Wordless Wednesday: Kitchens

 

Converting a Tripod into a Lamp

I've been on the search for a {how- to} on converting a tripod into a lamp. I have an old telescope tripod base that I want to make into a floor lamp. So, in searching I found this creative idea from The Painted Hive. Kristine was very resourceful and created a lamp out of an old music stand. I just love this lamp!

Here's the HOW-TO:

First you'll need something
to form your lamp base:

{She found this stand for $6 on a thrifting adventure.}

And the following items are all available at any hardware store...

A lamp switch:

A power outlet head:

A length of power cable:

The steps….

1. She removed the sheet music holder from the top of the tripod which left a nice hollow shaft perfect for housing the power cable.

2. To securely attach the lamp switch to the tripod, she first inserted the plastic thread (which comes with the lamp switch as shown above) into the top of the shaft and glued it firmly in place (you can see what she meant by this in one of the following pics).

If your lamp base won't easily accommodate the plastic thread then put your thinking cap on for a way to make it work.

3. Once the glue dried, she inserted the power cable into the hollow shaft so it protruded from both ends.

4. She wired and attached the power outlet head to the end of the cable as per the packet instructions.

If you're lucky enough to have a lamp kit this step is already done for you.

5. She wired and attached the lamp switch to the top end of the cable as per the packet instructions and screwed it onto the glued-in thread.

Because the thread would only fit into the fat section at the top of the shaft, half of it was still visible once the head was attached (as can be seen above). She could have cut it down though instead decided to keep the extra length for greater stability and simply wrapped it in some twine as a camouflage.

6. She inserted a bulb, turned the power on and crossed her fingers...it worked!

 7. To finish she simply added a budget K-Mart linen shade.

Of course, if you are lucky enough to have a DIY lamp kit then this project gets a whole lot easier!

Sooo, from this:

BEFORE

To this:

 AFTER

I'm lovin' this lamp not only because of the repurpose, but because it can be easily adjusted for the height, and the splay can be altered to best suit it's chosen location.

Rarely have I seen industrial style tripod lamps like this selling for under $150, so for around $30 she spent on this re-invention, it's well worth it!

Vintage Style

I came across this beautiful Huntington Beach bungalow on Lonny and I just adore it's vintage charm. Amanda Malson and her design business partner Jolene Ballard both worked on it together. Almost everything they used to furnish Malson's home was either recycled, a hand-me-down, salvaged from family attics, flea-market and antique store finds. "We love to give things new life," says Malson. They also say that vintage furniture is always well made and it has great bones. That's so true! 

Malson calls her style "gallery style"- white walls stacked with personal collections of art and objects. She then mixes it with meaningful family pieces here and there. Her house has a neutral base with shots of colorful accessories, personality, and exceptional vintage pieces.

New Orleans Trip

We had such a great time on our buying trip! I love all of the history and beautiful architecture in New Orleans. Can't wait to go back.

happy.happy.

The person born with a talent they are meant to use

will find their greatest happiness in using it.

- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before

God; may they be happy and joyful.
Psalm 68:3

I hope you have a great weekend!

I'm heading to New Orleans for a business and pleasure getaway.

wordless wednesday: fresh blooms

   



photos via h&m home {only sold in UK}

Organizing Ideas

I love to organize and have things neat and orderly in my house. I'm constantly looking for practical yet beautiful storage solutions that can make my life easier.

I recently saw this post on House of Smith's blog and was so inspired to get my pantry more organized and layed out better. I LOVE how she used a mixture of clear jars with bold labels, wooden crates, metal bins, a painted & stenciled wall, no boxes or clutter, and everything's visible for easy access. She even added decorative moulding around the edge of the shelving. It's PERFECT!

Here's a few pictures of her pantry makeover.

More Inspiration: 

These clear clamp lid jars are perfect to organize your pantry and kitchen cabinets. They can be found at Crate & Barrel.

via a delightful blog

I bought some clear jars with metal lids (similar to HOS)

at WalMart and reorganized my pantry! I also reorganized my cooking utensil drawer with black Rubbermaid dividers and trays. (also found at WalMart)  I then took it a step further and started organizing under my bathroom sinks with wire shelving, baskets, and clear containers from the Container Store.

I hope this inspires you to reorganize a few clutter spots in your home. After organizing a few areas of my own, I now feel better everytime I open those doors, drawers, and cabinets!