It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness. Or something like that.
This is the tale of two thrift store lamps, plain, outdated, and cast aside. But not for long.
Friends Naomi and Sage from Plaster & Disaster bought the lamps and challenged each other to a lamp-off. Each would take one and make it over in her own style.
For Naomi, this meant high-gloss black contrasted with a glamorous gold-dipped look. I love how she filled the ridges in on the bottom with wood filler before applying the gold. It makes it look authentically ‘dipped’ and not just painted. Fabulous!
Sage also opted to smooth out the ridges on her lamp by sanding the entire thing. It got a coat of turquoise paint, then she layered on thin coats of gold using a mix of paint and water, which she sprayed on with a squirt bottle. Very cool technique! It gives it a shimmery ceramic look.
What fun! I want to have a lamp-off. Who’s with me? You know what else I’ve always wanted to do? I’ll tell you. Find some completely hopeless items at the thrift-store and have a competition to see who can improve them the most.
I would choose a few participants and send them their ‘mystery’ item in the mail, then they would report back with their efforts and we would all vote and have a good laugh. Oh man, the more I talk about it, the more I want to do it. Would anyone be interested in that? Let me know. I think we should make it happen.
31 Comments
Mumzy
February 24, 2015 at 6:46 AMAWESOME idea!!! Go for it!
Jenn(ifer)
February 24, 2015 at 7:06 AM1. great job on the lamps
2. yes, please do it, I would totally be up to it (happy to pay for shipping too)
NRC
February 24, 2015 at 7:37 AMThe lamps are great and your idea is a fantastic one. I would totally be up for it and pay for the cost of shipping (within reason… Large flat rate box from USPS, perhaps?). It sounds super fun.
Sage @ Plaster&Disaster
February 24, 2015 at 7:55 AMThanks for sharing the project, Lindsey! And you know we’re always down for a lamp-off/thrift store challenge!
Kimberly
February 24, 2015 at 7:58 AMYes! I think it would be an awesome challenge and I’d love to see the results. Great idea!
Laurel
February 24, 2015 at 8:16 AMI would totally participate in that challenge! Let’s do it!
Jessica H
February 24, 2015 at 8:41 AMDo it!! That sounds like so much fun!
Katie
February 24, 2015 at 8:55 AMUm, YES!
Heidi N.
February 24, 2015 at 8:57 AMStill smarting from my runner up status in the Haiku contest, I need another shot at a win! Bring it on! 🙂
KWolff
February 24, 2015 at 9:27 AMI would most definitely be up for a flea market swap! I thin that sounds like a blast!!!
Bets
February 24, 2015 at 9:31 AMAn ugly-off!! Yes! I’d be in (and pay shipping).
Danielle
February 24, 2015 at 10:02 AMI have got a pretty awesome goodwill in my neighborhood for finding utterly worthless items! (never thought I’d say that excitedly…Actually now that I think about it I’m still shooting mental daggers at people who find awesome MCM dressers or tufted leather high back chairs in perfect condition) I would be in. We could send each other an item!!!!
Jane
February 24, 2015 at 10:24 AMLove the black and gold effect and love the green and gold effect. Two winners!
Angela Bailey
February 24, 2015 at 10:32 AMI’m SO in.
Havok
February 24, 2015 at 10:56 AMLove the turquoise lamp!
Also, yes, love the idea of sending out stuff to pretty up! Oh the possibilities!
Jane
February 24, 2015 at 11:01 AMPICK ME! PICK ME! I promise to keep and use the item in my own house even, so I will take it very seriously!
Dharma
February 24, 2015 at 1:30 PMI’m down. Bring it.
Ammanda
February 24, 2015 at 2:08 PMHow fun!!! I’d love to!!
Beth
February 24, 2015 at 3:02 PMI would love to do that!
Mindy
February 24, 2015 at 3:19 PMI am not a home decorator or super crafty person — artsy yes, I paint and draw and all that, but I would love to try something like this! Recovering a whole couch seems like a lot of work, but a lamp? A lamp is small. I could handle a lamp. I just need to find the place to put one in my small apartment. So, really, after all this rambling, this answer is YES! That would be fun! This blog is so inspiring.
MaryAnn@easy-gallery
February 24, 2015 at 3:30 PMLOVE the idea of a ‘mystery item’ contest. Can’t wait to see the finals. (Wish I had more time, so I could join in!)
LeeAnn
February 24, 2015 at 4:35 PMMy taste leans to the turquoise & gold one, though both are really pretty. They both did a great job!
Heck, yes, I want to participate!! Where do I sign up?
Cathie
February 24, 2015 at 9:16 PMI want to see the mystery item happen. Just don’t pick me, unless you want a disasterpiece.
The Peppermint Journalist
February 24, 2015 at 9:27 PMI would love to see a contest like this and I would also love to participate!
Tristie
February 24, 2015 at 11:39 PMLet’s have a thrift-off!
Amanda
February 25, 2015 at 11:09 AMThat sounds like a brilliant competition! I’ve been jonesing for a project. Need to get this baby self-sufficient so I have time to make stuff again. Should be able to in about 18 years, right?
shanna
February 25, 2015 at 1:13 PMthat would be so fun! definitely.
nikki
February 25, 2015 at 2:18 PMI want to play!!! But I’m in the UK… perhaps I could buy my own ugly item? Or if you set a thrift store budget challenge I could do that one 🙂
Looking forward to reading it, whatever you decide! xx
Pia
February 25, 2015 at 3:52 PMA competition like that would be just the motivation I need to finish some projects around here!
kellee
February 25, 2015 at 3:53 PMThat sounds like a blast! I would be up for it as well!
Wendy Burchik
February 25, 2015 at 7:45 PMOh Lindsey, Count me in!!! That would be so much fun! I would love to participate in whatever challenge make-over contest you come up with. I would be glad to pay for the shipping as well. I could see this becoming an annual winter thing to hold us all over until the ugly lamp contest in the summer.