Glow in the D
Cooler weather and darker evenings don’t have to mean boring days and nights inside. we’ve put together a few family-friendly activities that are sure to light up your life! Check them out! Harri Sharman
Cosy Cloud Ceilings Has winter got the kids stuck indoors and climbing up the walls? No problem – let’s channel that energy into the ceiling instead! These super cool cloud ceilings have been going viral on TikTok and are a creative way to make a child’s bedroom or games room cosy during dark winter nights.
The Craft Shack
What you’ll need… • Poster boards – enough to make your entire cloud area • Peel-and-stick LED strip lights (use LED lighting only, for safety reasons)
How to…
Next, take your poster boards and apply them to the ceiling using your chosen method, working outwards from your centre point. Planning where to place, wire and connect your LED strips ahead of time helps. Then, start sticking your strip lights onto the boards.
You’ll need a few hours for this project, so pick a good rainy day. First, decide where your cloud ceiling (or wall!) will go. Mark out the centre of the cloud with a pencil. If you’re placing it around a light fixture, be sure it’s LED and keep the cotton filling away from edges, just in case.
Grab chunks of the filling and lightly coat one side with the adhesive spray. Cover the poster boards with the filling to make the cloud effect. Avoid sticking the filling directly on the LED strips, but place just around them to diffuse the light. Lastly, turn on your lights, and enjoy the view!
• Spray adhesive – 1-4 cans, depending on size of your cloud • Cotton toy stuffing • Staples, tape, or adhesive strips safe for your ceiling surface
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You can also use a smart bulb with different hue settings to add an extra layer of colour effect.
Safety tip – while LEDs shouldn’t get so hot as to cause a fire hazard, only use your cloud ceiling when you’re in the room. Expert-level: to make a nextlevel cloud ceiling, adding in LED variations with multiple modes, colours or even audio sensors to match music or sounds can make them seem even more realistic. Try a thunderstorm variation with smaller strips of flashing white LEDs between blue, or a faux sunset with undulating red, orange, and purple!
