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Saturday 16 July 2011

Something Simply Sexy 'n Silver!



I finally finished the silver lamp project.  It's funny because it doesn't really fit with my decor but I absolutely LOVE how it turned out.  Take a lamp that was purchased for 50 cents, a $2 dollar lampshade a 25 cent salt shaker and a little silver fabric (from a $1 tablecloth) and what do you get?  Something simply silver and sexy!!  Let me tell you a little more about how this came together.  I purchased the lamp from a local thrift store - it had been marked incorrectly at 50 cents and I expected to pay more when I got to the cashier but she said she was good with the price tag!  Yahoo!  I loved the candlestick shape and that it was wood.  I stared at it for a few weeks everytime I passed it on the kitchen table....then it hit me....silver!  Why not?  So like a good DIY'er I got my silver spray paint out and went to town.  I really liked how it turned out but wasn't sure about a shade.....bring on the next big hunt!  I went to every garage sale and thrift store within a 30 mile radius over the past several weeks in search of the perfect shade.  I brought many poor little shades home to try but none fit with my sexy new lamp.  Today, after a rainy tromp around the few hearty garage sale hosts in the neighbourhood we stopped at a thrift store we seem to never get to.  Mr. Biff waited in the car - he finds the interior of the store just too crammed - but I was on a quest and clutter be darned - here I come!  The store was having a 50% off sale and there, perched on another lamp was the shade of my dreams (ok, I don't really dream about lampshades unless they are on my head and I'm the one having FUN!).  I asked the proprieter if I could purchase just the shade and he hemmed and hawed and finally said "no".  He said he kind of liked the way it looked on the lamp that it was on.  "What if I bring you another shade?" (thinking of my lonely lampless shades at home).....another "no".  Then it hit me - the lamp was $8 including the shade and it was 50% off....what am I haggling over?????  So new lamp and sexy silver shade came home with me n' and Mr. Biff.   The remaining dilemma was a finial - the harp that came with the lamp had a tacky plastic loopy thing (no kidding!....loopy I say!)  so I scoured the soggy garage sales and found a small crystal salt shaker - if I turned it upside down maybe?  Finally a few rosettes made by following the lovely tutorial by  Jami at the Freckled Laundry (here).  When it was all said and done - I thought it looked too "spray painted" so I took some black glaze and buffed the cracks and crevices to age it a bit and take a bit of the shine off......here's the pieces as it went along.


Hi Ho Silver!!!

A little glaze to take down the shine.

Pass the salt please (would you put this on a lamp?)

I think I might be addicted to making rosettes now!

What do you think?  Sexy n' Silver?  I am happy to report that this lamp will be for sale on my Facebook page here.  It will also come to my booth next weekend downtown with all my jewels.

Because it is raining so hard here on the "Wet Coast"....I am getting some projects done.  Mr. Biff and I went to Skiff City today (our local community recycling store) and purchased a cool table, a Black and Decker workmate bench and bag full of glass stuff and other goodies to paint.  I am trying my hand at the French Label table that Lorrie at the Red Hen Home (here) made look so great!  I will post the pics before and after tomorrow along with some of the great finds Mr. Biff and I dug up this weekend.

Blessings to you,
Peg

5 comments:

Jenn said...

I never think to paint old items to make them look amazing. I love the flowers on the lamp shade! I'm following you back!!

Decor To Adore said...

What an absolutely adorable DIY! Well done.

I hope that you will stop by and enter my giveaway.

Happy Monday!

Shelly @Crafty Creative Studio said...

I think your lamp is fabulous!!

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

I would never have considered this and it's soooooo great! The addition of the salt shaker was genius! The finished product looks like a million bucks.

I'm your newest follower.

Kecia said...

Oh my goodness, it's beautiful! Love the salt shaker finial! Please tell me about the glaze you used. Love it!