Second lamp and lampshade redo

I bought two of these lamps at a flea market last year.  Of course, they are the typical 1950's lamps with the wonderful glass bases and your mother's plastic frilly shades.  Bleck!  Here is one that I bought (actually bought two of the same):

As you can see, the base is two shades of blue and the plastic shade is beginning to deteriorate, as they all do.  It's 50+ years old!

This is not the original shade form.  I actually covered a small lampshade (thrift store find) with the skirt of a child's vintage petticoat.  It wasn't quite long enough to reach to the bottom of the shade so I added a row of white ruffled cotton cutwork trim.  At the top I added pink gathered trim and the original tiny rose from the petticoat.

I painted the blue parts of the base with two coats of light antique white.  And this is the finished lamp ready to go into a special boudoir or child's room.  One of a kind!  The second lamp base may have a black base with another ruffled shade.  ;-D

Lampshade redo

I had found two old lampshades earlier this year at a yard sale.  Still covered with plastic wrap (don't people take that stuff off?) and the silk was in tatters.  It has wonderful wire bones.  Thought I could cover it with burlap.

Taking off the fabric and then the tape took the most time.  But I got it done.

Next I covered it with wide burlap ribbon.  Gives it added direction and texture.

Finished shade on my lamp!  I think I am very happy with this!  Next I have to find a kit in order to turn the second lampshade covered in burlap ribbon (yet to do) into a hanging lamp.

Last shade to share

This is the last shade I have made.  I plan to do one more, but I think you get the idea.  When I get started on another, larger shade, I will share that, too.

I covered the sections with lace trim, netting, and tulle.  This is a vintage flower spray tied with rayon ribbon.  The crystals are from a string of old crystals.

Here you can see some of the laces and tulle.

I got the tutorial from Karen Valentine's blog My Desert Cottage.  The tutorial is an earlier blog and you can find it here.  Karen has good pictures and instructions for you in the tutorial.  I love to read her blog and see all the wonderful things she creates and how she decorates her home.  Be sure to visit!!

For some other blog to visit, check out these!

Recycled Rita -- she hunts for the same type of stuff I like!

Primrose Design -- I think she is still snowed in!  But she does offer a nice variety of things for you.

Country Wings in Phoenix -- glitz I wish I knew how to get my hands on as well as lovely creations.

Two finished lampshades

These are two of the small shades.  I finished them up yesterday.  They are actually for a chandelier or tiny lamp that takes a flame bulb with a small base.  I need to make two more to go on a chandelier I have for sale in my booth at Merchant Square.

Fun to do!  Here is the first one I did . . .

It had six sections.  Three I covered with a cut up doily.  I overstitched the pieces to the wire frame.  This particular section in the middle is covered with a piece of lacey ribbon wrapped around the frame and pinned.  The bow is from a piece of tulle fabric that has pink felt polka dots on it.

This side is wrapped with another piece of lace and has a white feather glued to it.

This section has tiny rick rack wrapped from top to bottom.  An old photo was cut out and glued to coffee dyed cheese cloth and a piece of pink fabric.  It is pinned to the wire frame with safety pins.  I also glued on the ribbon roses and then put old shoe buttons, crystals, a diary key and some pearls on the bottom.

Here I covered the entire shade with an old piece of lacey fabric from an old dress.  I overstitched it at the top and bottom of the frame.  I had this old vintage bouquet of pink flowers and I tied a piece of rayon ribbon on it.  Once again I put old pearls from vintage and new jewelry around the bottom.

You can tell I spent more time on the first one.  It was a learning piece.  The second one was easier because I used one piece of lace to cover the entire shade and whipstitched it in place.  I may have to make changes since I don't know how much light they will filter once they are on the chandelier. 

I plan to do a couple more and will post them when finished.  I have to hunt through the thrift stores to see if I can find two more small shades OR some small lamps that take clip on flame bulbs.  :-))

A new project. . .

During the One World One Heart giveaway this month, I discovered a lot of new blogs.  One in particular gave a tutorial on decorating a wire lampshade, you know, the wire frame that is left after the fabric is removed.  This tutorial set off a project which I started today.

I found three small lampshades at the thrift store.  They were all covered with various materials -- fabric, paper and some plastic.

I stripped them all down to the wire frame . . .

And then I wrapped the wire with white floral tape because there was some glue residue on the frames.  Tonight I will finish wrapping all the frames while I watch TV.  Tomorrow I hope to get one decorated to share with you.  Be sure to come back for a visit to see what I did.

While reading the blog Dollybelle's Peepshow today, I saw her fabulous fabric finds at her local thrift store.  If you sew, decorate or use fabric in your artwork, check out her mother lode of a find!  How lucky can you get?

More blogs you might enjoy visiting.  I discovered these through Etsy Cottage Style blog.

Some Place in Thyme

For Heart and Home

Idyll Hours