Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Shady Business

Maybe you've been noticing, but sometimes my great ideas don't always go as planned.


Awhile back I saw this ruffled lampshade made from coffee filters and decided it would be the perfect, inexpensive way to revamp the awful shade in the nursery.


I spent 4 days hot gluing 600 coffee filters to the lampshade.  Even Kyle got in on the coffee filter action.  (He is such a good assistant)

And then I got this far and reaized how ridiculously massive the shade had become.  It was already pretty big to begin with, but the coffee filter ruffles added a good 4-5 inches to the diameter of the shade and when I plopped it on the slender lamp base, it looked ridiculous. 


See?  Ridiculous.  Better yet, it didn't even fit in the corner for which it was intended to reside.  So I stopped gluing and contemplated the shade's fate.  And what to do of the naked lamp base?  I had pretty much resigned to forking over $15 for a new shade when I happened upon a like-new condition one at a yard sale for $1.50.  It's a plain, gathered shade, but it's petite and matches the lamp's scale much better, in my opinion. 


The lamp actually fits in its corner now!
I think the lamp is still a little too boring for my taste so I'm contemplating a pom pom fringe and painting the lamp base.  Is it a sin to paint brass?  'Cause I'm pretty sure this thing is brass.  And I'm pretty sure I'm gonna paint it. 
Mom, close your eyes!  (She's a purist)
But now what to do with the behemoth of a half-ruffled lamp shade?
Kyle just laughs and rolls his eyes at my clever suggestions:
1.  Cover the ceiling fan lights with a new ruffled dome shade!
2.  Add a bottom to it and turn it into a storage bin!
3.  A Halloween hat?
4.  Cat toy?

Okay, it's probably just going in the trash.
I never liked that stupid shade in the first place.
I'm kind of striking out on my DIY projects this week.
First the bookshelf and now the lamp?
Pray for me.  I still have a lot of projects to screw up finish.


p.s. do you love the old green arm chair?  it was Kyle's grandma's :)

2 comments:

Suzi Q said...

I'll take the old shade. I can find a place for the giant ruffle goodnes.......just sayin. I miss you kids. Want to come over for burgers and macaroni salad soon?

vickyj said...

It was a valiant effort. I bet it would make a good bon fire starter. Just sayin'.