Hi There,
I have been thinking that since I made mention of my projects in progress I should take advantage of it and do a step by step posting of at least one. Normally I kinda wing my projects and am never quite sure of the final outcome. However, this time I have a pretty good idea of how this one should (and I mean SHOULD) turn out.
Now for a little background on my project "lampshade". When we moved into our little rental, the light over our dinning table was no more than a long cord with a light bulb at the end and a old dirty lantern over it. Being that this is not really MY house I can't just redo as I would like to. I bided my time and waited until I could no longer bare to look at it anymore. In a hurry (I had a small child fighting for my complete attention) I made a sad replacement. Please see my picture below. It looks a lot better in this tiny picture believe me. Although, while it was not a total failure, it was not my best work. I have since been looking for ideas and inspiration to create something more, something spectacular, and lets be completely honest something cheap. I priced wire baskets that i could maybe turn upside down but they all seem to be too heavy as well as too pricey. I thought maybe a new lantern, but that brought back bittersweet memories.
Then one day while searching all the desireables on Etsy I found "the one". It was gorgeous. I quickly added it to my favorites and went back to look at it over and over again. The only problem with it was that it was way out of my price range. Now i am not saying that it was priced incorrectly. It was top quality craftsmanship and materials. However that did not mean I had the budget for it. Being a stay at home mommy with my husband in construction there is little room for extras. Then one day I went back to look longingly at it and it was gone! No, it can't be! I didn't "favorite" the shop, but only the item, and now it's gone forever. Sadly I can not reference back to it or give credit to the original for my inspiration.
After days of thinking about what to use it finally hit me, fake flowers. After pricing those i thought how about paper ones instead. I mean a hole punch and a few sheets of paper can go further in the long run anyway, right? So crazy as it may sound here is what I bought with my coveted and precious Michael's coupons.
A Martha Stewart hydrangea paper punch
3 sheets each pink, cream, and green scrapbook paper
Modge Podge glue
paintbrush
1 package of crystal beads or pearls
I then braced myself and pushing all the bad memories of that old tattered, dirty lantern aside, went to Cost Plus and purchased a new lantern.
Now here's the part where I have to tell you this project is not for the impatient person. It took a while to punch and cut out each little flower. I thought that I had bought a punch, but all it did was pop a flower up and I had to cut it out myself (by myself and with the help of my loving mom).
Once you have enough flowers, you have to start gluing small sections onto the lantern. I started at the top and worked in a circular motion downward, but I doubt it really matters which end you start with. It should look something like this in the beginning (left). Then you can add either adhesive pearls, rhinestones, or beads. I chose the rhinsestones and used them only here and there, not every single flower. I did save some sanity for later.
And then there you have it! One fancy smancy lantern.
Ta Da!
Enjoy
I've heard of artists saying that they do not create their art they are just a means for it. As though they are picking a "fruit" from a imaginary tree. I always thought it to be a bunch of talk. In this case I understood the statement. I had no real idea of what this was going to be beforehand and was delighted to see it completed. Its a bit of a romantic inspiration that I gladly welcome back anytime. I have since placed it on my Etsy shop. I just hope that someone will love it as much as I do or maybe even more.
