Lamp Inspiration

Did you know people from Australia have ESP? No, just kidding. But when I got a package yesterday from Karen who does happen to be from Australia and I was kinda sorta having a bad day AND needed not only a little happy mail but...also a piece of orange cardstock? I am thinking...it can't be coincidence! She had it all wrapped up with a sparkly polkadotted bow, pink ribbon, and a white flower, it was so pretty! No, there are no pictures. I am horrible when it comes to that. I ripped it open and had applied glitter to the same white flower within five minutes. IN fact, that white flower is in use already! Hot glued down to my latest project. You can see it above holding my pretty cranberry colored ribbon on. If you haven't ever been to her blog, you should go. She has a page posted today that is done in black and red that caught my eye and is blogging about her daughter and her cool attitude...which is exactly the same qualities I want mine to have.

Other inspiration for my lamp was provided by a new blog I am following with a great name. Pitter And Glink redid a lampshade on her blog and although I had big plans of getting mine done quickly, my project stalled just a bit for various reasons. Firstly, getting it rewired was a snap. They sold all the pieces in Walmart and cost me probably around $5. I took it apart and the hubby helped get it back together, me being a bit challenged in that direction. Here is the lamp prior to any alterations. It is all glass and heavy and cost me $10 from North Country Neighbors. This is the one that the poor guy bringing it in to sell got accosted for.

My daughter wired up the really pretty crystal dangles. I am still two shy of completion, but I kept thinking I would order them and put it off. They came from Close to My Heart and are new for the fall. Now, they are on their way!  I love how she made them so long. I didn't realize how much of a purple color they were until I started trying to find things to work with it! My next stalling tactic was that although the lamp shade was dirt cheap I just thought I couldn't alter it. REALLY MITRA. Where is your bravery. Hence, Pitter and Glink. She painted hers. I didn't want to get that drastic as I didn't MIND the color of mine but it was too...um.....clean I guess. It needed some grunge! So pulled out my StaZon brown ink pad and rubbed the edges, some glimmermist in Olive Vine and Sugar Maple helped out too. The Tattered Angel stencil I used was cool, but didn't give a whole lot of contrast. But, it now the whole shade is grungy and sparkly, so I was feeling better about things.

I wanted to include some close ups of my flowers. Several of them I made by hand. Tim Holtz makes those really cool dies for the Sizzix. My Big Shot is electric because if I had to crank the darn thing by hand, I think I'd skip it all together! I used the Tattered Floral die and also the Rosette die to make both grungy pink flowers. In fact, I also used various inks and dyes to make the doilies various colors. The Adirondack reinkers rock!





































The nice part about having the Sizzix (not that I own a ton of dyes or anything) is that when I get into making multiple items for cards, or a class, or some kind of thicker type substance...it works nicely.

I included a photo of my Sizzix in case you guys are interested. When I was buying mine, it was a mystery how the entire thing worked since there are clear acrylic sheets and what not you have to use. Luckily the instructions were super clear. As long as you have enough pressure for the pads, it all works together nicely.

Thanks for stopping by and if you get a chance, go visit those two blogs! Enjoy!