Friday, March 30, 2012

Eyesore to Eye Candy - A Country Farmhouse Lamp

I posted this picture last summer (or maybe it was Fall based on the blanket that's on the couch) of some thrifty finds I had come across. 


Among them was this lamp from Goodwill for $3.99.  I'm not really sure why it caught my eye, but there was just something about it that appealed to me.  I almost didn't buy it though.  I walked away and kept shopping, but it was just stuck in my brain so I went back for it.  My husband just shook his head at me.  


I didn't really know what I wanted to do with it other than I wanted it to be my style in colors that I love.  I didn't want to copy anyone else, or follow a style that wasn't mine.  So I went to Hobby Lobby and JoAnn's and perused the fabric departments looking for inspiration.

It came when I found this fabric, and I posted this picture as a sneak peak of an upcoming project.


I taped off the electrical parts and spray painted the base of it yellow.  It has taken me so long to finish this project that I don't even remember now what the color was.  I know it was Krylon and it was the paler yellow, not the bright one.


Figuring out how to trace/cut the fabric for the shade was a major pain!  The shade is smaller at the top than at the bottom so just cutting a straight piece of fabric wasn't going to work.  I did a few practice runs with wrapping paper trying to figure out the best technique.  I think I ended up laying the fabric on the floor, anchoring it with tape, and then rolling the shade along it and using a pencil to trace a pattern on the back side of the fabric.  I then double checked it by laying it around the shade and checking my trace marks.  It still didn't work perfectly, but it was close enough to work with.

I then used a spray adhesive to attach it to the shade.  I trimmed the ends, tucked them under and hot glued them in place.


This was my first time of redoing a lamp and the shade didn't turn out perfectly nor does it really look professionally done, but it's good enough to use here in my own home.

I bought red gingham ribbon to use as a trim around the bottom, but after I had it all glued into place I decided it was just too skinny.  It didn't make enough of an impact.  I forgot to take any pictures of it with that trim on it and realized only after I had already pulled it off.  So here I'm holding it in place to attempt to show you.


It stayed like that, with the skinny trim on it, for months.  It was just one of those things that I lost momentum on and it got set aside.  But I decided that I was going to get it done.done.done. this week!  

I bought a wider trim, but.....it wouldn't lay flat due to the slightly sloped angle of the shade.  It looked terrible.


 There was no way I was scrapping this lamp, I had come too far.  And there was no way I was going to try and find a different shade, buy more fabric, and start over.  
So what's a girl to do? 

I then decided instead of trying to fight the wrinkles, why not embrace them?  I began to play around with making a ruffled ribbon of sorts.


It took F.O.R.E.V.E.R.  But an episode of Celebrity Apprentice made the time go by much quicker, and two hours later I had a beautiful ruffled ribbon.


This lamp has a pull chain, but it was kinda plain and boring, plus it was corroded and gross looking.   So, after a suggestion from a friend, I took the chain from our living room ceiling fan to use.   I aged it a bit with some Spanish Copper Rub-n-Buff. 

 Can you see the difference the aging made?  It's subtle, but makes such a difference.


I clipped off the old chain and attached the new one with the little connector piece.

Old, gross, and boring                               Much improved



So, after months of procrastinating, here it is all finished.




Homemade/DIY ruffles.





Side by side, before & after.


Stay tuned to see what I ultimately decided to do with my Country Farmhouse style lamp (and if I ever bought another chain for the living room ceiling fan).    : )



                                          



Linking up to:

19 comments:

  1. Cute as a button !

    ReplyDelete
  2. How cute is this! What a difference...love it! Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  3. I LIKE it! Very cute and very YOU! I also noticed how you use a jelly jar lid for your glue gun :) (I know, I'm weird LOL) I like that tip, I'll have to use it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How funny that you noticed that! : ) It actually wasn't my idea. I bought a tub full of crafting supplies for $5 at a yard sale last summer and that contraption was in there. It's a square of wood with a clamp type thing attached to it on one end to hold a bigger sized glue gun and then it had the jelly jar lid glued on the other end where the tip of the gun would be. I would have never thought of it, but I sure do use it a lot. : )

      Delete
  4. Loved it! LOVE the 2 hour long ruffles too!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh, this is darling!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a great makeover! I especially like the red gingham ribbon accent. Good thinking with embracing the ruffle!

    ReplyDelete
  7. This is too cute. Love the transformation.
    I have a lampshade that needs some tlc must try this approach. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love the fabric! Nice work.

    ReplyDelete
  9. This is adorable, it is too cute. Love the colors and the addition of the gingham fabric ruffle on the shade. Really very adorable. Thanks for sharing your creative inspiration at Sunday's Best

    ReplyDelete
  10. That is really cute...and a good analogy for making 'less than pleasant' circumstances work to our advantage. :-)
    Love the ruffles.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great job, Stephanie! I love the new look. Is hubby shaking his head now? : )

    visiting from Nifty Thrifty Tuesday : )

    ReplyDelete
  12. WOW! What a transformation! I love the "new" lamp, the perfect addtion to you home.

    ReplyDelete
  13. So darling! Thank you so much for linking up this wonderful makeover to our Inspiration Friday party last weekend! :-)
    Vanessa

    ReplyDelete
  14. That is really really cute! Love the fabric you chose for the shade. I have decided that I will only do the drum shades from now on - the ones that are the same size at the top and bottom. Makes life so much easier!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Great transformation! I would love for you to link up at my Linky Party via: http://ourdelightfulhome.blogspot.com/2012/04/show-me-what-you-got-linky-party-8.html


    PS: I am your newest Linky Follower!

    Mrs. Delightful
    www.ourdelightfulhome.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Our online couples therapy services are designed to help you out while you stay put. We can help you address relationship issues that have caused mental damage, Clinical Mental Health Counseling Services in USA.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. I love hearing from you!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...