The Lampshade Lady Blog

The Perfect Book for Starting Your Own Creative Business

This is a fantastic book if you are inspired to start a new creative business!!! Or even if you think you know it all!!! I am only a few pages into this book and have already found new ideas and info for my business and I have been at it for over 2 decades. Point made, we are always learning new ideas and ways of doing business. And that is what makes the challenge of owning your own business fun.
The book is written by Meg Mateo Ilasco and published by Chronicle Books. It is a very honest way of evaluating if you are up for the challenge for getting your feet wet and finding your passion. It makes you ask the hard questions while encouraging you to push ahead and find the confidence it takes to put your product into the marketplace. I enjoy helping my students start up businesses and there is always the questions like: how do you price your product? Do you wholesale and how does that work with prices. How do I sell my products and where would you suggest..... I am thrilled to be able to suggest this book to my students and fellow friends. I am looking forward to going home tonight to a glass of wine and delving deeper into the book.

I have always been fascinated with the question of why we do what we do. I have made a conscious decision to keep my business small. Probably because I can....???? Or don't have a clue how to take it to the next level. But deep down, I think that doing one or 2 of a kind lampshades is a niche that lets me design and execute from start to finish a decorative useful product for the home. I am creating something my customer won't find in her favorite catolog or design center. For me, I love the "making" as well as the designing and would miss that piece of the pie if my business was to grow. But on the other hand, never say never....right?

Lake's Lampshade Updates,May/June Vermont Magazine and Mumbles

Very exciting news for Pawlet Village and West Pawlet Artist: See the May/June issue of Vermont Magazine. Page 21, Pawlet Palette, by Carl Decker and Nancy Levine. We say a big thank you to the gang at Vermont Magazine. It's a great way to start the spring season. They have featured artisans in the hub of both villages including, Milliner-Denise Tilley, Me, Painter- Roy Egg, Photographer- Stephen Schaub, Photographer-George Bouret, Painter- Matt Solon and our 2 General Stores, Machs General Store and Dutchies Store.
Check it out.


Here is a new shade made recently in the shop. I found this handsome crewel this winter on ebay. There was only enough for the front panel of this large rectangle. I had planned to match the linen..... but nothing was quite right. I ended up contrasting the front panel with the Susan Sargent fabric. The shade is trimmed with a self-trim fabric scrap I had around my shop (never through anything out!)

Come to Vermont for OPEN STUDIO WEEKEND. It's this weekend, Memorial Day, Sat and Sunday.

Best Laid Plans... but a few good finds

I did manage to headed south to Brimfield on Mothers day. I made my first stop at the Stone Antique Center in Chester, VT. (Can't go by without stopping.) Didn't find anything that grabbed me, hopped back in my car and my nose started running... and running. oh, no. my first time away, it's mothers day and I am getting a cold..... sh.t..... how can it be. I pressed on, slowly keeping my wits about me..... shucks. I hate to be sick and I was so excited to get a few days away from home and work.... I only managed one night and a couple quick go rounds at The Textile Show. My bank account is very happy..... but of course managed to spend every dollar on my wallet...Here are a few pretty treasures I found.
I am making a large rectangle shade today with the turquoise, green and white fabric today. I am doing it next after today's blogging blabs. I love the big polka dots. My shop always does well with the Vermonty Grandma Moses Prints. I splurged on the vintage William Morris fabric. Also got a big stack of animal redwork, a few birds, Dumbo the Elephant, even a very sweet mouse one.
The Sturbridge Textile Show is 2 big rooms and several hall spaces and other small rooms. You never know what you will find. Sometimes I go looking for a few things in particular, but often I go with an open mind. Searching for fabrics that call out to me and screams, you must buy me!! I make my way around the show buying only those must have things first and then the 2nd time around rethinking the other fabric possibilities.

Yesterday I made this sweet small rectangle clip on shade. It is made with an embroidery I found on Ebay recently. It had a perfect small scallop edging on the cloth. Just the right touch for finishing up the shade. The shade size is: 3.5"x5"top by 6.5"x9"bottom by 6.5" high. $75.

A Mothers Day Treat, Go Flea Marketing

Mother's Day Treat. A little get away, a break from day to day duties. What could be better than running into new friends and old at the flea market. Well, that is if this is your thing. I rate it even better than going to TJ Maxx, which is pretty high up there on the fun search list.

This photo is me and my old friend Judy Pascal of Judy Pascal Antiques on Free St. in Portland, Maine. Judy was an early supporter of mine, guiding me in the direction of Vintage Fabrics. I started my lampshade career making cut and pierced lampshades. Judy didn't really love them and tried to get me to make fabric lampshades. I told her I didn't know how and she responded, figure it out or something like that. Lampshade by lampshade I improved. Lordy some of the early ones weren't so great. Judy has fantastic taste and had a lot to teach me. Hope to see her Monday down at the Textile Show in Sturbridge. But, we can't shop together.... because we love the same stuff.....this photo is last year at the Heart of the Mart.(photo George Bouret)


And here are new friends. This is my new friend Lynn in Clark's booth at The Heart of the Mart Textile Tent.(Bouret,photo) Lynn and I met after seeing each other in the similar textile booths along the Rt 20 stretch of flea markets. I find when shopping at big flea markets you have to learn the flea market stroll. Cruising along at a good pace till you see your treasures of choice. My god, if you looked at everything you would never get outta there..... I look for unusual lamps at good prices or very unusual lamps that I love that are too expensive. Also, vintage fabric, embroideries, polka dot aprons and other interesting textiles, vintage trims, sometimes postcards and an occasional purple transferware plate for my "Martha mix and match plates". And that is usually all...... Isn't that good. One of my nameless friends looks at EVERYTHING..... and I am always waiting for her. I love her, but hate waiting when there's shopping to be done.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY AND HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE FIELDS. Let's hope there are bargains to be found. And hears a cheer to old friends and new.

Lampshade Lady Book Jacket

Lampshade Lady's Guide to Lighting Up Your Life
It is pretty amazing to me to actually see the
whole book cover. Extra big thanks to book
designer, La Tricia Watford for designing a
clean and beautiful book. As you may remember
my panics and pains to have a handsome book
designed. And also big thanks to Frances Bailey
from Country Living for her special blurb.
My book will be released Aug. 18th or pre-ordered
from my website.

Come Make a Happy Shade Like this! May 16th 11am in Pawlet, Vermont

Come join me for a small workshop on May 16th. 11am-5pm $150 includes everything but fabric. Use a favorite old skirt, Grandma's embroidery dresser scarf, a needlepoint found in the attic or a mod piece of new fabric. Or head to the flea market to find your favorite treasure. This is the last workshop till fall. It's a full day to learn a new skill and leave with a great lampshade for your house. Some students just want to make one and others continue on to start a business. You will receive instructions and sources to find materials, retail and wholesale.

Here's a wild shade I made last week. I love when the designing process falls together so effortlessly. I'm sure you know what I mean. Sometimes I will be designing a shade or lamp and it is so painfully difficult; nothing seems to work. The shape seems wrong for the fabric, the trim is too fussy and over worked and on and on. BUT, it is such a high when you hit it right on the money. It doesn't happen all the time, but when it does it must let out all those endorphins!!!
This shade went together so fast, I dare tell you how fast..... nothing was going to interrupt the progress. I guess I visualized the idea on Tuesday and needed to hunter/gather cool beads on Wednesday and made it on Thursday. So, clearly there is planning, but bet it took me less than an hour to make it!!! Guess I shouldn't give this away, but the fabric is easy to work with, the shade wasn't too big and the plan was in place, sort of.

I picked up this fabric about 10 years ago at the great vintage shop,Who's Sylvia in Woodstock, Vermont. I had used part of it for my office chair covering up the ugly seat. It was one of those fabrics that wasn't very "IN" at the time, but interesting. It was a vintage house dress; I'd dare say it was so ugly it was beautiful. Re-cycled into this happy little shade. I just may have to keep it, maybe it won't sell!!!!