Fun with Lampshades

Published July 19, 2012

Every so often I come across a great idea from a friend. This is one saw at a birthday party and thought it was worth sharing. Lampshades come in all different shapes and size and some smaller ones are very inexpensive. The little wall sconce shades are wonderful to use as a decorating project. You can adapt this idea for adults by choosing a more sophisticated form of dressing the shade.

 

Materials

  • Small, inexpensive lamp shades (best selection at Home Depot)
  • Stencils, ribbons, shells (optional)
  • Craft glue or glue gun
  • *hole punch (optional)

 

This idea is great for kids to get involved in for their rooms. They can pick any theme they like and dress the shades to match that theme.

Begin by setting up a work area that is conducive to gluing and pasting. Give each child a blank lampshade and let him or her decorate the shade using the craft glue. If you plan to use the glue gun then it’s best to have adult supervision as the glue can become quite hot.

Using a hole punch is another creative twist on this idea. There are many beautiful hole punches in the retail stores now especially in the Martha Stewart section of Michaels. She offers wonderful alternatives to the regular circle-shaped hole punch. Simply take the shade and carefully punch out the designs through the shade. Place on the wall sconce or lamp and watch the light shine through.

Another creative idea is to seashells. These shells are stunning layered upon each other to cover the whole shade. This idea is wonderful for seaside themed homes.

These shades can be used for theme parties as well. Remove your everyday versions and replace them with theme style shades for your party.