apartment therapy: changing the world, one room at a time

I was so impressed when I first saw her posting. I only wish I had somewhere to put one of my own...!

Impressive indeed!

I like this better then the original ostrich feather version! Great job!

Awesome!

lovely!

Philadelphia representing!

Wow!

dayyum amazing, i also wanted to recreate that feather lamp because i loved it! now maybe i can

thanks, all, for the positive comments! the next project on the docket is making a capiz chandelier-inspired light for the bedroom with vellum paper...i'll keep you posted on the results! ralphemole: i'd definitely encourage you to do it...it's really easy (if slightly time-consuming).

I think I'm looking at my weekend project! Thanks Ashley!

Can we get a picture of the pendant when the light is off?

thanks again, guys! @jems...i'll see what i can do...

here you go:
http://picasaweb.google.com/aocoats/PhotosILike?feat=directlink

Reminds me a beautiful swan!

yay! yay! yay! absolutely brilliant.

great job, ashley!

beautiful! and I like your little criminals!

Brilliant!

thanks, kaanswfm...they're named bunsy and baby casserole, and they're both spoiled rotten.

for those of you planning on tackling this...i really would recommend experimenting with parchment paper before using the wax paper i used. the idea only occurred to me after i was half-way done, and i think the matte texture of the parchment paper would look way more ethereal. if you go that route, though, i'd use a paper lantern on the larger end of the spectrum just from a safety perspective.

also, using several colors of tissue paper that are minor variations on each other (eg, stark white, ivory white, etc etc) might look cool, too, and maybe more 'organic' or whatever.

in any case, good luck, guys, and i'm looking forward to seeing your versions as well as alotlikeotherpeople's more faithful, feathery version!

this is so cute!

one question...did you cut the ends to be kinda rounded?

i also loved the feathered chandelier... but there are so many options with this... different papers...different colors... i think i might try to make one now!

oh and i checked the link above for the unlit photo...and saw your lotus-type homemade stencils and theyre awesome!

it's gorgeous -- reminds me, strangely, of a jellyfish. In a good way: I love jellyfish!

@eribear12...yep, the 'petals' are rounded at both ends, tapering at the top. as for the stencils, they're super-easy to make...just use a flexible plastic cutting board (from either the dollar store or IKEA) and an x-acto knife to cut it (and, for the lotus design, some guilty pleasure television viewing to make the half-hour's worth of cutting more palatable).

Totally impressed! (and it looks just as good, if not better with the light off)

wow, that is great!!

Love it.
The feather version was gorgeous. But to be honest, never liked the idea of feathers hanging over my food.

This looks fantastic! Love your use of creativity here. Way to go Philly!

This is spectacular, and all the painting in your home is lovely!

Your scuba man.... soooo awesome.

Awesome!
So sorry, I don't have the space for one of my own :(

How about using vellum? It would be a little thicker than parchment but would still have the matte look. What wattage bulb did you use?

thedevilsinthedetails - i can't stand people who use the term 'honey' when they're being derogatory. blergh. and you have the gall to question someone else's taste?

how about for 2009 people be a little nicer to one another?!? aren't design blogs here for help and constructive criticism?

what was the point of your comment thedevilsinthedetails? was is really necessary? ummm NO.
you really had to waste your precious time saying something like that?

i swear, the fact that people can be so rude online behind their screennames never ceases to amaze me. i would hope you don't talk like that to people out in the real world.

anyways... i think its an awesome DIY just like the rest of the commenters and thanks for responding to my question ashley!

hmmmmm...devil, do i know you?

i hope for your sake that my suspicions are correct, and if so, that was an *uncanny* impression. if not, i'm sorry my little project makes you so unhappy. luckily, it made/makes me happy, and i guess that's the important thing, huh? ;)

@ idea chick: vellum is awesome, i love it. it could look really really awesome for this, but the one worry i have is that vellum (at least the stuff i've worked with) is super translucent/bordering on transparent...i'm afraid that might be a little unforgiving in terms of tape shadows. but, you know, maybe not! i think i might fiddle around with this also....

also, if you want the curly-cue look with the petals flipping out you might have to curl the vellum yourself since it doesn't typically come on a roll. but it could look way cool flat, and maybe resemble those really awesome artichoke pendants i've been lusting after for so many years. here's a paper supplier i've bought from before for decoupage projects (they have GORGEOUS flocked damask paper that i need to invent some need for pronto) who has some large-sized vellum:

http://www.papermojo.com/translucentvellum.html

shipping ain't cheap, but i guess i'll just have to buy some other paper to make it worthwhile, eh? ;)

but yeah, i think these are all great suggestions and the sorts of things that just need to be tried out empirically and messed about with to see what works. and let me know what happens with your improvements as i still have a bunch more lights to 'dress up' in my house!

as for the bulb, i think it's a 100W..? it's terrible, i know, that i'm not using a CFL or LED for that light, but during the dark, depressing philly winters i allow myself the little indulgence of a 'outdoor' spectrum incandescent and proceed to sun under it like a slothful cat. it's my poor man's version of a verilux happylight!

@ dahliacactus...thanks! my boyfriend is getting a wee nervous now that i've run out of walls to paint on, and i think he fears he might be next! the scubaman is really easy to do if you want your own. it's from one of the dover copyright-free pictorial archive books (a freaking fantastic resource for those of you who haven't heard of them before...i recognize almost all of trader joe's clipart from these books), and i just scanned it at some insane resolution and fake-rasterbated it with photoshop. scissors, some mod-podge and red paint, and there've you've got it! so glad you like it...i really makes my day on those dreary 5AM mornings. also, most big urban libraries have a pretty complete dover pictorial archive collection if you ever want to just browse before/without committing to buying a book.

and i'm so happy there are so many philly ladies in the house! i wonder if we have that critical mass to get our own AT! *hint, hint*

have a lovely evening, all!

Please ignore the troll, who is obviously a troll (just registered today and has posted four negative comments already).

This is gorgeous and I will totally be using this to make over my Target arc lamp. Thanks for sharing!

thedevilisinthedetails: what a horrible, snarky, snobby, and completely unnecessary comment to make. And from the looks of your profile, it isn't your first.

More importantly...Ashley I love your take on the ostrich feather chandelier! Very creative with tons of different options to make it unique. I can't believe you did it all for under $12. Nice work ;)

I love this :) I think I'm going to try something similar with a floor lamp I have -- the lampshade has dents in it from my last move that I'd love to hide somehow.

I want one!

me too, i want one
its easy to created

love it!!!
the one thing i worry about when thinking about doing DIY with light fittings is the heat resistance-LittleBunny is the paper holding up to the heat? is it an occasional use lamp or high usage? just trying to do a little research before trying this out for myself!

Gorgeous - another DIY to add for the (hopefully soon) nursery.

I admire the creativity and the patience it took to achieve the results.

Gorgeous, I love it! Thanks for sharing. I just got married in September and have like 20 leftover orange paper lanterns I've been wondering what to do with...wonder if they'd look cool with the petal treatment? Hm...

Question: If I'm reading your price list right, you made do with just one regular roll of wax paper, yes?

Thanks so much for the inspiration... here's my take if you care to peek. ;)

Thanks a lot!

i used those baking paper, didn't look much translucent, covering most of the lamp, wich I like!

here's my take...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/liana_lessa/4313524219/in/photostream/

Does anyone know if there is any kind of tape that actually sticks to parchment paper? If not, you might want to stick to using wax paper. I just bought a roll of parchment paper since I already owned this lamp, but I can't get the paper to stick to anything. Tried shiny scotch tape, matte scotch tape, packing tape, nothing sticks to it....which I suppose is the point of baking with it, just didn't realize that adhesive wouldn't even work.
I guess I'll be buying wax paper tomorrow to try it again, hopefully it will cover up all the tape that's stuck to the lamp now.

demandapanda, usually with the baking sheet, isn't there two sides? one, waxier and the other more matte?

I can't wait to try this, I have the pendant already!

Gorgeous! I like it better than the original too!

I LOVE THIS IDEA!!!! LOVE IT!!!! Love it more because it's hand made!!!
Question- would fabric glue work better than tape? I can just see the wax paper falling after a particularly long dinner party....
Also, has anyone tried daylight balanced eco lights? You have the low wattage (23) with high light output (equivalent to 11 watts) plus it burns with much less heat so you don't have to worry about paper lanterns catching fire (or is it just me who worries too much?)
I wouldn't mind the evil comments. They say more about the person posting than the fabulous projects they are trying to hate on :)

Panda, have you considered hot glue for attaching your parchment paper? Not sure what it would look like, but the tiniest spot of it would probably stick really well..

Did she only do the front? The reflection shows just the rice paper lantern? Or does it show through that well?

Great Job Ashley! Excellent idea and I will absolutely be trying it at my home!!! You've re-inspired my long dormant inner DIYer so also THANK YOU :)

Ashley- The lamp is beyond spectacular...and I've been wanting to do it for MONTHS...but feel slightly intimidated. (I'm baby stepping into creative diy projects) The one thing that shuts me down- is the actual making of the petals. So...I'm begging....pleading, even... do you happen to have a stencil/pattern you could share?????? I would love you forever....

Wow, congrats! I also appreciate the humor of DC reader Catherine's diy-gone-wrong.

I have read all your comments, Thanks, and I will try this using advice from person who made original lamp. How wonderful of her to do this, and even more wonderful of her to share. What a grand lady. Thank you. Thank you. sincerely, mary

Stunning! I have always liked the paper lanterns but found them a bit too predictable. This is for me! An art supplies store near me has a huge selection of gorgeous japanese papers. I'll bet those would be gorgeous, too. Hmmmmmm...........

Love it! And just in time for finishing off my daughter's "high school" bedroom :)

OMG! I love it! I've looking for a cheap beautiful lamp for my dining room and i think i just found it. :D

I'm curious how the lamp looks when not turned on.

And how long does the tape hold up under the heat and drying that it would get from the lamp? Wouldn't sooner than later the tape dry out, crack and then petals start falling or worse start looking bad?