Monday, August 08, 2005

Trash to Treasure: Or Let There Be Light

I've been at it again. I have a thing for old lamps, the tackier the better. When one of our neighbors first moved in a couple of years ago I went over and met her. She was showing me their house since I had never been in it before. She caught me eyeing a couple of old lamps that were just sitting by the door and asked me if I wanted them. I said, "Yeah, if you don't want them. They're cool!" She said she hated them and was going to throw them out. One of the bases was broken so that it wouldn't support the glass globe part. I told her I really liked them and would figure something out to do with them. So, finally, after a couple of years I've done something.

This one has its original base. All I had to do with it was rewire and clean it and find a shade for it. I found this wicker shade at Walmart. It fits great. But I have to embellish things, so I added the beaded fringe.

This one was more work. The wooden part that replaced the glass globe is a big hunk of turned wood that the guy who sold us our hardwood floors gave us. I think it's maple by its grain and hardness, but I'm not sure. I had to drill a hole through the middle of it to get the wire through. I'm amazed at how perfectly it fits together. I wonder if that guy made that piece for a lamp but never did finish it. The shade is from Lowes. Again I had to add beaded fringe. I don't care if it's in style or not. I love it!

11 comments:

Assorted Babble by Suzie said...

You seem to be very talented and creative. Wishing I had the energy or the will to want to anymore. Great job. Nice neighbor too!
Take care!

Anonymous said...

I'm impressed. Your creation is much nicer than the original, in my humble, yet artistically underdeveloped, opinion. Style is what you like.

Anonymous said...

Oh, yeah. And I love the double title. Reminds me of old Rocky & Bullwinkle episodes.

Feel better.

ghartstein said...

That's totally cool! They look great!

My wife does stuff like that. ONe day I came home and she'd built a new ottoman!

Chris said...

Whoa! Those are some great lamps! And the bead fringe makes it. I love weird old lamps too. I have one hanging in the office of my house that essentially sold me on the place when I saw it.

Kat said...

I love the lamps! Especially the fringe. The glass globe part is very cool. Nice fix on the other one though.

HoneyBee said...

SHAYPM?

Rae Ann said...

suzie, thanks! My husband loses patience with all of my junk sitting around waiting to be reworked. But at least that's two things out of the way!

dammit hammett, I'm glad you liked the title. It is my favorite part of the whole post. Feeling a little better today, thanks!

mr g, I'm sure your wife's creations are better than mine!

chris, maybe you could post a picture of that cool lamp. Whenever I go to Lowes I see so many lighting fixtures that I love. But you can only have so many, you know?

kat, I've saved the other glass globe and I'm thinking of making wind chimes with it. But I'm not sure yet. I might put it out in the garden kind of like a gazing globe. Or I could make a lantern out of it. Oh, I'll figure something out eventually!

SierraBella said...

Dang you're creative!

The Blogger Formally Known As Van! said...

I love a good hoe..

Rae Ann said...

crazyness, thanks for stopping by! But can you explain what that means?

sierrabella, thanks! I'm just real slow sometimes to actually do something with the junk I collect.

van, welcome to Hoe Land! I guess I'm a good hoe, if there's such a thing.