My neighbor found two chests on Marketplace that she wanted, and when she went to get them, the seller offered her two lamps for free because he just wanted to get rid of them. Although my neighbor wasn't interested in them, she thought of me and accepted. Good for the seller - good for me. Aren't they unusual?
However, there were two issues. The royal blue shades didn't match my color scheme, and even if they did, they had some 'questionable' stains on them. I don't deal with stains. But is this a problem? Absolutely not! All I had to do was remove the shades, clean and paint the framework, then create new shades.
After measuring the original shade, I measured enough of the styrene to make 2 new bases for the fabric I was planning on using. I was so lucky to have just enough of this turquoise-colored, 100% cotton that would be perfect. I just love it when things work out! 😍
As you can see, I also wrapped the circular top ring. I could have left it gold, but I feel that this gives the shade a nicer, finished edge on top.
Once the fabric was attached to both styrene bases, it was time to add the fun stuff! I started with the top trim. Adding trim is very easy and it really enhanced the shades.
Attaching the shade to the bottom circular base is challenging, and I hope to find a simpler method in the future. For now, I do the best that I can. After applying glue, I use clips to hold it in place until the glue dries. During this time, I clean off any glue that gets on the shade, waiting for it to dry so I can remove it easily.
These lamps demanded more embellishing, so I also added a bottom fringe. Yes! Much better!
Here is one of the lamps in its' forever home as is - no light on.
Do you recognize the lamp behind it? If not, click below.
And below are both lamps in their respective 'homes', each surrounded by some Christmas accents, in full shine mode. I admire their eclectic look, and I especially like pairing them up with the Japanese-styled, simple lamps. It's like sweet and savory, peas and corn, etc. 😉
This Week’s Tea Spilling
I received a beautiful Christmas card from a friend this week and I absolutely loved what she did to the envelope. Yes, the envelope! She won't know how great of an idea I think it is until she reads this blog either. 😉 What she did was cut out the face of an old Christmas card and then stuck it on the back of the envelope. Not only did it look festive, but it covered the envelope's flap which is a great idea in case the flap opens up during shipping and you may have included a gift card in it, etc. It also provided a stiff base to ensure that the card won't get bent, especially great if you have a fragile card or a photograph enclosed. I ended up removing the card carefully from the envelope and I will be cutting out elements on it for embellishing on a future project. Talk about upcycling!
I’ll be back next Wednesday to show you what I’ve been working on. Hope you’ll stop by again for a visit.
Make sure to follow and like An Upcycled Artist on Facebook and Instagram. If you are a local follower, you will receive notifications about the availability of my new creations for purchase on these two platforms. Simply click the icons at the bottom of my pages to visit them easily.
Reminder: If you liked this article, consider subscribing at the bottom of any of my pages. Subscribers will receive a Wednesday email alerting them to my latest posts. After subscribing, kindly ensure that this site and email address are added to your contacts to prevent the weekly email from being marked as spam or ending up in your trash folder.
As always you amaze me with your imagination! Both are beautiful!! 🥰❤️