Project designed by Shelley Kincaid.
Take apart a secondhand lamp base then reconstruct it to gain a unique and decorative look. Use this technique to create custom candleholder designs, birdhouse stands, topiary tree stands or a fun hat stand.
Materials:
lamp bases
pliers
small screwdriver
Super glue
Plaid Durable Colors paints
finishing items - birdhouses, or foam topiaries balls, or to make the hat stand you'll need a balloon, Stiffy fabric stiffener, cotton mercerized thread, lamp extender, screw, paint brush, pin
Steps:
Preparing the base
1. Make sure the lamp is unplugged then disassemble the lamp. Unscrew the top cap or finial to free the lampshade. Remove the lampshade and save it for another project.
2. Remove the harp by squeezing it in towards the light bulb area and pulling up on the two metal holders.
3. Look for the word "press" on the metal part of the socket. Squeeze on that point, and pull up. This is a pressure point, and it will release the inner socket. Pull this up and look for the two electric wires attached to two small screws.
4. Using a small screwdriver, remove the screws then release the wires. If the wires are tied in a knot, untie and pull the wire out from the bottom of the lamp base. Unscrew the hex nut and the harp holder.
5. Notice the center pole, which holds the electric wire, and take note of how the fittings are stacked on top of each other on this pole. Leave fittings as they are or remove them and mix and match them, re-stacking the fittings in a different fashion or style. Note: All lamps are put together the same way. There is always a hex nut at the top and at the bottom. This is what holds the entire lamp together. After you've assembled the fittings, place the next nut on top of the center pole and tighten.
Finishing
Choose one of the finishes below to embellish the top of the recycled lamp base or create one of your own.
- To finish the top of the lamp base as a hat stand, blow up a balloon to a head-size shape. Tie a knot in the end of the balloon. Wrap lots and lots of cotton thread around the blown up balloon in all different directions (figure A). Tie a knot in the end of the thread leaving enough thread to hang the balloon upside down. Saturate the cotton threads thoroughly with Stiffy using a dabbing motion with a large paintbrush. Allow the threads to dry overnight. The strings should be very hard once dry. After 24 hours, poke the balloon with a pin, and watch it disappear. Remove balloon fragments from the head shape (figure B). Place the small end of the "head" on a plain lamp fitting and secure in place with glue or glue the head shape to the top of the lamp itself. Put the head-shaped threads on a cup-like fitting to keep the head upright position (figure C). Attach a lamp extender to the bottom of the cup-like fitting then screw the entire thing on to the center post of the lamp. Place a hat on the head and further embellish it with earrings, feather boa, etc., (figure D).
- To embellish the top of the lamp base with a birdhouse, remove the birdhouse roof and drill a center hole in the bottom of the birdhouse (if one does not already exist). Position the hole in the bottom of the birdhouse down on the center post of the lamp base, then secure it tightly with the hex nut. Replace the roof.
- To embellish the lamp base with topiaries, press a foam topiary ball down on top of the extended center post. Decorate the topiary ball as desired.
Resources Durable Colors acrylic paint
Available at arts and crafts retailers (Michaels, Wal-Mart) nationwide.
Plaid Enterprises Inc.
Website:
www.plaidonline.com
The Garage Sale Decorator's Bible
by Shelley Kincaid
Feline Books, 1997
Order this title from Amazon.com.
Guests Shelley Kincaid
Author, TV host of
Trash to Treasures
Toll-free: 888-725-3464
E-mail:
Shelley.Kincaid@juno.com
Website:
www.garagesalelady.com
Also in this Episode
)
)
)
)
)
