Saving a Lamp from the Dumpster

 

Absolutely HIDEOUS!!!!

Supplies:

• Paint Brush (s)
• Primer (you can use regular white crafters paint on this one, but the best primer I like to use is "Gusso" found in the art/painting isle.)
• Paint - color(s) your choice
• scrapbook paper
• Buttons
• Hot Glue-Gun
• Scrapbook adhesive stickers (your choice) -  and/ or -  picture cut outs.
• (A Lamp Shade if you do NOT already have one.)
• Matte Medium Gel (found in the art/painting isl of your local craft store.) And here's a picture of my preferred brand, and also so you know what you're looking for:

 Directions:

1. Wash off the lamp of all dust and dirt. (I prefer to use wet wipes, because they're actually really good for that and many other things!)
2. Begin to prime everything you plan to paint and collage.
3. After that dries, paint all of the surface you want the paint to show. (DO THIS BEFORE THE COLLAGE!!!)
4. Then you take your scrapbook paper and tear it to whatever size you want, some will be BIG / SMALL REGARDLESS, and if you are working with a Curvy Lamp, it's a bit more tricky like a puzzle and you'll definitely have those smaller pieces. After that, you take a small flat paint brush then brush on your matte gel to the back side of your torn piece of paper and place to glue it to the lamp. NOW DON'T FREAK OUT! It may not stick very well, so I get some more gel on my brush and brush it over that piece of paper. It's seals it and glues all down.  (Also, I like to tear my paper into whatever pieces/ shapes as I go, because like I said, it's kind of like a puzzle and certain shapes fit better in certain areas/ doesn't over lap with the same pattern of paper.) And you continue until you see no more primer and the collaged area is filled.
5. Any adhesive scrapbook stickers or cut outs you add now.  Cut outs go on the same way you as you had put on your paper, with the matte gel.
6. Once you're finished adding the stickers/ cut outs and it's DRY, you can add your buttons however many / wherever on your lamp with the hot glue gun.
7. Then put in back together (shade/bulb), plug it in and sit back for an hour or so and admire your work! ;)

 (half-way done, collage area is filled.)

Finished, up close.

The whole thing, finished. I added a new (vintage) shade I got from my grandma's barn still wrapped from the 70's or 80's. ;)