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Mid Century Fiberglass Shade Fix It

Posted: March 2, 2020 in Crafts, How To, Interior Design/Decorating
Tags: atomic mid century, fiberglass lamp shades, mid century, mid century Danish Modern, Mid Century Decor, Mid Century Furniture, Mid Century Lamps, midcentury modern

Are you a Mid Century Lamp Lover?

How about those beloved fiberglass shades? To Die For.

But what about the broken damaged fit for the dump ones?

We must save them.

I’m not a professional lamp shade maker or refinisher or whatever you call people who fix lamp shades.

So those of you who are…move on.

This is Mid Century Fiberglass Lamp Shape Fixing 101.

Also there are different reasons to need to fix. The wire is broken, the strings are broken or the shade is broken. In all of these situations you need Step 1.

Step 1:

Get Gloves and Put Them On. Fiberglass is not a friend to your skin.

Step:

Take Shade Apart. Which is easy. This situation is a broken shade..mostly around string/wire/hole area so I just took shade apart. If not untie knots and unlace.

*Use gloves…seriously.

Step 3:

Broken Shade: I cut my shade at the top and bottom where it was damaged.

*If the the wire is broken fix with wire or soldering iron. If shade is completely broken use different material…mostly likely a light plastic for stiffness. If the string is damaged get new string. Mine was and decided to use what I had.

Step 4:

Punch Holes in Shade for Re-Lacing. Since this was a spur of the moment fix, again I went with what I had, a regular hole punch. I would go with a smaller hole option if i wasn’t impatient.

Step 5: Picking String.

I’m a string/twine addict so I had some to choose from. Twine was eliminated first. So I tried these two below. Again I went with what I had because of my excitement of fixing the shade! I probably would have went with a dark leather or synthetic leather if I wasn’t a “get it done now” freak. The dark string in back is the original.

* I like color of the waxed string but felt like it could cut the fiberglass too easy. So I went with the soft, so wrong color, cotton thicker string.

Step 6:

Lace back Up. Slow and steady to make sure “lace’ lays evenly.

*Since I cut my shade from top and bottom, the wire rings did not fit perfectly anymore, but I still pushed forward.

Finished the top and stopped to check my handiwork.

Not bad, eh?

Then I finished with the bottom.

Viola! Saved from the Fiberglass Lamp Shade Graveyard! Not perfect, but still looking pretty!

*If you noticed that my laces are going in two different ways…Damn you and your eye for detail!

No, I noticed I was doing that right away and checked my other lamps. The lacing goes in the same direction on them. But I decided to see what the opposite direction would look like.

**There you have it. In the photo my shade looks a bit crumpled. It is not.

I may go back with different string…but for now there she stays in my foyer.

*And yes, if looks uneven. It may be the way I cut it, or how it’s sitting on the lamp because we all know those shades never sit straight.

Thanks for visiting.

Feel free to ask questions!

MAKE THE LITTLE ONES MAKE

Posted: October 8, 2017 in Crafts, How To, Picking
Tags: Chair Re-Upolstery, diy, Kid DIY, Kid Projects, Kids Crafts, KidsDIY, Re-Upholstery, Refinish, Refinish Chairs, Rehab, Rehab Chairs, upcycle, Upcycle Furniture, Upcycle projects, Upholstery

I’m a Hard Core Auntie because…

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I Encourage My Nieces and Nephews to Make! Okay, sometimes I Make them Make!

But not with cooking or Drawing!

This is my Mirror Identical Twin Nieces Drawing a Picture, Together, at the Same Exact Time.

Isn’t that cool? (PS…I did not teach them to cook or drawer, but I encourage it.)

I have taught them other Creative Things….

By way of Helping this Aunt Upcycle, Rehab and/or Fix!

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I got these old, Ratty, painted gold Chairs for Free. I thought this would make a Good Learning project for my Brother’s Kids!

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I was surprised, because ALL three, even the 15-year-old brother, got into it!

The took Apart the ratty seats with disintegrated Foam and weakened zig-zag Wire coils.

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And with the h=Help of Uncle, they Built the Seats back up Again!

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They Added Batting to the new foam, again, with the help of Uncle, and of course, Under my Direction. I was solely Only the Project Manager on This Remake!

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Then the new Upholstery was added to the fixed seats!

But we Were Not Done Yet!

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After a Full, but light Sanding, they spray painted the Chairs!

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When Dried, they Put the chairs all back Together again.

They were so Proud of Their own work!!

So Proud, I just Gave the Chairs to them to use at Home!

And their Creativity has not Stopped There!

My Brother was Gifted a box of old scratched up 45 Records.

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My 15-year-old Nephew was inspired by Them!

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He added Record Decor Along to his growing broken Skateboard Collection.

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He Came up with this on his Own and I am one Proud Aunt!

And his 12 years Sisters make this Upcycling Aunt Just as Proud!

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It started with a Curb Alert Free Stuff Pile where I got to Teach my Nieces Picking 101. Stop the Car. Get Out of the Car. Take a Real Close Look. My nieces Loved a couple of Wood Boxes in the Pile. And Of course I eyed a Mid Century-ish Metal Stand or Table Base.

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They put the wire table together with one of the wood boxes and made a table.

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Then they added a Lower Shelf! Now they have a Bedroom Side Table that Holds their Pet Rat’s, Ink Spot and Einstein, Cage.

And Speaking of Ink Spot and Einstein…

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The Twins looked up Online How to Make a Rat Cage Hammock and They Made one All on Their Own.

Look Close at the Stitching…Isn’t that so Cute.

Then there was this…

We Took her Camping and she Whittled a little Man and then added the Moss Hair.

Her Idea and Her Work.

I Love seeing the Creativity Grow in Young People and am Fortunate to be Able to see it First Hand in Some of my Nieces and Nephews. I can’t wait until my next project with them!

Also, I Feel my Very Own Creating Mode Coming Up. So, Stay Tuned for my Next Creative Blog!

Thanks for Visiting and Do Please Come Again!

Gnome

COME ON IN…AND SHOWER OUTSIDE!

Posted: March 20, 2017 in Design, How To, Interior Design/Decorating
Tags: Beach Life, diy, DIY Fence Latch, fence, Fencing, florida, Florida Living, Midcentury Fencing, Outdoor Showering, Outdoor Showers, Salt Life, Shells

Mix an Outdoor Shower and a Visiting Sister…

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And you get Motivated to Build an Outdoor Shower Enclosure!

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Our Home, The Gnomad Pad, is in Florida where Outdoor Showering is Quite Nice. This Shower is in a Corner were the Air Con Unit and Near Where We Put Our Garbage Pails so we decided to Hide it all, not only Naked Bodies.

Well, after many discussions between the Hub and I, it was decided that the Fencing Needed to be somewhat Mid Century-ish and there will be an Arbor. Lots of sketches were made and Pinterest posts were looked at…and finally we agreed upon a Design.

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The Shower area is coming together.

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Fencing is done…but not the Arbor.

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Using the Shower Before it was Done…but the Arbor is Up!

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The Staining Process. I stained the Whole Fence and The Hub did the Arbor.

Okay, He Built 96% of the Entire Thing On His Own!

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It’s Done!!!! Even with Bougainvillea planted to Climb up the Arbor!

You may notice the far right gate door is darker. Well, when one goes crazy staining all day without mixing the gallon of stain, the bottom of the can is darker. What is done is done, but there you go…Do Not Do That.

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The Shower Outside…

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And Inside…Even with a Dedication Sign to My Sister!

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I Did The Shower Floor…And I am Digging it. Simple Blue Spray Paint, then a Wash of Light Blue Paint Brushed over it. Rocks, Shells and there You Have it.

Had the Board Laying Around and Just Handed Painted it. My Sister Loves Mermaids and she is Fighting Cancer, So I Made the Mermaid Bald. She also has a tattoo of a Starfish because if they Lose Arm, they just Grow One Back which is a Testament of How She has Lived her Life.

Cancer will Not Beat This One.

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One side of the shower is open to this large bush.

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The Very Cleaver Hub Came Up with a Non Rusting Door Latch. And he Made it with Love. The Wood Had a Heart on it and he Just had to use that Piece to Go There.

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That Little Blue Dot is how you Unlatch the Door. So Cute and Cleaver.

And if You Want to Shower After Dark….

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We made a Light out of a natural Cup Sponge found on the Beaches in the Keys of Southern Florida!

Can’t Wait to See it Being Used for a Mini Family Reunion This Summer!

Homes…

One Step at a Time! Next is the Back Patio!

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We did Plant these Palms Hopefully to Grow and Block Out the Neighbors Ugly Side Yard and to Block the Neighbor Out too. All our Neighbors are Great Except this One Person, who Killed Our Orange Tree. See an Earlier Post to Find Out How I Made Lemon-aide out of that Dead Orange Tree at https://ourownbigworld.com/2014/10/08/passive-aggressive-diy/

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Now We need No Rusting Matching Patio Furniture. I am Making Sheer Flowy Curtains, but there Needs so Much More Work to Be Done!

Stay Tuned!

RoamingGnomadGraphic

NOT YOUR MOMMA’S MACRAME

Posted: March 13, 2017 in Art, Crafts, Design, How To, Interior Design/Decorating
Tags: 1970s, 1970s art, art, Decor, Design, diy, DIY Art, DIY Crafts, diyart, interior design, macrame, macramewallart

It all Started with a Large Ball of Twine.

And then Some Gray Yarn.

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And Once the Sticks Got Involved…History Was Made.

I have a big wall that needed decor, so I set to making a big piece.

I knew macrame was going to be part of it, but not exactly sure how.

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I attached the twine and yarn and let it all sink in.

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Then I went for it, but I got stuck on what to do after the first row of Macrame.

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It sat like this for quite a while, but the rolled up yarn and twine at the bottom did give me an idea. But before I could work on that part, I had to finish the other parts.

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So I continued to make these large macrame knots and my sister described the look as “Lace”.

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I kept going with the big square knots and the “lacey” look. When I finished I added something a bit different.

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Some Poofs made of Twine!

I Made a Lot of Poofs!

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And Not just Twine Poofs, but Grey Yarn Poofs as Well!

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I attached the Poofs and Loved them….all of my Pretty Little Poofs.

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I even added one to the Very Top!

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And There You Have It…

Poof…MacraLace!

This one is for my Wall, but if you are Interested in Your Very Own Poof…MacraLace, Please Comment Below.

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PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE DIY

Posted: October 8, 2014 in Crafts, How To
Tags: Arrow Signs, Beach Sign Decor, Beachy Arrow Sign Decor, Beachy Location Arrow Signs, Beachy Location Signs, DIY Location Arrow Signs, DIY Signs, Handmade Arrow Signs, Handmade Location Signs, Handmade Signs, Homemade Signs, Rustic Location Arrow Signs

Okay, Let Me First Say…

I am usually not into revenge, but do like humor and to stand up for myself/home/family/friends/property.

And this is how I Stood Up for my Property…

Passive Aggressively.

Pre-Story (This post is wordier than most of my posts, but I feel I must explain my DIY actions):

We came home one day and found our old orange tree cut down to just the trunk with all the branches laying about the yard.

From RusticPlaceSigns

I asked around and no one knew who did it, until I stopped the next door neighbor driving away. I , all 5 Foot 3.5 Inches of me, went up to his huge SUV and asked him if he knew who did it. He got out of his, all 6 + Foot of him, standing right in front of me. He told me it was him as he walked past me towards The Hub. He told The Hub that his father owned Orange Groves and that he cut it down so it grow back better. We know nothing of the orange tree, so we said, “Okay.” Until we found out what this guy has done before to other neighbors. And the fact that nothing grew back from that tree…still nothing 1.5 years later.

In the above photo, 6+ Foot Tall neighbor’s yellow/brown house is behind the dead orange tree trunk. As you can also see in the photo, he could barely see our orange tree behind other big plants along the property line.

From RusticPlaceSigns

I do believe this man is maybe bi-polar and does not take meds for it because he seems to do this sporadically and manically. I feel for people with any kind of health or psychological issues, but not when my property or people are endangered.

And to let you know how far he has gone, let me tell you other things he has done.

1) Killed plants along the fence of his neighbors on the other side of his property. They no longer have any plants along that fence line.

2) The old guy who owned our house before us would fall asleep with his TV loudly on. The cray cray neighbor threw something big (I heard a log) into that bedroom’s sliding glass doors breaking them both. The doors are new there.

3) We live on a court and another neighbor asked him if she could put a basketball hoop on the line that boarders my yard and his yard. He has a son that could use it too. He agreed. Slowly it moved to in front of our side yard, which was fine and dandy with us. We still would see him and his son out there playing b-ball. While we were away he took the hoop and dragged it 1/2 a block to the owners of the hoop and threw it on their driveway. The woman (a tiny woman mind you) dragged it onto MY driveway. He then went on our property, took the hoop dragging it back to the owners house and again throwing it back in their driveway breaking it. This 6+ foot guy got into a verbal fight with a 5 Foot Nothing woman about it, using a lot of curse words. Cops were called, but that was that. The cops just told the tiny woman to stay away from him.

4) Our once lush hibiscus plants along our back fence that borders his tiny side yard (the side where you would put your trash cans), are now dying along the top…as if someone threw something over the top of their fence to kill them. We have done several things to bring them back, and they seem to be having a hard time. I believe the cray cray neighbor is doing something to them while we are away. It is a good time of the year for them to be trimmed back, which we are having done by a professional, for them to grown back anew. We will see.

Everyone is afraid of this guy.

I am not, but I am not going to push it to make it harder on the other neighbors or for him to do more damage to our property.

At first, The Hub and I decided to not cut down the dead orange tree trunk in honor of all the oranges our deranged neighbor aborted, and as protest to what he did to our poor old orange tree.

Then I came up with an idea and this is how I am now PASSIVE AGGRESSIVELY getting back at him…

DIY Style!

I needed this…