Lighting (Mood/Ambient)

The balance KILLS me EVERY TIME!  That's when I know it's not "done"  . . . now what do I do with THAT empty corner?  I know . . . how about a couple of hanging t-light holders - only upgraded!

When I was shopping for the green and pink fabric for the drapes in this room I saw an outdoor lantern type t-light holder in the window of my favourite fabric store . . . I wasn't tall enough to reach them . . . and it was "sale weekend" so it was super busy in there . . . BUT they were 65% off the regular price so Can you get one down for me? and they do! "it's good" I say to myself but, it isn't "enough" .  What if I were to add ribbon to it or OMG another scathing brilliant idea . . . add a lamp shade . . . ding ding ding ding!!!!!! 

The thinking cap is on and the creative juices are flowing . . . I ask myself . . . what inspires you with respect to lamp shades . . . oh I LOVE the ones with flowers on them . . . can I make some . . . what do I have . . . organza ribbon . . . Google flowers from organza and voila a tutorial on YouTube . . . but after watching the first one being made I don't really like them . . . three YouTube videos later and I see one that is in three parts (thanks to +Bethany Kartchner).  They are GORGEOUS when completed and I have enough Satin fabric to make two, somewhere in my arsenal of buttons I have a couple of vintage buttons that would be perfect AND I can wrap the Organza ribbon around the top of the lamp shade . . .

Here's how I came up with the final product.

Ribbon on Lamp Shade

Poke holes through the top of the lamp shade with an awl about 3/8" apart

Run ribbon through the first hole (leaving a bit of an end so you can glue down later), loop around and run through the second hole until you get to the end (which is actually where you started). 

Cut the ribbon just enough so it can be glued down to the starter piece.

How to make the Flowers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U918ZjtBNr4

Attach the vintage buttons

Affix the flowers to the lamp shade with hot glue

How to join the Lantern to the Lamp Shade

Run the chain from the lantern through the hole in the lamp shade

Measure the chain and cut it to the desired length

Screw in a light weight hook underneath the cabinets - I used two - one for the unique Lamp Shade/Lantern and one for a T-light holder (that I moved from my master bedroom that really didn't match in that room any more)

Insert battery operated t-light candles

And . . .  drum roll please . . . here it is . . . this room is really shaping up to be fantastic!

TOTAL COST:  $24.72
Lantern $9.93; T-lights $1.05; Organza Ribbon $2.20; Lamp Shade $11.54
Vintage Buttons: FREE; Beaded Candle Holder: FREE (took it out of another room)
TOTAL TIME:  1 Hour

More Lighting Ideas

As I contemplated what to blog this week I thought about another gift certificate I received over the holidays (from +The Artworks http://www.theartworks.ca) . . . another very generous gift.

I had originally gone in to Artworks looking for some small vases because I'm always wanting just "one flower" or a bunch of baby's breath to freshen up the house during the winter blahs and I saw something that looked like lace hanging in the window - I thought now there's an idea - it's probably plastic and can just be squeegied on to the window and when the light shines in it will be so beautiful . . . but it was actually six sheets of lazer cut plated steel that you could hook together any way you wanted!

Hanging in the Window

 

Cut apart and laying at the bottom of some acrylic box displays
 

This is how they came - in a box of six sheets

So now to search out the house to figure out what to do with them . . . I tried covering wine bottles . . . that looked pretty good but not really practical . . . and then thought maybe I could join them all together and make a cylinder shape and use it as a lamp shade for the downstairs bedroom (but decided on the upside down planter hanger instead because the pieces were a bit too flimsy) then back upstairs to the living room - HEY what about THAT lamp shade - they look like the same width as the shade maybe I could hook them on there if they fit!!!

Before

Here's the before!








Well they fit nicely so I took five of them and linked them together and secured them on top by bending over the ends . . .





Add caption

and here's the after!

I LOVE the way this looks in the evening - it also looks pretty good during the day - even my 8 year old niece thought it was pretty cool.

Total Cost to me:  ZERO
Actual cost of supplies:
Lamp - $40.00 (Canadian Tire)
Set of 6 Plated Steel Sheets $89
Time Spent:  Under 1 hour (fiddled around with it until it was perfect)! ! !

Light Fixture (Upside Down Hanging Basket)

The gift giving has ended and the gift card spending has begun.  In spite of the fact I received some fantastic cards, it seems I am always looking for the impossible - well it "seems" that way. It also seems I am always working on a "project" (or something if you want to call it a project or not). 

Before

I live in a house built in 1948 and needless to say it does not contain a lot of what we would call updates in the lighting department. The basement bedroom contains one of those problems that has needed attention for the seven years I have lived here . . . and the bedroom itself will be an ongoing list of projects this year that I will work on, but the first order of business is to take care of the light fixture. Here's a picture of what it started out to look like. . .

One card I received this year was to a place I LOVE +Wellington Gardens and purchased a couple of things but one "something" I specifically went in there to look for was a hanging basket.  You might think it's a bit early for that isn't it (given the fact our Canadian winters won't allow us to really start gardening for another four months) . . . well not for me it wasn't. 

Because I was not interested in hiring an electrician (particularly due to the room only being used for guest/storage purposes and the because budget is almost always limited) I decided to go the route of creativity rather than the route of spending a lot of cashola.  Hence the hanging basket.

I had the notion that if I could take a basket (preferably with some kind of hole in it or one that I could make a hole or opening in it) that would work.  You see I dream and fantasize about what I would do with the basket before I even buy it and then hope it comes to fruition (remember the looking for impossible statement).

So, as I was shopping at Wellington Gardens (outside in the shed in -25 C weather) a sales clerk approached me and asked was I "finding what I was looking for" and we got into a conversation about me always looking for the impossible - I'd found a basket but it was WAY  to heavy for my purposes and how I had dreamed it would all come together so she suggested one that was wrapped with twigs (you've seen them) that I could deconstruct and just use the frame - I settled for that one and walked into another part of the outside area to see if they had their famous mulled wine - and they did . . . I love shopping when wine is involved . . . and she chased me out of the shed and said . . . hey wait . . . I think I found something!  and she HAD! I was excited . . . and there it was - PERFECT!

So with the use of these some other previously purchased hooks, a pair of wire cutters/pliers, an electric drill (ya had to drill the holes because I'm weak in the wrists) and some plugs I found in the very messy work bench (another project coming up) I proceeded with my first project of the year!



Remove the coco liner

and chains



Then measure to evenly space the three holes around the centre of the light fixture and plug the holes with the plastic wall plugs (to fit the screws on the hooks).

Screw in the hooks.

Remove the chains and reclip the hooks to the opposite side (bottom) of the basket and secure them to the hooks

VOILA! Like I said . . .  PERFECT!

I may in the future hang crystals from the bottom or even wrap raw twine in and out to completely cover the shade (or rip fabric in strips and wind it around) but for the time being this is exactly what I had envisioned.

Total cost of project (for me):  ZERO 
Total cost for you:  $10 to 50/basket; $5.00 for hooks and plugs 
Total time spent: ONE HOUR

Well worth it after seven years of dreaming what I could do with that open light fixture.

After - VOILA!