Lamp & Shade Redo

Hi ya'll! come on in and take a look at our latest creation! This foorrrvever project started with these brass lamps, and a pair of vintage burlap shades...

My $2 Brass Lamps

I have seen so many painted brass lamps that I wanted to give it a try. I also found these fantastic vintage burlap shades...from Woolworth (Yes, I am old enough to have been in a Woolworth). 

Woolworth Burlap Shades

To get started I took the lamps apart (realized later that this was NOT necessary)...the last lamp redo had to be disassembled, so I just started there without really thinking it through...WHO? ME?  The result is a pair of disassembled lamps....oops!

Disassembled Brass

Time to get started painting these "puppies"....what color? I decide on a Robin's egg blue (what else, but blue). I put the lamps back together and got started...

First step....Prime!

Not sure about the Color

The paint was not covering like I would like and it was a little pale (looks darker in the picture).  While I waited on paint to dry (half my life is spent doing this:), I started on the lampshades...( I will soon ask myself WHY?)

LOVE the Burlap!

Time to take it apart...

Once the shade is apart, I decide how tall I want the new shade and enlist the help of Amelia to mark off the "cut lines". 

Undone Shade

Amelia hard at work!

Since the shade was tapered, I could not just use a ruler...the line had to be measured inch by inch, so the cut is even. 

Cut Line

At this point I went and put a second coat on the lamps....then back to the shades....

After measuring from the top, I cut off a 1/2 inch, then started on the bottom...
STOP!!!
It was at this point that I realized that if I cut off any of the bottom of the shade, then the bottom ring of the shade would be too big, and the shade would not wrap all the way around....
Lesson?...ALL CUTS on a tapered shade MUST be made from the top of the shade (the top ring is smaller, so it will always fit) With disaster avoided I made a final cut to the TOP of the shade, and Voila.... a modified drum shade is born! I just had to glue the shade back on....Check out the comparison...

New Drum Shade

Wouldn't it be nice if that was it...Simple lampshade makeover! A simple makeover was NOT in the cards that day...Do you see what I see????  

AAaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!

That's right, the shade is CROOKED! How did that happen? Oh yeah, I did not measure from the top of the shade to the ring, and then make a mark or SOMETHING! I really did think that "eyeballing" the ring while gluing would work....It did not! Not only that, but I forgot to paint the inside of the shade before putting it together...UUUGGGHHHHH!!!!!  I shouldn't get in such a hurry, but as an INFP (have you ever taken the Meyers-Briggs personality test?) I just can't help myself! No problem, I could take the shade apart, paint it and then measure and put back together again, right?!?...WRONG! Taking the shade apart made a mess of the inside of the shade (painting did not make it right), so on to plan F!....Cover the inside of the shade!

Messes

Burlap and Fabric to cover inside

Inside Covered

Although the pic shows a covered shade, it was a little longer process....like the next day! After cutting fabric, spraying adhesive, cutting excess fabric, and removing air bubbles...I went back to the lamps....hated em', and went to bed! 
I did not like the color of the lamps, so I painted them with some of the leftover paint from the blue table. The table was a chalk paint so the plain paint was more blue...I think it will be awesome! Whataya think?....

New Blue versus Old Blue....Which one?

Now back to the shades....It turned out that the burlap had dark spots in places (what else can go wrong with these stinkin' shades?)... Out comes the paint...how about white?...

White is good

Good Color

After a big GLOP of paint in one spot, I realized I did not want "painted"....I wanted a "washed" look. I tried to blot the blop, but it only improved a little...(luckily the "spot" is in the back).  

One more bump in the Road

The wash looks just fine, and the dark spots don't show....Finally...Success!

With the inside and outside of the shade complete, it was time to put it back together...

Will this EVER end?

Puttin' together

I like the rough edge

I liked the unfinished look on the burlap side, but the inside was not working, so I was not finished after all.... The lamps have been dry and had 2 coats of paint waiting for their shades....I couldn't give up, so out comes the ribbon...

Ribbon for edging

I folded the ribbon in half, and then folded each edge an 1/8 of an inch to make a trim...like this....

Fold in half

1/8" edge on each side

As if this project did not have enough steps....then I had to glue the trim on. I clipped it on then glued one section at a time.....

It's gettin' there!

Several burned fingers later....I've Got Shades!!!!

So now for the big reveal...if you had the patience to get this far!
 I have to be honest....If I had known the trouble these two lampshades were going to be, I would have gone to Target and bought 2 new shades....I love DIY, but good grief!!
Mouse over images below...

My new Blue Lamps!

Love Blue

Leopard Scarf....Perfect!

So whatcha think? I love to hear a good lamp story, so tell me...did your lamp project become a nightmare too? Talk to y'all soon


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