::Catching Up - 2009's Projects::

There are a few projects I've meant to post about, but haven't gotten around to it. So in the interest of time, I will do one post after another. The projects really aren't all THAT great but just in case they spark some idea in your own heads, I will share them with you!

First Project: DINING ROOM CHANDELIER

We knew we needed new lighting fixtures on top of everything else we've done, but have you looked at the prices of chandeliers these days? Even the ugly ones are expensive!! I lucked out for the new nook fixture that was on clearance for $30 and the bathroom fixtures were $9 each. STEALS! Well, I wasn't able to locate anything I loved for the dining room. I found several I liked that were decent prices, (around $200) but they were still way over my budget. So I decided to try and make my own!!

I took the ones I liked as my inspiration:

Then I used materials I had on hand and recycled the old nook fixture:

(sorry I am lazy and didn't appropriately crop the photo and sorry it's a crappy photo, too. I know there is a better one somewhere....)

I removed the glass shade and sprayed the brass fixture with chrome spraypaint:

Used this old 60's drumshade that someone gave me that I was saving for something:
Removed the hard shade and wrapped some sheer black fabric around the metal frame that was left behind, attaching with hot glue. It was trickier than I had anticipated. The bottom ring and the top ring were independent from one another so once you attached the top, you had to make sure that the spacing was even and perfect all the way around while attaching the bottom ring to the fabric or it puckered and was uneven. Good thing I bought double the fabric, just in case because I had to do it twice to get it close to even!
This is the metallic velvet burnout zebra stripes fabric. Sounds crazy (and maybe it is) but I liked the pattern with the wallpaper. I bought 1.5 yards for $12, including shipping. Not too shabby!

Then I attached some ornaments I bought on clearance a couple years ago at WalMart for the "crystal" drops around the bottom frame and from the arms of the fixture itself. I am contemplating wrapping the top frame and the bottom frame with a 1" black satin or grosgrain ribbon to finish it off a bit but it looks OK as is...for now. That's a project for when I have nothing else to do..... ;)

$12 for fabric+$5 for spraypaint+$5 for ornaments (or less)=A pretty snazzy chandelier for well under $25!!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Yay! I know it's not for everyone, but I LOVE it. And that's all that counts, right???

:)