Thursday, February 24, 2011

Getting Crafty...

So, in my much spare time these days. I read a lot of blogs. I love getting decorating ideas or just craft ideas. While the nursery has been my main focus. Which is on its way to being finished. Yay! I came across this lamp shade idea. I wish I could remember where I saw it at, so I could give credit to them, but I can't remember.

Also, because I am a horrible documenter when it comes to these things. Sorry to say I don't have detailed how to pictures. I get too excited while I am doing it. All the while thinking I need to go get my camera, but I never do! Oops.

So, materials needed include:
an old lamp shade
Burlap material in your favorite shade, I am sure you could use any fabric & it would look great!
Glue gun
a TON of glue sticks
Scissors
Iron

To get started you take your material or Burlap in my case and cut strips of fabric in the desired width you want. Keep in mind, you will be folding the fabric long ways and pressing it with your iron. The longer the piece the better it worked for me.

Once fabric is pressed, lay aside. You will then cover the entire lampshade with another piece of your material and glue it to the shade. I just traced my shade onto the fabric, then cut it out and glued it on the shade. Make sure you glue the edging to the top and bottom of the shade for a nice clean look. For this project I did two lampshades and bought a yard and a half of my burlap and it seemed to be plenty.

You next will begin gluing the pressed pieces of fabric in a squiggly pattern onto the shade. Make sure you put glue on the pressed side seam of the fabric. It will give it a more three dimensional look this way.

You go around the shade until finished, filling in any gaps you think look bare. I found that you can't really mess it up or put too much fabric. That is why I LOVED this project. It was a little time consuming, but well worth the wait! You will also burn your fingers a bajillion times! Also if you use burlap, you will soon find that burlap is NO FUN TO CUT!  It is extremely messy, the fibers get everywhere including up your nose! haha!

So the finished product???






Cute, huh?! It is so different looking and I love it! I just know that if you had a funky lamp base in a fun color, you could sell these at a cute boutique for a pretty penny! Even the hubs liked them. The whole project only cost me the fabric! Me likey for sure. ;)

Happy Crafting!