Some say that everyone needs their addiction. So far I have proven those people pretty wrong. Always being the independent control-freak-self addiction spells danger to me. The mere thought of needing a certain substance or thing in order to get on with the day freaks me out. This rather radical attitude has gotten me through life without ever feeling the need to try cigarettes, coffee, or other evil things I don’t even dare to mention. Until I met Pinterest. As soon as I wake up there are already great DIY ideas waiting for me and I won’t sleep until I make sure that I haven’t missed a single inspiration that day. It’s dangerous. Seriously. Or like one of those funny pins says:
But, here is where my built-in alarm starts ringing and the control center in the front of my brain kicks up gears. In one of my strong moments I made a rule for the addict part of me: No more pinning unless I actually implement one of the DIY ideas in real life. At least one per month. Or every 20 pins. The yarn wreath was the first one. And then these crazy crafty girls over from younghouselove and associates started a Pinterest challenge last week. The idea was to make one pinned idea become reality and then come back today with the result. Well, it just so happened that I was in the middle of crafting a map lamp for the guest bedroom when the challenge started, so here we go:
Unfortunately I was already half way through the project when the challenge started (and excuse the greenish light from the window shades), so there is no real good before picture of the lamp. But you can picture it: it was a regular lamp. Yellow porcelain base and white shade. Nothing crazy. Got it for approximately $3 at a yard sale.
I also got maps of the entire USA at Goodwill for $1. They looked very unused and useful so I almost felt sorry to cut them up, but they were from 1996 and probably not as up to date as google maps on my phone. Therefore they were cut into little squares and rectangles of slightly different sizes. I wanted them to not look completely uniform, but somewhat related to each other. Then I started glueing them onto the lamp shade in a carefully planned irregular pattern starting on the bottom and working my way up and around. I made sure to cover the tops of the layers below so that you cant see where they start. Kind of like this:
The finished product has most of Maryland, some Florida, Colorado, and DC on it. All spread out to be found and explored by our guests. Sorry to not have a better picture on hand at the moment. I took it in a rush before Milo came home. Will replace this one tomorrow. Welcome home map lamp:
And this was the inspiration pin:
Of course the original looks much more artsy and whimsical. My little yellow lamp has its own Nicola twist to it – a little more organized and clean. Like it?
4 Comments
Nightshift... which explains that very late posting. 4 days without pinterest last week and didn't even miss it. You should try it too. Actually I have to admit first thing I did when I came home back to Oldenburg was starting my laptop to check out all the new stuff at pinterest... This afternoon before I had to leave for today's nightshift I was thinking about what it could be that I had forgotten to do: turned out it was checking new pinterest posts. So I hurried to do this before I left for work.
(actually I'd appreciate corrections in my English as I'm always trying to improve my skills)
Good English, my friend! The last couple of days I was on a self-imposed Pinterest break myself, to get some real life stuff done. Have you lined up any pins yet, that you want to try? Maybe it would be a good occasion to revive your blog.
Revive my blog... good idea, but less time. Guess you know that problem. And reading your blog makes me believe I could never do such a good writing as you do. By the way, English just sounds way better than German. As you posted before: it´s hard to get started but once you´re rolling...
Before re-starting this or any other projects I have to complete my getting-back-to-Frankonia project. Application-pictures are done, just have to choose which to take. All those pinterest projects don´t make any sense to be started before moving. At the moment it´s more like collecting ideas for a new home which will not be only mine. But boyfriend just said interior design will all be up to me. Yay! Should make some compromises though, like hanging up some supercool superhero-comic-pictures. Send you the links soon. Maybe hang them up in the bathroom/ guest-toilet or in a guestroom. Hardest thing will be to find a good place for his thousands of DVDs and blue-ray-discs as well as for all his Irish and Scottish whiskey bottles which he loves go expose.
Making plans without even knowing when or if at all to move... Hopefully at the end of the year.
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