Sunday, February 26, 2012

Estate finds.Shabby Ceiling Light to Chic Table Lamp


  Last week when I went junking to Estate Sales ... 
I came home with these items.

A wonderful old cutting board, $3.00; large textile spool, $5.00; a beautiful green wine bottle with a wooden screw-on cap, $1.00; (hidden behind spool) ... three large brown glass bottles believed to be old snuff  bottles, $1.00 each; wonderful large rolling pin with black handles, $3.50; shabby ceiling light, $9.00 and this huge fence stretcher, $3.00, (at least, I think that is what it is), oh yes, this cute little wheel with a hard rubber tire for $2.50. These came from three different Estate sales and all fit well within and below what I would have expected to pay.

Now what am I to do with all this tacky light?
Well, I planned to make this bare bulb ceiling light fixture into a table lamp and I had just the perfect antique shades for it.
(Imagine it hanging up-side-down) 
I am still working how to use the big old metal fence stretcher. Likely will end up on one of the kid's ranches.
(I did not put it in this vignette as it was better without it)

Cutting board and rolling pen are usable but also make a nice display. Old spool for a candle and the little wheel will be enjoyed where ever it is displayed.
 
The brown bottles will make nice vases to display with my other brown bottle collection.

The green bottle to display my forced bloom of a peach limb.

 
Here is my Vignette ... 
 For right now, I used all this stuff set up this vignette and I like it pretty much. I added the little plant and white bird.

  
 I save the string I pull out of burlap when making a fringe and that is what I tied around the bottle necks. 

This Blog really is all about making the tacky ceiling light into a beautiful table lamp.
Before .... 
 After ...
  
Things that needed to be done: 

1. Love shabby chippy paint, but this was just not pretty and 
needed to be stripped and painted to match up with the base. 
The sockets were bent and actually too big for the light or at least the lamp I wanted to make.

 2. The wiring had to be changed. There was not much room at the bottom of the fixture for the junction of wires, so this had to be figured out.

3. Had to find a suitable base. 


    After I took it apart, I decided to change the sockets to the small candle style and also change the bobchetes and add crystal prisms.
 
I have been restoring lamps and lighting fixtures for a lot of years, so had all the parts that I needed.

Now for the shade ... 

 Small antique silk shades that I had originally planned to use but thinking they may be better on single candle lamps.
  
Then I found these in my closet when I went to get the little shades. Wow ... much better ... and only cost $3.00.

Yesterday, when out shopping, I found these shades which I thought would be perfect and I paid $6.00 for them. I like the shape  .. nice shades, but maybe a little too tailored.
 

What do you think ???  Tell me which one you like.
 

I like all of these, but leaning toward the ones with the little red prisms and eyelash fringe. 

These look pretty cute ...



  More tailored look ...


Would love your opinion .......


Blessings ... Audrey Z.
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Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Peach Blossoms & Bird Nest Cloche from Light Fixture




So thrilled that this was featured by DIY by Design
 
Do you like cloches ?  
Do you know that some light fixtures make really pretty cloches?


Enough questions ... let's take a look at this large cloche I made from a big light fixture.

 This is the kind of fixture that might have been in a room with a very high ceiling. It has six sides of beveled glass panes that are put together with brass metal strips. Inside is a long rod with six lights.
 Really TALL !!!  
Would you buy this?
It had been on the shelf at the Thrift store for two weeks that I know of, priced at $9.95. I ask if it was ready to be reduced and they priced it at $4.99, so that persuaded me to take it.

 We removed the bottom section by using the Dremel to saw through each corner where the two pieces were connected and removed the bottom section, giving it flat open bottom. I had planned to use the bottom section for a short cloche but it is pretty wrecked at this point. 

.  
Here it is, bottom removed, sitting on a temporary round base, but the door cannot be opened on this base. 

Please ignore the messy shop, but this is a real live workshop and stays messy most of the time.

We cut a wooden base for it, making it the same shape as the bottom of the cloche, only about one-inch larger. I wiped some green paint on the wood. Now here it is ... a majestic 27" tall and is pretty heavy with all the glass.

Inside I have displayed two of my natural bird nests. I cut a couple of branches for mounting the nests. Nests are very fragile once removed from their original home so if you can, remove the small branch too. One of the branches came from a peach tree that was beginning to bud, so I placed the branches in water in hopes of forcing blooms and now getting a few blooms.  I have moss grass inside for the base, a few moss rocks, a little plant, two real bird nests and a few birds.

This could be used outside in the garden and the brass would likely age nicely. I left the brass as was but may at some point tarnish it or make it a tarnish silver, pewter or rubbed bronze. I started to do that, but would have taken too long.
The bottom is open and it has a large hinged door. There are small  air holes in the top piece under the finial so a plant could grow in it.


 
Have an open mind when you see vintage light fixtures ...
one may just be perfect for a cloche. 

If you like, you can see another cloche I made from a light fixture. 
HERE

Hope this has inspired you to think outside the box. I have been doing that for a lot of years and even now I can look at something as it is and never imagine it ever being anything else. 

I keep practicing. 
    
Two days later, I am getting more peach blooms. I love forcing Spring by bringing budded limbs in the house. 


 Have you repurposed an old light fixture? 

Blessings. Audrey Z.
 
Linking up with: 
Knick of Time  Interiors
Mrs. Hinds Class Show and Tell
Wow Us Wednesday @ Savy Southern Style 
Inspiration Friday @ At the Picket Fence
 Redoux Friday
Fridays Unfolded @ Stuff and Nonsense
Pot Pourri Friday @ 2805
Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home
Saturday Nite Special @ funky junk interiors
Spotlight Saturday @ Classy Clutter
Sunday's Best @ My 1929 Charmer
Rock 'N Share @ The Shady Porch
Debbiedoos Newbie Party @ Debbiedoos
What's It Wednesdays @ Ivy and Elephants
Blue Cricket Design Show & Tell 
Junkie Newbie Would You Buy it Wednesday  
DIY By Design White Blues Wednesday Party


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