Let There Be Light

Well I've been looking everywhere for some bedside lamps to add to the bedroom suite and was driving home last Friday afternoon when I saw a garage sale.  There were two very BIG lamps without shades that were calling my name.  They were priced at $2.00 each and I was going to buy them, but I was starting to worry about the size (they came mid thigh without shades).  It was while I was humming and hawing that I noticed two navy blue lamps on the ground in the corner and asked if they were for sale too.  The lady said they were about 15 minutes ago, right before a gust of wind blew them off the table and cracked the lampshades and tore the electrical socket out of one.  I was so sad, as they were smaller and had a very cool shape to them.  Upon closer inspection I noticed that the electrical part had broken off only a small part of the plastic and when screwed back on would not be seen.  So I asked her how much she would sell these to me.  She said $1.50 for the two.....done deal.... they were mine.  The shades were a mess so I didn't even take them and headed home.  Here is a picture of them.  (Notice the bare wires.)  Well I got to work and started putting it back together.  It was really quite easy as the wires just had to be attached back on....HA. 

Now I've had some grey  Ikea shades that used to be in my front room and I have hung onto them because I'm cheap and couldn't just throw them out.  (I should tell that when I was buying these lamps I did notice that they had a similar attachment for the shades.)  The problem became apparent right away that the attachment wasn't an exact fit and the grey shades sat all loose and wobbly on the lamp.  I was not about to be defeated and throw away my $1.50 so I took some lightweight cardboard (cereal box...Honey Nut Cheerios to be exact) and fabricated two circles that would sandwich the shade onto the lamp.

 I felt quite Macgyverish (reference for all you older people)

and was very happy with the end result.

So I taped off the electrical socket and primed the lamp (KILZ) and spray painted it a gloss white (KRYLON) and now they sit beautifully in my room.

I have a picture frame to go on the table, I just have to turn the picture I have in it black and white or I thought about putting an old fashioned phone on the table as there is a phone jack right behind the table. We'll see.
Don't they look good on my side tables remember what they looked like.

and now