{DIY} Hanging Drum Shade for Tailgating

The tailgating dessert table was decorated with a hanging drum shade over the table.  It was a simple DIY project, which could also be adapted so you could hang your own shade from your tailgating tent.  

I recently saw a traditional, 3-armed chandelier in Southern Living magazine that was made for tailgating and can attach to the top of a tailgating tent.  I loved the idea of hanging a chandelier over a tailgating spread, but the chandelier was priced at $120.  I wanted to recreate the look, with a more modern feel and much lower price!  So, I set out to find the materials in my Kentucky's colors and quickly found what I needed.  Plus, I only spent about $30 on this chandelier.

Materials needed:

 

Drum Shade
Ornamental 3-12 ft. Linked Chain (in the lighting section at hardware store)
Glass Bead and Crystals
Bead Stringing Wire
Crimp Beads
Needle Nose Pliers (or other bead crimping tool)
Glue Gun
Carabiner
Wire Cutter or Scissors (not shown)

1.  Cut an approximately 6 inch piece of wire.

2.  Crimp 1 crimping bead on the end of the wire.  Thread beads onto wire in desired pattern.  Crimp another crimping bead on the the other end, close to the beads.

3.  Bend the wire, close to the beads, at about a 90 degree angle.
4.  Using a glue gun, run glue along the inside, bottom edge of the drum shade, about 2-3 inches.  Press bent portion of the wire into glue, so only the beads hang down from the drum shade.  Hold wire down until the glue begins to harden. 

5.  Repeat steps 2-4 for remaining beads.  I used 5 sets of beads for the chandelier that is pictured.  You may want to use more or less.  

6.  From the ornamental linked chain, you need to remove a piece of chain four links long.  Repeat, until you have three sections of chain, each four links long.

7.  Attach each four-link section to the top of inner metal frame of the drum shade.  This will ensure that the drum shade hangs evenly.

6.  Attach the remaining chain to the three four-link pieces.  Your chandelier is ready to be hung!

7.  To attach the chandelier to a tailgating tent, you will first need to determine how high you want your chandelier to hang.  Once you decide how much chain you need, remove the remaining links.  Attach the carabiner to the last link on the chain. 

8.  Most tailgating tents have four top poles that come together at the top point.  To ensure your chandelier stays at the top of the tent, slip the chain under two poles that are directly across from one another.  

9.  Using the carabiner, attach the last link to another link, at the desired height.

10.  Your chandeleir is ready for tailigating fun!  You can hang your chandelier at a height to walk under or a little lower, if you are going to hang it over a table. 

Note:  If you would like to be able to plug in your chandelier and use a light bulb, please purchase an entire Swag Light Kit with an electric cord.