The Lampshade Lady Blog

A Wonderful Family Heirloom

I've just finished a great project that I need to share. I received a call from a woman in MN. this fall inquiring about a one of my lampshades that she had seen in a vintage shop. She asked if I could make shades for her 2 Granddaughters using vintage family heirloom hankies. I love to encourage customers to look in their attics, linen closets and old cupboards to find family treasures that sit closed up for years. Much of it textiles that you never know what to do with!

It is special to use your own vintage finds, something handed down over the generations from family to family. This project was so neat because the grandmother wrote her granddaughters the history of these hankies. She passed on these histories that might never be known. She mentioned to me that I was welcome to read the family history of these linens. Wow!!! What a treasure these young woman will have. A piece of their family history that will be turned on everyday; much better than being tucked away new seen. I had such fun trying to use all the pieces of the family puzzle. I think they came out quite decorative and pretty. I hope they will appreciate the love their grandmother has passed on to them; it was a honor to work with them.
Happy Holidays!

All In a Day's Work w/ The Lampshade Lady

Just getting back to work after lots of holiday fun and family. We didn't go hungary! Such a feast, the turkey and all the goodies that went with the big bird. This year I tried creamed leeks; they will be added to my family's holiday favorites. Tish, my siste-in-law made a killer dark chocolate torte to top it all off.

But now it is time to settle back to my schedule. Here's what I finished up today. 2 nice pairs for hex clip shades. The one on the left is a really pretty pair, English White on White Embroidery, so sweet. They are 5' top x 8' bottom x 6" high.

On the right is a darling pair of hex clip shades, 4"top x 8" bottom x 6"high. These are all $75 each. This pair used the edging of the embroidery for it's trim. I love to use the edgings if they are in good shape. The flowers are small french knots. I just found this last weekend when I was out scrounging around in the area antique shops.

Hope you had a feast, too. We have a few weeks to get Christmas orders finished and then we can feast again.

LAMPSHADE WORKSHOPS @ LAKE'S LAMPSHADES WINTER/SPRING 08

Winter/ Spring Workshop Schedule 2008

Each winter and early spring I host a small series of lampshade making workshops. Only one class is necessary to learn everything you need to make one fabric lampshade. We will make one mid-size fabric shade. The shades are all glued, NO sewing.
Classes are $150 each and run from11am-3pm or so. Class size is limited and there will be a non-refundable deposit. We have lots of fun and laughs. Each student will bring a cotton or linen fabric of their choice, no silk. Vintage or new fabric. I recommend bringing a lamp for shade sizing. I will share lots of helpful tips on lampshade sizing and using decorative shade shapes.


Fabric suggestions: Embroideries, monograms, a favorite old skirt, funky new cottons, collage fabrics and trims. Bring a couple choices to decide from or use them both! Bring trim if you want.

Sat. Feb 2nd 11am-3pm

Sat. Feb 16th 11am-3pm

Sat. March 1st 11am-3pm

Sat. March 15th 11am-3pm

Sat. April 12th 11am-3pm

call the shop for reservations 802-325-6308 or email me at [email protected]

Drum Pendant Shades are the Cat's Meow!!!!

I have had much interest in hanging drum shades. And for a good reason. How fun are they!!!!! LOTS. And easy and much less expensive than a chandelier and so easy to change. I just finished making this one over my desk It is done in a Susan Sargent Fabric for Robert Allen. It is so darn Happy. I have used a "day light" light bulb in it to help out through the winter, I had a florescent bulb through the summer which was much cooler in temperature. Now I need all the warmth possible in my drafty shop.


T"his is the trim I used on the drum shade. I liked the decorative touch it added. The drum shades are not too hard to make, although they are a bit harder than they look. It takes a couple of yards of fabric to make it's way around the diameter of the shade. The dimentions of this shade are 18" top x 18" bottom x 9 1/2" high.

Time to get back to work.

Trims, Tassels, Gimps.....

Trims add the finishing touch to my lampshades. Getting the right one can look super fantastic and the wrong one will look so silly. Who would know this could be the hardest part of making a shade. So many times I will have a desk full of unfinished shades, ones that the right trim hasn't come to me. Or how many times have I tried on trim and it looks too forced or wrong color, or too heavy. The right trim can be awesome!!!! And generally you will know it, smack dab.... a hit!!! And that is when it feels good to be a designer. You know when you got it right. I've made a bunch of great shades lately and they came so easy. I'd been busy filling custom orders over the past month and just got a chance to do some shades for the shop. Nice when they come together so smoothly.