RagaMuffin Lampshades

I picked these lamps up (no before pic) from a sale for less than $1 each about 6 months ago. They were naked; white scratched ceramic and shadeless. They sat unloved in my garage until I found drum shades at Ross a few months later for $3 each. Then they got an ORB paint job and looked like this for a bit:




I couldn't take the plain white shades for very long and have been collecting thoughts, looking for ways to improve them...

Inspiration struck while reading Nester's blog! She recently posted this "Ragamuffin Bag" tutorial and I swooned at first sight.



I ran to my fabric stash and gathered up the first four or five fabrics I could get my hands on, with no cares about matching too closely. I was so excited to get started...I wanted an eclectic, bohemian look anyway- so it was all good.



Each shade took an average of an hour and a half to do...after layering and hot gluing the fabric strips to my liking...



I embellished the shades with feathers, jewels, trim, beads, pompoms, ribbon, yarn...pretty much a little bit of everything! I wanted them really full, shaggy and and fun...and I am SO happy with how they turned out...




Each lamp cost me less than $4 each since I used free glue-sticks (garage sale gimme) and fabric and embellishments I already had in my stash. The thick fringe trim around the top even came off of an ottoman I picked up while curb surfing one day...I knew I'd find a purpose for it :)


I'm linking up to these parties and sites:

Homestead Giveaways DVD Set Giveaway

Check this one out too!

Franklin Springs "Homestead Blessings" giveaway at Raising Homemakers.

Launch of Raising Homemakers Site

For anyone else who is raising daughters to be "keepers at home", this new website, Raising Homemakers, is a must read! They are promoting the launch of the site with some wonderful giveaways...taking entries until Friday, June 4th! Go check it out :)

Dreamin' and Boxes and Such

So- those "bigger things" I mentioned awhile back? I was referring to dreams. Big, huge, dreams..."as huger as a google" to use Belle's (my middle child) current favorite phrase.


Dreams that require me to open the box, take off the lid, and let God out.


Scary.

Exciting.

Scary.


So, I'm dreaming...and pondering how these big dreams will be funded. Thinking of opening an Etsy shop, selling the likes of these:




Would you buy one if you knew if would help fund a dream? Would you buy one if you knew it would change lives?


How 'bout if you knew it would encourage a type A, worrywort mama to take the lid off the box?

Huh, huh, so would ya?

Yeah...me too.

Here I Am Again

Once again, I'm sticking a timid toe back into the pool of blogging.

But...very carefully, and hopefully wisely, this time.

Last time I kept a blog, I found out that I don't swim {read: juggle lots of interests} very well.

I don't want to drown again :)

But, I have a great reason for showing up to the pool again. I'm not even worried about my bright white legs and little bit of baby belly pooch I got going on here. I've got bigger things on my mind this time.

Can't wait to share with new and old friends the things that are happening here at our Castle in the Kingdom.