You will want to Bookmark this Lamp Shade Made of Book Pages! I love making over lamp shades. I had an illuminating idea to makeover this lampshade.

Don’t you love all the fabulous ideas out there for using old book pages? Big Merci and Kudos to the 1st person to ever conceive of using old book pages for an art project, whoever you are!

I had illuminating idea while repurposing lamp shades I needed for a sale. I wanted to try something totally out of the ordinary. Being that I am Bona Fide Dumpster Diver (You can read all my tips and tricks for scoring big time with Dumpster HERE). I had TONS of books, hence book pages on hand from curbside scores to left next to an in dumpsters.

To Begin a lamp shade made of book pages, carefully tear out pages of a small paper back book, or larger, depending on the size of your lamp shade. I used a very outdated desk top dictionary.

I had my kids wad all the pages up individually then unwrap them so they were nice and crinkled. Your kids know how to do this naturally, just check the bottom of their back packs from time to time. Especially if you have boys.

Then begin by hot gluing pages to the bottom, spacing them apart by an inch or so. I wanted the Lamp Shade Made of Book Pages to look full and random. You don’t want neat farm like rows. This is haphazard, not for the perfectionist in you. (I am still looking for mine, but the crazy creative in me keeps her at bay).

Keep adding the lamp shade. Adding more and book pages and filling in where needed. Think big ruffly, full skirt.

When you have a lamp shade that looks full enough to you, add trim at the top to hide the tops of the book pages. I used braided black gimp. This gives the lamp a finished look and keeps it from looking like it just rolled out from under your kids school supplies.

I love the whimsical look of the Lamp Shade. And in case you are concerned about flammability, the book pages are no where in the vicinity of the bulb.

The Lamp Shade Made of Book Pages only took me about 1/2 hour. When I was finished, it took a good 10 minutes for me to stand back and admire it. Hope this illuminating idea encourages you to Bookmark this lamp shade!

PS this post originally lit up the blogosphere in August of 2013

Booking it over to these fun parties this week:



