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Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Repair a Hole in Your Lampshade with a Bird Nest!

Yep, you read that right!

The birds in my house live in  posh accomodations!
In fact, they are master nest builders. :)

A few weeks ago while perusing my mother's garage, I spied this little jewel.


After talking my mother's husband into letting me have it, I proudly - and quickly - tucked it away in my car. I didn't know what I'd do with it, but I knew I was in love with the shape. Actually, I thought I'd probably just use it to trace the pattern and create a stencil.
(Which I still will do by the way.)



I pondered recovering it but then decided I liked the shabby grunginess of it in it's current state.
Only problem was, I needed to figure out how to fix that hole.


Well it just so happens that I was attempting to clean out a closet in my craft room today, and I was picking things up off the floor that I'd left in a pretty little trail leading to said closet.
Trying to get in there, I stumbled over the lampshade, which somehow found it's way to the floor.
When I did that, I dropped what was in my hand and it landed on the shade.
I leaned down to pick it all up and noticed that a clump of moss and a spring of flowers was sitting on top of the hole in the lampshade.
Hmmm, I thought, that looks pretty good. I think I'll go with that!

So, after collecting a few supplies from my plethora of all that is crafty, I came up with these things.


Look at all the goodies I found. I've got birds, nests, eggs, feathers, moss, flowers, and twigs.
Don't you love it when you but all those things you don't need at the moment just because you caught a good sale? Yeah, me too......

Welp, I guess I'll grab my glue gun and get started.


The first order of business was to fill in that hole, so I tucked a handful of moss in it.
Then I just started layering up my products.
Note: I don't actually start gluing things down until I get a good base I know I can work with.


After playing around a bit, (ok, about 30 minutes more than I needed to),
I finally had a nest I was proud of. Some would call it a floral arrangement,
but I assure you, there are eggs in there. :)

I told you my birds have posh accomodations!




Now that my nest was finished, I only had one problem.
There's no room left for my bird! Oops!

I decided to just perch him on the top of the shade, as if to watch over his nest.
(I say "his" like he's the one laying those eggs, and we all know that no male is going to volunteer to do that - so I guess my bird is a 'she' afterall. :) )


I just love it!



And to answer two questions I know you'll be asking.....
I got the birds at The Dollar Tree.
Check these out - 2 for $1.
And Yes, I bought all they had - 4 different types of birds.


...and the other is, I got my feathers at Hobby Lobby while they were on sale at half off.
I even took a picture for you with the item number incase you need to show an employee to help you find them. :) They're with the floral stems.
And Yes, I bought all of those too!


Now, since this is my first official completed project of the year, and I transformed my lampshade, I'm linking up to:

WhisperWood Cottage

What projects have you jumpstarted the year with?




21 comments:

  1. Polly,
    Now this is really thinking outside of the box and I LOVE it...it's so dang CUTE!!!

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  2. I am so impressed! I am totally about upcycling, reusing, repair, renew etc etc etc. I have a small lampshade that I plan on sprucing up - I am all about texture lately, as well as using up bits and pieces of things. Your nest looks great! and I think the bird on the top looks even better than it might have in the next. It definately has character! And congrats on completing the first project of the year!
    jgabriel@shaw.ca

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  3. Now this is too clever girl...you always do the best things my friend...And it looks great...hugs and smiles Gloria

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  4. It is a lucky bird that has you for a nest designer, Polly. I love the whole thing. Thank you for posting this because I could never have thought of anything this creative but I hope it will inspire me in the future. I am glad you are back to posting, I have missed your creative endeavors.
    Traci

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  5. Beautiful! The pretty vintage lampshade is amazing by itself but you really added something wonderful to it. I LOVE the bird standing on top! It's so perfect. :)

    Donna

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  6. Sherry @ Ties2ThePastJanuary 13, 2011 at 5:04 AM

    Way to go Polly!!! It's just the cutest lamp shade I've seen!!! Great job...thanks for sharing!
    ♥'s
    Sherry

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  7. What a great idea, Polly! I love the way it looks! It is a great shape, too. I saw those birds the last time I was at Dollar Tree, but since I was really supposed to be there looking for styrofoam balls, I passed them up.

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  8. excuse me while I try to close my jaaaawwww, CUZ IT'S HANGING

    W -I -D-E

    open!!!

    That shade is so beautiful Polly! I would NOT have seen any potential and it would be in a landfill some where!!!

    Creative CPR via Polly! LOVE it so VERY much!!!

    ~K

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  9. It looks great! What a very clever idea Polly!

    ~ Tracy

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  10. Once again, you made it beautiful! Love it.
    Blessings,
    Patty

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  11. I am one of your newest followers and I'm so glad I found your blog. So much inspiration. That shade is genius!
    -Aaron

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  12. This is my first time commenting on your blog, but I had to stop and say I LOVE IT! I was uncertain at first, but you've got great vision!

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  13. Oh I love it!! What a great idea and it works perfectly!!!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  14. Ok, that is truly clever and creative. You are definitely thinking outside the "nest" on this one!

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  15. I love the changes to your blog, Polly. Thanks for your continued prayer support. Haven't received the answer I need just yet, but I know it is coming. Love your shade repairs. What a great idea. Keep them coming! Lucy

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  16. Wow, I would have never thought of that. Great job. It looks wonderful!

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  17. How adorable! You are just too clever;)!

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  18. Oh, Polly, what a great, fun solution. The lampshade is such a pretty shape, no wonder you wanted to save it! Hugs, Kim

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  19. That is too smart and too cute. I love a solution to a problem that turns a negative into a positive -- you nailed it!

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  20. Polly!!!!! I LOVE this!! Sincerely and truyl adore and love it!! What an unbelievably awesome idea! I would have NEVER thought of it!

    I am going to The Dollar Tree when I get off work! For real!!

    Lou Cinda :)

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