Colorful sparkleball perfect for Easter project or spring bacchanal. Also perfect project for kids. You holepunch and drill. They can join cups and add lights.

Step 1: What You Need

50 soft 9 oz tumbler-style ("solo") cups
mini-lights, white or color
coated electrical wire or zip-ties
hole-puncher
clothespins, clamps or paperclips
drill with 1/2" bit (or soldering iron or xacto knife)

Step 2: Prep Work

Drill, melt or cut 1/2" holes in cup bottoms. Two lights should fit through snugly.
Test lights to make sure they work
Punch 4 holes around the top of cups. Each hole should have a hole opposite it. Doesn't need to be exact.
If using wire, cut it in pieces 2-4" long. You'll need about 200 pieces.

Step 3: Build the Layers

Thread a piece of wire through two holes to join cups.
Join 12 cups in a ring. (If this doesn't make a nice circle, your cups aren't right.)
Set aside. Join 9 cups. This ring will be a bit wonky and loose.
Set aside. Join 4 cups.

Step 4: Stack Layers and Join

Clip the 9-cup layer on top of the 12-cup layer. Join with wire.
Slip the 4-cup layer into the opening at the top. Join it to the 9-cup layer.

Step 5: Add Lights to 1st Side

Start at plug end.
Insert two lights (if you're using 100 mini's) in a cup on the outer rim.
Add lights, cup by cup, working into center and back out to rim.
Finish the 1st side by ending up at cup next to cup you started with.

Step 6: Make 2nd Side and Finish Lights

Build 2nd side the same way.
Start lights from opposite end of the cord, so they meet in the middle.(I used two 50-light strands and plugged them together.)

Step 7: Clip and Join

Clip two sides together.
This makes joining them easier.

Step 8: Trim (or Not) and Hang!

Trim your wires. (I like them wild and crazy, so I leave them)
Holepunch a hole and insert a hanging wire or ziptie.
There you go! An easter eggy, daffodilly, springtime sparkleball that's as pretty unlit as lit.

More fun ideas on sparkleball.com.