The Gummy Bear Chandelier
The Chandelier That Almost Wasn't
When I moved into my new house, the first thing that greeted me in the entryway was a giant, dated, brown chandelier. It had to go. I knew exactly what I wanted to replace it with — something bold, colorful, completely one-of-a-kind — but I couldn't find it anywhere. So I decided I'd have to make it myself.
I had a vision: a three-tiered light fixture as the base, dripping with color. I found the exact piece I was picturing online — and it was $1,500. Hard pass. I took a screenshot and told myself: when the time is right, the right thing will find me.
Six weeks later, I wandered into Habitat for Humanity. There it was. The exact fixture. New in box. Tagged at $300. But it was a sale day, and I'd just gotten on their mailing list — so I walked out with two of them. One for $105. One for $25.
I shared that story on social media. It went viral. And then everyone wanted to know: what are you going to make?
Two Years in the Making
What followed was a two-year journey I never could have predicted. My kitchen flooded, and I had to set the chandelier aside for an entire year while I rebuilt my home. But creativity doesn't stop — during that time I channeled everything into other projects: the Rainbow Mirror Backsplash, the Pantry Door, and the Penny Floor. Each one a silver lining born from chaos.
When I finally returned to the chandelier, I was ready. I poured over 4,000 tiny resin gummy bears in 375 different colors. I built a custom jig to anchor each bear to fishing line. And then, on one unforgettable day, I assembled the entire chandelier live on TikTok — all 9 hours of it — wearing a turquoise tutu.
Everything Is Always Working Out
Out of the leftover bears from the build, I created the "Everything Is Always Working Out For Me" enamel pin — a reminder that no matter the setbacks, the floods, the detours, there is always a silver lining. Somehow, in the end, everything is always working out.
The first batch sold out. The second batch sold out. They're back now — and they're more meaningful than ever.