DIY Lamp

Oh My God. I made a lamp. All by myself. Wired it up. No biggie.

So, I'm always seeing these really great jars, or bottles or other objects that I'd love to make into lamps. While I could always just take it to a lamp shop and pay for them to wire it up for me, I really wanted to prove it to myself that I could do it. AND I DID!! Apparently, you can just buy a lamp making kit at a hardware store and follow the instructions they give you. I did pretty much that, except I modified it a little. I guess I really wanted a challenge. ha. Here is basically how it worked!

I bought this amazing glass bottle at an antiques store in the country.

These are the parts that I was working with. That wire is brown silk wires--I didn't want to use the wire they gave me in the kit as it was that white ugly plastic kind. They give you different plastic plugs that you fit into the opening of the jar, then a threaded knob that goes inside, then a brass cap.

The next step is to wire up the socket. You just thread the wire though the hole, then wrap each side of it around these little screws inside. Then you put the rest of the socket back together.

Meanwhile, prepare the jar or bottle or object with the plug, threaded screw and harp fitting (eventually you'll put a shade on it so be sure you don't forget the harp part!)

If you're going to do what I did with the wire, then you need a separate plug too. Do the same as you did above with the socket, to the plug. Then plug it in...AND...

OMG IT WORKS!!!

Next, I attached the socket part to the rest of the lamp (it just screws in to that threaded screw I keep mentioning).

SLAM! You have yourself a very cool lamp! Here are the two shades I've been working with. One is a 13 inch linen drum that I got at Pottery Barn and the other is a 13 inch brown linen empire shade from Bed Bath and Beyond. I think I'm leaning towards the one above. What do you think?

Anyway, has anyone ever done this before? I was convinced that you had to be a licensed electrician to do it but no, you just have to be normal girl. Who is obsessed with lighting and wants to make everything into a lamp. That's all.

Alicia B.