Rain on a Tin Roof

Tag: lamp

Mid-Century Modern Lamp Makeover (A.K.A. I Dream of Jeannie Lamp)
I watched reruns of I Dream of Jeannie when I was a kid. It wasn’t one of my favorites, but I thought Barbara Eden was so pretty. And while Larry Hagman will always always always be J.R. Ewing in my mind, he was still pretty great in I Dream of Jeannie.

Well over a year ago, I found a lamp that screamed “I Dream of Jeannie” at a yard sale.

It was $2.

It came home with me.

And as most things do around here, it sat for a while until I had a great idea for it.

And finally I did.

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen this image where I asked YOU to tell me what to do with the lamp…

Disclosure: This post was a collaboration with Velvet Finishes. However, all opinions and love of bright and cheery color schemes are 100% my own. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

You guys were just full of ideas.

So many ideas that I was even more confused as to what to do to the lamp.

Some of you even said to leave it as is, but that wasn’t an option – there were lots of chips in the finish and you know me – I needed some color.

As I was pouring over my paint swatches stressing over what to do, the part-time child, Will, who insists on being called Bill on the blog (I know – I have no idea why either) walked over, played with the paint swatch for a while and said let’s do these colors…

I looked at the colors and wondered how in the hell a 17 year old boy could come up with that great color combination in under five minutes.

So we started painting.

To do this lamp makeover, we used:
- - Velvet Finishes Ready
- - Velvet Finishes Bold
- - Velvet Finishes Exotic
- - Velvet Finishes Minimalistic
- Paintbrushes of various sizes
After sitting in my craft room for a year, this lamp was pretty dirty. So, to start with, we cleaned it up really well with Ready, which also primes pieces at the same time.

I just sprayed the Ready onto a paper towel and wiped the lamp down. You can also spray it directly onto a piece, let it sit, then wipe it down.

I gave the lamp a little while to dry and then started painting.

With all the nooks, crannies, and designs going on with this lamp, we used a variety of paint brush sizes. And I won’t lie, since we were using three different colors, it took a while to finish this lamp. I worked on it on and off for 30 minutes or so each day over the course of about five days. First, I painted all spots I wanted Bold, then I went back and painted the spots I wanted Exotic, and finally finished it off by painting some of the small details Minimalistic.

It wasn’t as hard as it looks to paint all the trim and details. When you use a small paintbrush, its actually pretty easy. I did have baby wipes on hand to quickly wipe up any paint if it got where it wasn’t supposed to be.

I haven’t decided where I will put it just yet, but I’m thinking its the perfect color scheme for an outdoor living space – maybe the porch?

It also seems very Lilly Pulitizer-ish to me, which I won’t even get started on that whole Target fiasco.

What do you think about this bold color scheme?

Need more lamp makeover ideas?

Don’t miss these 16 lamp ideas and makeovers – they are so good.

Find out how to make a lamp out of a bottle here.

And see how easy it is to make your own gorgeous agate slice lamp finials here.

You know you don’t wanna miss any of this crazy.

Sign up to get my posts delivered to your inbox here.

Stalk Me Here:

Pinterest / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
April 23, 2015
How to Make a Lampshade & Finial (Giddy up, Cowgirl)
I’m usually really good at saying no to impulse buys.

Well, except for when something is on clearance. If its on clearance and I love it, but have absolutely no need for it, its definitely coming home with me.

I have a fabric hoarding problem as well.

Its all just so pretty and colorful and pattern-ful. (That’s totally a word.)

And so when I saw this cowgirl fabric this past spring, I had to have it.

I also had no use for it whatsoever.

Until I found this gold lamp on clearance at Target.

And I didn’t have a use for it either.

But I bought it anyway.

And then I needed a shade.

And then Kiri from i like that lamp sent me a lampshade kit.

And then I thought of the cowgirl fabric.

And then a cowgirl lampshade was born.

And then all was right in the world.

Disclosure: i like that lamp provided me with supplies for this project. However, all opinions and cowgirl fun is 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

How to Make a Lampshade

With this kit, its really easy to turn any fabric into a lampshade! Here’s what you’ll need:
- DIY Lampshade Kit (Mine was the 12 x12 one, there are other sizes available as well)
- Fabric of your choice (I think I used about 1/2 a yard or so. This is a similar fabric to the one I used. It doesn’t look like they are selling mine anymore.)
- Scissors
- An old paintbrush
Steps

Step 1:

Open up your kit and remove the styrene sheet.

It’s wrapped in the tissue paper. 🙂

Lay your fabric facedown on a flat surface. Make sure its free from wrinkles. Remove six inches or so of the backing from the styrene and place the styrene on the fabric (its sticky). Slowly remove the rest of the backing while you are sticking the styrene to the fabric.

Cut out the fabric, leaving an inch or so around all edges except for one short edge.

Step 2:

On the short end where you did leave some fabric overhang, go ahead and glue (the glue is included in the kit) that fabric edge down and over the styrene.

Step 3:

Stand the styrene up and shape it into a lampshade. Use the included clips to hold it in place. Attach more of the clips along the top edges of the lampshade and place one of the rings on top of the clips. If your fabric has a pattern that has a definite “right side up” motif, make sure you place the ring with the finial attachment (center ring in middle) on top. See photo #1 below. Make sense?

Run glue around the edges of your fabric and spread it around good with the paintbrush (#2). Pull the fabric over and under the ring and push it in tight with the wooden stick included in the kit (#3).

When you have one end done, flip the shade over and do the same thing on the other end.

Finally, run glue between the two end edges on the side of the lampshade and push firmly together.

Let it dry well before placing it on the lampshade.

And as if it could get any better than a cowgirl lampshade, how about a horse finial to top it off?

Honestly, I think I may have been more excited about the finial kit than the lampshade because I love finials, but they are so overpriced. The finial kit is only $5. Yep, $5.

All you do is choose a small object to put on the finial, put a bit of super glue (included in the kit) on the gold hardware piece in the kit and stick your object on there. I just spray painted a plastic horse red.

There are many more finials in my future.

Big fan of lamps? Me too. See these then…

How to Make Lamp Tassels in Five Minutes– gorgeous, simple to make tassels to easily dress up those lamps!

DIY Agate Slice Lamp Finial – easy to make agate finials that are loads cheaper than what you’d find in a store!

16+ Lamp Ideas and Makeovers – the ultimate list in lamp makeovers and genius lamp ideas!

Giddy up!

You know you don’t wanna miss any of this crazy.

Sign up to get my posts delivered to your inbox here.

Stalk Me Here:

Pinterest / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

SaveSave
October 20, 2014
Electrical Tape Lampshade
Sometimes…

Rarely…

But it happens every once in a while…

Totally out of the blue…

I have a stroke of genius…

Or genius for me anyway… I’m sure most of you guys are way above my level.

As I was working on my guest bedroom / office makeover, I decided I needed a lamp for one of the nightstands.

And if you’re gonna have a lamp, you’re gonna need a lampshade.

So, I made over a lamp and picked up a basic white lampshade at Target for $8 on clearance.

We all knew that basic white lampshade wasn’t going to stay basic and white.

It needed something.

So, I asked myself: “Self, what can we do that won’t cost a dime to this lampshade?’

Self responded: “Self, grab the electrical tape, quick!”

And the electrical tape was attained and a black and white striped electrical tape lampshade was born.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

This little black and white striped gem took about a whole five minutes to whip up.

Materials and Supplies:
- Lampshade
- Electrical Tape
- Scissors
Steps

Step 1

Cut strips of tape.

Step 2

Apply to lampshade.

Obviously, you really didn’t need those steps, but I’m trying to be a good DIY blogger.

Fun Fact: This lampshade didn’t work quite right on its intended lamp. Instead, it is sitting atop the Kate Spade lamp and the Kate Spade lampshade is on the recently made over lamp that you haven’t seen yet.

Ok – now what will you use electrical tape on??

Love a good lamp, lampshade or all things lamp related? And on a budget? Oh good – you’ll love these then:

16+ Lamp Makeovers and Ideas

Easy DIY Agate Slice Lamp Finials

How to Make Custom Lampshades and Finials

Looking for more cheap craft ideas using tape, then don’t miss these:

7 Super Simple, Super Cute Electrical Tape Crafts

20+ Duck Tape Crafts and Projects

Duck Tape Trimmed Curtains

Sign up to get my posts delivered to your inbox here.

You know you don’t wanna miss any of this crazy.

Stalk Me Here:

Pinterest / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

SaveSave
February 7, 2014
Easy to Make DIY Cowhide Lamp Shade for $15

If there was one thing that ever defined my Pap’s schedule the most, it was the cows.

Cattle farmer’s lives run on when cows have to be fed.

I vividly remember leaving my great uncle’s funeral in a hurry to go feed the cows with my Pap.

We both rode on the tractor, him in his suit, me in a dress, and hurriedly fed the cows before going back to gather with the rest of the family after the funeral.

I also vividly remember a calf I grew up with, named Blackjack.

I also remember when I asked my dad where Blackjack was one day and he responded with, “On our plates.”

And I didn’t bat an eye.

The cows fed us and paid our bills.

I still miss feeding the cattle and I miss my Pap.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Online Fabric Store. Y’all know how I roll though, all opinions are 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

A few weeks back I saw this cowhide lamp shade and fell in love with it. The only problem was, of course, its price tag of $109.

I knew I wanted a cowhide lamp shade though. Not only would it fit perfectly with my decor, but it would be a nod to my Pap.

Even though he is somewhere shaking his head and laughing because he probably doesn’t understand why in the world someone would want a DIY cowhide lampshade.

DIY Cowhide Lamp Shade

Here is how I made my own DIY cowhide lamp shade and you can make one too for less than $15.

Get excited!

Here’s what ya need:

– 1 1/2 yards of Tan Cow Velboa Faux Fur Fabric

– Brown Satin Ribbon

-Lampshade (I used one I already had. You can find a basic one here* for $10.)

– Hot Glue

*Depending on the size of your lampshade, you may need more or less fabric. I got three yards to begin with because I thought my lampshade was pretty big and still overestimated.

I started by taking the lampshade from my DIY bottle lamp and ripping off the old covering. If your lampshade wasn’t re-covered to begin with, you don’t have to do this. I’m just a frugal gal and re-use things as often as possible.

Then, I spread my fabric on the floor and laid the lampshade on top of it.

I rolled the lampshade over the fabric to get a good idea of how much fabric I would need, then did a rough cut of the excess fabric.

Once I had the excess cut, I took my hot glue gun and glued one end of the fabric down along my lampshade.

Next, I rolled the fabric back onto the lampshade and applied hot glue along the inside bottom edge, then pushed the fabric into the glue.

Keep going! You’re almost about to have your very own DIY cowhide lamp shade!

When my two ends met, I hot glued the edge that would be on top into a neat fold and then glued it down on top of the other end.

I sat the lampshade upright and snipped the fabric where the metal frame was, then hot glued those edges down and trimmed the fabric.

I added the brown ribbon along both the top and bottom edges of the lampshade. I just put a dot of hot glue every little bit and pushed it onto the shade.

And that’s it.

$100 lampshade or $15 DIY cowhide lamp shade?

Ding! Ding! Ding!

I’ll take the $15 one!

You can get the info on the DIY bottle lamp here – it’s easy to make! And see how I used this same fabric to make a faux cowhide rug here!

You might also want to see…

How to Make a Lampshade from Scratch and Your Own Lamp Finials – turn any fabric into a lampshade!

16+ DIY Lamp Makeovers and Ideas – SO many great ideas here!

Sign up to get my posts delivered to your inbox here.

You know you don’t wanna miss any of this crazy.

Stalk Me Here:

Pinterest / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

SaveSave

January 9, 2014
Spray Painted Lamp Makeover

Remember that fabulous coral and green striped table I showed you the other day?

This lamp was its mate.

It was on top of the table at the yard sale.

The lamp was actually overhauled before the table. I think when the table saw how fabulous the lamp was, it decided it should be just as fabulous, if not more.

Have any of you called the asylum yet to come pick up the crazy lady who says her furniture has thoughts and feelings?

One of you should probably get on that. I’ll start packing. (more…)

August 8, 2013
Simple and Cheap Kate Spade Inspired Lamp Makeover

I am so flippin’ excited to show you this lamp. I. Love. It. Even Grunt Labor loves it. First, I must thank Heather from Southern State of Mind for inviting me to co-host the Summer Soiree Style Series which made me start thinking Kate Spade, which made me think Kelly Green, which led to “Hmmm……a kelly green lamp……hmmmmm……” and it all resulted in this beauty.

Kate Spade Inspired Lamp Makeover

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Honestly, I shocked myself, y’all. I would have never dreamed I could pull this off. I originally got this lamp from my aunt and it looked like this then.

Initially, I wanted to put polka dots on the lamp base, but I didn’t feel like I could do that very well with all the curves and shapes on the lamp. I did tape off a strip along the base to keep some of the gold before painting it.

I used Rustoleum’s Meadow Green for the base and finished it off with a gloss top-coat.

Before I had even started on the lamp, Jamie from Better With Age and I had been emailing each other and talking about the soiree. I told her I was stressing out about what projects to do and she had said, “Oh, Kate Spade is easy. Do something with polka dots, like a lampshade.” And so when the polka dots on the lamp base didn’t work out, I turned to Jamie’s idea of a polka dotted lamp shade. Thank. You. Jamie.

I picked up an $8 lampshade from Target, FolkArt Metallic Gold Acrylic Paint, and a round-sponge-thing-a-ma-bob. I said a little prayer (because I hate paying retail for something and then not being able to take it back when it doesn’t work) and went to polka-dotting.

And it worked. And I thanked God and had a beer, because I was a nervous wreck putting those polka dots on that shade.

I took it upstairs to show Grunt Labor my handy-work. His response: “Wow. Go put it somewhere where we can’t mess it up. And by we, I mean me. That lamp is great.”

Its a keeper. I guess he is too, if he likes the Kate Spade lamp.

Love a great lamp makeover, a DIY lamp or just general lamp ideas? Don’t miss these 16 lamp ideas and makeovers then!

You can also learn how to make your own DIY lampshade right here and find out how to make gorgeous agate slice lamp finials here!

You know you don’t wanna miss any of this crazy.

Sign up to get my posts delivered to your inbox here.

Stalk Me Here:

Pinterest / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

SaveSave

May 14, 2013
How to Make a Lamp Out of a Bottle (Easier than you think!)
Seen a few bottle lamps around that you love, but not the price tag? Learn how to make a lamp out of a bottle yourself! It’s actually pretty easy!

I’m sure you’ve seen many bottle lamps around. Aren’t they gorgeous? I just love them. However, they tend to have a high price tag. Luckily though, I’m going to show you how to make a bottle lamp yourself.
Making a lamp from a bottle is actually pretty easy!

DIY Bottle Lamp

Affiliate links included in this post.

Materials Needed:
- Bottle of Your Choice
- Bottle Lamp Kit
- Lamp Harp (If you’re doing a lampshade on the bottle lamp.)
Steps

Step 1

Get your stuff together. Remember that awesome old wine bottle I bought at the Insyde Outsyde shop back in September?
Pottery Barn sells these bottles for a ridiculous amount of $$$, but luckily I found a great deal on one. I decided to turn it into a lamp!

Step 2

Follow the instructions on the bottle lamp kit.

The lamp kit is way easy to do. You’ll select the best size plug to go into your bottle top. An Xacto knife may be helpful to trim the plug if it’s a little too big. You’d rather it be too big than too small though.

Once you find the correct size plug, you’ll attach the socket and wire as the directions say.

I also ran a bead of super glue around where the plug goes into the bottle to keep it nice and securely in there.

Step 3

Top it with a shade!

I had a lampshade I’d found at a thrift store that I covered with burlap to work nicely with my lamp. I also added a ribbon detail along the edge.

Finally, I had my very own DIY bottle lamp.

Did you know making a lamp from a bottle was so easy?

Love a great DIY lamp or lamp hack? You’ll want to see these too then!

16 Lamp Ideas and Makeovers – you won’t believe some of these easy, but gorgeous lamp ideas!

How to Make Your Own Lampshade and Finial – turn any fabric into a lampshade!

DIY Agate Slice Lamp Finial – these are SO gorgeous, yet so simple to make!
January 12, 2012