a light makeover for two

I have been wanting to switch out our living room lamps because I wanted more light and more color in that room.  I started feeling like everything in my living room was a shade of brown and with winter coming on light and bright is what was needed.   So, I looked at my black wrought iron lamps with their heavy, oppressive burlap shades and said, “You’re outta here!”  Yes, I talk to inanimate objects.  That’s just how I roll.  I also give them names.

Meet Liza and Lolita.  I met them while thrift store shopping and they came home with me.  The tall sassy brassy one on the left was $10.00 at VV’s and the short curvy one on the right was a whopping $1.35 at a different store.  Seriously! One dollar a quarter and a dime. That’s all.  Needless to say with those prices I didn’t even mind paying full price for some awesome drum shades at Target.  After looking at them in their respective new homes for a while I decided on a bright golden-yellow for the tall gal, Liza and silver for curvy little Lolita.  I had thought to use a different color but I just thought her shape and shine would be best accented with a metallic.  While their spray paint was drying I set my attention to embellishing the lampshades.

I was totally inspired by this lamp by Mandi over at Vintage Revivals (one of my all time fave blogs!)

via

She is crazy-amazing creative and fearless in her approach to decorating.  I want to be like her when I grow up.  One of the things I loved about her awesome Major Award Lamp is that she interjects her humor into her decor.  I like it when there is a light and playful side to a room.  It makes it fun to be in. Plus I don’t like to take myself to seriously.

So, I decided on what I wanted for inside my lampshades and cut the designs out with my Silhouette using card stock with sticker on the back.  If you are doing words, make sure that you flip the image, otherwise it will be backwards when you go to stick it to your shade.

I chose to use the word shine for my yellow lamp.

I used a measuring tape to find where I wanted my word to live and then started in the middle and worked my way out from there.

I probably need to get out more, but I was super excited when I put the shade on a lamp to see what it looked like.

Super stinkin’ excited!!!   Isn’t that brilliant?!!!  This is one of the easiest, most fun and gratifying little projects you can do.

I finished up my other lampshade but you’ll have to wait just a sec to see what I did on that one.  Let me tell you, I was quite impatient waiting for the paint to dry!

So, here is the newly made over Liza with her shine lampshade.

She is painted with Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch Ultra Cover in Marigold.  It is a great product. I’ve never used it before, but would definitely use it again.  I was so set on wanting that specific color and it was the only brand of spray paint with that color that I could find.  A nice discovery.  And I am so pleased with the color.  It came out just how I wanted it.  It brings out some of the same colors in the rug and art work that we have in the room.

And now, without further ado…last but certainly not least, it’s Lolita the light!

Her silver finish came out so lovely! I just used some random spray paint that I had on hand called Premium Decor in a silver metallic finish.  It is so smooth and soft, not harsh looking.  It has a nice depth to it.  And the chandy silhouette in the lampshade is so dang cute!  I’m loving it.

Ultimately, I accomplished my goals.  The new lamps bring color, light, and fun decor into our home.  Now I’m looking forward to reading by them during the long, dark winter ahead.  They will keep us smiling.

I’m linking up with Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

I’m linking up to Get Your Craft On.