Thrifty Tissue Paper Lampshade (a tutorial)

I haven't asked you to make me young again. All I want is to go on getting older.

- Konrad Adenauer

That quote sums up a lot of my feelings on the process of repurposing and upcycling items and clothing.  I do not like the "throw away society" that we have become.  I guess some of that comes from my age- after all, "back in MY day" when your TV broke you could take the back off, remove the tubes, go down to the corner grocery to test and replace the faulty parts.  I love taking things that still have some life in them, and bringing them into this decade.

I have become obsessed with vintage images and image transfer.  And I especially love bringing those long-forgotten images forward and creating something natty contemporary.  

 Here is the latest and greatest "after"

But ya gotta get there, right?  So- let's do this thing!!

    

Start with one sad old lamp

My lamp is small with a vinyl-covered shade.  This process would work for most any flat surfaced (non-pleated) shade.  I simply downloaded this image from Graphics Fairy 

Karen has 1000's of free images to use- and I go to her site often  :)

I also used this image  (quote) I found on the internet to build on, so to speak:

I also went online and found sheet music for 'bird themed' songs.....you know, like Rockin' Robin, Black Bird, Mockingbird, etc.   Since my lampshade is just 7" high, I used Publisher to combine/print 2 images per 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of paper.  I wanted the light to shine through the images, so I printed them onto tissue paper.

Here is where the word *tutorial* pays off for you- because I get to spare you a bunch of frustration and cursing sobbing.  

1. get some 1/2" wide 2-sided tape (you may use this already for scrapbooking)
2. use plain cardstock paper, not textured (8 1/2 x 11)
3. use cheap old tissue paper- not the kind with a *nice* glossy side
4. if possible, print your images with a laser printer or use a copy machine.  The toner-based inks do not run when you get them wet with decoupage medium.

DO NOT BELIEVE the other blogs that tell you that you can somehow stick the tissue paper with spray adhesive to the cardstock and run it through and come up with something usable in the end.  THEY LIE!!!!!

Use this simple, Ticklish Moose Tutorial Tip, which makes it so simple you will laugh out loud....ready??  Bwaa-haaa-haaa!!  

 Tutorial Tip:
Simply adjust the size of your image so you have a decent 3/4" to 1" of margin space outside of the actual image you want to use.  Stick the 1/2" wide piece of 2-sided tape across the leading edge (end that feeds into the printer) of the cardstock.  You can use 2 smaller pieces on the  other end just to keep the tissue paper nicely in place as it feeds through the printer.  You can smooth out (or lightly crumple up) the tissue over top of the taped cardstock.  Flip it over and trim off any excess tissue paper.   Put the tissue paper covered cardstock into your printer so you print on the tissue paper side.  Print your image and voila`...... you did it!!  Carefully tear off your printed page.

Repeat as many times with the cardstock as you need images.

I used 6-7 printed sheets for my small shade (I had a few scraps leftover)


Gather up your printed pages, a foam brush and whatever decoupage medium you prefer.  I used PPA for this application.

The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions?

Gosh.......I hope not!

Because lately it seems I have the best of intentions to get things done, and they just do not materialize.  I am still nursing a swollen spleen and the fatigue from chronic/remitting Epstein-Barr, but my spirits are good overall.  I do get somewhat depressed because I do not know how many times I can repeat this cycle before I become bedridden, but I do still have hope that the many prayers floating around out there will give me Divine strength and healing.  So don't give up on me just yet! 

Evidently- from several emails I received over the weekend- I did not get something quite right on my Linky and there was an issue with the hook-up, so I will try to remedy that this week and try again.  I had set it up ahead of time since my sister was coming to visit, and did not get a chance to check it out on Saturday as we were a little bit busy.  

On Friday we set out on our annual trek to an event called Antique Alley about an hour South of where I live.  We had a VERY strong cold front blow through on Thursday evening that missed my area, but hit the Cleburne area quite hard.  A lot of vendors get set up the evening before the event, as you can imagine, and they sustained quite a bit of rain and hail damage.  But, to add insult to injury on Friday the winds were exceptionally strong- with gusts to 40 mph!- and we witnessed whole tables being flipped over and numerous glass breakage and VERY frustrated sellers. We did take refuge for awhile at Whipp's Farm that did provide some breaks from the wind and got some great deals as well!  Here are a few pics from Whipp's:

I got several nice items from Whipp's Farm!  My favorite was this sweet little box for $3

The best part came when I opened it!

 Surprise!  It was filled with Bible verses!!

This is the first one I picked out of the box:

   

I also got some awesome antique books and one new hymnal.  Most were from 1902-1903.  This sheet music is from 1940..Use as ephemera for your craft projects, or just print it out and frame- but this is especially apropos!

Remember the 'reason for the season'.....I consider Easter the holiest day!  Christ is Risen!!  

Have a Blessed Easter holiday! 

Show-Off Saturday Linky

Spring Graphics Freebies

This week should have been easy, but has gone South in a hurry.  At least it's hump day!  

Good news!

The *new* (to me!) scanner I picked up at the garage sale has been great and so easy to use!  I never could get our old all-in-one machine to work with my laptop correctly.  I am not an IT genius so if it ain't simple it ain't happening! 

I wanted to share a few of the spring graphics I scanned for you to use if you choose.  I also wanted to share a few pics of some things I have been working on.  I couldn't remember if I had posted this cuff previously on the blog.  It was a cuff from a silk blouse, and I added flowers upcycled from an old lei and various vintage buttons and beads from my (vast) hoarde collection:

This next little project started as a horrible forest green box with runs and smears (sorry whoever's kid made it for them!).  I added a black distressed finish, some decoupage and made some funky pulls out of mini spools and buttons.  I added the chicken wire for fun!  I think it turned out great:

I love toile! 

The next picture group is a set of lavender sachets I whipped up.  The images printed on muslim are saved on a Publisher Document, so I could print 4 to an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of fabric.  I used the same technique as when I printed on the twill tape- you just use a temporary adhesive to stick the muslim to a piece of cardstock, and print directly onto your fabric from your printer.  Just be sure to heat set (from the backside!).

These were made simpler by starting with a 5" Moda Charm Pack:

The white wire basket was one of my garage sale finds from last week!

Foolin' Around on April Fool's Day

In case anyone is looking for me, you can probably find me in a neighbor's garage.  I am kinda nosey- no denying it.  That is why the neighborhood garage sale is one of my favorite events!  I snooped and chatted, talked smack about your stuff later in the day to my girlfriends that had to work and missed the fun.  Yes.....it's true.  But mostly had a great time, and got some great stuff treasures.  The weather cooperated nicely as well.  It was breezy, low 80's and sunny.  Picture perfect.  My thanks to the dad that had fired up his grill and made some awesome hotdogs with tasty toasty buns. 

I am pretty worn out from my bargain hunting, but I will close with a few pics of some treasures and the promise that with the great new scanner I picked up today I will also have some neat-o things scanned in very soon to share as well.  

I love spring!