Happy day, all you wonderful people!
We hope you had an awesome weekend, filled with lots of fun with friends and family. Jamin and I actually left the kiddos behind Thursday night through Sunday afternoon with the {awesomesauce} gparents, and headed to Nashville. My brother and sis in law are expecting their second girl in two short months, and it was all things hardcore project nursery this weekend. We literally put an entire room together in 2.5 days. If you remember this post from Thursday, everything fell into place, but we’re still waiting on two key pieces to arrive in the mail… I can’t wait to show you the entire room once the guest of honor arrives, but in the meantime, I thought I’d slowly but surely share a few sneak peeks along the way, of a few easy projects we did to liven up the space.
I know all too well what it feels like to be thrown into the world of babies and their overwhelming price points…from crib prices to breast pumps {yes, I just wrote that} I remember actually crying over all of it in a prego moment of my own. More than once. {It’s a vicious cycle, and it doesn’t stop, apparently. Think school and glasses.} I guess you can say we’ve completed quite a few nurseries and rooms now, and I can honestly say children’s spaces are my absolute favorite kind. They’re what inspired me to think outside of the mass produced box in the first place, when that 500 dollar price tag just wasn’t working for me.
So we love a few good simple ideas now and again, for that ultimate uniquely-made space. These series of ideas, we hope you can use as a springboard for your own spaces. If you’re in that stage of life, I hope you can use these, and know you’re not alone!
So, without further ado, I thought I’d start with something über simple.
Day one consisted of squirreling away those last minute, key finds for the space, and at the flea market that Friday, we totally spied this simple lamp sitting on the sidelines, waiting for a good home. It was super affordable and suffering a lifelong weakness for milk glass, I encouraged Cristin to scoop it up. She had this little drum shade from target to top it with, but we felt like it needed a little something more.
We were initially worried that the shade may be too small, but being the self-professed fabric hoarder that I am, I splayed all our collection out on the floor and declared it play time: we decided the shade kept the lamp dainty for the space, and to rip some spare fabric I had into strips to wrap the shade a-la this project.
I simply began with a small cut, and then ripped strips of fabric from what I had. I then adjusted the length to just long enough to glue each strip on the top and bottom parts of the lamp. {If I’d wrapped it all around, the light wouldn’t be bright enough with a double dose of blocked fabric, and I took it just far enough so that from across the room, you wouldn’t see where the fabric stopped.}
When I was finished with this step, it felt like it needed something more than just the flowers I planned to add. When we’d sent my brother out for ball trim, he’d picked up this rickrack for the heck of it. We were glad he did, because it came together quite nicely. I simply eyeballed 1/3 of the way up the shade from the bottom, and secured it with a dab of hot glue.
I actually had a leftover fabric flower from this project, {read about the how to, here} and a few of big sister Harper’s hairbows. After playing around a-la lazy gal’s seasonal wreaths, we decided we liked this arrangement the best:
Tada! This little lamp that we almost didn’t notice, quickly became one of our favorite pieces of the space. Instant personality.
What have you guys tackled in the lamp department lately? Got anything around your home you can give a second life? I’d love to see! If you try this, as always, let us know…and stay tuned for more simple nursery/children’s room ideas coming your way!
Have an inspired day, everyone!
Mila says
I LOVE. 😉
sara says
hi, just wondering if it is safe to do this,will the fabric get too hot?
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey Sara! I keep a low watt lightbulb, and the drum shade keeps it out enough at a nice, equal distance. I also, just as a general rule, don’t really ever leave any lamps on, unattended with my children when I’m not in the room. Especially flea market ones. I’m cautious anyway, so it’s safe for us. ;}
Lesley says
Great suggestions for safety. Believe it or not I made a lamp for a child’s room just by simply covering the lamp shade. The lamp was actually fairly new but the small child covered it with his blanket and a fire occurred. Luckily, no one was hurt but I completely agree to use low watt bulbs and keep lamps off or even un-plugged. A timer that controls whether they are on or off could also be a possibility. That way little ones cannot control the lamp. I guess, my point being that even the very little amount of fabric I added to the shade didn’t make a difference when a blanket was added to the top of it. I think your lamp should be just fine especially with your safety recommendations. Lesley
Jenna says
What a great idea! Totally trying this. And yes to your comment above…it’s all ab common sense with any project
Rachel says
Very cute! I am right smack in the middle of the nursery stage with our 1st baby due in Sept., so I am thrilled about this series!
And oh my, I live in Nashville & would totally be star struck if I ran into you & your sister out shopping! Hey, it’s a small world! 🙂
ashley @ the handmade home says
You are hilarious Rachel. If I’d run into you, we would have held hands and squealed and jumped up and down because I love running into people and I’m a humungo dorkfest. ;} Congratulations on your sweet new addition!
Erin @ Carolina Country Living says
Will be shamelessly copying this idea from you, Ashley! I have a small, thrifted milk glass lamp in my craft room with the most BLAH shade ever. Totally yellowed and crummy. Due to the curvy shape of it, I’ve put off trying to recover the shade in the traditional manner since it’s going to be a pain in the tukhus, but now I’ll be able to re-do that bad boy in no time with the strip method! Can’t wait to see the rest of the room!
ashley @ the handmade home says
yay! I’d love to see your finished piece! ;}
Bethany says
Cute lamp! I just did a vintage lamp makeover myself a few weeks back. I used chicken wire. Yep, chicken wire. 🙂 Here’s the link: http://pitterandglink.blogspot.com/2012/05/craft-room-redo-vintage-lamp-makeover.html. I’d love for you to check it out!
Ashley says
Hi! I was in Nashville too this past weekend, were you at the Flea Market at the Nashville fairgrounds? I was there found lots of stuff but came unprepared without a vehicle to haul it all 🙁 Oh well more flea marketing this summer. Cute Lamp!!!
Lesley says
What flea market in Nashville? That’s where I live. How’d I miss that one?
Lesley
Tiffany says
I love the hobnail lamp. I am not sure I have seen one that has three tiers before. Very pretty! The shade is adorable.
northern cottage says
this is completely darling…it’s like a perfect belted little outfit! pure yumminess! xo
NORTHERN COTTAGE
frank says
this is such a great idea, love how inexpensive and creative this is. did you just glue gun the fabric on the lamp? and where was the lamp from?
Brittany says
I love this lamp! What kind of paint did you use to add the blue to the lamp? I have two of these hobnail/milkglass lamps from my mom and I’d love to give them an update like this : )