11 August 2013

Bird on a Wire

Hello lovelies!

Are you having a nice weekend?

I've been crafting like crazy over the last few days, making the most of feeling inspired and having free time for glueing and sticking. I've sewn (cake) scented clothes bags and painted some giraffes, but today's project is definitely the most colourful and the thriftiest, as it saved me £391!! Although I think we can all agree that a ninjaraffe is priceless.

This project was inspired by these beauties, which I'd seen on sites including Graham and Green. I loved the idea of a birdcage lampshade with fake birds; but there's no way I'd ever spend £395 on a lampshade. Ever. So, I forgot all about it and went on with my life. Deep down I knew there was a faux-budgie shaped hole in my heart, but I just powered through like the trooper I am.

Product image from Graham and Green

Yesterday morning, whilst deliberating which craft project to start next, I remembered how much I hated the lampshade in our guest room. It was left behind by the previous owners and, although I had no issue with the shape, the fabric cover was a neutral blue-grey camouflage print. And, as regular readers may have guessed by now, I don't do neutral. 




I was planning to just re-cover it in some nicer fabric, but then I went into Tiger and found THESE:



For ONE POUND EACH. 

Naturally, I bought four. And then, immediately after purchasing them, realised they were way too delicate to carry home in a bag. Thankfully, I was done shopping for the day, but I still had to walk through Brighton, catch the train to Lewes, and walk home (via Tesco, to buy the ingredients for our dinner) clutching four faux budgies on sticks in front of me like the world's weirdest bouquet. Haha. 

As soon as I got home, I tore the horrible old fabric off the lampshade. That stuff was seriously well stuck on and, despite utilising some of Tom's pliers, there were several sections I just couldn't budge. I was left with a lampshade frame which looked like it was suffering from some sort of mottled, blue skin condition. 



"Never mind", I thought, "that won't even notice when it's painted!". Which is Katie Code for, "Jeez, I've had enough of boring prep bits now and want to get on with the fun stuff - even if it ends up looking a bit naff". So I did. 

I painted the frame turquoise using acrylic paint mixed with plaster of Paris, waited impatiently for it to be dry(ish), and then attached the birds. I decided to removing the stick from each bird's belly and insert a twist of picture wire into the hole to hold the birds in place, which thankfully seems to have worked because the birds are practically weightless; due to being made of nothing but paint, polystyrene and feathers. Oh, and whimsy, but that doesn't weigh much either. 





I'm over the moon with the fact this cost me just over 1% of the equivalent of the "real" lampshade, and I'm hoping visitors will find it charming. Although I am also quite tempted to make all future guests watch The Birds before sleeping in the bed underneath it... Mwhahaha.

What do you think? 

Katie xxx

P.S. I realise this post has absolutely nothing to do with the film in the title, but I was hoping to subliminally persuade you all to watch it anyway because Goldie Hawn is a legend.

13 comments:

  1. I think this beats the Ninjaraffe! Ohmygod I LOVE the birdies!! If I ever find any here in Canada I may have to copy you...

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    1. They probably sell them online somewhere- go for it! xx

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  2. Ha! Definitely not neutral ;). I love it! I have to admit, I did think of The Birds even before you mentioned it, but your birds look pretty friendly rather than terrifying :)

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    1. teehee :) I think if I'd used crows it would've been a completely different story! xx

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  3. I love this! Much much better than the expensive one! I'm gonna be on the lookout now for some birds to make one myself! :-) xx

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    1. Do it! They're the cheeriest things I've ever owned :) xx

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  4. What a fantastic idea, I love it. It looks fabulous, wish I had one. x

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  5. That is definitely the best lampshade I've ever seen!

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  6. This is effing brilliant and you are a crafting/who needs prep anyway genius!!

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    1. Thanks Alice :) I hope you realised that none of my craft projects seem finished until they get the Marshall seal of approval. xx

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  7. It looks great! Awesome job!

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