Skip to main content

Lights Out

Finding a new way to use a discarded object is a thrill for me.  So when it came to planning the centerpieces for my daughter's "Urban Rustic" wedding,  I knew  I would be able to incorporate my favorite hobby with her theme.

I started by collecting old light fixtures at yard sales and picked up several at the Habitat Restore.  I over collected so I would have a few for backup if some did not work out.  Broken glass was just removed and not replaced.  That actually worked well with the theme.

Here is a sampling of my collection.



Next step was to remove all electrical parts that distracted from my vision.  All glass that could be removed was taken out and cleaned.  The metal parts were sprayed with black paint and then reassembling began.
This is how they looked in this phase.

The final step of converting them to terrariums was two days before the wedding.  I had preordered a variety of succulents and the proper soil for this type of plant.  I had also collected small rocks, dried thistle, votive holders, rustic ribbon, twine, bark, and some word charms to add as needed.  Placement of the plants was pretty much determined by what would fit in what fixture.
Here are some shots taken before they were transported to the reception.







As you can imagine, I did not get pictures at the reception but I do have this shot taken by a friend.  After the reception we offered them to the guests and they disappeared quickly. 

I am entering this in the CSI project and hoping to make the cut.
Visit thecsiproject.comVisit thecsiproject.com

Comments

  1. I have never, ever seen anything done like this before. You are so creative and innovative! And the pictures are beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congratulations -- I saw your project on the CSI contest. These are amazing ideas, and I look forward to following you as you continue to put your creativity to work. I am also following you and invite you to do the same!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!!! I love what you did with these old light fixtures. I just found a gem at the ReStore myself an painted it this week:

    http://www.prettyhandygirl.com/2010/07/pottery-barn-inspired-lantern-from-5.html

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow! What can I say? They are beautiful and cleaver. . you are one creative gal. I am going to follow you for sure.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I just wanted to stop by and let you know that I linked to this post today from the new Home & Garden channel at Craft Gossip. :) My hope is to share many of the fabulous projects I see everyday with the vast CG audience. I hope you will not only stop by and subscribe to CG, but will tell your friends about the new category! Hope you see some traffic from it!

    Your feature will appear in the main Craft Gossip RSS feed, on the main home page and can be found directly here
    http://homeandgarden.craftgossip.com/light-fixture-terrariums/

    If you would like a "featured by" button, you can grab one here!
    http://homeandgarden.craftgossip.com/grab-a-craft-gossip-button/

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

On The Upswing

After the last post, it seemed a good idea to do a follow up post to report that things are moving along nicely. This shot was taken before the remodel started.  The door at the end of the hallway leads into the bath now being remodeled. This is where the changes started.  The trim is off the doorway and the door opening will be enlarged to the width of the hallway. This shot taken of that same area now looks like this.  By closing the entrance from the hallway, that bathroom will now be the master bath by keeping the entrance from the bedroom only. This is how it looks from the bathroom side.  the door on the left leads to the hallway and the one on the right into the bedroom. Now it looks like this.  Part of the hallway has become part of the bathroom.  This is where the vanity will be installed.  The partial doorway you see on the right leads to the bedroom. Turning 180 degrees and looking across the room to the opposite corner, you see the window and the en

Out of No Where

Isn't it uncanny how a project can sneak into an already crowded schedule? Recently a friend invited me to do a walk through on a two-family he was planning to buy.  A couple pieces of furniture had been left behind and they were dumpster material to him.  Did I go with him thinking there was something there for me?   NO. Was I looking for something in particular? NO.  Did the thought of finding a new project ever cross my mind? NO!  But, see for yourself.  Could you have passed this up?  It was sturdy (translates to a little heavy). There was nothing wrong with it.  It even had all the shelves and the pins that hold them in place.  And without the shelves it was not quite as heavy.  (Try telling me that as my friend and I are hauling it down a flight of stairs.)  More shelving on the side made it even more practical.  I'm sure they could be used for something besides VHS tapes. Here it is in my studio where I could do a complete assessment.  Looks like a good cleaning

Small Storage Containers RECYCLED

 With the way grocery products have skyrocketed this past year, it has somehow made the containers they come in seem more valuable. To be transparent, I have always saved glass jars from jam, pickles, and spaghetti sauce.=) You know, small, medium and large. I also saved yogurt cups, sour cream containers, etc. When I was painting furniture and mixing colors, the small containers came in handy. This past summer I got a good laugh when I found a stack of yogurt containers in the back of a cabinet in my studio...at least 60! Needless to say those made it into the trash. More recently I have collected a fair amount of plastic containers with lids that are similar to the food saving containers you buy for that purpose. These are fairly large, about 5x7 inches and approximately 3" deep. They are great for leftovers but also good for storing a multitude of other smallish items. The bottoms are see through which makes them perfect for organizing hobby/craft and workshop items. But once a