DIY Wire Lampshade

I <3 Lamp

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We'll talk about this bad boy in a few, but first, I have a few things I need to get off my chest.

Sometimes I spend a ridiculously stereotypical amount of time fantasizing about things I would buy if I were a bajillionaire.  Today I decided to think of shopping from more of a realist's perspective and, as a result, decided to lump my shopping habits/obsession into the following three categories:

1. Therapy Even if I don't buy a single thing, the shopping experience alone is beyond therapeutic.  Something about being able to walk around for hours looking at pretty things calms me.  It's not really about owning all the pretty things as it is about getting inspired and I love it so.  Though I am more likely to whip out the credit card if I find a good sale ;)  Some people reward themselves with dessert, I skip the calories and reward myself by snagging something I've wanted forever the second it goes on sale.  To each their own =)

2. Necessity This type of shopping is challenging and annoying.  I try to postpone grocery shopping as long as possible.  Yet, if you get me anywhere near a Whole Foods or Trader Joes, I'm all smiles.

3. Bonding Often Paul and I will explore a store and get separated.  This only prompts our antics.  In order to find each other we will shout out movie quotes or scream "Where are you!? Raise your hand!" and track down the beet red spouse standing in the middle of the store with their hand rasied.  This happens every time by the way.  It's my favorite.  Also, you haven't lived until you play house in an IKEA a'la 500 Days of Summer.

Where was I going with this?  Oh yes!  I needed a lamp!  And not just any lamp, I have been obsessed with finding a modern, affordable, and ultra industrial lamp.  One table lamp and one floor lamp, to be exact.   Modern decor doesn't come cheap , so the game plan quickly changed to finding a lamp in need of some TLC and DIY-ing the crap out of it.  After scouring every thrift store within a 30-mile radius, I finally stumbled into Target & found my latest victim:

Paul was with me, so after spouting off a few lamp-related movie quotes  [tripod lamps are so hot right now] we grabbed this $19 table lamp and headed home.  Actually ,we headed straight to what may be the best mexican restaurant I've ever lived near and then home.  I have priorities people, and food is at the top of that list! =)  So with a belly full of vegetarian fajitas, I was ready to start tinkering with my new toy lamp.  I probably should have mentioned that prior to my target run, a large spool of chicken wire was purchased.  Oh yes,  I had a plan.

Paul also had a plan.  A plan that involved taking over MY project.  He secretly wants to be a blogger, I just know it!  Luckily that meant that I was able to take photos while he man-handled some chicken wire.  I showed him my inspiration lampshade via Our Humble Abowed [Amanda made an awesome faux bird cage lampshade - originally seen on Pinterest] and we got our DIY on!

Lampshade deconstruction and reconstruction.  Fun little date night =)

Step 1. Remove fabric from lampshade.  You should end up with a top and bottom ring. Step 2. Use goo gone or adhesive remover to get rid of the sticky glue that the fabric sometimes leaves behind.  Step 3. Decide how tall you would like your lampshade to be [we kept ours close to the original size, about 10 inches tall] and also measure out how long you will need your wire mesh to be to wrap around your lampshade's rings.  Use wire cutters and cut to fit, leaving an extra row of mesh on the top and bottom to fold over your lampshade rings. Step 4.  Fold the top and bottom row of mesh about halfway.  Every 4-6 squares snip the wire [see image below] for easy folding.  Think of the wire as the little paper flaps on paper dolls, the ones that fold the paper clothes to the doll.  That's essentially what we're doing here.  Only with wire =)

Step 5. Fold down the metal "flaps" you made with your wire cutters and pinch to secure/align.  Step 6.  After folding down the first 2-3 flaps, use a sandwich twist-tie, some string, or a small piece of wire to secure the folds to the lampshade ring.  This will prevent slipping/sliding around.  [see below]

Step 7. Snip a 2-3inch piece of wire [either craft wire or some of the extra wire that came with your chicken wire roll] and wrap it along the seams to secure.  We decided on wrapping one on the top of the seam and another on the bottom. [see below] Paul later added an additional one on each side to for symmetry.  He claims they were necessary *cough*OCD*cough*

Step 8. Finish folding both the top and bottom seams and remove any twist-ties that aren't needed.  The amount you need will depend on the size of your lampshade, a small one like ours didn't require that many while a jumbo project might have you reaching for a few extra.  Oh snap!  And while I was rambling. we somehow finished our lampshade!

And since this post is already a mile long, That's all you get for now!

I'll be back super soon with some spankin' new recipes and a handful of crayons.
xoXOxo