Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Teapot Lamps

A couple of days ago I showed you the door nightstand/bookshelf I made for Jan, one of my local readers. Yesterday I showed you how to drill through glass/china.   Today I’m going to share with you two teapot lamps I made for her.

I drilled holes in a bunch of glass pieces.  After I got them done, Jan came over and we played around with the configuration of pieces. I would never attempt to make that kind of choice for a friend. It’s all a personal preference.
teapot lamp (2)
You can see some painter’s tape on the glass pieces. We used the leftover tape from the window panes to mark the order of the pieces after we got them stacked.  By the way, that is NOT Jan in the brown shirt… it’s just a kid from the neighborhood. They always stop by to see what I’m working on.

100_9972
Note the hole in the bottom piece. That hole is for the electrical cord.

teapot lamp (3)
The writing on the tape is 8G, 9G, etc. Meaning these pieces were for the Green lamp.

100_9974
At this point I was just re-stacking them after I completed a few more holes.  I wanted to make sure that there was a good fit from piece to piece. It’s a lot like making glass totems. Another project where gail stacks bits and pieces. I’m telling you, I must not have played with enough blocks as a child.

teapot lamp (4)
Do you see the mason jar lid? I thought I might need to use that for the top to get a tight fit.  It was not needed.


100_9981
The lamp is not wired yet.



100_9976
This is project #2, the blue lamp.  You can see the Dap Silicone Sealant   I used to “glue” this one together.  I used Silicone in a caulk gun on the glass totems. I was looking for something easier and simple.  I bought mine  at Home Depot.

Teapot Lamp


100_9977
Well, looky there!  That phone made it into another picture!  I need to have it near me because you never know when Rose might call me.  I really like how we put the one cup upside down on the other, don’t you?

teapot lamps
Here they are side, by side.

100_9280
When Jan picked up the lamp kit, she got the kind with threads all the way down.  In my opinion, this is the best way to go. There were two rods that connect with that neat little connector there in the middle.  Once connected, the rod was too tall for the “stack” of glass pieces. I used my jigsaw to cut the rod down to size.


100_9277
This is why I didn’t have to use the mason jar lid. Because the threads go all the way down the rod, I was able to screw a washer/nut all the way down to get a tight fit with the top piece (cup).  I then  wired and screwed the socket in place.  Because this is not my lamp, I suggested that Jan’s husband check the wiring and even rewire it himself.  (I don’t want to burn their house down)  I know my limits and I am not very knowledgeable about electricity and wiring.


100_9278




100_9282
Okay, in this picture I’m going to show you my “oops”. As I was drilling the pieces, I accidentally drilled a side hole in the large plate thinking it was going on the bottom.  I had forgotten that we had decided to put this small bowl as the base.  I glued it so that this hole will be toward the back of the lamp. In all honesty, the blue plate is rather “busy” so hopefully it won’t be noticed.

100_9283
You can see that you need a side hole in order for your cord to have an exit. You can also see that I used a washer and a nut to hold the bottom of the rod in place.


100_9980


Which is your favorite? The blue or the green?  Once Jan gets them home and dresses them up with a couple of shades, I’ll be sure to update this post with properly staged after pictures.
I worked on wiring my lamp, but I have lost one of the parts.  I’ll have to pick up a new socket (and a shade).


Love unique lamps?  Check out my repurposed coffee pot lamp.

gail
Amazon links help support my blog, thank you!

29 click here to leave a comment:

Proper Prim said...

Great job Gail... I like them both, it would be hard to make a choice.

Can't wait to see the staged pics.

Have a wonderful day sweetie...

Hugs, Deb

Sell WoW Account said...

The lamp is so adorable! I would love to have such kind of lamp. It's fabulous!

Sell WoW Account

Sarah at Finishing Touch Interiors said...

what a fabulous idea. my friend collects teapots & cups & saucers she would LOVE this

Inspire Me Heather said...

I just love the whimsy in those lamps!

Coleen's Corner said...

I like them both! The green is my favorite... simply because it would fit in my living room just fine : ) Great job. Looking forward to the final shots of these beauties!

Granny said...

I like them both but the green is my favorite. I love the lampshade with the little tassels. I still haven't been brave enough to try using my diamond drill bit. Maybe today or tomorrow if it warms up as much as the weather guesser predicted.

Teri said...

I like the green best. My sis has been wanting to do this and I've directed her over to your blog to see how it's done.

gail@myrepurposedlife.net said...

Thanks everyone!

To all who want to try this: when using the diamond bit, it's best to have the bit rotating before you lower it onto the china. Remember to have it at an angle until the bit "sets" itself on the glass, then slowly raise it until it is straight up. Let the bit to do the work, don't press hard as you would to drill a pilot hole into wood. Remember to use water to keep your glass cool.
Good luck!

Debilou ~ Mississippi Mama said...

well they are both pretty but I think the blue is my favorite,, i like the two cups facing each other in the middle and the teapot on bottom.

Rose @ Confessions of a Curbshopaholic said...

They are both so pretty! I would have to pick the green just because it's my favorite color.
I'm still chuckling about the phone. Our random chats while I'm traveling are always the highlight of my day. Thanks for keeping me company!

Michelle @ Dream Home DIY said...

Oh they're perfect :0) I kinda love the blue one but Im a bit of a sucker for that color

Grace One Hundred said...

I love the green one. The dark green teapot at the bottom really grounds it and I love its texture! I am ITCHING to make one of these!! I've been saving tea cups, saucers & tea pots for over a year. I need to get on it! Thanks for the extra inspiration. :)

Michele Chastain said...

These are amazing! I need to start collecting cute cups/saucers, etc... to make one of my own. You're awesome!

A Vintage Green said...

You create/build the most amazing items - the teatime lamps are great and your tutorial is very much appreciated.
- Joy

eye_on_sparrow said...

These are so pretty it makes me want to try this. I like the blue Lamp best. Thanks for sharring.

Shirlee said...

Both lamps are adorable but my favourite is the green one. I have rewired lighting and made lamps for myself and I feel the same as you do in regards to doing wiring for someone else. Although it's easy to do, I wouldn't want to burn someone's house down either!
Once you master the skills of drilling through various items, you can make all sorts of interesting lighting. My biggest problem is finding decent lampshades.
Have a great day!

Tatum @ Many Moments Of Me said...

These are absolutely dreamy. What a clever way to utilize tea sets! Having something so old fashioned and being able to display them all the time because they are functional is such a plus!

Two Dollars said...

I think I prefer the green for 2 reasons 1) I like the upside down bowl for the base and 2) I like the saucer that is 'lacey.' Good job :)
-Stefanie
2ndChanceCreations.etsy.com

Randi said...

Those are both so fun. I think I like the green one best but the blue is pretty darn cute too. What fun lamps!

Debbie @ OtRD said...

These look great! Love how they turned out! What a fun idea.

Sue said...

These lamp are pure fun! They remind me of Alice in Wonderland for some reason. I'm normally not a "green" girl, but I like it better than the blue.

Linda@Coastal Charm said...

How neat...love this cute idea!!!

Blessings,
Linda

Anita @ GoingALittleCoastal said...

What a cute idea! They turned out great Gail. Love the little tea pots too. I think the blue is my fav. But I love the green too. How funny that you get an audience from the neighborhood kids!

Toqua's Crafts said...

They are both pretty but I think the blue is my favorite. I really like the two cups facing each other in the middle and the teapot on bottom. I've always lived in the 'desert' and so there is always dust. As cute as these are... I wouldn't want to dust 'em!!

Evelene S said...

I love the lamps but the blue one is my favorite. A pretty yellow silk flower would look great in that hole in the blue plate.

Lucy Designs said...

wonderful! I love both, don't think I could choose! LOL

c.w.frosting said...

I love BOTH but am partial to the green. I did something similar... didn't want to fuss with drilling so made candles, HERE

-caroline @ c.w.frosting

Backwoods Cottage Pam said...

I enjoy them both! I can never find such lovely pieces at thrift stores, maybe i should try more garage sales. I have made bird feeders from them in the past but not lamps, great idea!

Type A Ramblings said...

What a fantastic idea! I also have a love for tea cups and looking for a way to incorporate it into my home. I've been looking for the perfect antique tea canisters but most of them don't have lids :(

Here's my little ode to the tea cup post on my blog:
http://typearamblings.blogspot.com/2011/05/tea-time.html

Pam

 

avandia recall