Creating one\’s own lamp is easy to achieve just by following the instructions and being extra careful when involving electric works. This is a great decorating idea and would apply for people who enjoy putting a personal touch into their designs and decide the way on how to bring light into their lives. These diy lights can be used in any season and for festive seasons as well.
What can you use to make your own lamp/light:
Mason Jars
Considerably the most common way to create your own lamp, mason jars are the glass jars used to preserve food. Invented by John L. Mason, mason jars are also known as Ball jars which is named after the popular manufacturer of jars, Ball Corp. These jars are made from soda-lime glass and they come in different sizes and shapes. Mason jars lights can be used as night lights. It can be decorated with items like sea shells, rocks or potpourri. You can so use the base to add a Christmas tree or LED lights that will help product a soft glow when the upper light is off.
What you need:
- Mason Jars
- Hanging Light Kit
- Ceiling Light Plate
Method:
- To start off, drill a hole first in the lid of the jar
- Thread the cords all the way through and continue all the way to your ceiling plate.
Warning
If by no means, you find that you are having difficulty putting in the lights then you should ask someone who knows about electronics for help as electricity is not something that you can play around with.
Thread Tea Lights
This is by far the most interesting and most affordable of the lot. It has a simple and easy process as well. The advantage with thread lights are, you can try to get as many styles as possible and the same method below can be used to make other lights and lamps.
What you need:
- Piece of thread
- Cardboard container
- Fabric stiffener
Method:
- Firstly, just wrap a piece of thread around the cardboard container (make sure it\’s plastic-covered)
- Let it lather on fabric stiffener
- Then, leave it to dry
Cup Lamps
We all have cups, cups that we have no use for so why not, put these very same cups to use. The great German designer,
Bernhard Stellmacher, is the one who has created the look in the picture above. He designed those lamps in the shape of a coffee-cup. Putting those lamps up on the ceiling creates a different lightning aura. Creating a cup lamp with a coffee/tea cup shouldn\’t be that difficult plus it\’s like putting those unused cups to good use, in other words, recycling. Below, we have the easiest and simplest way to make a cup lamp.
What you need:
- Tea/Coffee cup with saucer
- Electric candle lamp
- Fiberfill
- Lace netting
- Decorative items (optional)
- Powerful Glue
Method:
- First, make sure the cup you choose has a large bottom to fit the candle lamp base (don\’t forget to clean it first).
- Use the powerful and strong glue to stick the cup to the saucer and make sure that you place it correctly (handle should be on the right)
- Now use the glue again to stick together the candle base to the bottom of the saucer but do not get any glue on the cord (electric candle lamp)
- Then use the fiberfill to fill in at least 1 inch of the cup rim and protect it with the glue.
- Afterwards, cut four squares of the lace and then, holding from the centre, twist the lace and secure the center in the teacup to frame the cup with about 1-1/2 to 2 inches showing above the cup. You can arrange them in ways that you like and you can use more too, all depending on the look that you want. Also, use some to decorate the saucer too.
- To add-in the decoration, you can use a matching ribbon to tie a bow around the cup\’s handle
- Place your decorations nicely within the fiberfill or also, on the lace and then glue them into rightly.
Usually not too many decorations are needed to make a cup lamp nice as cup lamps are good enough alone. Feel free to spice the decors more by adding little plastic flowers or glow-in-the-dark items. If you are into electric lamp fitting then you can try and get a matching cord which is the same color as your tea cups.
Empty Tins Lamps
This one is easy to make but make sure to follow the instructions properly.
What you need:
- Clean empty tins with no paper labels on.
- Fitting with cable and a plug.
Method
- Use the empty clean tins to drill an opening for the fitting through the top.
- Then, pull the fitting through the opening
- Last, put a bulb into the fitting and it\’s done.
Sample – Bottle Pendant Lamps
These lamps above were designed by the famous artist, Jerry Kott. He reassembled and polished those recycled bottles himself and used them to create these beautiful pendant lamps. There are an electric wire and a 40 watt bulb in each pendant lamp.
Additional Reading:
http://www.thehomeknowitall.com/the_home_knowitall/2009/07/diy-lamp-ideas.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mason_jar
http://www.theartfulcrafter.com/mason-jar-1.html
http://trendsupdates.com/inverted-coffee-cup-lamps-look-chic/
http://www.decoratorsecrets.com/teacup-lamp.html
http://style-files.com/2009/02/24/diy-lamp/
http://www.interestinglight.com
