Solar energy is quite expensive and difficult to maintain at large scales but at small scales it is not only cost effective but also the small scale power requirements can be fulfilled by constructing simple solar circuits. These can be used in the decorative items. 
Small Solar panel:
The first thing required to create these simple solar circuits is of course a device which will collect the sunlight. You can use a small solar panel made of monolithic copper indium diselenide. These are available in the market and will cost you about 3 to 4 dollars. Two solderable terminals marked with polarity will be there on the back side of the panel. The specifications of the panels are given on it. Usually with that price, the panels may produce 4 to 5 V. 
Direct circuit i.e. direct circuit using the sunlight to run some device:
If you want to use this solar panel directly for producing electricity then connect the load with the terminals of the solar panel. You can run small motors like the motor of the CD player or small bulbs like high power (50 to 90 mA) blue led. If you connect light of greater power then it may be damaged by this amount of current. If you place that circuit near some lamp or in sunlight, it will immediately start working. 
This direct usage will not store the energy. Small interruptions in sunlight with suspend the system. This may lead to the blinking of the load connected to this type of direct circuit.
