Old Lamp Made New

I have been working on this lamp for, I think, forever.

I bought this lamp about 30 years ago, and have used it in a number of ways. My latest was to paint seashells and put them inside the glass lamp. I love it. It gives color, and with the lampshade, it has a dimming effect for the bedroom I put it in.






I painted the seashells by hand with acrylic paint. I could have done it faster if I would have spray painted them, but I figured if I sprayed them, the paint would not have gone on even, and I also did not want all the shells to look the same.

Some of the acrylic colors I had on hand, but since I seem to use a lot of white, I picked more up at Walmart for 50 cents a bottle. But, you can find acrylic paints for crafts at any hobby stores like Michaels or Hobby Lobby. It's just that Walmart was close.



After they were all painted, I decided to decorate some with some seed beads I had on hand. This was a messy but simple task by using Elmer's Glue. I just squirted some on the shell where I wanted the seed beads and then poured the beads over the glued spot.

All in all, they turned out really good, and they are securely fastened to the shell. I took the shells to the garage and set up an area where I could lay them out and then I sprayed a clear glossy sealant to seal the paint to the shells. I just used what I had around the house, and I am sure you can pick up clear sealant for cheap.

After the sealant dried,  I was ready to put my lamp together. I did include some natural shells.

I bought a new finial for the top of the lamp, and it turned out looking like this

An inexpensive purchase made years ago has taken on many looks through the years, this last one a colorful one to complement my new seaside decor. 

Until tomorrow...have a great day.