (Ikea has them), scissors and tweezers. Not shown, but needed: White duct tape.

Step 2

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On a clean surface, position tapes into a square. Next, apply epoxy (following manufacturer's directions) to the two short sides of each tape and let dry in the square formation.

Step 3

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Build the tiers as shown above, using epoxy to hold the cassettes in place. Let dry completely.

Step 4

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Put fishing line (about 2 feet) through the two holes of the two opposing tapes on a tier. Then, attach fishing line to the light wire with white duct tape. Repeat with all tiers. To finish, you can pull the tape from the inside of each cassette with tweezers and cut with scissors (for a fringed effect as seen in the first photo) or leave as-is. Alicia also recommends using a colored bulb in the light socket for extra flair.