Quick Lamp Update

Okay, I finished the lamp with the trim.  And I am also showing you the pair of lamps that I did for the master bedroom.  The bases and shades were 75% off at Target.  The fabric (which was not as good for this project--too flimsy) was 30% off at Hobby Lobby.  I didn't have to paint the bases, and I already had the spray adhesive.  So, I think around 20.00 total for the pair of lamps.  Total.  For a pair of lamps.  Oh, and as you can see the orange lamp bases are painted ivory for those of you who asked.

Now these lamps would not work in the home of a perfectionist.  They are defintely flawed.  But I am very excited about the cute little touch they will add to our "cottage" style bedroom at the rental house.  Yay for lamps on the cheap!!!

Lamp Update

We have success--almost.  I need to add trim around the edges, and I need to finish spray painting the base, but I am giddy on the inside that I have nearly accomplished the task at hand.

Okay, what I started with--base from Goodwill.  Shade marked 75% off at Target.  Fabric and spray paint from Hobby Lobby. I bought two yards of fabric to cover two lamp shades, and that seems to be just the right amount (with a little extra) to cover these large shades.

okay, here the fabric is glued on, but I still needed to trim the edges (which is what the trim is for, to cover the raw edges)

and the finished product on the non-painted base.

on the in-process base

here, you can see the raw edges.  All of the "tutorials" say to choose a trim to give it a finished look, so that is my final step.

My attempt to recover a lampshade

We have a serious lack of good, solid lamps over here at the Moore house.  We have one that my mom gave me--a hand-me-down from her house--and one that I bought with wedding credit at Pier 1 right after we got married.  Everything else is flimsy, cheap-o, Ikea lamps, and they all drive me crazy.  But what's a girl to do?  Use overhead lights?  No thank you.

So...thanks to pinterest and the design blogging world, I now see the beauty of buying a 5.00 lamp at Goodwill and revamping it.  Or, a 5.00 clearance lamp at Target--either way.

So, with that in mind, and momentum from my shelf makeover, I decided to try my hand at a Goodwill lamp, using this tutorial.

Source: beachvintage.blogspot.com via Laura on Pinterest

that's her finished project.

She makes it sound so easy, so I bought my supplies (which luckily can be returned, other than the fabric) at Hobby Lobby, got John down for a nap, got Ada occupied   watching cartoons, and I "went for it."

It's not easy!!!!!


I can't even get my pattern drawn on paper.  Oh my word.  I am about to go crazy trying to do this.  Can anyone help me?  Have you done this before.  Anyone, anyone?  My visions of lamp cuteness are quickly vanishing.

I had such hope.

Update:  I have made progress.

I was bound and determined to do this thing, so I googled some more.  This time--how to make the template for the pattern.

And then, out of no where, it dawned on me--newspaper.  I just wrapped the shade in newspaper, taping it on as I went, (It actually took a combo of three sheets of newspaper), then I cut around the shade.

I carefully removed the newspaper pattern, and I cut my fabric.

Now I am trying to figure out how to tackle actually gluing the fabric to the shade.  I'll post when I have actually succeeded 100% with this project.

Pinterest: DIY edition

Some projects I am loving on Pinterest

Source: littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com via Laura on Pinterest

Source: makeandtakes.com via Laura on Pinterest

Source: diyhomedecoratingideas.com via Laura on Pinterest

tutorial for painting furniture.  Very step-by-step, which is good for me.

Happy Saturday!!