Hello! Happy Tuesday. It’s going to be 51 degrees here today. 56 degrees tomorrow. I live in upstate New York. It’s January. What the ???? I’m not complaining, mind you, just a little flummoxed. Flummox (bewildered, perplexed) is an old-fashioned word that I’ve just decided to use more often. Do you like old-fashioned words like I do?
The bare-bones lampshade is still sitting on the kitchen table and I’m sick of seeing it there. Therefore, I must decide what to do with it. I’ve thought of just about every possibility, with great help from all of you, and I remain undecided. But…
Yesterday afternoon, while Don was in his sickbed (why are men so difficult when they are under the weather?), I started playing around with some vintage doilies I have in my stash. These particular doilies have aged to a sort of pale beige – if I chose a designer-like name for the color I would use Café au Lait. I temporarily fastened them onto the frame with paperclips.
I’d have to do a fair amount of adjusting, but I rather like the frame being exposed here and there. With the light on:
Hmmm. It’s awfully pretty. I don’t want something too frou-frou. Somehow, this doesn’t come across as too frilly.
I must say that the light shining through the doilies is a very pretty look.
It would also catch the sunlight from the kitchen windows. (I’m looking at it right now from the den and the sunlight is giving it a wonderful glow.)
It’s a work in progress. Not the finished product.
Is it right for my cozy, homey, country kitchen? I’m growing quite fond of it.
I think the doilies are wonderful! What a great idea, and so cottagy and homey. I try my best to work with what I have, too. We both lost jobs and are on social security and believe me, money is tight, tight, tight. We still have a mortgage, car payment taxes, and insurances. There is little left for spending on frivolous. You are an inspiration
I love that look, Claudia. It’s so unique. I’ve never seen anything like it before. I love the name “cafe au lait”.
I can sort of see where you’re trying to go with this. But Sweetie, it needs some work. Have you googled “doilies on lampshade?” There are some really clever bloggers out there – maybe one of them could help you. Just having fun with you. I assume you’ve searched for a clever way to fix your lamp – that’s one of the reasons I blog. I am serious about the lamp needing a bit more something. What are you looking for? Maybe someone who reads your blog has it and you can barter or (GASP!) they might just send it to you as a gift. (Sorry, you probably can’t get money – but stuff! hey, a lot of us are trying to give away some of our stuff – I can’ bear to just throw things away, but if I know it is going somewhere to be used – that comforts me). Still loving your blog – it’s the exchange of ideas, yours and your readers.
I think it looks great with the exposed wire~kind of an industrial edge to the lacey part~the yin and yang!! Very nice!
OH my goodness! You struck the goldmine of craftiness (is that even a correct phrase?? LOL) I LOVE it and understand you are just “getting an idea” of how it would look finished, and it would look FAB! That’s the “little bit of something” that a lot of us were talking about (I think…speaking for myself anyway!)
WTG Claudia (oh, and I have a hubby that is under the weather too…I hear ya!)
Mare
Love it.
Enjoy your mini heat wave.
I do love the light through the doilies too!
Oh Claudia, it is lovely! With some of the frame peaking out, it doesn’t seem frou-frou at all! We seem to also be having a heat wave-54 today! I live in Indiana and am use to 3 feet of snow in Jan/Feb. It’s sort of scary!
Enjoy the wonderful,warm day :)
Hugs….
this looks soooo beautyfull! love love love it very much! wishing you a creative and inspiring day! di
;0)
I think you are one to something!
It’s very pretty, and not frou-frou [now there’s a word we don’t use enough either] or as we call it around here, floufy. Not fluffy, floufy, it’s caught on in our family.
I would love to see the finished product, it’s going to be beautiful.
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
I love it! Part industrial and part girly … great combo.
I love the way the doilies hang from the bottom (in the last picture). I’m thinking I may try something with the little shades that are missing from my light in the kitchen – just the bulbs for now.
I love the doilies. I couldn’t afford a new lamp shade for for an unusual shaped lamp so I used ribbon to cover the shade. The ribbon is the cheap stuff that was an inch wide. But I think you have hit on something unusual with the doilies. It will be perfect.
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Love it :D
It’s great as it is but tentative suggestions for a more finished look would be a fine calico under layer for the whole thing (I’m sure the light would still shine gloriously through), and/or cutting and piecing sections of those old doilies into a lampshade cover shaped piece. But you have such a great eye I’m sure whatever you do will be fabulous.
And bring on the old fashioned words, I for one will be chuffed to see them (she types, hoping chuffed doesn’t mean something else where you are!)
(Sorry for the deleted comment, I thought I was just editing it, no idea what happened there!)
Claudia, I really like the lacy look. The light can shine through from the inside and from outside.
I waanted to post a comment yesterday……not sure what happened.
I so agree with what you said. I was looking at our over cozy furniture yesterday. We have a broken chair that needs pitched. I moved the “elephant” so it wouldn’t be in sight all the time til we could pitch it. Then I started moving furniture. I really want something new but like you I have to wait. So I am still moving stuff around and shopping in my home.
I see these huge homes and have to wonder…..why do they need all this space.
I can spend $10 and feel guilty about it. Those that haven’t had to do with less don’t get it. I gravitate towards blogs that do get it.
Anyway and anyhow…..our nests are what matters.
I like it; I really do, sweets, but then I AM a froufrou kinda gal.
xoxo,
Connie
I really like it! I don’t think you need to add anything to it.
That shade is getting a 1920’s/30’s feel now. Love it! ~ Maureen
What fun. It will be perfect in your adoreable cottage. Can’t wait to see it all finished up and in it’s new home.
I really like it. I have inherited doilies from grandmothers, great aunts, etc. and have used them over lamp shades, as a valance, and numerous other uses.
nancyr
Oooo, I like it. Gives a pretty glow.
That’s a wonderful idea! A good marriage of country, feminine and industrial, and a solution to the “too bright” light without covering it entirely. The patterns it will make on your walls and table will be so pretty.
best ideas of all.
Claudia, Now look what you have started:):) People will be doing more of those lacy shades.Love it, xox, Susie(She Junks)
Hi, I love the doilies – are you set on using the lampshade as part of a lamp? You’ve probably been through this already and actually, I like the shape of the shade. Maybe hang some clear crystals on the edges of the lacy doilies to pull them down a bit. And yes, I think it definitely fits your home! Ciao! xxoo
Love it! Nice name for the color, too; I love anything that reminds me of coffee. Hmmmm, I never thought about how you’d attach it; I guess whip stitch it on? And if you ever come across some thrift store chandelier crystals, they would be wonderful attached along the bottom! Listen to me give all this advice, but I can’t get a blasted thing finished here at home. I have a naked chair in the bedroom and I’m stuck in mid-upholstery. I guess right now it’s “unpholstered”.
Love your lampshade project – such a great idea. Another great ‘use what you have’ project – Love it
How will you secure it? I love the look.
Claudia-
gorgeous!! i never would have come up with that idea-you are so talented!
stacy
stacyleaw@yahoo.com
Yes, I like this, Claudia. I don’t think (if it were me) I’d be able to stand the glaring light with nothing to filter it. This is very fetching! (That’s an old-fashioned word too!) Don’t let Don be a big baby now.
Brenda
I really like it Claudia! Very ingenious idea that you have come up with! I think you have a winner there!~Hugs, Patti
Sure looking cute!!!!
I could go on and on about men when they are sick but will refrain. The lamp is looking vintage and cool.
I like the lace. Hurry and finish before Martha Stewart does the same thing and puts it in her magazine. Then you can say you did it first!
It’s lovely Claudia. I’m so sorry that I gave away all my old doilies now…
Looking good Claudia! I just started my project. Stop over when you can.
Men!!! That’s all I can say.
xxx Liz
i know what you mean. we are retired living on a fixed income in a house that is taking all of our savings to remodel, not because we wont fancy but because its 155 years old and it is ruff. my 70 year old hubby is doing the work very slowly because we can’t afford to pay someone to do it.love your blog
Hi Claudia,
Four years ago, I took an early retirement, sold ALL of my possessions and moved to Costa Rica. I lived very simply in the rain forest and ate a lot of rice and beans. It was extremely isolated and my domestic situation did not work out. I found myself back in the states last April with no job, no vehicle and 57 years old. Thankfully I still had my house that did not sell due to the bad economy. I found a job, got a truck, and I slowly (very slowly) adding some furnishings back to the house. I was an antique dealer off and on for 20 years, so I’ve always liked old stuff. My situation is a bit different in that the choices that I made were my own. I’m not a victim. I’m having to be creative and frugal, AND I don’t have anyone to impress but myself. So I’m rather enjoying it. For the record, I love the doily lampshade. I adore old lace and it doesn’t have to be perfect. Sort of like people, huh? Jude~~~~~>:<
Brava! :)
Good Morning Claudia
What a lovely lamp. It reminds me of my father’s lamp in France. He also uses a doily on a lamp hanging over the kitchen table, but the funny thing is that he tells everybody the doily actually is an underskirt of Jeanne d’Arque.
What are the mesurements of your lamp?
Goodmorning dear Claudia, this grandma is allone again- so off to visit friends :)
Your lamp is totally wonderful, and so lovely, I also like it is not totally covered in the laces –
Have a nice day-
Hugs,Dorthe
I love it Claudia! I think it’s perfect for your kitchen!
I love it. The perfect cottagey look without being too frou frou.
What a great idea! It’s a great way to use something that is pretty but not really used so much nowadays. When was the last time you saw a doily on a sofa or chair? This way you can see the doilies everyday and enjoy them. Hmm, I have a few doilies in a drawer that I need to pull out and figure out how to use in a new way.
I love the “sickbed” comment. Enuf said. Look forward to seeing the final results with this pretty shade. Ann
Oh Wow Claudia I LOVE this look! What a wonderful idea and a great way to use some otherwise unused doilies. I like the fact that you can see some of the frame too…it’s a softened industrial look…how cool! Now I’m REALLY anxious to see the finished product…great job :) I hope you and hubby are feeling better soon.
Maura :)