Illuminate Your Plant Collection On A Budget With The Help Of An Embroidery Hoop

Everything looks better with a spangling of fairy lights. Your planter or propagation jar might look pretty as is, but when it's elevated and illuminated on its own stand, it becomes a work of art. There's no need to go out and buy an expensive plant stand; instead make your own DIY light-up plant holder using an embroidery hoop, some fairy lights, and a few items saved from the recycling bin. With a jar and plant cutting dangling from a glowing hoop and a flower-studded base, this creation can look ready to dress up a table at weddings. This imaginative setup is versatile enough to take in several directions, whether it's a stand for a potted plant, a rustic version wrapped in twine, or any other creative twist you can think of.

To make this project, you'll need a 12-inch circular embroidery hoop, a rectangular cardboard box about 6 inches long and 4 inches wide and tall, a small jar, some string, and a plant cutting. To add details, set aside some craft glue, some black acrylic paint, a string of mini LED lights, and paper or fabric. To decorate the base, consider following this tutorial for paper flowers that look like the real deal. If making your own flowers sounds like a recipe for frustration, Amazon also offers inexpensive Xinnun Satin Ribbon Flowers that look almost handmade. Alternatively, if gluing flowers around the base doesn't fit with your aesthetic, this can be a creative way to use decoupage; after you've covered the box with paper, dress it up with paper appliques. You can also leave off these extra adornments for a sleek minimalist look. 

Before beginning, if you plan on hanging a jar from the hoop, place rocks or other heavy items inside the box before closing and decorating it to add weight and provide extra stability. Alternatively, you can just set a potted plant on top of the cardboard base. The arch of lights will look just as lovely over a sitting plant.

Paint your hoop, and once it's dry, set it vertically over the opened top of the box, making sure to orient it lengthwise. Tape the box's long flaps closed over the part of the hoop that sits inside the box, hiding the hoop's adjustment screw inside the box. The box's shorter flaps can be cut off. Glue your paper or fabric covering around the cardboard, and glue your ribbon flowers or other decorations along the top edges of the base.

Next, wrap the string of lights around the hoop, and hang your propagation jar with string or wire from the highest point of the hoop. Finish off the project by adding some water and a plant cutting — perhaps any of these houseplants that only need a little bit of water to propagate — to the jar. Turn on the lights, step back, and take in the final effect.