Tutorial #1

I have been wanting to post this Lamp Shade Recover Tutorial for a very long time now. I know I promised some tutorials back in December, so here is numero uno:

Lamp shades are so very expensive, even at Target I cant swallow 25 + dollars for a uber simple shade. I knew I could just recover one! In the clearance section at good ol Target, I found a large drum shade for $4.98 pictured above (hideous), so I purchased 3 (2 for a later date). At Joannes I bought a few yards of a heavy white canvas fabric using my 40% off coupon and a wide ribbon for trim, approx. $3...
The hot glue I already had. So here we go:

I doubled my fabric because one layer just didn't hide quite enough, so lay it out on a flat surface. Roll your shade all the way accross the fabric to make sure its gonna cover all the way around the shade before you begin. 1 1/2 yards made the cut for mine.
Next find the back seam of the shade and start there. Glue down the first end of the fabric and start rolling shade dotting glue to both sides (top and bottom) making sure the fabric is tight.

(Sorry look down to the next picture and read..)

The top of the lamp shade has a bunch of excess fabric, so same idea as the folded seam in the back. Start at the back seam. Make a clean fold and glue it so it stays together, and then glue that new clean fold onto the lamp shade and repeat that all around.

Once the shade has been rolled entirely around the fabric and glued in place, we need to form a clean folded seam for the back. fold the left over fabric and trim if needed, I had about an inch of fabric remaining so i folded in about a 1/2 inch and glued that down. Now that there is a clean edge pull tight and glue down to the outside of the shade. The top and bottom of your up right shade will look like this.

(Now look at the picture just above this one)

Now it should look something like this, with the clean edge.

Repeat on the other end, continuing to make sure you are pulling tight all around.

Looking in from the top, this is how the folds will look on the inside. Clean and professional.

Now if you wanted a solid shade , you would be finished. I needed a little extra umph, so I added the trim to the top and bottom.

Starting at the back seam, give the ribbon a clean edge by folding it over and gluing it to the shade. I wanted my edge to start at the very bottom of the shade so I lined it up with the edge of the lamp shade. Make sure to pull the ribbon very tight otherwise you'll have waves in the ribbon. By pulling tightly those fibers in the ribbon are being stretched and conforming nicely to the shade. Be sure to glue often so it stays in place as you make your way around. When you reach the point at the back seam where you started, remember to make another clean fold to end the trim and glue down to the shade..

Do this same technique to the top and you are finished.. Easy peasy right?

The finished shade that cost me around $12.
Cant really tell but the ribbon is denim blue and white.
So sorry if this tutorial was hard to follow in the photos or otherwise. I decided that it was hard to take photos at every spot by myself. Note to self- involve Nate next time!

Welcome to Coasten's room. We love old school tin airplanes so this has been his theme since he was a baby.. As always his room is never completely finished in the decorating department, we are renters so architecturally I've reached the max here. Eventually in my home, my visions are different!

I love the satisfaction of DIY's. So I have made or revamped almost everything. These fabulous creamy mustard nightstands were actually purchased by my Dad when he was in Japan serving an LDS mission. These are actually speakers that were brown and ugly but being 35+ years old my Dad had a hard time getting rid of these, back in the day these were top notch. Aaand they are a little sentimental. I was asked if I wanted them a while back and jumped at the opportunity as long as they knew that I'd be painting them.. My Dad had to think about that for a few days but then obliged just because they would still be in the family!

Yes, I painted that cloud wall. I was given permission to do this before we moved in, I kinda love it!

Coast has his friend over for a play date one day, and while her mom and I were chatting it up, out came Coast holding that flying airplane. Thats when I decided that I probably had to hang it higher, so that little hands stay off of it!! I now think it looks a bit awkward.. O well right?! I also made that denim duvet for Coast when I was 9 months prego with Hyde.. Lots and lots of floor time!
Just recently I saw a demin covered head board with buttons that I think I might attempt in the near future. It was darling! Not sure it it will be for Coast or Hydes bedrooms yet, but it will look fabulous!

Coast started school last Fall and started bringing home all of these darling art projects that he and I both wanted to display, but the refrigerator looked SO cluttered all of the time. So I came up with a way to make a display in his room that also served as wall decor. I love that I can switch out the art as new projects come in..

These 4x4" plaques are from Michaels and cost about 50 cents. They come unstained so I had the option of coloring them just about any color. I chose to stain them in espresso. Mini clothes pins were also from there and were close to a dollar for like 16 pins. For a little extra something I purchased scrap book paper and trimmed it to fit the face of the plaques. Stain it glue it and nail it to the wall..

The airplane (that is entirely too high) soaring through the clouds.

I did that painting, made those burlap curtains (think I'm going to make new ones), and made that red chair.

My Parents came across this old beat-up chair on the side of the road and gave it to me. So I painted it red, purchased some chip board letters and hot glued them onto the chair, then rubbed some black glaze across to make the letters pop more.

This is the lamp.. I just bought this lamp base from the DI for 4 dollars- steal. I am kind of lovin the brassiness of it, so there are currently no plans to color it up! I like how it looks with the shade. Now on to accessorizing!

I have lots of plans for the future that I will be posting! Especially when we finally get into our own place in the nearest of near futures!! Yippie skippie

Maybe an update of the boys is in order.. Yes, yes I definitely think so!