twelveOeight

Creating a home + life you love

Decorating

How To Upcycle An Old Lamp

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You may remember the Sofa Table Rehab from last week, this sassy little chica and her fab colors are the inspiration behind the color scheme for my new space I am working on.  I am so happy to share literally one of the fastest makeovers this side of the Rio Grande.  That’s right folks, the Old Lamp Upcycle!

Oooh La La! I ADORE this fabric, I will share a little secret about the “source” for the fabric in just a sec.  Here is the before, not bad but I wanted something with a little kick for the home office:

This project really only requires the lamp, shade, paint, fabric, hot glue and scissors.  When I was a little girl, my Grandma Edith never scared me except when it came to her sewing scissors.  Don’t mess with a sweet Swedish Grandma and her scissors.  These are my fave scissors below, I love them and in keeping with tradition everyone knows not to touch them.  Not to even think about touching them.  The few times I did break pretty much the only rule my Grandma had and used her scissors, it was on the smallest, tiniest piece of extremely thin paper.  It was almost like cutting one lone strand of hair.  But she knew I had used them on something other than fabric, and could tell the next time she tried to cut with them.  A wild six-year-old with a death wish had dulled the scissors. 

After I applied three coats of Krylon White Spray Paint (satin) I let the lamp dry for a bit and poured a dab of pewter grey acrylic paint into a dish.  I am liking the direction this is going, I am thinking this will compliment the Rustic Modern Mirror we made a couple weeks ago pretty well.

With a dry foam brush, I loaded a bit of paint onto the brush and reverse-distressed the lamp around the edges and in any areas where there was a bit of detail.  If I applied too much paint, I just blended it with with my fingertips.  No biggie.  This is why it’s fun to make stuff!

Remember my source for the fabric? It is the most amazing blouse that I love, but the edges were beginning to fray a bit and I just didn’t have the heart to say good-bye.  So, one of my favorite tops is now being cut into long rectangles so she can become lovely ginormous roses for my lamp!

I pinched and gathered the fabric down the center of the rectangle, hand-stitching as I went along.

Once I had the center gather done, I kind of ended up with a big, floppy tassel-like mass of sheer fabric.  I fired up the glue gun and glued the center down to the edge of the new lamp shade.  From there I just tucked, twisted, and glued each area into place forming a really pretty, big, modern looking flower. 

Here is how it turned out and I will break down the cost for the project:

  • Lamp base: Free, pilfered from Master Bedroom.
  • Lampshade: Somewhat free, purchased about three months ago and never used for intended purpose.
  • Blouse: Free, retired from my wardrobe and now a cool flower, sweet!
  • Paint, glue, electricity: All things I had on hand already.
  • Total Cost: a big ol’ ZERO baby!

Isn’t she just a bunch of happy?
Wishing you a blessed day, and hoping you just plugged in your glue gun. You can’t make a mistake with art, the only regret you will have is not starting sooner.
xoxo, Tanya 🙂
~Linking Up To~

Friday
Two Thirty-Five Designs, Live Laugh Love Craft, Doodles & Stitches, MyRomantic Home, Whipperberry, Redoux Interiors, Sassy Sites, Thirty Handmade Days
French Country Cottage, Simply Designing, 504 Main, Tatertots & Jello,Chic On A Shoestring
Common Ground, Shabby Nest, At The Picket Fence, Serenity Now, Junk In Their Trunk
Blissful & Domestic, Naptime Crafters, Addicted 2 Decorating, Simple Home Life
The Not So Functional Housewife, Rooted In Thyme, Craftionary, My Turn (for us) Freedom Friday, Five Days Five Ways

Saturday
Funky Junk Interiors, Positively Splendid, I Heart Naptime, Family Ever After, Too Much Time
I Can’t Stop Crafting, Be Different Act Normal, Six Sisters Stuff, Serenity You
Love Notes By Lauryn, Craft Envy, Homemaker In Heels, Natasha In Oz

Sunday

Tuesday

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Comments

  13. Heather Graham says

    I am in LOVE with this lamp! So glad I found you at "Thee Networking Blog Hop!" Would love to have you join me at my blog, soon!

    Have a great week!
    -Heather
    stringtownhome.blogspot.com

    Reply

  16. Amy - while wearing heels says

    Your lamp make over looks GREAT. I loved the story you shared about your grandma and her beloved scissors. I had a pair of scissors I was forbidden from as well. It's amazing, now that I am a crafter, I can totally understand but back in the day, I just didn't get it!

    Reply

  17. Jill says

    Love how you upcycled this lamp! It is darling! And using the blouse for the embellishment? Genius! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog! Following you back! =)

    Jill @ Create.Craft.Love.

    Reply

  23. Jessi W says

    That fabric is totally awesome, I love it! Glad you could re-use the blouse for something fun.

    I got my own nice pair of sewing scissors when I was in high school, and my younger brother used them for a paper project he had to do for school. I was sooo furious! Cuz you really can tell the next time you cut fabric with them 🙂

    Thanks for linking this up at The Fun In

    Reply

  26. Natasha in Oz says

    That sure does look amazing Tanya. You are very clever indeed. I'm going to Google + this post right now.

    Thanks for linking up to Say G'day Saturday. This week's post is now live so I hope that you can join in again this weekend!

    Best wishes,
    Natasha in Oz

    Reply

  30. Jennifer says

    So great! Love that you repurposed a beautiful blouse! I need to spruce up my lamps, great inspiration!
    Thanks for sharing at Show & Share!
    Featuring this tomorrow.

    Reply

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