Wednesday, July 22, 2009

DIY: Ribbon and Button Embellished Lamp Shade 101

Let's begin, shall we?

Welcome, class, to Ribbon and Button Embellished Lamp Shade 101.

My name is Amanda, and I will be your professor today.

Okay, I have a confession...I do not have a doctorate in lamp shade embellishing. I don't even have an undergrad in that sort of thing. I think I skimmed that chapter in Forster's Howards End.

I don't even have a syllabus for y'all, but I do have some pictures, so I hope you'll stick around! This was my first time embellishing a lamp shade, but I like the end results.

I picked up this lamp shade a few weeks ago at Wal-Mart for my new craft/work area. (I know we've been over how ick WM can be, but I have found that their newish Better Homes and Gardens line is worth the trip to the gates of hell the store and back.) I think I spent $9 to $10 on the shade.

Here she is perched on the new lamp, also from BHandG. Okay looking, but just kind of "meh."

Miss Shade had a rendezvous with my friend Fabri-Tac adhesive and a spool of black ribbon that I had left over from my desk makeover. I love Fabri-Tac because a little goes a long way. I've had this bottle since last Fall, and I've used it for several big projects. It still sticks to your fingers like hot glue, but you don't get burned. It also holds. Very well.

I started with the back of the shade on the seam and just started putting small amounts of the adhesive, pressing down gently as I went along.


Um, this is where I admit that I am still a crafter-in-training. It didn't occur to me until I had several inches glued down that the ribbon would start to pucker at the top as it tried to curve with the shade. (blushing)

No matter. I devised a system to make some little faux "pleats." I simply folded the ribbon back in the opposite direction, putting a tiny dot of glue in between the two layers.
Then I folded it back again, created a little bubbly pleat thing. Maybe there is a design word for it. As your professor, I ought to know this, but I don't. I started measuring every 4 1/2 to 5 inches and putting one of those little pleat thingies in to keep the ribbon from puckering at the top.


At one point, I ran out of the length of ribbon I had cut because I didn't measure it.

Why?

Because that would involve math, and I hate math.

So I just started a bubble pleat (I've coined a new term!) where I ran out of ribbon, and no one will be the wiser. Except you.


When I got back to the back seam, I just ended it with another pleat.


Not done yet! I didn't like the way this looked. It needed a little something more...


I know! Buttons! I chose black (had some in my craft stash) because I didn't want to go overboard.

I put the tiniest drop of Fabri-Tac on the back of each button and glued them on the flat part of each bubble pleat.

Like so!


Close-up with lamp base:

Voila!

I like it, for a first try! It was just a little too plain for me in the "before" shot.
Total cost of the makeover? $0.00!!!

I'm gonna finish that Lamp Shade undergrad and move on to a masters, I think!

I give you all an "A" for sticking with me, but if you want extra credit, you have to send me some more buttons.

And a chocolate cake.

{Now, go be creative}

Linking to Thrifty Decor Chick, DIY Day, and The CSI Project


Visit thecsiproject.com

post signature

58 comments:

  1. love it, a great project, it looks like it cost a bomb now!

    Sarah

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  2. Great Job Amanda !
    Love the look and love the cheap !
    Hugs ~ Kammy

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  3. So classy looking! I love this...great pictures!

    XOXO-

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  4. Love it! I have 2 new, plain white lampshades and I also have a truckload of buttons. How fun!

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  5. Bubble pleat! Ha! I make up my own words all the time. I will now declare your lamp one of the words my daughter uses--ready? That lamp? It is SO BEAST!! (That is a very, very good thing.)

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  6. The button gives it the perfect finishing touch - I LOVE it! Thanks for visiting - I am a SAHM to two kids as well, so I will definitely be checking back on your site! :)

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  7. What a great project! It turned out great.

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  8. Love the bubble pleat! Adds a special touch!!

    Amy

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  9. Chocolate cake is waiting. come and get it. LOL

    Very nice lampshade. The first pic was really UNBEARABLE...LOL

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  10. Great job! I like how your project evolved as you went. The pleating ended up looking really nice.

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  11. Very chic! Great job! {and I hate math, too!}

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  12. Well, after realizing I couldn't post about my bust enhancement pill I was a little disappointed... j/k. Great lamp, my wife and I might just have to try that out, but she is the only one good at that stuff.

    http://soeasyamancandoit.blogspot.com/

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  13. That is DARLING! I absolutely love it!

    Feel free to check out my blog, it's brand new and still in the making...But, the link is http://oopsicraftmypants.blogspot.com

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  14. Very simple, great touch with the buttons! Love it.

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  15. Hi Amanda! Is that not the cutest thing! I love the way you added the buttons...the perfect touch! And you can't beat that cost! Great job!...Debbie

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  16. Well that was easy! And it looks designer. Very nice!

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  17. Okay, now that is cute. Very simple & classy.

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  18. Fabulous!! Inspired me to take my shades up a notch!

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  19. How cute and easy! I love the buttons, they add the perfect touch.

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  20. This is great! I like the way your lampshade looks so tailored now--the ribbon and button look like "dressmaker details" to me. And it's so custom-looking--anything but boring. Well done, Professor.

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  21. It is simply beautiful. Thanks for the tutorials, prof!

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  22. I love lamp makeovers! It can change a room so much with such a small detail. Good job.

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  23. So cute! Great job - I'm not crafty but I think I could actually do this! Thanks for the tutorial!!!

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  24. Love the button-bubble-pleats. What a great phrase you coined there. And I am with you about W-Mart..thank goodness they got the BH&G line to get normal people back in there.

    ~tammy

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  25. Adorable lampshade! Hang on to that plant. It may be just getting too much sun~

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  26. Love it! Looks awesome! Great makeover!

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  27. So Super Cute.

    Cheri

    come for a visit- give away going on- deadline fri 10 pm

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  28. That turned out really cute. Just enough to give it some pop, but still makes it very simple and sophisticated.

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  29. I love the lamp! I have two lamps in my bedroom that are B.O.R.I.N.G.! I wanted to attach ribbon on the bottom of the shade but was afraid of the puckering. Thanks for a great solution!

    Tana@ Crafting R&R

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  30. I love the lamp... I have the ribbon and a shade waiting to go, but this was the perfect inspiration.

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  31. Amanda, that looks fabulous! You know I love black and white, and that is a perfect, yet simple embellishment.

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  32. What a great idea! I just finished redoing my daughters bedroom and have a white/plain lampshade just itching to be made fabulous!

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  33. Oh I just love it, what a cute shade...you go girl! 'Happy SITS Saturday Sharefest,' what a fun thing this is!

    Jamie :)

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  34. Love it! It turned out so cute, Amanda!

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  35. Too cute! Plus I love the cost ;)

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  36. I love the lamp! It looks so simple and elegant. The button adds just the right touch. Love your blog, I'll be back!

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  37. I have some REALLY ugly lampshades i may try this on! Thanks for idea! Be sure to LINK it up to my Trash To Treasures Party & adding my button! It will get you an additional entry in an UPCOMING GIVEAWAY i'll be doing! Following my blog will get you another one TOO! Happy Blogging & hope you join the party!

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  38. GREAT idea! I will have to copy this! :)

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  39. LOVE it! Thank you so much for sharing this adorable button project! I am bookmarking it! btw: i {heart} your blog!

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